The Living Theater News

South Coast Repertory's Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF) will celebrate its 11th annual edition with a lineup composed of seven SCR-commissioned plays from an array of writers. Since its creation in 1998, PPF has grown into one of the most important festivals of new scripts in the United States. This year's Festival will take place during the May 2 through May 4 weekend with a workshop production, four staged readings and two fully-staged World Premieres on South Coast Repertory's two major stages. Tickets to PPF may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

South Coast Repertory Artistic Directors David Emmes and Martin Benson have been named the recipients of the 2007-08 Margo Jones Medal. The prestigious award honors those who have demonstrated a significant impact, understanding and affirmation of the craft of playwriting, with a lifetime commitment to the encouragement of the living theater everywhere. The venerable duo has guided South Coast Repertory from a small touring company into one of the country's leading professional theaters, now approaching its 45th season and known world-wide for its development of new work for the stage. The Ohio State University Libraries and College of the Arts will present the award to Emmes and Benson on May 1 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California, kicking off the theater's nationally-renowned Pacific Playwrights Festival.

The Living Theatre (19 Clinton St.) will present Maudie & Jane, written by Luciano Nattino, an adaptation of the Diary of Jane Summers, starring Judith Malina and Pat Russell, in which an old bag lady seduces a high-profile fashion editor into taking care of her. The production begins previews on November 30. Official Opening is on December 7. Hanon Reznikov directs.

Coming off an acclaimed performance as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus) will perform excerpts from the play on Saturday, May 26 at 10 p.m. at the 12th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts at Theater for the New City (155 1st Avenue, between E. 9th and 10th Streets) in Manhattan.

Saturday, May 26th has been designated LES Kids' Day 2007 as part of The 12th Annual Lower East Side (LES) Festival of the Arts. LES Kids' Day 2007 will feature free performances and special events for kids and by kids, beginning at 2pm at Theater for the New City

The 12th Annual Lower East Side (LES) Festival of the Arts will bring over 100 performing arts organizations, local and international celebrities, independent artists, poets, puppeteers, film makers and others together under one roof for New York City's free Memorial Day Weekend festival.

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center will present an all-day Clifford Odets celebration among other free theatre events througout the month of May

F. Murray Abraham, Penny Arcade, Joe Franklin and others will take part in the 11th Annual Lower East Side Festival of the Arts from May 26th through 28th

Dr. Justin Frank, author of Bush on the Couch: Inside the Mind of the President, will lead a talkback on Friday, January 6th following the 8pm performance of the play Fear Itself, Secrets of the White House

Jean-Claude van Itallie's Fear Itself, Secrets of the White House will open on December 11th