Wallace Shawn News

To mark John Cage's centennial year, Symphony Space is proud to present the composer's rarely-heard 1989 conceptual work 'How to Get Started' in a series of three performances by pairs of noted musicians and writers who know each other well. Author Oscar Hijuelos and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill take the stage tonight, November 1; playwright Wallace Shawn and his composer sibling Allen Shawn perform today, November 15; and poet Robert Pinsky joins singer-songwriter John Wesley Harding today, December 13.

While the scariness of the season may be all too real and in-your-face to East Coast BroadwayWorld readers due to Hurricane Sandy, late October is indeed the most frightening time of the year, so let's take a look at some of the top picks for Halloween 2012 - whether you are looking to pass some time in the storm, boiling up a cauldron of witch's brew for trick or treaters or donning devilish duds yourself.

Mark Blum has joined the cast of The New Group's The Good Mother, written by Francine Volpe and directed by Scott Elliott. He joins Darren Goldstein, Gretchen Mol, Alfredo Narciso and Eric Nelsen in the premiere of this new play, replacing the previously announced Bill Sage, who had to withdraw due to a scheduling conflict prior to start of rehearsals. Mark Blum's Broadway credits include Gore Vidal's The Best Man, Twelve Angry Men, A Thousand Clowns, Lost in Yonkers, and more. He has appeared previously at The New Group in Wallace Shawn and Allen Shawn's play/opera The Music Teacher, among others.

After having played in theaters with Disney's recent release of Finding Nemo 3D and debuting on the Disney Channel this Monday, Disney/Pixar has now released the full short PARTYSAURUS REX. Click here to check it out!

Mark Blum has joined the cast of The New Group's The Good Mother, written by Francine Volpe and directed by Scott Elliott. He joins Darren Goldstein, Gretchen Mol, Alfredo Narciso and Eric Nelsen in the premiere of this new play, replacing the previously announced Bill Sage, who had to withdraw due to a scheduling conflict prior to start of rehearsals. Mark Blum's Broadway credits include Gore Vidal's The Best Man, Twelve Angry Men, A Thousand Clowns, Lost in Yonkers, and more. He has appeared previously at The New Group in Wallace Shawn and Allen Shawn's play/opera The Music Teacher, among others.

To mark John Cage's centennial year, Symphony Space is proud to present the composer's rarely-heard 1989 conceptual work 'How to Get Started' in a series of three performances by pairs of noted musicians and writers who know each other well. Author Oscar Hijuelos and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill take the stage on Thursday, November 1; playwright Wallace Shawn and his composer sibling Allen Shawn perform on Thursday, November 15; and poet Robert Pinsky joins singer-songwriter John Wesley Harding on Thursday, December 13.

Anchor Bay Films has released the trailer for Clueless director Amy Heckerling's new comedy VAMPS, starring Alicia Silverstone, Krysten Ritter, Sigourney Weaver, Kristen Johnston, Richard Lewis, Wallace Shawn, Justin Kirk, Dan Stevens, Todd Barry, Marilu Henner, Zak Orth and Malcolm McDowell. Check it out below!

The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences announced today the participants of a cast reunion as part of the 25th Anniversary presentation of THE PRINCESS BRIDE during the 2012 New York Film Festival.

Cahoots Productions will present the West End debut of Zelda, written and performed by Kelly Burke and directed by Robert F. Gross running at the Trafalgar Studios from tonight, 18 September to 4 October with press night on 19 September.

The New Group will present the first production in its 2012-2013 season, the world premiere of The Good Mother, a new play by Francine Volpe. Directed by Scott Elliott, this production features Darren Goldstein, Gretchen Mol, Alfredo Narciso, Eric Nelsen and Bill Sage. Previews begin October 29 in advance of an Official Opening Night on Thursday, November 15 at 7:00pm. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through December 22 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street / Acorn Theatre).

In 2003, concerned that the trend of endless readings and development programs was limiting the texture and ambition of new American plays, 13 midcareer playwrights banded together to try a different model. Each playwright would serve as Artistic Director of the company-deciding the goals of the project, designing its process, and choosing collaborators-as it realized a full production of his/her play. The organization, 13P, completed its mission with Sara Ruhl's (P#13) sold-out Melancholy Play in July.

In 2003, concerned that the trend of endless readings and development programs was limiting the texture and ambition of new American plays, 13 midcareer playwrights banded together to try a different model. Each playwright would serve as Artistic Director of the company-deciding the goals of the project, designing its process, and choosing collaborators-as it realized a full production of his/her play. The organization, 13P, completed its mission with Sara Ruhl's (P#13) sold-out Melancholy Play in July.

Cahoots Productions will present the West End debut of Zelda, written and performed by Kelly Burke and directed by Robert F. Gross running at the Trafalgar Studios from 18 September to 4 October with press night on 19 September.

INCOMING! The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival will present new work at Joe's Pub, The Public Theater's most intimate performance space, tonight, August 23 and tomorrow night, August 24.

Five powerful productions have been scheduled for Center Theatre Group's 2013 season at the Mark Taper Forum, it was announced today by CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

Founded in 1979 by its artistic director Jeffrey Horowitz, Theatre for a New Audience is a modern classical theatre that produces Shakespeare alongside other major authors in a dialogue that spans centuries. Its 33rd season, the last before moving to its first home adjacent to BAM in the new Downtown Brooklyn Cultural District, features boldly diverse works from William Shakespeare, Franz Kafka in a theatrical adaptation by Colin Teevan, Samuel Beckett and Wallace Shawn. In a co-production with The Public Theater, Mr. Shawn's plays will be part of The Wallace Shaw-Andre Gregory Project.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) and Theater for a New Audience (Founding Artistic Director Jeffrey Horowitz; Managing Director Dorothy Ryan and Chairman of the Board, Henry Christensen III) will present THE WALLACE SHAWN-ANDRÉ GREGORY PROJECT in 2013, a celebration of the remarkable 40-year collaboration between Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory. The two plays, THE DESIGNATED MOURNER and GRASSES OF A THOUSAND COLORS, will offer a long overdue retrospective of Shawn's work as well as an opportunity for him to appear on the New York stage again under Gregory's direction. The Public Theater presented Shawn's first play in New York, Our Late Night, in 1975, directed by Gregory.

INCOMING! The Public Theater's Under the Radar Festival will present new work at Joe's Pub, The Public Theater's most intimate performance space, on August 23 and 24. INCOMING! offers emerging talent the freedom and flexibility to experiment with new material - sometimes for the first time - in front of a live audience. This year's lineup includes Obie winner Edwin Lee Gibson's Five ' Til, the Brooklyn-based theater company Lilac co's Drusi Is Coming and playwright Christina Anderson's Hollow Roots.

The New Group has announced complete casting for Francine Volpe's suspenseful drama The Good Mother. Darren Goldstein, Alfredo Narciso, Eric Nelsen and Bill Sage join Gretchen Mol (previously announced) in this world premiere directed by Scott Elliott. Previews for the play, which launches The New Group's 2012-13 season, begin October 29 in advance of an Official Opening Night on Thursday, November 15. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through December 22 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street / Acorn Theatre).