Suzan-Lori Parks News

The iconic American opera PORGY & BESS was refashioned into a contemporary Broadway musical byway of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS on Broadway, winning a slew of Tony Awards in the process including Best Revival, and the landmark Diane Paulus production now heads out on the road.

The Public Theater announced the September line-up today for NEW WORK NOW!, the free reading series that allows audiences an opportunity to experience new work by a diverse selection of established and emerging theater artists. NEW WORK NOW! will run September 9 to September 21 in The Public's Martinson Theater (425 Lafayette Street). Now in its twentieth season, NEW WORK NOW! is an important part of The Public Theater's ongoing commitment to developing and mentoring new voices for the American Theater.

Today we are talking a phenomenally talented performer known for his decades treading the boards in a number of featured and lead roles, most recently wowing crowds with his turn as one of the title characters in THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS - the engaging and golden-voiced Norm Lewis. Discussing many of his most celebrated roles as well as some more obscure, Lewis paints a vivid picture of his career trajectory thus far and shares compelling and candid stories of working on productions as varied and diverse as the original Broadway versions of THE WHO'S TOMMY, SIDE SHOW, THE WILD PARTY, AMOUR, THE LITTLE MERMAID and SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM as well as his sensational work regionally in projects such as his recent essaying of Javert in LES MISERABLES at The Muny (to say nothing of the 25th Anniversary live at the 02) as well as turns in SWEENEY TODD and THE WIZARD & I: THE MUSIC OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ among many others. Additionally, Lewis sheds some light on his recent onscreen work, clueing us in on how he became involved with hit nighttime soap SCANDAL and how he enjoyeds working with co-stars Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn on it - and if we will possibly see him in Season Three, perhaps. Plus, Lewis opens up about his upcoming solo gigs and performing plans - including first news on his starring part in the upcoming Public Theater musical version of THE TEMPEST - as well as touches upon a host of topics ranging from his appearances at spectacular special events - DREAMGIRLS: IN CONCERT, HAIR: IN CONCERT, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA in the Park - to his appearance in SEX & THE CITY 2 (opposite Liza Minnelli) to recording studio work, dream projects, future goals, favorite workshop/reading experiences and much, much more!

New Lincoln Theatre presents When Angels Wept, by Charles Grippo, a drama that explores the universal challenge of getting through the trials of life in an imperfect world.

Theatre Horizon is gearing up for an exciting 9th Season and the second in their new home. Their season begins with Doug Wright's Pulitzer Prize winner I Am My Own Wife, continues with Annie Baker's OBIE winning Circle Mirror Transformation, and closes with Tony winner Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps. All shows take place at the company's new home at 401 DeKalb St. Individual tickets cost $20-$31. Subscriptions start at $55 and go as high as $90 per person. More information can be found at www.theatrehorizon.org.

Crabapple Productions is thrilled to announce their inaugural production which will be the culminating effort of Something Incredibly Marvelous Happens, a festival of magical realism. The festival takes place July 20 - September 1 throughout Chicago.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today additional casting for its upcoming production of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet starring Elizabeth Olsen as Juliet. Academy Award winner William Hurt will play the role of Friar Laurence; Emmy Award nominee T.R. Knight has been cast as Mercutio and Tony Award nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega as the Nurse. CSC also announced that Finn Wittrock, previously announced to co-star as Romeo, has withdrawn from the production due to a film offer. A new Romeo and complete casting will be announced shortly. CSC's Romeo & Juliet, which begins performances Friday, September 27, will be directed by Tea Alagi? (Jackie). The official opening night is Wednesday, October 16. Romeo & Juliet will play a limited engagement through Sunday, November 3. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, September 5 at 12pm.

Dragon's Eye Theatre, a Philadelphia ensemble committed to creating theatrical experiences that celebrate the power of imagination for audiences of all ages and backgrounds, presents A Mystery? in the 2013 Philly Fringe Festival. When a group of friends discovers something unusual, they form a secret society to tackle the case and enlist the audience to help them. The creators of sold-out Fringe 2012 hit Seek and Hide bring a new interactive adventure through Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse that invites audiences to use their imaginations alongside the actors. This show is best enjoyed by audience members ages 4 to 104.

On Thursday, August 22, 2013, TeCo Theatrical Productions will close its 2013 speakers series with an intimate conversation with acclaimed actor, playwright, and Broadway legend Eugene Lee. Now in its second year, the series was designed to support the creative community and educate a larger constituency in appreciating the arts through quarterly events at the Bishop Arts Theatre.

Due to popular demand, About Face Theatre's critically acclaimed Chicago premiere of THE PRIDE by Alexi Kaye Campbell (Olivier Award) and directed by Bonnie Metzgar has added two additional weeks of performances - extending through Saturday, July 27, 2013. THE PRIDE is presented at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets for all performance are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or by calling the Victory Gardens Box Office at (773) 871-3000.

Redmoon announces today Rebecca Rugg as Producer of the Great Chicago Fire Festival, a citywide event that will take place in neighborhoods throughout the summer in 2014, with the spectacle finale that October on the Chicago River. Before joining Redmoon, she worked as Artistic Producer at Steppenwolf Theater Company. She currently serves on the faculty of the Yale School of Drama and has served on the artistic staff at New York's Public Theater.

Classic Stage Company has announced that Deb Radloff, who appeared in the company's recent production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle, is this year's recipient of the Rosemarie Tichler Fund grant. The Fund was established in 2010 with the mission to assist young actors who have appeared at CSC and who have recently made the transition from their training into the profession. The $3000 grant can be used by the young artist to continue training or to offset loans they may have incurred while studying their craft. With the grant, CSC hopes to make a difference in the lives of young actors at the start of their careers as well as to heighten awareness in the community to the specific needs of actors. The recipient was selected by a panel of judges which included Rosemarie Tichler, CSC Artistic Director Brian Kulick and CSC Casting Director James Calleri.

Due to popular demand, About Face Theatre's critically acclaimed Chicago premiere of THE PRIDE by Alexi Kaye Campbell (Olivier Award) and directed by Bonnie Metzgar has added two additional weeks of performances - extending through Saturday, July 27, 2013. THE PRIDE is presented at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets for all performance are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or by calling the Victory Gardens Box Office at (773) 871-3000.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) and the Aspen Institute Arts Program (Director, Damian Woetzel) will welcome Christine Baranski, Gloria Reuben and Matt Damon for the free Public Forum, WHAT ARE WE WORTH? SHAKESPEARE, MONEY, AND MORALS, tonight, June 17 at 8:00 p.m. at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Winning upwards of 50 awards (including Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle, LA Weekly, Ovation, and Garland Awards) in just the past five years (BEST PRODUCTION two years in a row), Rogue Machine's first offering (which opened on May 18th) for the 2013 season has sold out the original run. They will now be extending the schedule for the Los Angeles premiere of Dying City by Christopher Shinn (OBIE winner, Pulitzer Prize finalist) through August 5th.

About Face Theatre kicks off LGBTQ Pride Month with the Chicago premiere of the Olivier Award-winning drama THE PRIDE by Alexi Kaye Campbell, directed by Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar, playing now through July 13, 2013 at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. THE PRIDE features AFT Artistic Associates Patrick Andrews, John Francisco and Benjamin Sprunger with Jessie Fisher. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the show below!

About Face Theatre will kick off LGBTQ Pride Month with the Chicago premiere of the Oliver Award-winning drama THE PRIDE by Alexi Kaye Campbell, directed by Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar, playing today, June 6 - July 13, 2013 at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets for THE PRIDE are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or by calling the Victory Gardens Box Office at (773) 871-3000. The press opening is Thursday, June 13 at 7:30 pm.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced a one week extension today for the new Public Lab musical VENICE, with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, additional music by Curtis Moore, and choreography by Chase Brock. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE began performances on Tuesday, May 28 and was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, June 23. It will now run an additional week through Sunday, June 30.