The Old Globe News

The Shakespeare Theatre Company's annual Free For All is a much-loved Washington tradition, offering free Shakespeare performances to the general public for the past 22 years. This year the beloved tradition launches the Company's 2013-2014 Season by reviving Much Ado About Nothing, initially presented during the 2011-2012 Season with original direction by Ethan McSweeny. Much Ado About Nothing will run at STC's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from August 20-September 1, 2013. Resident Assistant Director Jenny Lord will direct this delightful summer comedy for residents and visitors to D.C.

The Madison Recreation Department and Playwrights Theatre present INTO THE WOODS JUNIOR music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, originally directed on Broadway by JaImes Lapine, original Broadway production produced by Heidi Landesman, M. Anthony Fisher, Rocco Landesman, Frederick H. Mayerson, Rick Steiner, Jujamcyn Theaters, originally produced by the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced on June 28 the nine musicals selected to be part of the 25th Annual Festival of New Musicals on Thursday, October 17 and Friday, October 18 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) is pleased to announce that 62 finalists selected from tens of thousands of students will compete for the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress, scholarships and other honors at an event on Broadway to be hosted by the Tony Award-nominated stars of Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, Laura Osnes (Cinderella) and Santino Fontana (the Prince). The fifth annual performance showcase featuring dynamic ensemble and solo performances exclusively from the musical theater cannon will take place on Monday, July 1, 2013 at 7:30pm at the Minskoff Theatre (200 W. 45th St).

The National High School Musical Theater Awards (NHSMTA) previously announced that 62 finalists selected from tens of thousands of students will compete for the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress, scholarships and other honors at an event on Broadway to be hosted by the Tony Award-nominated stars of Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, Laura Osnes (Cinderella) and Santino Fontana (the Prince). The fifth annual performance showcase featuring dynamic ensemble and solo performances exclusively from the musical theater cannon will take place tonight, July 1, 2013 at 7:30pm at the Minskoff Theatre (200 W. 45th St).

The Old Globe will give San Diegans a chance to hear their voices on stage when it holds open voiceover auditions for the World Premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's comedy The Few on Sunday, July 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Old Globe presents the revival of N. Richard Nash's classic romantic comedy The Rainmaker. Directed by Maria Mileaf, The Rainmaker will run July 13 - August 11, 2013 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run July 13 - July 17. Opening night is Thursday, July 18 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below.

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the Globe's revival of N. Richard Nash's classic romantic comedyThe Rainmaker. Directed by Maria Mileaf, The Rainmaker will run July 13 - August 11, 2013 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run July 13 - July 17. Opening night is Thursday, July 18 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Second Stage Theatre will present the new musical comedy, NOBODY LOVES YOU, featuring Heath Calvert (world premiere of Nobody Loves You at the Old Globe Theatre), Bryan Fenkart (Memphis), Roe Hartrampf (Second Stage Theatre Uptown's The Bad Guys), Autumn Hurlbert(Legally Blonde), Leslie Kritzer (Legally Blonde, A Catered Affair), Lauren Molina (Sweeney Todd, Rock of Ages), Rory O'Malley (Tony nominee for The Book of Mormon) and Aleque Reid (Really Really). Scroll down for photos from the first preview on June 20!

The Waterwell Drama Program announced today that it has been awarded a $20,000 Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support its Performance Projects at the Professional Performing Arts School.

Berkshire Theatre Group presents James Goldman's The Lion in Winter at The Fitzpatrick Main Stage in Stockbridge opening on June 29 at 8pm. Previews begin tonight, June 25 at 8pm and closing is on July 13 at 8pm.

The Pasadena Playhouse's final presentation of its 2012 - 2013 HOTHOUSE at The Playhouse series is THE FUTURE PERFECT. Book by Jonathan Caren, music & lyrics by Emmy Award-winning composer and songwriter Ben Decter, directed by Tony Award nominated (for Rock of Ages) Kristin Hanggi with musical direction by Kyle Puccia. The staged reading will take place tonight, June 25, and Wednesday, June 26, 2013, at 8:00 p.m. in the Carrie Hamilton Theatre at The Pasadena Playhouse.

Premiere Stages is proud to present the New Jersey Premiere of Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris from July 11th through July 29th in the Zella Fry Theatre at Kean University. Directed by Wes Grantom, this Tony Award-winning play is an exceptionally witty and deliciously dry satire that explores the reactions of Clybourne Park's 1950s all-white community when a couple unknowingly sells their house to a black family. The tables of gentrification turn when - fifty years later - the now all-black community greets the news of an impending sale to a white family with the same level of apprehension.

Devi Girl Productions presents the U.S. Premiere of IMMACULATE, by Oliver Lansley at Summer Shares at La MaMa, The First Floor Theatere at 74 East 4th Street, July 25th -28th.

The Old Globe presents ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD by Tom Stoppard and directed by Adrian Noble, June 16 - Sept. 26, 2013 (Previews: June 16, 29 and 30 and July 1 / Opening Night: July 2) at the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production photos below.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Retrop Productions have announced that JULIAN PO, the new musical with book and lyrics by Andrew Barrett and music by Ira Antelis, is the first show in the festival to be extended. Due to high demand for tickets, the five-performance run - scheduled between July 8 and 14, 2013 - now has an additional show added on Wednesday, July 10 at 5:00 PM. In addition, Sean Cullen ('Boardwalk Empire') and Issadora Tulalian (How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Old Globe) have been added to the cast.

The poignant and provocative new musical, A Minister's Wife, makes its West Coast premiere at San Jose Rep today, June 20 - July 14, 2013. Based on George Bernard Shaw's well-known play Candida, this musical soars with its emotive and dazzling score by the award-winning composer of Adding Machine, Joshua Schmidt, and its beautiful lyrics by Jan Levy Tranen. The smart script by Austin Pendleton, a Tony-nominated director, actor and playwright, and graceful directing by the originator and award-winning director, Michael Halberstam, shape this musical into an adventurous evening of theatre. The Wall Street Journal says, 'This is the most important new musical since The Light in the Piazza ... to say that you mustn't miss it is to grossly understate the case.'

Second Stage Theatre presents the new musical comedy, NOBODY LOVES YOU. The company will feature Heath Calvert (world premiere of Nobody Loves You at the Old Globe Theatre), Bryan Fenkart (Memphis), Roe Hartrampf (Second Stage Theatre Uptown's The Bad Guys), Autumn Hurlbert(Legally Blonde), Leslie Kritzer (Legally Blonde, A Catered Affair), Lauren Molina (Sweeney Todd, Rock of Ages), Rory O'Malley (Tony nominee for The Book of Mormon) and Aleque Reid (Really Really).