The Actors Studio News

Tonight, April 22, 2013, National Meningitis Association will hold its annual Give Kids a Shot Gala. The event takes place at the New York Athletic Club, 180 Central Park South, New York tonight, April 22, 2013. Cocktails & Silent Auction begin at 7:00 PM followed by dinner & the NMA Awards. Master of Ceremonies is iconic actor Richard Thomas, a longtime supporter of NMA and winner of the organization's Nancy Ford Springer Inspiration Award.

Looking Glass Theatre, celebrating 20 years, brings back for a very limited run Frankie Little Hardin's East of the Sun, West of the Moon, a new children's play directed by Julia Sterling Martin and Naima Warden. East of the Sun, West of the Moon performs Saturday, June 1 and Saturday June 8 at 2 p.m at Richmond Shepard Theatre, located at 309 East 26th Street, at 2nd Avenue.

For the seventh installment of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's ongoing series, Conversations With Coco, Miss Coco Peru's series of live, unscripted interviews with celebrated performing artists, the L.A. drag legend welcomes the legendary actress Jane Fonda to the Center's Renberg Theatre. Like her previous get-togethers with Lily Tomlin, Lainie Kazan, Charles Busch, Lesley Ann Warren, Karen Black and the late Bea Arthur, Miss Coco has prepared a multi-media presentation featuring highlights of Ms. Fonda's storied career, as well as ample opportunity for the kind of casual yet in-depth conversation audiences have come to relish at Coco's table.

Acclaimed stage and screen actress Ellen Burstyn is the lastest star to sign on for Lionsgate's DRAFT DAY, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Broadway production of Lyle Kessler's Orphans starring Alec Baldwin, Ben Foster and Tom Sturridge and directed by Daniel Sullivan, opens tonight, April 18, at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street). Check out photos of the cast in action below!

Theater for the New City (Crystal Field, Executive Director) will present the world premiere of Eduardo Machado's play Mariquitas, directed by Michael Domitrovich, beginning April 27th and continuing through May 19th only. Opening Night is set for Sunday May 5th (7pm).

The greatest songwriters revered him. And his songs-from 'All the Things You Are' to 'The Way You Look Tonight'-remain a vital part of our cultural conversation. It is no accident that Jerome Kern is also known as 'The Dean.' Author and Lyrics & Lyricists series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer takes the helm as artistic director/writer/host for The Song is You: Jerome Kern Coast to Coast, on May 4, 5 and 6. Winer is joined by vocalists Karrin Allyson, Debby Boone, Jeffry Denman, bassist Jay Leonhart, Howard McGillin, Paula West and Karen Ziemba, with special guest Barbara Carroll.

Atlantic Theater Company has announced that Olivier and two time Tony Award winning playwright John Guare will make his Off Broadway acting debut in the world premiere production of his new play 3 KINDS OF EXILE, directed by Atlantic artistic director Neil Pepe, featuring Atlantic ensemble members Peter Maloney and David Pittu and guest artists Alison Cimmet, Jeffrey Kuhn, Jacquelyn Landgraf, Martin Moran, Kate Rigg, Omar Sangare and Timothy Splain.

Ego Actus (Bruce A! Kraemer and Joan Kane producers) will present Kate Fodor's 100 Saints You Should Know from May 9th thru May 26th at Urban Stages. Joan Kane directs. The cast features Rosie Cosch*, Eric Percival, Carolyn Cutillo, Phoenix Lee and Annette Hunt* (Ivanov at CSC Rep). (*Members of Actors' Equity)

John Montgomery Theatre Company (JMTC) & Dutch Girl Productions presents a new two-actor production of acclaimed New York playwright Suzanne Bachner's award-winning hit Off Broadway play, CIRCLE, in its 7-City, 6-Festival Summer Tour, starring award-winning performers, Christel Bartelse & Bob Brader. Suzanne, Christel & Bob will debut this exciting new production with NYC previews and six fantastic international Festivals, May 15-August 25, 2013.

John Montgomery Theatre Company (JMTC) & Dutch Girl Productions presents a new two-actor production of acclaimed New York playwright Suzanne Bachner's award-winning hit Off Broadway play, CIRCLE, in its 7-City, 6-Festival Summer Tour, starring award-winning performers, Christel Bartelse & Bob Brader. Suzanne, Christel & Bob will debut this exciting new production with NYC previews and six fantastic international Festivals, May 15-August 25, 2013.

The distinguished actor and playwright Don Reid passed away peacefully at 5pm on Tuesday April 9, 2013 after a fall the previous day.

La MaMa presents the World Premiere of Chemistry of Love, written by Jill Campbell and directed by George Ferencz. Chemistry of Love runs May 2 - 19, 2013 in a limited engagement at La MaMa's First Floor Theatre, located at 74A East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue & the Bowery in New York City. Previews begin May 2 for a May 4 opening. Meet the cast in the photos below!

For audiences age four and up, Frog and Peach Theatre Company, 'a brave company that is a jewel of Off-Broadway' (Ronald Gross, NY Theatre Buying Guide), will present a fairy tale series, 'Tinkerbell Theatre,' adapting 'Cinderella' (from the Brothers Grimm) and 'The Tinderbox' (from Hans Christian Anderson) into Rocky-and-Bullwinkle style plays featuring sing-along songs and big, soft puppets. The plays, written and directed by Lynnea Benson, will be followed by puppet-making workshops to which all kids attending will be invited. The two plays will be presented in repertory April 27 to May 19 at West End Theater, 263 West 86th Street.

Ellen Burstyn, acclaimed film, television, and stage actress, will be a special guest of the 29th Helen Hayes Awards tonight, April 8 to help accept the this year's Helen Hayes Tribute, presented to Actors' Equity Association. Ms. Burstyn, a previous President of Actors' Equity, will be joined by current President Nicholas Wyman in receiving the honor on the organization's behalf.

The Off Broadway Alliance, the organization of Off Broadway producers, theaters, general managers, press agents, and marketing firms, will hold another in its series of seminars focused on the culture, business and history of Off Broadway today, April 7th.

The Pace University Department of Performing Arts is producing a concert of works by Adam Guettel, performed Tony award-winning composer of the musicals The Light in the Piazza, Floyd Collins, Myths & Hymns and accompanied by Pace Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Musical Theater students and alumni.

The Broadway production of Lyle Kessler's Orphans starring Alec Baldwin, Ben Foster and Tom Sturridge and directed by Daniel Sullivan, is currently in previews at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) in preparation for a Thursday, April 18 opening night. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

La MaMa, in association with Seagull Ink, is proud to present the World Premiere of Chemistry of Love, written by Jill Campbell and directed by George Ferencz. Chemistry of Love runs May 2 - 19, 2013 in a limited engagement at La MaMa's First Floor Theatre, located at 74A East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue & the Bowery in New York City. Previews begin May 2 for a May 4 opening.