The Public Theatre News

Rehearsals began this week at Steppenwolf Theatre Company for the 2012/13 season opener, Good People, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire's surprising, humorous and deeply moving tale of a modern American story set in economically opposed South Boston and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Ensemble member K. Todd Freeman directs Lindsay-Abaire's Steppenwolf debut, featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Mariann Mayberry and Molly Regan. Good People begins previews September 13, with an opening night slated for September 23, and runs through November 11, 2012, in Steppenwolf's Downstairs Theatre. Get a first look at the cast in rehearsal in the photos below!

Now in the forefront of play development, with local writers, KTC presents their 11th World Premiere in only two years, Focus Group Play. Chosen from seven new works, this stand-out production is being directed by Eric Hunicutt.

Marin Theatre Company continues its 2012/13 Season with Suzan-Lori Parks's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Topdog/Underdog, which runs from September 27 to October 21.

American Theater Company announces two American classics never-before-paired on a single night-The Catholic Repertory: Doubt & Agnes of God-directed by ATC Artistic Director PJ Paparelli and featuring Ensemble Member Sadieh Rifai, Lance Baker, Penelope Walker and Kate Skinner.

The Community Theatre of Little Rock will present its Fall Production of '12 Angry Men". Show dates are September 21st, 22nd, 28th, 29th, October 5th, and 6th at 7:30 pm and September 23rd, 30th, and October 7th at 2pm to be held at the PUBLIC Theatre, located at 616 Center Street, next to Horn's Men's Store in downtown Little Rock.

Alfred Solis and Keith Robinson have announced that STANDBY - The Musical has been extended as part of the 2012 FringeNYC Encore Series, featuring the best shows from the 16th annual New York International Fringe Festival. STANDBY will have five performances: 9/7@7:30PM, 9/14@7:30PM, 9/20@7:30PM, 9/27@7:30PM, 9/29@7:30 PM at The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal St. New York, NY 10012.

The Getty Museum and Playwrights' Arena in Los Angeles is pleased to offer Euripides' Helen, the seventh annual outdoor theatrical production in the Getty Villa's Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater. Presenting a surprising twist on the legend of Helen of Troy, Euripides' rarely performed Helen will feature a cast of thirteen led by distinguished actor Maxwell Caulfield as Menelaos, King of Sparta, and Rachel Sorsa as Helen. Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, artistic director of Los Angeles-based Playwrights' Arena, this production debuts a new adaptation by playwright Nick Salamone and a score by composer and musical director David O.

Now in the forefront of play development, with local writers, KTC presents their 11th World Premiere in only two years, Focus Group Play. Chosen from seven new works, this stand-out production is being directed by Eric Hunicutt.

John Tartaglia, Stephanie D'Abruzzo and Carey Anderson (all from Broadway's AVENUE Q) along with Gwen Hollander (LITTLE WOMEN), Christine Toy Johnson (FALSETTOLAND), Francis Jue (THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, PACIFIC OVERTURES), singer/songwriter Phoebe Kreutz, Raymond J. Lee (ANYTHING GOES), Adam Levinskas, Jose Llana (THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, RENT), Orville Mendoza (PETER AND THE STARCATCHER), Olivia Oguma (MAMMA MIA) and actress Lexi Windsor will all be on hand to perform and pay tribute to the beloved director and actor ALAN MURAOKA ('Sesame Street', Broadway's MISS SAIGON, THE KING AND I) at an evening to benefit National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) on Monday, September 10 at 416 W. 42 St.

Gutenberg! The Musical! runs in the Stackner Cabaret from tonight, August 24 - October 14.

Cellist Maya Beiser will see the New York premiere of her new production, ELSEWHERE, a "CelloOpera," in four performances from October 17 through 20 at 7:30pm, during the 2012 BAM Next Wave Festival in the inaugural season of the Fishman Space, part of BAM's new Richard B. Fischer Building which opens in September 2012 at 321 Ashland Place in Brooklyn. ELSEWHERE is produced by Beth Morrison Projects.

The New York Innovative Theatre Awards, the organization dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, has announced the 2012 recipients of the Honorary Awards.

Juxtaposed against the contemporary drug-fueled club scene in Dublin, In Pigeon House weaves together vaudeville, music hall, and cinema in this love letter to traveling shows. Moving between time and genres, the itinerant players Basher, Masher, Rasher and Dolly rip up the stage with a furious tornado of language and moving pictures. A startlingly theatrical and darkly comic oeuvre, In Pigeon House at once explodes and upholds the romantic myth of the traveling show.

Rehearsals began this week at Steppenwolf Theatre Company for the 2012/13 season opener, Good People, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire's surprising, humorous and deeply moving tale of a modern American story set in economically opposed South Boston and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Ensemble member K. Todd Freeman directs Lindsay-Abaire's Steppenwolf debut, featuring ensemble members Alana Arenas, Mariann Mayberry and Molly Regan.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' has secured the rights to three premieres for its 22nd season of alternative, adult musical theatre -- the outrageous emo rock musical BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2012; the powerhouse Pulitzer Prize-winning rock opera NEXT TO NORMAL, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2013; and the hilariously dark, adult musical comedy BUKOWSICAL, running May 30-June 22, 2013.

Sugar Valley Theatricals, Bryan Webster, artistic director, in association with Isaac H. Suggs, Jr., presents a special staged reading performance of MUNCHED by Kim Porter, directed by Petronia Paley, as a benefit for Women on the Rise Telling HerStory (WORTH).

The Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble presents the West Coast premiere of ELMINA'S KITCHEN, written by award-winning playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, directed by Gregg T. Daniel. This gut-wrenching drama is set in the notorious "Murder Mile" section of London's East End. ELMINA'S KITCHEN examines the bitter clash of values between three generations of black men and its effect on their family and community. The play runs tonight, August 11 through September 9. Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 4pm. The Lost Studio, 130 S. La Brea, Los Angeles, Calif.

The Cabaret at The Columbia Club presents Carol Woods: Singin' the Blues on Broadway on August 10th and 11th.

The Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble presents the West Coast premiere of ELMINA'S KITCHEN, written by award-winning playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, directed by Gregg T. Daniel. This gut-wrenching drama is set in the notorious "Murder Mile" section of London's East End. ELMINA'S KITCHEN examines the bitter clash of values between three generations of black men and its effect on their family and community. The play runs August 11 through September 9. Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 4pm. The Lost Studio, 130 S. La Brea, Los Angeles. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

EMP Theatricals will present SHOOTING STARS IN JORDAN, written & performed by SARAH BROWN & developed by Brown & David Kaye, as part of the 16th Annual New York International Fringe Festival/FringeNYC. The production will be directed by KAREN LYNN CARPENTER.