Susan Smith News

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting award, now celebrating its thirty-sixth year. Chosen from over 100 submitted plays, the Finalists are

Passion. Love. Vengeance. African-American Shakespeare Company continues its 19th season with MEDEA, Euripides' infamous tragedy about a jilted wife exacting the ultimate revenge on a cheating husband. Dawn Monique Williams, a veteran of staging the classics, directs, with Leontyne Mbele-Mbong in the title role. MEDEA plays Saturdays and Sundays, March 8-30 at the Buriel Clay Theater at the African American Art and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton Street (at Webster) in San Francisco.

59E59 Theaters has announced the NYC premiere of GIDION'S KNOT, written by Johnna Adams and directed by Austin Pendleton. GIDION'S KNOT begins performances on Thursday, February 20 for a limited engagement through Sunday, March 9. Press opening is Wednesday, February 26 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday - Saturday at 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues).

SINCE AFRICA, a new play by Mia McCullough about a Lost Boy of Sudan-- both lost in his native land and lost as he attempts to adjust to his new home in America - will be given its NY premiere following successful productions at San Diego's Old Globe, Philadelphia's InterAct, and Chicago Dramatists theatres with performances starting February 20 and an official press opening on February 23 in a production by New York's Red Fern Theatre Company at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 E. 14 St. between 1st and 2nd Ave. in NYC). The play is directed by Nancy Robillard.

Profiles Theatre continues its 25th Anniversary Season with the Midwest premiere of Gidion's Knot by Johnna Adams, directed by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus and featuring Amy J. Carle and Laura Hooper. The production runs now through March 9, 2014 at The Alley Stage, 4147 N. Broadway. The press opening is tonoight, January 25 at 8:00pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Third Rail Repertory Theatre Presents Gidion's Knot by Johnna Adams, directed by Michael O'Connell* and featuring Amy Newman and Dana Green, February 21 through March 16, 2014.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of Laura Marks's powerful new play Bethany. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Bethany will run today, Jan. 25 - Feb. 23, 2014 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Jan. 25 - Jan. 29. Opening night is Thursday, Jan. 30 at 8:00 p.m. Meet the cast and creative team in the photos below!

The Department of Theater/Dance at UC Santa Barbara invites you to join us on an adventure through enchanted Russia in the upcoming production of The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls, by Meg Miroshnik and directed by Tom Whitaker (winner, Indy Awards in Direction, These Shining Lives). The play runs February 14 - 22, 2014 in the UC Santa Barbara Performing Arts Theater.

The Boston College Theatre Department continues its 2013-2014 season with acclaimed playwright Sarah Ruhl's quirky and touching comedy, The Clean House. Performances of this Workshop Production, directed by Theatre Arts major Billy McEntee '14, will take place in the Bonn Studio Theater of the Robsham Theater Arts Center January 23-25.

City Theatre continues its 2013-2014 season with The Mountaintop by Katori Hall, a powerful and provocative reimagining of a pivotal night in DR. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life-his last. Directed by Peter Flynn, The Mountaintop runs on City Theatre's Mainstage from tonight, January 18 to February 9, 2014, with an Opening Night performance on Friday, January 24 at 8pm.

What if there were a happy pill that could take away all the stresses and strains of life? That's the premise of Rx, the latest play from Kate Fodor (100 Saints You Should Know). Deftly balancing sardonic shots at Big Pharma with a tender love story between a clinical researcher and a patient taking part in a drug trial, Rx is 'a winning combination of light satire and romance.' (NY Times)

Profiles Theatre continues its 25th Anniversary Season with the Midwest premiere of Gidion's Knot by Johnna Adams, directed by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus and featuring Amy J. Carle and Laura Hooper. The production runs tonight, January 17 - March 9, 2014 at The Alley Stage, 4147 N. Broadway. Please note the new opening date: The press opening is Saturday, January 25 at 8:00pm.

Back by popular demand, book clubs take the spotlight in the New Year with the return of The Book Club Play by Karen Zacari?as at Horizon Theatre. The show follows a tight-knit book club bound for pandemonium when it becomes the focus of a documentary film. The Book Club Play runs tonight, January 17 - February 23, 2014.

Theatre Horizon continues its season with the Philadelphia area premiere of Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation. This Obie Award winning play runs February 20-March 16. Opening night is February 27 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20-$35. Theatre Horizon is located at 401 DeKalb St. More information can be found at www.theatrehorizon.org or by calling 610.283.2230.

What if there were a happy pill that could take away all the stresses and strains of life? That's the premise of Rx, the latest play from Kate Fodor (100 Saints You Should Know). Deftly balancing sardonic shots at Big Pharma with a tender love story between a clinical researcher and a patient taking part in a drug trial, Rx is 'a winning combination of light satire and romance.' (NY Times)

Profiles Theatre continues its 25th Anniversary Season with the Midwest premiere of Gidion's Knot by Johnna Adams, directed by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus and featuring Amy J. Carle and Laura Hooper. The production runs January 17 - March 9, 2014 at The Alley Stage, 4147 N. Broadway. Please note the new opening date: The press opening is Saturday, January 25 at 8:00pm.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of Laura Marks's powerful new play Bethany. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Bethany will run Jan. 25 - Feb. 23, 2014 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Jan. 25 - Jan. 29. Opening night is Thursday, Jan. 30 at 8:00 p.m. Meet the cast and creative team in the photos below!

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of Laura Marks's powerful new play Bethany. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Bethany will run Jan. 25 - Feb. 23, 2014 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Jan. 25 - Jan. 29.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE presents THE FAIRYTALE LIVES OF RUSSIAN GIRLS by Meg Miroshnik, directed by Rachel Chavkin, January 31-February 22 at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street). Opening Night is Thursday, February 6. The cast of THE FAIRYTALE LIVES OF RUSSIAN GIRLS is Sofiya Akilova, Celeste Arias, Stephanie Hayes, Jessica Jelliffe, Felicity Jones, and Emily Walton.