The Old Globe News

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 Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's summer of comedy continues with Noel Coward's frothy delightFallen Angels. Fallen Angels begins performances on July 3 and continues through July 28th at The Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage - The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside and American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, are proud to announce the first production in American Blues Theater's "Legends and Legacies" season, Hank Williams: Lost Highway, by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, music director Malcolm Ruhl and starring Matt Brumlow as "Hank Williams," August 30 - October 6, at the Greenhouse Theater Center's Downstage Mainstage Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are $19 for previews, $29 Thursdays and Fridays and $39 Saturdays and Sundays and $49 for opening night. Previews are Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 1 at 2:30 p.m. Press/opening night is Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursday - Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. There are post-show discussions following Sunday performances beginning September 8. Single tickets go on sale July 24 at 773.404.7336 or americanbluestheater.com.

Producers Darren Bagert, Dan Shaheen, and Ted Snowdon have announced that the hit comedy Buyer & Cellar, starring Michael Urie ('Ugly Betty'), written by Jonathan Tolins, and directed by Stephen Brackett, will transfer to the Barrow Street Theatre for a ten-week engagement beginning tonight, June 18, at 7:30pm and opening Monday, June 24. Tickets go on sale today.

The Old Globe presents THINKING SHAKESPEARE LIVE!, a 90-minute presentation exploring the language of Shakespeare, today, June 15 at 11 a.m. Led by Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and assisted by three professional classical actors, this special 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, will reveal a performer's approach to Shakespearean language so audiences may easily understand the poetry of the Bard. An ideal introduction to Shakespeare for families and young audiences, THINKING SHAKESPEARE LIVE! will take place on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

An overwhelming lust for power, a manipulative wife, and witches' prophecies spur a Scottish general onto a tragic path of betrayal, murder and madness. Long Beach Opera (LBO) closes its 2013 season with Macbeth, Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch's re-discovered powerhouse, sung in English. Performances at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, CA. begin tonight, June 15, 2013 and continue on June 22 and 23.

California Shakespeare Theater continues its 2013 season with a theatrically inventive production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, directed byShana Cooper (2011's Taming of the Shrew) playing at the Bruns Amphitheater July 3-28.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) has announced that Rene Augesen will play Blanche DuBois and Joe Manganiello will play Stanley Kowalski in its first-ever production of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, the Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece by Tennessee Williams. Directed by Mark Rucker, the production, which will open Yale Rep's 2013-14 season, will play September 20-October 12, at the University Theatre (222 York Street).

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare is directed by Adrian Noble and runs now through Sept. 28, 2013 at The Old Globe's Lowell Davies Festival Theatre. Previews: June 9, 25, 26 and 27. Opening Night: June 28. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

#theaternow presents the world premiere of Peter and the Neverbird, a new one-man play inspired by J. M. Barrie's beloved classic, Peter and Wendy. This exciting new piece combines imagination-powered magic and theatricality to tell a new story of our cherished Peter Pan and the Neverbird, a lesser, benevolent figure from the book, who here gets a deeper exploration. Written and performed by Chris Bresky, it is directed by Sally Ollove and played two performances only -- June 8th and June 9th. BroadwayWorld has photos of Bresky in action below!

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). Check out a just-released promo for the show below!

The education department at Hartford Stage launches a new MainStage MasterClass series for adults beginning in June, featuring two special topic workshops, Clown for Actors and Melodrama, taught by distinguished guest artist, Gregor Paslawsky, appearing on Hartford Stage's MainStage this spring in Twelfth Night.

#theaternow is proud to present the world premiere of Peter and the Neverbird, a new one-man play inspired by J. M. Barrie's beloved classic,Peter and Wendy. This exciting new piece combines imagination-powered magic and theatricality to tell a new story of our cherished Peter Pan and the Neverbird, a lesser, benevolent figure from the book, who here gets a deeper exploration. Written and performed by Chris Bresky, it is directed by Sally Ollove and will have two performances only- tonight,June 8th at 8pm and June 9th at 3pm.

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 June 25 at 8pm and closing is on July 13 at 8pm.

The Old Globe presents the 2013 Shakespeare Festival. Laurence Olivier Award-nominated director Ian Talbot will make his Old Globe debut with the enduring Shakespeare favorite A Midsummer Night's Dream. The 2013 Shakespeare Festival, performed in repertory in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, runs June 2 - Sept. 29. Subscription tickets from $66 to $270. Single tickets start at $29. 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 first look at production photos of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM below!

The Old Globe today announced THINKING SHAKESPEARE LIVE!, a 90-minute presentation exploring the language of Shakespeare, on Saturday, June 15 at 11 a.m. Led by Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and assisted by three professional classical actors, this special 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, will reveal a performer's approach to Shakespearean language so audiences may easily understand the poetry of the Bard. An ideal introduction to Shakespeare for families and young audiences, THINKING SHAKESPEARE LIVE! will take place on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

Philadelphia Young Playwrights has kicked off its 25th anniversary celebration by announcing the launch of the Paula Vogel Mentors Project, a living award honoring the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and teacher and extending her mentorship legacy. The three-year pilot program will bring together five acclaimed professional playwrights as mentors for five promising young playwright fellows, who will embark on yearlong playwriting journeys.

The poignant and provocative new musical, A Minister's Wife, makes its West Coast premiere at San Jose Rep June 20 - July 14, 2013.