Westside Theatre News

Coming to Town Hall Arts Center for a limited engagement this October courtesy of our friends at Breckenridge Backstage Theatre is Love, Loss and What I Wore, written by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, based on the book by Ilene Beckerman. Original New York Production produced by Daryl Roth. Love, Loss and What I Wore is directed by Christopher Willard, Artistic Director of the Backstage Theatre in Breckenridge since 2005.

Eddie Mekka, who played the role of Carmine Ragusa - the Big Ragu - in the hit TV series Lavern & Shirley will be featured in the Alhambra's upcoming performance of Rogers and Hammerstein's, South Pacific presented by Brumo's. Mekka follows his Laverne & Shirley cast-mate (and good friend) Cindy Williams.

The New York premiere of Becoming Dr. Ruth, a warmhearted, candid and inspiring comedy starring Debra Jo Rupp, ("That 70's Show") written byMark St. Germain and directed by Julianne Boyd begins previews tonight, Friday, October 11 at 8:00PM.

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon's point of view, returns to Irvine by popular demand Friday, December 27 through Sunday, December 29. The limited engagement will run at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, adjacent to University of California Irvine, where it previously sold out performances in 2011 and 2012.

CAPS LOCK THEATRE presents THE SEX WITH ROBOTS FESTIVAL, a series of short plays about sex with robots, written by a formidable group of playwrights: Micheline Auger, Danny Bowes, J. Julian Christopher, Richard Lovejoy & Eric Meyer, Mariah McCarthy, Mac Rogers, Leah Nanako Winkler and Natalie Zutter, with a robot sex song cycle by Nat Cassidy. The festival is set for November 5-10 at the Secret Theatre in Long Island City.

The whole gang met the press just yesterday and BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there to get the scoop on the new production. Check out what they had to say by clicking below!

Following the world premiere at Barrington Stage Company and a sold out run at TheaterWorks, Hartford, the New York premiere of Becoming Dr. Ruth, a warmhearted, candid and inspiring comedy starring Debra Jo Rupp, ('That 70's Show') written by Mark St. Germain and directed by Julianne Boyd, will begin performances Off-Broadway on Friday, October 11th and officially open on Tuesday, October 29th at The Westside Theatre, Upstairs (407 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036). The cast met the press earlier today and you can check out complete photo coverage below!

For one night only, tonight, September 21, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. The Westside Theatre Foundation of downtown Vicksburg will present Robyn Lea in her one-person performance of three Biblical women faced with extraordinary challenges in their paths to know God.

The Old Globe will open its 2013-14 Season with The Last Goodbye, a new musical that marries Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and the incendiary songs of the legendary singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. Conceived and adapted by Michael Kimmel, the rock musical is directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers (Peter and the Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson). Choreography is by Sonya Tayeh ('So You Think You Can Dance'), and orchestrations, music direction and arrangements are by Kris Kukul. The complete creative team and casting, as well as the remainder of the Globe's new season, will be announced at a later date. The Last Goodbye will run on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, Sunday, Sept. 22 - Nov. 3, 2013. Preview performances run Sept. 22- Oct. 5. Opening night is Sunday, Oct. 6. Tickets are currently available by subscription only. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the World Premiere comedy The Few by award-winning playwright Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale). Directed by Davis McCallum, The Few will run Sept. 28 - Oct. 27, 2013 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run Sept. 28 - Oct. 2. Opening night is Thursday, Oct. 3 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Producers Michael Alden, Stefany Bergson and Rodger Hess have announced the New York premiere of Becoming Dr. Ruth, a warmhearted, candid and inspiring comedy starring Debra Jo Rupp, ('That 70's Show') written by Mark St. Germain and directed by Julianne Boyd.

For one night only, on Saturday, September 21, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. the Westside Theatre Foundation of downtown Vicksburg will present Robyn Lea in her one-person performance of three Biblical women faced with extraordinary challenges in their paths to know God.

Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership proudly presents an evening of storytelling and laughs with Peter Gethers and Dan Okrent, the creators of the off-Broadway hit comedy, OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES, at Spertus, 610 S. Michigan Avenue, Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7pm. The program will be moderated by Chicago's own humorist Mike Leiderman, and will feature video excerpts from the Chicago stage production which begins performances here at the Royal George Theatre, Sept. 24, and officially opens Oct. 2.

My Name is Asher Lev, the long-running play adapted from the acclaimed novel by Chaim Potok at The Westside Theatre (407 W. 43rd Street) has extended its run three times and closes today, September 1, 2013, only. As of September 1st, My Name is Asher Lev will have played 24 previews and 317 performances. Performances began November 8th, 2012.

Recently, WNBC TV's Ben Aaron sat down over some deli food to speak to the cast of the off-Broadway comedy OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES. Last night, August 28th, he made his New York stage debut in the show. Watch below!

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff/Artistic Producer) will present two free staged readings of 'notes to MariAnne', a new musical by David Rossmer and Dan Lipton, directed by Leigh Silverman. The readings will take place on Thursday, September 12th at 1:00pm and 4:30pm, at The Steve and Marie Sgouros Theatre (formerly The Players Loft), 115 MacDougal Street. Tickets are free and reservations are available via email at boxoffice@amasmusical.org or by calling212-563-2565.

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon's point of view, returns to Dallas by popular demand for two performances only. The limited engagement will run at theEisemann Center for Performing Arts, 2351 Performance Drive, in Richardson, Texas on Saturday, November 9 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Watch what happens today when off-Broadway's OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES and WNBC TV's Ben Aaron sit down over deli sandwiches on "New York Live," 12:30 -1 PM on Channel 4.