Suzan-Lori Parks News

Cape May Stage, South Jersey's premier professional Equity theatre, is thrilled to announce a production of a modern classic: Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog. Directed by Cape May Stage favorite James Reynolds - Co-Artistic Director of the Fremont (CA) Centre Theatre and star of Days of Our Lives - and starring Stephen Rider and Jed Reynolds, Topdog/Underdog opens September 30th at 8pm at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse on the corner of Bank and Lafayette Streets in downtown Cape May.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company presents Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, Directed by Heather A. Beasley. Winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best New Play and the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company presents Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, Directed by Heather A. Beasley. Winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best New Play and the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

ATC and SOHO THEATRE present IVAN AND THE DOGS By Hattie Naylor, Directed by Ellen McDougall, Designer Naomi Wilkinson with Lighting Designer Katharine Williams

The OBIE Award-winning National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) - now in its 21st season - presents the Off-Broadway, World-Premiere of Jordan Harrison's play FUTURA, with previews beginning October 23, prior to an official opening of October 26 at the TBG Theater (312 West 36th Street - between 8th and 9th Avenues) in Manhattan.

This fall, The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director; Andrew D. Hamingson, Executive Director) will launch The Public Forum, an exciting new series of lectures, debates and conversations that showcase leading voices in the arts, politics and the media. Curated by Jeremy McCarter, a senior writer at Newsweek, Public Forum events are open to the general public. Tickets for the inaugural event can be purchased for $25 beginning Tuesday, October 5. Member tickets are on sale Tuesday, September 28.

Topdog/Underdog, a ground-breaking play by Suzan Lori Parks, earned the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Come take a journey with two brothers, Lincoln and Booth as they deal with ghosts of the past, turmoil of the present and a future based on the turn of a card.

Welcome to the Shaw Festival's 50th season - one which celebrates the past, while looking enthusiastically forward. As explained by Artistic Director Jackie Maxwell, "This milestone season gives us an opportunity to honour the extraordinary achievements of our past, while creating vivid new signposts for our future, showing how the Shaw Festival will play a leading role in the theatrical conversation of the next 50 years and more."

Teatro IATI and World Players, Inc. are pleased to announce the New York premiere production of José Luis Ramos Escobar's The Smell of Popcorn, directed by Jorge B. Merced. The Smell of Popcorn will play 10 performances only at Teatro IATI (59-61 East 4th Street).

Cape May Stage, South Jersey's premier professional Equity theatre, is thrilled to announce a production of a modern classic: Suzan-Lori Parks' Topdog/Underdog. Directed by Cape May Stage favorite James Reynolds - Co-Artistic Director of the Fremont (CA) Centre Theatre and star of Days of Our Lives - and starring Stephen Rider and Jed Reynolds, Topdog/Underdog opens September 30th at 8pm at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse on the corner of Bank and Lafayette Streets in downtown Cape May.

Even as its shows reach New York and London, Berkeley Repertory Theatre begins another season of fearless theatre here at home: Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin stars in the world-premiere production of Compulsion on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage. Acclaimed director Oskar Eustis returns to the Bay Area with Rinne Groff's latest play, a kaleidoscopic collision of history and culture that combines stellar acting with marvelous marionettes. Compulsion, a world-premiere co-production from Berkeley Rep, The Public Theater, and Yale Repertory Theatre, begins previews on September 13, opens September 16, and closes October 31.

BAM presents the music-theater work Persephone, a collaboration between New York's trailblazing Ridge Theater ensemble and three exceptional contributors from across various disciplines.

Producer Daryl Roth announces that following a sold out developmental run last spring, THE DIVINE SISTER, the new comedy written by and starring Charles Busch, directed by Carl Andress, will transfer to the SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street) featuring the entire original company: Alison Fraser, Amy Rutberg, Jennifer Van Dyck, Jonathan Walker, and Julie Halston.

TopDog Productions in a co-production with the Elephant Theatre Company are thrilled to announce the Los Angeles Intimate Theatre Premiere of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, written by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Marty Papazian.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced the line-up today for the 2010-2011 Public LAB season.

Teatro IATI and World Players, Inc. are pleased to announce the New York premiere production of José Luis Ramos Escobar's The Smell of Popcorn, directed by Jorge B. Merced. The Smell of Popcorn will play 10 performances only at Teatro IATI (59-61 East 4th Street).

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that Zach Braff, Bobby Cannavale, Sutton Foster, and Ari Graynor will co-star in the world premiere comedy TRUST, written by Paul Weitz, directed by Peter DuBois. Mr. Weitz returns to Second Stage Theatre, where his plays Privilege and Show People premiered in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Directed by Peter DuBois, who staged Second Stage's acclaimed production of Becky Shaw, TRUST will begin previews on Friday, July 23 at Second Stage Theatre (305 West 43rd street) and officially open on Thursday, August 12. The production runs through September 5.

The Ruckus Theater is making some noise again with its upcoming Season 2 opener: All Saints' Day: 44 Plays About Jeffrey Jones by Ron Riekki, directed by Brian Ruby. A trio of Ruckus newcomers-Chicago actors Elizabeth Babgy, Kevin Crispin and Matthew Humphrey-star in this new play recounting a series of Halloween encounters. On the heels of a successful first season in Chicago, and having sold out nearly every performance of Heist Play, Tell It & Speak It & Think It & Breathe It, The Gay American and Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir, The Ruckus doubles the number of performances for each play in the 2010/2011 season, for a total of four weekends. The Ruckus also hosts a special performance of New York City band Not Blood Paint, featuring Ruckuser Seth Miller on Sunday, September 5 following that evening's 7:30pm performance. All Saints' Day: 44 Plays About Jeffrey Jones is performed at The Side Project Theatre September 2 - 26, 2010 (opening night is September 3). All performances are at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15. For mature audiences. A complete performance schedule including dates, times and ticket prices appears at the end of this release.

Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company presents Doubt by John Patrick Shanley, Directed by Heather A. Beasley. Winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best New Play and the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The Ruckus Theater is making some noise again with its upcoming Season 2 opener: All Saints' Day: 44 Plays About Jeffrey Jones by Ron Riekki, directed by Brian Ruby. A trio of Ruckus newcomers-Chicago actors Elizabeth Babgy, Kevin Crispin and Matthew Humphrey-star in this new play recounting a series of Halloween encounters. On the heels of a successful first season in Chicago, and having sold out nearly every performance of Heist Play, Tell It & Speak It & Think It & Breathe It, The Gay American and Escape from the Haltsburg Boys Choir, The Ruckus doubles the number of performances for each play in the 2010/2011 season, for a total of four weekends. The Ruckus also hosts a special performance of New York City band Not Blood Paint, featuring Ruckuser Seth Miller on Sunday, September 5 following that evening's 7:30pm performance. All Saints' Day: 44 Plays About Jeffrey Jones is performed at The Side Project Theatre September 2 - 26, 2010 (opening night is September 3). All performances are at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15. For mature audiences. A complete performance schedule including dates, times and ticket prices appears at the end of this release.