The Public Theater News

The Stella Adler Studio of Acting is excited to announce a one-night-only opportunity to see two of Off Broadway's most celebrated shows, Lemon Andersen'sCounty of Kings and Michael Milligan's Mercy Killers, as part of the Harold Clurman Festival of the Arts. The performances will be followed by a discussion with Mr. Andersen and Mr. Milligan that will be moderated by Teresa Eyring, Executive Director of Theater Communications Group. Andersen and Milligan stand out in the theater world as examples of artists who react to challenges in their lives by writing and performing in meaningful theater pieces.

Four theater artists will be honored by the Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee during the presentation of its 2013 Awards in a luncheon ceremony scheduled for October 21. Mimi Lien(Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812), Ann Roth (The Nance), Jane Cox (The Flick) andPeter Nigrini (Here Lies Love) will be honored with 2013 Henry Hewes Design Awards. Each of the four is receiving his or her first Henry Hewes Design Award. For the 2013 honors, 84 theater artists were nominated for outstanding artistry in 55 productions presented during the 2012-2013 New York theater season. (A complete list of 2013 nominees follows this awards announcement.)

Marin Hinkle, Neal Huff, Olivia Oguma, Okieriete Onaodowan and Sharon Washington will comprise the cast of the upcoming LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater world premiere production of LUCE, by JC Lee, directed by May Adrales. LUCE begins previewsSaturday, October 5, opens Monday, October 21 and will run through Sunday, November 17 at the Claire Tow Theater (150 West 65thStreet).

Songwriter and Playwright Michael Mitnick (Fly By Night, Animal House) comes to Joe's Pub at The Public for a one-night concert of his songs tonight, September 9th at 9:30 PM.

Three New Playwrights (Allison Bressi, Executive Producer) has announced a lineup of 45 new works by more than 60 artists, as part of (not just) 3 New Plays, a month-long pop-up event hosted by Tom Noonan's Paradise Factory (64 East 4th Street, Between Bowery & Second Avenue) today, September 8-29, 2013.

California Shakespeare Theater concludes its 2013 season with one of Shakespeare's rarely-performed gems, A Winter's Tale. It plays at the Bruns Amphitheater from September 25 through October 20.

The Public Theater has announced casting today for the international collaboration of Shakespeare's ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, produced by The Public Theater, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Miami's GableStage. Directed and edited by Tarell Alvin McCraney, ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA will play in Stratford-upon-Avon at the RSC's Swan Theatre (November 7-30, 2013), before travelling to the United States for an engagement in Miami Beach at The Colony Theater (January 11-February 9, 2014) followed by a limited run at The Public Theater (February 18-March 23, 2014). ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA features a transatlantic cast that includes Jonathan Cake as Mark Antony and Joaquina Kalukango as Cleopatra.

The William & Eva Fox Foundation and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, have announced the eighth round of Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship recipients. The program is designed to support actors' professional and artistic development, to enrich relationships between actors and nonprofit theatres and to ensure continued professional commitment to live theatre. Funded by the Fox Foundation and administered by TCG, the fellowship is one of only a few programs of its kind for actors in the country.

The world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman, opens tonight, September 6 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

Laura Benanti's engagement at New York's 54 BELOW will be recorded and released by Broadway Records. 'In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live At 54 BELOW' will be released digitally today, September 6th and on CD on September 10, 2013.

Three New Playwrights (Allison Bressi, Executive Producer) announced today a lineup of 45 new works by more than 60 artists, as part of (not just) 3 New Plays, a month-long pop-up event hosted by Tom Noonan's Paradise Factory (64 East 4th Street, Between Bowery & Second Avenue) September 8-29, 2013.

Next Theatre Company announces the first production in their 33rd season, Rinne Groff's Compulsion, October 10 - November 17, directed by Devon de Mayo, at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street. Previews are Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. Opening Night is Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are Saturday 4 p.m. performances October 27 and November 3, 10 and 17. Preview tickets are $25, Tickets are $30 - $40 with subscriber and student discounts available. Tickets may be purchased at nexttheatre.org or by calling 847-475-1875 x2.

Signature Theatre is pleased to announce the casting of award winner Christine Lahti (Running on Empty, Swing Shift,Chicago Hope) in this fall's world-premiere drama Pride in the Falls of Autrey Mill, written by Paul Downs Colaizzo (Really Really). Lahti, whose acclaimed 30-year career in theatre, television and film places her in the highest echelon of American actresses, joins this fall's production under the direction of Shakespeare Theatre Company Artistic Director Michael Kahn, who returns to Signature for the first time in nearly twenty years. Casting for the remaining three roles will be announced shortly.

The BEAT Festival is thrilled to announce that the Brooklyn-based, Tony Award winning playwright and poet Lemon Andersen will be performing at the festival's closing night

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for Natural Affection by William Inge, the first production of the company's 21st Season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Jenn Thompson, performances begin at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. Opening night is set for Thursday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Performances will continue through October 26, 2013.

The world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman, opens Friday, September 6 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. The show runs through September 28 at the Rep's downtown theatre Copaken Stage, 13th and Walnut Streets.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, announces the Ensemble's 28th season. The season begins with the Chicago professional premiere of Hank Williams: Lost Highway by award-winning playwrights Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, today, September 5 - October 6; the 12th smash year of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! , now at the 199-seat Greenhouse Theater Center, directed by Ensemble member Marty Higginbotham, November 22 - December 29; world premiere of 2012 Blue Ink Playwriting Award-winning script American Myth by Christina Gorman, directed by Steve Scott, February - March 2014; Chicago premiere of 2012 Smith Prize winner Grounded by George Brant, June 2014. American Blues also announces year-long development and public reading of Ensemble member's Nambi E. Kelley's adaptation of Richard Wright's Native Son which will receive a production in fall of 2014.

Laura Benanti's 'In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live At 54 BELOW' will be released digitally onSeptember 6th and on CD on September 10, 2013. The CD is now available for pre-order at http://amzn.com/B00CRU5YW0. The track listing and cover art were unveiled today by Broadway Records.

HBO Documentary Films has acquired the U.S. television rights to Madeleine Sackler's feature documentary DANGEROUS ACTS STARRING THE UNSTABLE ELEMENTS OF BELARUS, it was announced today. The film will have its world premiere Sunday, Sept. 8 at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and debut on HBO in 2014.