Susan Smith News

MCC THEATER has announced that the New York premiere of Jennifer Haley's The Nether directed by Anne Kaufman has now extended through Sunday, March 22, 2015 due to popular and critical acclaim. The production opened on Tuesday, February 24th and was previously scheduled through March 15, 2015 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street). A production of The Nether also just opened to great critical acclaim in London's West End at the famed Royal Court Theatre. The play had its world premiere in Los Angeles in 2013 at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre. For info and tickets, please visit www.mcctheater.org.

Actors' Shakespeare Project brings the language of love and loss to center stage in Jenny Schwartz's play God's Ear, March 25-April 12, 2015, at The Davis Square Theatre, 255 Elm Street, Somerville. Performances are Wed. (March 25 only)-Fri, 7 pm; Sat., 2 pm; (except March 28) & 7 pm; Sun., 2 pm. (Press performance Saturday, March 28 at 7pm; please RSVP to jbpr@comcast.net.) Tickets are $28-$50; $15 student rush. For tickets and information, visit www.actorsshakespeareproject.org or call 617-776-2200 x225.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize previously announced 12 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting award, the oldest and largest prize awarded to women playwrights. The winner of the 2014-2015 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize will be named at the Awards Presentation today, March 2 in New York City.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: THE MYSTERY OF LOVE AND SEX opens off-Broadway, Roundabout and Atlantic host their 2015 galas, THE LAST SHIP reunites at 54 Below and more!

The Road Theatre Company and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, are thrilled to announce the third show of its 2014-2015 season, the West Coast Premiere of THE ENGLISH BRIDE, written by Lucile Lichtblau and directed by Marya Mazor, which will be running in repertory with The Other Place.

Rosenfield, who plays 'Woodnut' in the production, just chatted with BroadwayWorld about opening night, the twists and turns of this plot, and so much more! Check out the full interview below!

The Language Archive by Julia Cho has been hailed by one critic as 'a quirky, but ravishingly well-written piece that is smart, funny, deep and tender.' Winner of the 2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for outstanding new English-language play by a woman, Cho's whimsical work will be presented for the first time in Rhode Island by the Community College of Rhode Island Players. Performances will be given at the Liston Campus in Providence today, Friday and Saturday, February 26, 27, and 28 at 7:30 P.M., and on Saturday and Sunday, February 28 and March 1, at 2 P.M.

PAGE 73 has awarded Nick Gandiello the 2015 P73 Playwriting Fellowship. Gandiello, who was selected from more than 450 applicants, will receive the company's top prize, which includes a $10,000 award and additional $10,000 budgeted for developing several new plays over the course of the year. Page 73 will also produce at least one public workshop for Gandiello this year.

59E59 Theaters welcomes terraNOVA Collective with the NY premiere of UNDERLAND, written by Alexandra Collier and directed by Mia Rovegno. UNDERLAND begins performances on Friday, April 3 for a limited engagement through Saturday, April 25. Press opening is Saturday, April 11 at 8:15 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:15 PM; Friday & Saturday at 8:15 PM; and Sunday at 3:15 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.

MCC Theater presents the New York premiere of Jennifer Haley's The Nether directed by Anne Kaufman and starring Ben Rosenfield, Sophia Anne Caruso, Merritt Wever, Peter Friedman and Frank Wood. The Nether runs now through March 15, 2015 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street). Check out photos from opening night below!

The Bushwick Starr and terraNOVA Collective are proud to present the world premiere of acclaimed playwright Christina Masciotti's newest work, Social Security.

The Nether runs now through March 15, 2015 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street), with opening night set for tonight, February 24th.

Hampstead Theatre's critically acclaimed production Di and Viv and Rose opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on 29 January 2015 and will now close early on 14 March 2015, according to the show's website.

Hailed as the launchpad of the American theater, the two-time Tony Award-winning Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is responsible for developing more than 1,100 new works for the stage. Each summer, the O'Neill is home to a series of national conferences ushering in new voices in playwriting, musical theater, cabaret, puppetry, and criticism. NTI's Theatermakers Summer Intensive provides young artists the opportunity to train alongside these professional conferences and see new American plays before they hit the big stage. Plays developed during summers at the O'Neill now abound off-Broadway, as major New York theaters premiere work from the National Playwrights Conference (NPC).

Playwrights Horizons will present IOWA, the world premiere of a new musical play written by Susan SmithBlackburn Prize finalist Jenny Schwartz (God's Ear, Somewhere Fun), music by Todd Almond (Stage Kiss at PH, Kansas City Choir Boy, The Tempest, On the Levee) and lyrics by Mr. Almond and Ms. Schwartz. Directed by two-time Obie Award winner Ken Rus Schmoll (Red Dog Howls, Middletown, What Once We Felt; next season's just-announced Antlia Pneumatica by Anne Washburn at PH), the musical play will be the fifth production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season.

MCC Theater presents the New York premiere of Jennifer Haley's The Nether directed byAnne Kaufman. Ben Rosenfield, memorably of the final two seasons of 'Boardwalk Empire,' and rising talent Sophia Anne Caruso will take on the roles of Woodnut and Iris, respectively. As previously announced, The Nether will also star 'Nurse Jackie' Emmy Award winner Merritt Wever, New York theater veteran Peter Friedman and Tony Award winner Frank Wood. The Nether continues through March 15, 2015 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street), with opening night set for February 24th. Check out photos of the cast in action below!

Theatre Nova, Ann Arbor's professional playwrights' theater, is thrilled to announce its Premiere Season of Michigan and World Premieres for 2015 in the newly renovated Yellow Barn performance space at 416 West Huron, in downtown Ann Arbor. The season is made up of new, fun, and challenging work sourced from around the country, and developed right here in Michigan. Every show in the Theatre Nova season will make its Michigan debut in 2015.

Capital Stage continues its 10th Anniversary Season with the Sacramento Premiere of Pulitzer Prize Finalist RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN by Gina Gionfriddo. Called 'A Shrewd, incisive, thoroughly winning comedy,' by The Boston Globe, RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN marks the Capital Stage directorial debut of frequent Capital Stage collaborator Shannon Mahoney (MAPLE & VINE, CLYBOURNE PARK, ENRON). RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN will run from March 11 through April 12, with a Press Opening on Saturday March 14, 2015.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity Ensemble, announces the recipient of the 2015 Blue Ink Playwriting Award is Jamie Pachino and her play Other Than Honorable.