The Public Theater News

New York Stage and Film and Vassar College, this summer celebrating the 30th year of their Powerhouse Theater collaboration, are thrilled to reveal the first round of casting for the upcoming Powerhouse Theater Season, running from June 20 to July 27 at Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, New York).

Paper Mill Playhouse concludes its 75th Anniversary Season with America's favorite musical, GREASE. With book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease will be directed by Daniel Goldstein with original choreography by JoAnn M. Hunter. Additional songs are by John Farrar, Barry Gibb, Scott Simon and Louis St. Louis. Grease will play the Millburn, New Jersey, theater from May 28 through June 29, 2014. The official press opening night is Sunday, June 1, at 7:00pm. The cast just met the press, and BroadwayWorld brings you photos below!

The Public Theater will begin previews on Tuesday, June 3 for MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, the first show of The Public's 2014 season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. Directed by Jack O'Brien, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING will run through Sunday, July 6, with an official press opening on Monday, June 16. Below, check out a first look at the cast, including Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater and Brian Stokes Mitchell, in rehearsal!

Casting has been announced for the National Theatre production of THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

The Public Theater has announced complete casting for KING LEAR, the second show of The Public's free Shakespeare in the Park season at the Delacorte. Featuring the previously announced John Lithgow as Lear, this enduring tragedy will begin performances on Tuesday, July 22 and run through Sunday, August 17, with an official press opening on Tuesday, August 5.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its upcoming shows, today, May 21 through June 1, 2014. Details below!

California Shakespeare Theater begins its 2014 season with one of the true trailblazing works in the American theater, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, directed by Patricia McGregor. A Raisin in the Sun plays at the Bruns Amphitheater from tonight, May 21 through June 15.

Actor/playwright Joseph Assadourian, like Charles Dutton and Lead Belly before him, discovered his theatrical voice while serving time behind bars. His new one-man play, The Bullpen, which he wrote and stars in, will begin an open-ended Off-Broadway engagement at The Playroom Theater (151 West 46th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue) on Thursday, June 12th. Richard Hoehler directs this black comedy, which features Assadourian in 18 different roles. Opening night is set Sunday June 22nd.

Joe's Pub at the Public has announced its upcoming shows, May 21 through June 1, 2014. Details below!

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that The Realistic Joneses, which opened on April 6, 2014, at the Lyceum Theatre (149 W 45th Street), will officially close on July 6, 2014.

Parsons Dance, under the artistic direction of acclaimed choreographer David Parsons, will play a special one night only benefit engagement at Joe's Pub to launch the Company's new Generation NOW Choreographic Fellowship.

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, will hold the 59th Annual Obie Awards tonight, Monday, May 19, 2014, at Webster Hall in the East Village, 125 East 11th Street. The Obies will be co-hosted by the distinguished actress Tamara Tunie, whose many memorable stage performances include the lead in the Public Theater's Troilus and Cressida, while her film and television credits include Devil's Advocate, FLIGHT, City Hall, Snake Eyes, Eve's Bayou, The Caveman's Valentine, The Red Road, 'Law and Order: SVU', '24', 'Sex and The City', 'NYPD Blue'.

The Old Globe presents Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning farce Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which will include Candy Buckley as Masha, Marcia DeBonis as Sonia, Tyler Lansing Weaks as Spike, Allison Layman as Nina, Martin Moran as Vanya, and Haneefah Wood as Cassandra. Jessica Stone will direct, based on the Tony-nominated Broadway direction of Old Globe Associate Artist Nicholas Martin, whose loss on April 30 devastated the theatre world*. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike will run today, May 17 - June 22, 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 tonight, May 17 through the 21st. Opening night is May 22 at 8:00 p.m.

Newly opened Russian Central Asian restaurant with live music, Moscow 57, will host a party celebrating the premier of the documentary film, RED FATHER, on Friday, May 16th at 7:30pm. Moscow 57 owner Ellen Kaye met Tova Beck-Friedman, the film's director at a broadcast of Cat Radio Cafe, hosted by Janet Coleman and David Dozer on WBAI at The Cornelia Street Cafe.

The Night Alive, written by Conor McPherson, recently took home the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award (NYDCC) for Best Play of the 2012-2013 season. All the Way, written by Robert Schenkkan received the award for Best American Play. A Fun Home received the award for Best Musical. The awards were presented at a cocktail reception on Friday, May 16, at 54 Below.

On Saturday, June 21st, Ten Chimneys Foundation will welcome renowned Broadway director Mr. Jack O'Brien for a very special Conversation at Ten Chimneys. Mr. O'Brien will delight the audience with stories about his prolific life in the theatre. Mr. O'Brien's work can be seen in The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing, which runs June 3rd through July 6th in Central Park. Just announced, he will be directing Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane in a new version of Terrence McNally's It's Only A Play, opening on Broadway in September, 2014.

Parsons Dance, under the artistic direction of acclaimed choreographer David Parsons, will play a special one night only benefit engagement at Joe's Pub to launch the Company's new Generation NOW Choreographic Fellowship. Tickets, priced from $100 - $275, can be purchased by calling The Public Theater box office at 212-697-7555 or via the internet at www.joespub.com. Joe's Pub at the Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street (at Astor Place) in the East Village. For more information, please visit http://www.parsonsdance.org.

Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road) plays Berenger in Eugene Ionesco's The Killer in a production that also features Kristine Nielsen, Paul Sparks and Robert Stanton. The Killer is newly translated by Michael Feingold and is directed by Darko Tresnjak (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder).

Parsons Dance, under the artistic direction of acclaimed choreographer David Parsons, will play a special one night only benefit engagement at Joe's Pub to launch the Company's new Generation NOW Choreographic Fellowship. Tickets, priced from $100 - $275, can be purchased by calling The Public Theater box office at 212-697-7555 or via the internet at www.joespub.com. Joe's Pub at the Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street (@ Astor Place) in the East Village. For more information, please visit http://www.parsonsdance.org/.