Tony Kushner News

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo have announced that due to ticket demand and superb notices The Select (The Sun Also Rises), created by Elevator Repair Service (ERS) based on Ernest Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises, and directed by John Collins, will extend for two weeks and run through Sunday, October 23 at NYTW, 79 East 4th Street, between Second Avenue and Bowery.

Signature Theatre Company has just announced the playwrights participating in the Theatre's new Residency Five initiative, part of the expanded programming that will be presented at Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street, near 10th Avenue), the Company's new Frank Gehry-designed home. Annie Baker, Will Eno, Katori Hall, Kenneth Lonergan and Regina Taylor will be the program's inaugural playwrights.

Continuing a tradition that dates back to 1920, when Burns Mantle founded the annual Best Plays Theater Yearbook, the Best Plays of 2010-2011 were announced today by editor Jeffrey Eric Jenkins.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/18 for Toronto

PCPA Theaterfest concludes its 2010-2011 season with the musical Caroline, or Change by Tony Kushner (Angels in America) and Jeanine Tesori (Shrek the Musical).

Complete casting has just been announced for two-time Tony Award nominee, Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner Alan Rickman (Private Lives, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the Harry Potter franchise) making his eagerly-anticipated return to Broadway starring in the World Premiere of SEMINAR, a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Peabody Award winner Theresa Rebeck (Mauritius, The Understudy, Omnium Gatherum, The Family of Mann, Spike Heels, NBC's upcoming TV series 'Smash'). The production is directed by acclaimed Obie Award winner Sam Gold (Circle Mirror Transformation, The Aliens, Kin, The Coward) in his Broadway debut.

Bailiwick Chicago's upcoming production of the award-winning off-Broadway hit 'Violet,' a powerful and heartwarming story of a vulnerable young woman's challenges, loves and emotional journey, will now be staged September 16 - October 16 at the Mercury Theater, 3745 North Southport Avenue. With a score by Jeanine Tesori ('Caroline or Change' 'Thoroughly Modern Millie') and book and lyrics by Brian Crawley, 'Violet' is directed by Bailiwick Artistic Advisor Elizabeth Margolius. The press night is Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Two-time Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Bobby Cannavale will star as Nick Arnstein opposite Lauren Ambrose, who will star as Fanny Brice, in the first Broadway revival of FUNNY GIRL since the 1964 original production. FUNNY GIRL, which features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Bob Merrill and book by Isobel Lennart, will be directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher.

Upcoming MTI Shows - 9/11 for Toronto

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo have announced that The Select (The Sun Also Rises), created by Elevator Repair Service (ERS) based on Ernest Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises, and directed by John Collins, will begin performances Friday, August 19 at 7pm, at NYTW, 79 East 4th Street, between Second Avenue and Bowery.

Richard Baird returns to San Diego to direct the largest Diversionary Theatre production to date - 14 fantastic actors playing numerous roles in an intense account of the struggle between passion and responsibility.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) announces casting for the second week of the popular reading series, NEW WORK NOW!, running thru Sunday, September 18 in The Public's Martinson Theater (425 Lafayette Street). Casting for the free readings includes Donald Moffat, Richard Thomas, Michael Cristofer, Veanne Cox, Peter Francis James, Bill Heck, and S. Epatha Merkerson. All readings are free and open to the public and may be reserved by contacting the box office at (212) 967-7555.

Richard Baird returns to San Diego to direct the largest Diversionary Theatre production to date - 15 fantastic actors playing numerous roles in an intense account of the struggle between passion and responsibility. Baird had this to say about the production: 'It is wonderful to return home to San Diego to fulfill a dream to stage this play with Diversionary Theatre. With their support - and an incredibly talented team - we have been able to create a big, rich and exhilarating production that is so powerful in such an intimate space.'

Selected Shorts, the acclaimed short story series recorded live in performance at Symphony Space and broadcast nationally on public radio, has released a 2-disc set of short fiction entitled NEW AMERICAN STORIES.

In September, the Tony Award-winning Berkeley Repertory Theatre kicks off its new season with the world premiere of Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup, a captivating new show created specifically for this outstanding actress. Written by Artistic Director Tony Taccone, developed by Rita Moreno and Tony Taccone, and staged by David Galligan, this spectacular production starts previews in the Roda Theatre on September 2, opens September 7, and runs through October 30.