Syracuse University News

Cortland Repertory Theatre invites one and all to travel back in time to the rockin' and rollin' 1950's with its next production, the blockbuster musical "Grease", which has book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The show opens tonight, June 20. Check out production photos below!

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's 21st season opens Friday with Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and features William Michals and Dee Roscioli, two Broadway actors, as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett respectively.

Cortland Repertory Theatre invites one and all to travel back in time to the rockin' and rollin' 1950's with their next production, the blockbuster musical "Grease", which has book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's 21st season opens Friday with Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and features William Michals and Dee Roscioli, two Broadway actors, as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett respectively.

New York's Rock and Roots Radio station WFUV (90.7 FM/wfuv.org) has announced that Don McGee will be the permanent host of the award-winning program Mixed Bag, which airs every Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. Radio icon Pete Fornatale originated the program nearly 30 years ago and hosted it until his death in April of this year. McGee has been the primary guest host for Mixed Bag, as well as a fill-in host for WFUV's weekday morning show.

Best Actress Tony nominee Linda Lavin will be joined by an array of notable playwrights, directors and actors -- Vineyard Theatre artists all -- when she hosts The Vineyard's 5th annual luncheon presentation of the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award to emerging playwright Erika Sheffer (RUSSIAN TRANSPORT), on Thursday, June 21 (12 p.m. - 2 p.m.) at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan.

Breakdown Services has been working with casting directors since it opened its doors 40 years ago. When founder Gary Marsh attended the most recent CSA Artios awards and heard an announcement about a new collaborative program at Syracuse University's Tepper Semester in the Department of Drama at the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) that would help train people to become casting directors, it appeared to be the perfect partnership.

Signal Ensemble Theatre announces its 2012-2013 10th anniversary season.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's 21st season will feature daytime television star Tom Degnan in the role of Brick Pollitt in Tennessee William's Pulitzer Prize winning classic, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

As part of the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre's Summer Season, acclaimed US playwright Joshua Conkel makes his UK debut with the world premiere of the darkly comic The Sluts of Sutton Drive, opening at the Finborough Theatre for a strictly limited run of six Sunday and Monday performances from Sunday, 24 June 2012 to the 9th of July.

Trinity Repertory Company previously announced that Rhode Island's own Academy Award-nominated actress, Viola Davis, would be honored with the 2012 Pell Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Arts at the 16th annual Pell Awards. Theater educator Elaine Foster Perry will receive the Charles Sullivan Award for Distinguished Service in the Arts, Brown University President Ruth J. Simmons will receive the Pell Award For Leadership in Arts Education, and J.L. "Lynn" Singleton, President of the Providence Performing Arts Center and Professional Facilities Management, will be honored as the recipient of the Pell Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts. All awardees are past or current Rhode Islanders.

TheatreSquared today announced the lineup for the 2012 Arkansas New Play Festival, the theatre's fourth annual celebration of new works for the stage. The festival will feature staged reading performances of four professional plays, a showcase of ten-minute plays by Arkansas high school students, and Northwest Arkansas's sixth annual 24-Hour Play-Off. In partnership with the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, T2's lineup of new works will also be presented at Oxford American Magazine's new venue in Little Rock (1300 Main Street, May 17-18). The lineup of events in Northwest Arkansas will take place at Walton Arts Center's Nadine Baum Studios (505 W. Spring St., Fayetteville). Each new play reading will be followed by a conversation with the playwright, director and cast.

TheatreSquared today announced the lineup for the 2012 Arkansas New Play Festival, the theatre's fourth annual celebration of new works for the stage. The festival will feature staged reading performances of four professional plays, a showcase of ten-minute plays by Arkansas high school students, and Northwest Arkansas's sixth annual 24-Hour Play-Off. In partnership with the Arkansas Repertory Theatre, T2's lineup of new works will also be presented at Oxford American Magazine's new venue in Little Rock (1300 Main Street, May 17-18). The lineup of events in Northwest Arkansas will take place at Walton Arts Center's Nadine Baum Studios (505 W. Spring St., Fayetteville). Each new play reading will be followed by a conversation with the playwright, director and cast.

Writer for stage and screen Aaron Sorkin spoke at Syracuse University's 158th Commencement yesterday; read a transcipt from his speech below!

The Peccadillo Theater Company presents a special industry reading of Sherri Heller's new comedy MY MOTHER, MY SISTER & ME starring Valerie Harper on tonight, May 14th at 7 pm at the DR2 Theatre (103 East 15th Street). The presentation will be directed by OBIE Award winner, Dan Wackerman. A full cast announcement will be forthcoming.

The Peccadillo Theater Company announced complete casting today for the sold out industry reading of Sherri Heller's new comedy MY MOTHER, MY SISTER & ME, starring Valerie Harper, this Monday, May 14th at the DR2 Theatre (103 East 15th Street). The presentation will be directed by OBIE Award winner, Dan Wackerman. Along with Valerie Harper, the cast will feature Marcelo Pereira, Anthony Reimer, Randy Schein, Barbara Walsh, Zoe Winters and Remy Zaken.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tony Brunch on May 2, 2012, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today we bring you Josh Young, nominee for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Jesus Christ Superstar.