Tony Kushner News

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo have announced that the New York premiere of An Iliad, by Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson, based on Homer's Iliad translated by Robert Fagles, directed by Ms. Peterson, will begin performances on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at NYTW, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue. Mr. O'Hare and Stephen Spinella will alternate performances of the play. Opening nights are Tuesday, March 6, 2012 (Mr. O'Hare) and Wednesday, March 7, 2012 (Mr. Spinella).

David Mamet is a Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright, known for his own distinct style of dialogue aptly referred to as "Mamet speak". Mamet also directed the Broadway production of Race, which premiered December 2009 starring James Spader, David Alan Grier, Kerry Washington, and Richard Thomas. Gulfshore Playhouse first hit the Naples scene with a production of David Mamet's Oleanna in 2006.

When she was a young girl, Candice Guardin wrote down every memorable saying her loving and outspoken grandmother uttered.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 1/08 for Toronto

The John W. Engeman Theater at Northport is set to announce its holiday show A WONDERFUL LIFE.

NBC has cast Tony Award winner Marcia Gay Harden in a new comedy pilot based on the Canadian series 'Le Monde De Charlotte,' according to Deadline.com.

Signature Theatre announced today that The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded Signature Theatre $2 million in support of the Company's Legacy Program and for the creation of a reserve fund as part of Signature's capital campaign for Signature Center, the Company's new, permanent home, which will open in late January 2012.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre begins the New Year with the world-premiere production of Ghost Light, a new play conceived and developed by Jonathan Moscone and Tony Taccone.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick, will present Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham in a new production of Bertolt Brecht's GALILEO, translated by Charles Laughton, and directed by Kulick, beginning performances Wednesday, February 1 at CSC (136 East 13th Street) for a limited engagement through Sunday, March 11. The official press opening for GALILEO is Sunday, February 12. Tickets for GALILEO go on sale to the public today, Tuesday, January 3.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 1/01 for Toronto

The third annual production of The Santaland Diaries is set to return to Portland Center Stage's Ellyn Bye Studio with a new Crumpet the Elf in tow, actor Jim Lichtscheidl.

Theater for the New City, Crystal Field, Executive Artistic Director, proudly announces the world premiere production of Unreachable Eden, a historical drama written and directed by Barbara Kahn, co-directed by Robert Gonzales, Jr., with music by Arthur Abrams. Featuring Zina Anaplioti, Christopher Comeaux, Ben Davis, Claire Epstein, Robert Gonzales, Jr., Gusta Johnson, Franco Pedicini and Steph Van Vlack. Set design by Mark Marcante. Costume design by Carla Gant.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 12/25 for Toronto

The Klezmatics - the first (and only) Jewish music group ever to win a Grammy - return to Walt Disney Concert Hall on Monday, December 19, at 8 PM to celebrate Hanukkah and the band's 25th anniversary.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 12/18 for Toronto

Who Wants Cake? is set to present its production of A Bright Room Called Day, Tony Kushner's play about Germany, America, Fascism, The Right, Action, Inaction, Losing Battles, and Winning Wars.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 AM for Arthur Miller's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece DEATH OF A SALESMAN, in a new production directed by eight-time Tony Award® winner Mike Nichols and starring Academy Award® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman, Obie Award winner Linda Emond as Linda Loman and Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, The Amazing Spider-Man), making his Broadway debut as Biff Loman. The strictly limited 16-week engagement opens Thursday, March 15, 2012 at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). Previews begin Monday, February 13. For tickets, visit Telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200.

John Logan, the playwright responsible for the Mark Rothko-inspired 2010 Tony Award winner for Best Play, RED, is also a name familiar to movie buffs around the world who may very well have enjoyed his considerable contributions to cinema - among them, the screenplays for 2000 Best Picture Oscar-winner GLADIATOR (directed by Ridley Scott), Oliver Stone's ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, Tim Burton's film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (2008 Golden Globe winner for Best Picture, Musical Or Comedy) and many more. Discussing his collaborations with those lauded directors as well as his work for the stage - going all the way back to his Chicago roots - Logan and I also touch on some of his incredibly exciting upcoming projects - the new Sam Mendes James Bond film, SKYFALL; the Ralph Fiennes-directed adaptation of Shakespeare's CORIOLANUS; Martin Scorsese's critically lauded HUGO, now in theaters; and, Steven Spielberg's forthcoming biopic of LINCOLN, co-written with Tony Kushner and starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Additionally, Logan illustrates his appreciation for RED Tony-winning leading man Eddie Redmayne, who also starred in the Kathryn Bigelow-directed HBO pilot of Logan's aborted Broadway-themed musical series, A MIRACULOUS YEAR. All of that, plus early casting ideas for Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett, as well as much, much more!