The Public Theater News

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 18 categories and one special award for the 2014 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00pm EST, and hosted by acclaimed husband and wife actors and comedians, Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. This year's event will once again benefit The Actors Fund.

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, announced today that tickets will go on sale April 9, 2014 for the 59th Annual Obie Awards on Monday, May 19, 2014, at Webster Hall in the East Village, 125 East 11th Street.

The Realistic Joneses is currently in previews, with an official opening night on Sunday, April 6, 2014, at the Lyceum Theatre (149 W 45th Street). The new play stars Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winner; Academy Award and Tony Award-nominee Toni Collette ('Hostages,' 'United States of Tara,' The Sixth Sense, The Wild Party), Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award-winner Michael C. Hall ('Dexter,' Chicago, 'Six Feet Under'), Tony Award-winner Tracy Letts(Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; August: Osage County; 'Homeland'), and Academy Award-winner and Golden Globe-nominee Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny; The Wrestler; Salome). BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in action below!

TOO MUCH SUN - the newest play by Nicky Silver - will be given its world-premiere production this spring at the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) starring the Tony Award-winning actress Linda Lavin, joined by the newly-announced cast: Ken Barnett, Richard Bekins, Matt Dellapina, Matt Dickson and Jennifer Westfeldt, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, The Vineyard's Artistic Director, and Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director. Mark Brokaw directs the production, scheduled to begin previews May 1 prior to an official opening night on May 18.

Joe's Pub has announced its performance lineup, March 31- April 13. Details below!

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the leadership of Diane Paulus, Artistic Director and William Russo, Managing Director, presents the last production of its 2013/14 Season, THE TEMPEST, adapted and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller from the play by William Shakespeare, with magic by Teller, music by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, and movement by Matt Kent of Pilobolus.

The YALE INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC THEATRE has selected two original book musicals to be developed in an intensive lab setting in New Haven, June 3-15. Afterland, with music and lyrics by Benjamin Velez and book and lyrics by Kathryn Hathaway, will be directed by Mark Brokaw; and Clouds are Pillows for the Moon, with music by Tidtaya Sinutoke and book and lyrics by Ty Defoe, will be directed by Leigh Silverman. The Institute culminates with open rehearsal readings of each project, presented as a part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, on June 14 and 15.

Ars Nova presents the world premiere of Charlatan, in a limited Off-Broadway engagement through Saturday, April 12 at Ars Nova (511 West 54th Street). Official Opening Night takes place tonight Monday, March 31 at 7:00 PM.

Tickets are now on sale for The Public Theater's newest public forum. This one-night-only event will feature Frank Rich sharing his insights on the ways that artists and journalists alike shape narratives, then joining writer Scott Z. Burns and director Steven Soderbergh for a conversation about the sometimes dangerous power of stories. This 90-minute event in the Newman Theater will be hosted by Public Forum Director Jeremy McCarter.

COMPAGNIA DE' COLOMBARI has announced the four city national tour of Flannery O'Connor's EVERYTHING THAT RISES MUST CONVERGE, created for the stage and directed by Karin Coonrod. EVERYTHING THAT RISES MUST CONVERGE will play Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Georgia; Brunswick, Maine; and New York City. Tour begins Thursday, April 10 and continues through Wednesday, April 16.

The New York Philharmonic will return to Bravo! Vail in Colorado for the Orchestra's 12th- annual summer residency there, performing six concerts July 18-25, 2014. Music Director Alan Gilbert will conduct three programs, July 18-20, featuring works by composers for whom he has advocated during his tenure, ranging from Nielsen to The Marie-Jose?e Kravis Composer-in- Residence Christopher Rouse. The other Philharmonic concerts will be conducted by Bramwell Tovey (July 23 and 25) and Ted Sperling (July 24), and will feature works by Copland, Gershwin, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Loesser, among others.

The Public Theater will begin previews for the New York premiere of The Civilian's THE GREAT IMMENSITY on Friday, April 11. Written and directed by Steve Cosson with songs by Michael Friedman, THE GREAT IMMENSITY is a highly theatrical look into one of the most vital questions of our time: how can we change ourselves and our society in time to solve the enormous environmental challenges that confront us? THE GREAT IMMENSITY will run through Thursday, May 1 in the Martinson Theater, with an official press opening on Thursday, April 24.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will continue its engagement at JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater on Sunday, April 20 at 7:00 PM with a celebration of the lauded actor, writer and director John Cameron Mitchell just in time for the Broadway debut of his celebrated musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. After a highly-successful season at 54 Below, The Meeting* has returned to its downtown roots this year with shows through May. The Meeting* has been called 'delicious and delightfully droll' by The New York Post, and 'hilarious and sardonic' by The Village Voice. A recent story for Slate.com called the evening 'so deliciously icy that it left me shivering with fear and delight.' The April show will feature special guests to be announced.

Pioneer Theatre Company presents the comedy-thriller Deathtrap by Ira Levin, today, March 28 through April 12, 2014.

The Public Theater announced an additional spring Public Forum, HOW WE TELL STORIES - AND WHY, on Monday, April 21 at 8:00 p.m. This one-night-only Public Forum event will feature Frank Rich sharing his insights on the ways that artists and journalists alike shape narratives, then joining writer Scott Z. Burns and director Steven Soderbergh for a conversation about the sometimes dangerous power of stories. This 90-minute event in the Newman Theater will be hosted by Public Forum Director Jeremy McCarter.

Producer Robb Nanus (Andrew Lippa's I Am Harvey Milk) is pleased to announce the full cast for the world-premiere production of DEBUTANTE., written by Ryann Weir and directed/created by Annie Tippe. After a sold out presentation at Ars Nova's ANT Fest last June, DEBUTANTE. returns to New York City this spring at the Bernie Wohl Center (647 Columbus Avenue) starting April 23.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the California premiere of Quiara Alegria Hudes' Water by the Spoonful, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Directed by Edward Torres, Water by the Spoonful will run April 12 - May 11, 2014 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run April 12 - April 16. Opening night is Thursday, April 17 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. In conjunction with local organizations Combat Arts and So Say We All, The Globe will also host an ongoing exhibit of art by returning veterans, and an evening of local veterans performing stories they have written about their service.

The Civilians' THE GREAT IMMENSITY, a new and timely Pub Lab production at The Public Theater, begins previews at The Public on Friday, April 11 and runs through Thursday, May 1, with an official press opening on Thursday, April 24. BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the cast in rehearsal below!

Magic Theatre will welcome back one of Scotland's leading contemporary playwrights, Linda McLean, with the world premiere of Every Five Minutes, directed by Producing Artistic Director Loretta Greco. Every Five Minutes runs today, March 26 - April 20.

Education Dramaturg Ted Sod asked Composer Jeanine Tesori about the process of creating Violet.