The Old Globe News

The Old Globe today announced two of the stars of Shakespeare's classic tragedy Othello, the first show of the Globe's 2014 Summer Shakespeare Festival. Making their Globe debuts are Emmy Award-winner Richard Thomas ('The Americans,' 'The Waltons') as Iago and Kristen Connolly ('House of Cards,' The Cabin in the Woods) as Desdemona. Both artists continue collaborations with Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein that began in New York: Thomas starred in Edelstein's critically acclaimed production of Timon of Athens at The Public Theater in 2011, and Connolly in three Shakespeare plays that Edelstein helped produce at The Public. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

The Old Globe presents a revival of J.B. Priestley's period classic Time and the Conways. Directed by Rebecca Taichman, Time and the Conways will run March 29 - May 4, 2014 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run March 29 - April 2. Opening night is Thursday, April 3 at 8:00 p.m. Get a first look at the cast below!

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Telly Leung, Ruthie Ann Miles, & more in Tiananmen: A New Musical In Concert on March 27. Tiananmen is an original rock musical that follows the story of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing.

Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group has announced the casting and initial tour schedule for their spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA launching a major North American Tour in Providence, R.I. at the Providence Performing Arts Center. With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM, the most successful musical of all-time, will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America.

Directed by Tony Award-winner Anna D. Shapiro, the new Broadway production of Of Mice and Men begins performances tomorrow, Wednesday, March 19, 2014 and will officially open on Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). Scroll down to learn more about the full company, plus watch interviews with the cast and get a sneak peek at the play below!

Love is blossoming in Seattle this spring when The 5th Avenue Theatre debuts the lush new musical, A Room with a View. Based on the E.M. Forster novel that inspired the Merchant Ivory film, this enchanting adaptation features a wonderfully rich score by Jeffrey Stock and a witty and moving book and additional lyrics by Marc Acito. This beguiling and intimate romantic comedy features a cast of Seattle's best-loved musical theater stars including Laura Griffith and Louis Hobson as Lucy and George. Directed by The 5th Avenue's David Armstrong, A Room with a View also features Patti Cohenour, Jadd Davis, Allen Fitzpatrick, Richard Gray, Suzy Hunt, Matt Owen, Will Reynolds, and Jenny Shotwell.

City Theatre continues its 2013-2014 season with Grounded, a high-intensity drama by George Brant. Directed by Jenn Thompson, Grounded runs from March 29 to May 4, 2014 in City Theatre's Hamburg Studio, with an Opening Night performance on Friday, April 4 at 8pm.

Musical Theatre West presents the third production of their 61st season, the West Coast Premiere of S'WONDERFUL: The New Gershwin Musical, created and directed by Ray Roderick, musicaldirection by Bret Simmons with choreography by Charlie Williams. S'WONDERFUL will preview on Friday, April 4, open on Saturday, April 5 and perform for three weeks only through Sunday, April 20 at The Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, located at 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach on the campus of California State University, Long Beach.

The highly celebrated New York troupe Fiasco Theater will make their Washington, DC debut with their production of William Shakespeare's clever comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Folger Theatre. Directed by company members Jessie Austrian and Ben Steinfeld, The Two Gentlemen of Verona will play at the Folger from April 17 - May 25, 2014.

Last Call Theatricals will present a special 75-minute Industry-Only Preview of a new musical, BOYS VS GIRLS, written by Drew Overcash, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Cinderella) on Tuesday March 25th at 12:30pm and 3:30pm at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue). The cast will feature Carla Stickler (Wicked, Mamma Mia), Brent Diroma (Jersey Boys, Avenue Q), Billy Harrington Tighe (Pippin, Wicked, La Cage Aux Folles), Adam Kaplan (Newsies) and Merissa Czyz (Hair). William Demaniow will serve as Musical Director.

Celebrate some of the most memorable musical moments from Broadway, featuring stars of some of Broadway's biggest hit musicals, when Mayo Performing Arts Center presents Broadway Showstoppers! on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at 8 pm. Tickets are $29-49.

InFusion Theatre Company is proud to announce the Midwest premiere of Andrea Stolowitz's ITHAKA, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob, March 9 - April 13, at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Ave. Opening night is tonight, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. There is no performance Thursday, March 13. Preview tickets are $10. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $15 for students and seniors and $12.50 for industry professionals (Thursdays and Sundays only). Tickets are on sale now atinfusiontheatre.com or by calling 800-838-3006.

What happens when an elderly patient with dementia goes missing in a northern Idaho blizzard, leaving his wife and others behind to face the unknown? The story is Rest, a heartbreakingly funny and tender play commissioned by South Coast Repertory from Samuel D. Hunter. SCR Founding Artistic Director Martin Benson directs the world premiere of Rest, March 28-April 27, on the Segerstrom Stage. The show is a cornerstone production of SCR's Pacific Playwrights Festival. Tickets are available online: www.scr.org.

The Old Globe today announced it will present two Shakespeare-themed events. On Monday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m., Tony Award winner Roger Rees will return to the Globe for a one-night-only engagement of What You Will, his hysterical (and somewhat historical) 90-minute gallop through the world of Shakespeare. On Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 a.m., Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein will offer an encore of Thinking Shakespeare Live!, his 90-minute exploration of the language of Shakespeare. This fast-paced, funny, and altogether fascinating program based on Edelstein's book, Thinking Shakespeare: A How-To Guide for Student Actors, Directors, and Anyone Else Who Wants to Feel More Comfortable with the Bard, reveals a performer's approach to Shakespearean language so audiences may easily understand the poetry of the Bard.

InFusion Theatre Company is proud to announce the Midwest premiere of Andrea Stolowitz's ITHAKA, directed by InFusion Artistic Director Mitch Golob, March 9 - April 13, at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division Ave. Opening night is tonight, March 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Jeanna recently chatted with BroadwayWorld about making her KINKY debut, how she got the role, advice she got from Ashford and more! Check out the full interview below!

Adam Wachter's original musical Tarrytown will get a private industry reading on Monday, March 10th in New York City. Tarrytown is a one act present day musical loosely based on Washington Irving's 'The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow.' Wachter has written the book, music & lyrics. Andrew Keenan-Bolger ('Submissions Only') directs.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announces the cast and creative team for Alan Ayckbourn's science fiction comedy Communicating Doors. Eleven plays penned by Alan Ayckbourn have been produced by the Alley, including the American premiere of Henceforward, directed by Ayckbourn, in 1987 and House & Garden in 2002. Alan Ayckbourn has been inducted into the American Theatre's Hall of Fame, received the 2010 Critics' Circle Award for Services to the Arts, became the first British playwright to receive both Olivier and Tony Special Lifetime Achievement Awards and was knighted in 1997 for services to the theatre.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, and Blue Star Families, the country's largest chapter-based military families non-profit organization, have announced that 108 theatres in 35 states have now joined the Blue Star Theatres program. In partnership between TCG and Blue Star Families, with support from MetLife Foundation, Blue Star Theatres connects a variety of theatre offerings to military personnel and their families across the United States. This initiative recognizes the profound contributions of service families and seeks to build stronger connections between theatres, military families and their communities through unique programming, special discounts and more.

Broadway stars might boast the biggest fan-bases, but without their directors, the vehicle driving their talents could easily swerve off the tracks. Keeping the runaway train at bay are season's bold Broadway 'conductors'. Scroll down to learn more about this season's intrepid and imaginative leaders!