Tennessee Williams News

Take a little Greek tragedy, some Shakespearean comedy, a bit of O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey' and maybe some Tennessee Williams, bring it to the Everyman Theatre's new Fayette Street stage and you have the recipe for brilliant entertainment--Tracy Letts' 'AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY,' now at the Everyman through Feb. 17th.

Casting is now complete for Quasimodo, the last great unproduced musical by Oliver! composer Lionel Bart, which is getting its World Premiere, 50 years after it was written.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre, the critically-acclaimed company 'dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit,' currently celebrating its 20th Anniversary Season, will present the rarely seen 1926 crime drama Broadway, by Philip Dunning and George Abbott in a one-night only benefit concert performance at the Scholastic Auditorium (557 Broadway, NYC).

Due to overwhelming demand, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co.'s Jeff Recommended production of THE GLASS MENAGERIE directed by Hans Fleischmann will be moving the wonderful Theater Wit in Chicago with performances beginning May 22nd, 2013 for 6 additional weeks! The original 9 week run and extension at Angel Island is completely sold out. The critically acclaimed production will feature all the original Mary-Arrchie cast members.

Alison Fraser will lead the reading of Wendy Beckett's Off-Broadway - bound production of LOVE THERAPY. This new play, directed by Evan Bergman is the fourth in a series of Ms. Beckett's plays that will be brought across the pacific from Australia by Pascal Productions. The reading takes place on Sunday, February 3rd at 3PM at TACT Studios (900 Broadway at 20th Street - Suite 905) and is open to the public by reservation only. For tickets, please contact adamgm@kefproductions.com. Additional casting is soon to be announced.

David Kaplan, Curator of Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, is set to share the craft of Williams' monologues in an acting workshop at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. The workshop, titled 'Telling A Story: What Acting in Tennessee Williams Plays Teaches Us About Acting in All Plays' will take place today, February 1, 12:30 p.m. in Hyannis, Mass.

Fresh from Ivanov starring Ethan Hawke, Obie Award-winning director Austin Pendleton directs Tennessee Williams' stark and religiously sensual morality play Suddenly Last Summer with the Mississippi Mud.

You may think that you know Tennessee Williams, but you don't. Stone Soup Theatre presents 5 X TENN (OR SO), selected one acts published after the death of one of America's most treasured playwrights. It's been five years since Stone Soup Theatre produced the west coast premiere of 5 X TENN, (directed by Julie Beckman) to both audience and critical acclaim. Now, to satisfy the hunger of Williams' fans, Stone Soup offers up 5 X TENN (OR SO), six seldom produced one acts, that will transport us to a post-apocalyptic dystopian society with Chalky White Substance; take us to a flooded New Orleans (eerily reminiscent of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina) in Kingdom of Earth; and encounter the dangers, both hidden and obvious, of a fascist regime in The Municipal Abattoir. In addition, equally prophetic, provocative, and confrontational pieces will seduce and shock you: Talk to Me Like the Rain, Sunburst, and The Big Game.

Rising-star soprano Susanna Phillips - who returned to the Metropolitan Opera to acclaim in Don Giovanni earlier this season - will make her Carnegie recital debut in Weill Recital Hall on February 8, with a program that ranges from Schubert, Chausson and Granados to Berg, Messiaen and Gordon Myers.

Wave Productions in association with Shetler Studios & Theatres will present the World Premiere of Charles Cissel's GOD STEELING, a revealing look at the lives of New York City ironworkers. Directed by Robin A. Paterson, previews begin March 8 at Theater 54. Opening is slated for March 14.

Twice Tony-nominated Broadway star Alison Fraser will command the stage and a seven piece swing band singing what she calls "the soundtrack of Tennessee Williams' life." The 90-minute benefit concert features songs Williams chose for his plays - music that is integral to the emotional contours of his indelible dramas.

American Lyric Theater presents the next installment in its popular series, The Living Libretto, at the National Opera Center, Wednesday February 6th, 2013. Featuring guest actors from the Broadway and off-Broadway stage, each event is the culminating reading of extensive libretto workshops conducted for new operas currently being written by ALT Resident Artists.

Erin Markey has announced a return to Joe's Pub. Known for her dark wit and absurdist transformations, Markey has been likened to Kristen Wiig, Kathy Acker and Eileen Brennan. Erin weaves together an exciting bill of R&B, 90's pop and grunge, standards and original music under the direction of Ben Rimalower (Leslie Kritzer is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches) with musical direction by Tony-nominated Kenny Mellman (Kiki and Herb).

Ever been to Palm Springs? It's that strange Californian land were a few glistening and brilliant buildings punctuate the otherwise cold, desolate and uninteresting landscape. The same can be said of the Palm Springs set play Other Desert Cities. While the play, now playing at the Austin Playhouse, has a few shimmering moments and features an incredible cast, the majority of the play is bleak, flat, and barren.

In their dedication to new play development, Blue Roses Productions will present 4 evenings of new play readings. The first evening, Not To Be Ignored, January 28 (Today) at 7:00pm, includes plays by - Judy Stadt, Linda Billington, Judd Lear Silverman - each piece containing a lead character entering their golden years. Winter Shorts, January 29 (Tuesday) at 7:00pm, includes a mix of themes by master writers Karen Eterovich, Judd Lear Silverman, Dawson Moore, Arlitia Jones, Richard Cottrell. The third evening, offers Blue Roses the opportunity to introduce NYC audiences to some of the outstanding playwrights from the last frontier. Blue Roses Celebrates Alaskan Playwrights, February 4 (Today) at 7:00pm - introduces plays by Mollie Ramos, Lucas Rowley, Tom Moran, Carolyn Roesbery, Dawson Moore, Linda Billington, Schatzie Schaefers, Kyra Meyer, Forrest Leo. The winter Infusion series concludes with a reading of Kennedy V, the latest full-length from popular playwright/filmmaker/composer - Roland Tec - February 26 (Tuesday) at 7:00pm.