Terrence McNally News

A CHARITY CASE starring Two-Time Tony Nominee Alison Fraser, Alysia Reiner (Sideways) and Jill Shackner (Les Miserables) begins previews Friday, October 28th at The Clurman Theatre( 410 West 42nd Street- between 9th and 10th Avenues) .

Opera legend Maria Callas comes to Hillbarn Theatre in the Tony winning play Master Class, October 20 - November 6. For more information call 650-349-6411 or visit www.HillbarnTheatre.org.

Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) is extending its world-premiere production of Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS a second time -- extending now through November 20 -- it has been announced by The Vineyard's Artistic Director Douglas Aibel and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern.

The Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre will honor esteemed stage actress Patti LuPone with the company's third Stephen Sondheim Award. The award, established in 2009 in honor of America's most influential contemporary musical theater writer and composer, will be presented at a black-tie Gala Benefit on April 16, 2012 at the Embassy of Italy in Washington, DC. Signature Theatre Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer said, 'I am thrilled that Patti LuPone will be this year's recipient of the Stephen Sondheim Award. With her wonderful performances in Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Company, Passion, and more - she has had an amazing connection to Steve's words and music. It's wonderful to add her name to the distinguished honorees Angela Lansbury and Bernadette Peters. We look forward to saluting Patti and her extraordinary talents in April.'

Two-Time Tony Nominee Alison Fraser and Jill Shackner join previously announced actress Alysia Reiner in A CHARITY CASE. This new play about adoption by Australian playwright and director Wendy Beckett, will open Wednesday, November 2nd at Off Broadway's Clurman Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th and 10th Avenues). The play, which is also directed by Ms. Beckett, begins previews Friday, October 28th. The play is produced by Peter Walters for Pascal Productions. A CHARITY CASE is third in a series of Ms. Beckett's plays that Pascal Productions will produce in New York.

Primary Stages will host the Fifth Annual New York One-Minute Play Festival, the proceeds from which will benefit the Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA).

Casting has been announced for the Fifth Annual New York One-Minute Play Festival, hosted by Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. The New York One-Minute Play Festival will take place Sunday, October 16 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street), the Off-Broadway home of Primary Stages. Seating is extremely limited.

The Actors Fund and the Vineyard Theatre have announced details for their upcoming one-night-only benefit concert performance of Kander & Ebb's THE VISIT, starring Broadway stage legends and Tony Award winners Chita Rivera and John Cullum. Directed by Carl Andress with choreography by Tony Award winner Ann Reinking and musical direction by David Loud, the performance will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. at Broadway's Ambassador Theatre (219 West 49th Street), current home to the celebrated revival of Kander & Ebb's worldwide smash Chicago.

SCHENECTADY LIGHT OPERA COMPANY will present RAGTIME - Book by Terrence McNally, Music by Stephen Flaherty, and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens - at 427 Franklin Street in Schenectady, NY.

Westport Country Playhouse will present two Script in Hand play readings this autumn with the classic whodunit, 'Dial ‘M' for Murder,' by Frederick Knott, on Monday, November 14, 7 p.m., and the delightfully touching comedy 'Holiday,' by Philip Barry, on Monday, December 12, 7 p.m. Tickets to the one-night-only events are $15.

For its 22nd season, Signature Theatre is celebrating their signature composer Stephen Sondheim by presenting his very first musical, Saturday Night (1953) as a concert event for four performances only on Saturday, October 29th (2pm and 8pm) and Sunday, October 30th (2pm and 7pm). This rarely performed hidden gem from America's foremost musical theater composer features a book by Julius and Philip Epstein, with music and lyrics - unperformed in full until 1997 - by Sondheim. This special limited engagement will be directed by Signature's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Side by Side by Sondheim, The Hollow) and the Music Director is Jon Kalbfleisch. Limited seating is still available, with single ticket prices at $41 each. Saturday Night will play in Signature's MAX Theatre.

The world's premier Streisand impressionist Steven Bringberg has performed on national TV shows The Rosie O'Donnel Show, Sally Jessy Raphael and at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, London's Royal Albert Hall (with Elton John and George Michael), as well as touring regularly with symphonies with Oscar, Grammy and Tony Award- winning composer Marvin Hamlisch (who wrote the Streisand classic The Way We Were) will also be performing songs from Streisand's just released CD What Matters Most and other classics from her 50 year recording legacy.

Vineyard Theatre is extending its world-premiere production of Nicky Silver's play THE LYONS, starring Linda Lavin and Dick Latessa, through November 11, it has been announced by The Vineyard's Artistic Director Douglas Aibel and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern.

Opera legend Maria Callas comes to Hillbarn Theatre in the Tony winning play Master Class, October 20 - November 6. For more information call 650-349-6411 or visit www.HillbarnTheatre.org.

The annual Primary Stages November Night to Remember Gala, a fundraiser benefiting the extensive artistic development programs offered by the company, will be held at the Edison Ballroom (240 west 47th Street, between Broadway & 8th Avenue) on Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Cocktail Reception and Silent Auction begin at 6:30 p.m. Broadway producer David Richenthal (Pulitzer winners The Kentucky Cycle, The Young Man from Atlanta, I am my Own Wife) serves as the Event Chair.

Sweet Tea will play close in Signature's intimate ARK Theatre on October 9, 2011.

Landor's RAGTIME - THE MUSICAL Ends Run Tonight, 10/8