Susan Stroman News

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Artistic Director Carey Perloff announced that an evening of short plays by modernist master Samuel Beckett replaces Twelfth Night for the 2011-12 season. The evening includes ENDGAME, Beckett's timeless rumination on the end of life, featuring two-time Tony Award winner and A.C.T. favorite Bill Irwin, who was recently hailed by The New York Times as 'an actor deeply steeped in the traditions of clowns, according to both the commedia dell'arte and Samuel Beckett,' and PLAY featuring A.C.T. core acting company members René Augesen, Anthony Fusco, and Omozé Idehenre. A longtime Bay Area favorite as one of the founders of the Pickle Family Circus, Irwin returns to A.C.T. after stealing the hearts of the Bay Area audiences last season as the loveable title character in Moliére's SCAPIN, which he also adapted and directed. Perloff, who has previously directed Beckett's WAITING FOR GODOT at A.C.T. and will helm the production, said: 'It was in Endgame that Beckett famously wrote: 'nothing is funnier than unhappiness.' And I cannot think of a more consummate artist than Bill Irwin to demonstrate that fact, undertaking the lead role of Hamm in this astonishing play. Endgame is a play Bill and I have wanted to do together for many years; when the opportunity suddenly presented itself to do it this season, we could not say no. I am thrilled to present Endgame in tandem with a comic gem from 1963 called PLAY, which will give our core company a chance to shine a spotlight on a hilarious tale of marriage and adultery that represents a very different side of Beckett's oeuvre. I hope that this Beckett pairing will add a rich chapter to A.C.T.'s explorations of the great modernists, Beckett and Pinter.' Endgame and Play play May 9-June 3, 2012, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Press night is Wednesday, May 16, 2012, at 8 p.m. Tickets (starting at $10) are available by calling A.C.T. Ticket Services at 415.749.2228 or at www.act-sf.org.

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox have been cast in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center.

Charles Dickens' beloved holiday classic returns to Princeton with McCarter Theatre Center's annual production of A Christmas Carol. Adapted by David Thompson and directed by Michael Unger, the production runs December 4 through December 24.

On Monday night, the Dramatists Guild of America hosted its annual Awards Night at the Players Club in New York City. The ceremony was hosted by David Henry Hwang and recognized the works of Bruce Norris (Clybourne Park), John Kander, Fred Ebb and David Thompson (The Scottsboro Boys), Robert Lopez, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (The Book of Mormon), Christopher Durang and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Paula Vogel. Check out photos from the event below!

Stefan Karl reprises his acclaimed performance ('Grinch' star steals the show', Dallas Morning News) when the 2011 National Tour of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! - The Musical launches November 15, 2011 at the Providence Performing Arts Center. For a second consecutive holiday season, Big League Productions, Inc. presents this record breaking Broadway musical production in theaters across America.

Carla Cook, Brandon Victor Dixon, Jared Grimes and Adriane Lenox have been cast in Duke Ellington's Cotton Club Parade, opening November 18 at New York City Center.

THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS will receive Actors' Equity Association's Advisory Committee on Chorus Affairs (ACCA) Fifth Annual ACCA Award for Outstanding Broadway Chorus. The honor is the only industry accolade of its kind and honors the distinctive talents and contributions made by the original chorus members of a Broadway musical. The award will be presented in the Actors' Equity Association Council Room, overlooking Times Square, on Friday, November 18, 2011.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 11/13 for Toronto

A song and dance filled afternoon musical revue is coming to the Manatee Players for one performance on Saturday December 10.

PRINCE OF BROADWAY, a new musical celebrating legendary Broadway director and producer Harold 'Hal' Prince, is in development now, aiming for a Toronto production in the summer of 2012 prior to opening on Broadway that fall. The production will feature twelve principle actors, according to an Equity casting notice.

Fred & Adele Astaire Awards Producer Patricia Watt, The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts, & art consultant Julie Keyes hosted a kickoff cocktail reception for the committees and sponsors of the 30th Fred & Adele Astaire Awards Gala at the theater district's Remi Restaurant. Astaire Awards Associate Producer Carolyn Kendall Buchter and Alix Michel, the Co-Chairs of the 30th Anniversary Awards Gala were also on hand to welcome guests that included such theater world glitterati as 5 time Astaire Award winner Susan Stroman, producers Emanuel Azenberg, Wendy Federman and Dan Whitten, SDC Executive Director Laura Penn, Lee Roy Reams, Bruce Michael, NYC Dance Alliance Executive Director Joe Lanteri, J. Elaine Marcos (Priscilla: Queen of the Desert), Kearann Giovanni (Hugh Jackman Back to Broadway), Meggie Cansler (Wicked), Rob Ashford (How to Succeed...), actresses Sondra Lee, Sarah Bierstock, Cassandra Seidenfeld Lyster & Jacquelin Murphy. Also lending their support for the 30th annual Awards which will take place in spring 2012 were Sara Johnson, Wendy Diamond, Kirk Pacheco, Suzy & Lincoln Boehm, Lynn Surry, filmmaker AlBert Maysles, Andrew Wargo, Caroline Lieberman, Pamela Morgan, Regina Kravitz, Barry Minsky, Joel Breiter.

Performing Arts Fort Worth invites you to take 'A Spoonful of Magic' as it proudly announces its 2011-2012 Broadway at the Bass season at Bass Performance Hall

Patricia Watt, Producer, The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts & Julie Keyes along with 2012 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards 30th Anniversary Co-Chairs Carolyn Kendall Buchter and Alix Michel will host a kickoff cocktail reception for the committees and sponsors of this year's awards gala. The reception will also welcome the legendary Judith Jamison to the Awarding Committee. The event will be at Remi Restaurant, 145 West 53rd Street, New York 10019 on Monday, November 7 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 11/06 for Toronto

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that the musical adaptation of Tim Burton's BIG FISH, will hold a private industry reading next week in New York City. As previously announced, the show, which was initially aiming for Broadway in spring 2012, is now set to open in spring 2013.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 10/30 for Toronto

THE TOWN HALL'S Seventh Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival concluded with A TRIBUTE TO Judy Garland AND THE ART OF AMERICAN DANCE on Friday, October 28th. Produced by The Town Hall,, the festival wass created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel. The evening was also co-hosted by Lorna Luft, Susan Stroman.

Patricia Watt, Producer, The Douglas Watt Family Fund for the Performing Arts & Julie Keyes along with 2012 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards 30th Anniversary Co-Chairs Carolyn Kendall Buchter and Alix Michel will host a kickoff cocktail reception for the committees and sponsors of this year's awards gala. The reception will also welcome the legendary Judith Jamison to the Awarding Committee. The event will be at Remi Restaurant, 145 West 53rd Street, New York 10019 on Monday, November 7 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.