Willem Dafoe News

The Hairy Ape follows the saga of Yank, a maritime laborer who questions his place in society when branded as 'a filthy beast' by the rich daughter of a steel industrialist. In a series of eight scenes, O'Neill chronicles Yank's struggle with 'the human condition,' caught somewhere between his own primitive nature and the more intellectually based-and emotionally vacant-upper classes. Rejected by the bourgeois of Fifth Avenue as well as his fellow workers, Yank finally seeks solace from the only creature with whom he finds kinship: an ape in the Central Park Zoo. The Provincetown Players premiered The Hairy Ape, O'Neill's sixth play, in March 1922 under the direction of frequent O'Neill collaborator Robert Edmond Jones. That production, featuring Louis Wolheim's powerful performance as Yank, moved that April to Broadway's Plymouth Theatre. In 1944, a film version of the play featured William Bendix and in the ensuing decades the play has received dozens of notable revivals around the country; perhaps the most celebrated of these was The Wooster Group's 1996 production, featuring Willem Dafoe as Yank.

Two of Chicago's acclaimed off-Loop theater troupes join Goodman Theatre's 21st century exploration of Eugene O'Neill in February and March. The Hypocrites perform The Hairy Ape February 7-21, directed by Artistic Director and Founder Sean Graney, 'one of the most insightful directors now at work in Chicago' (Chicago Sun-Times), who transforms Goodman's three-tiered Owen Bruner Theatre into the various strata of an ocean liner. The Neo-Futurists, 'one of the most imaginative experimental theater ensembles in the country' (The Economist), perform Strange Interlude March 6-8, directed by Founder Greg Allen, in a production which unites audience and actors on the stage.

Two of Chicago's acclaimed off-Loop theater troupes join Goodman Theatre's 21st century exploration of Eugene O'Neill in February and March. The Hypocrites perform The Hairy Ape February 7-21, directed by Artistic Director and Founder Sean Graney, 'one of the most insightful directors now at work in Chicago' (Chicago Sun-Times), who transforms Goodman's three-tiered Owen Bruner Theatre into the various strata of an ocean liner. The Neo-Futurists, 'one of the most imaginative experimental theater ensembles in the country' (The Economist), perform Strange Interlude March 6-8, directed by Founder Greg Allen, in a production which unites audience and actors on the stage.

In her 13 years as artistic director of Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Sharon Ott led the company to new artistic heights, national prestige, and a well-deserved Tony Award. Now, after a 12-year absence, she returns with a gripping production of Fyodor Dostoevsky's classic Crime and Punishment. The scene of this Crime is Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage, where Ott earned her reputation as a dazzling director. The show begins previews on February 27, opens March 4, and closes March 29. Its executive producers are John and Helen Meyer and Richard H. Rubin and H. Marcia Smolens, with production sponsorship from the Bernard Osher Foundation. BART and Wells Fargo are the season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre.

Goodman Theatre kicks off 2009 with one of the most groundbreaking theatrical events of the last 15 years: the Chicago premiere of The Wooster Group's (New York City) critically acclaimed 1993 production of The Emperor Jones by Eugene O'Neill. Directed by Elizabeth LeCompte, this provocative story of a delusional self-appointed West Indian emperor features Kate Valk reprising her 'riveting, haunting, altogether astonishing' (The New York Times) performance of the title role, joined by Ari Fliakos and Scott Shepherd.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) has announced that Tony® award winner Mary-Louise Parker (Hedda Gabler), Tony® award winner Michael Cerveris (Jorgen Tesman), Paul Sparks (Ejlert Lovborg) and Peter Stormare (Judge Brack) in a new Broadway production of Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. The production features a new adaptation by Christopher Shinn and will be directed by Ian Rickson.

Goodman Theatre kicks off 2009 with one of the most groundbreaking theatrical events of the last 15 years: the Chicago premiere of The Wooster Group's (New York City) critically acclaimed 1993 production of The Emperor Jones by Eugene O'Neill. Directed by Elizabeth LeCompte, this provocative story of a delusional self-appointed West Indian emperor features Kate Valk reprising her 'riveting, haunting, altogether astonishing' (The New York Times) performance of the title role, joined by Ari Fliakos and Scott Shepherd.

For the role of prolific nonfiction writer James Reston, Jr., the author of 13 books, including 'The Conviction of Richard Nixon: The Untold Story of the Frost/Nixon Interviews' (which recounts the author's time spent as the prime Watergate researcher on the Frost interview team), Howard would turn to Sam Rockwell.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) has announced that Tony® award winner Mary-Louise Parker (Hedda Gabler), Tony® award winner Michael Cerveris (Jorgen Tesman), Paul Sparks (Ejlert Lovborg) and Peter Stormare (Judge Brack) in a new Broadway production of Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. The production features a new adaptation by Christopher Shinn and will be directed by Ian Rickson.

Theatre veterans Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe will square off as rival bloodsuckers in the upcoming film Daybreakers.

Will Keen and Frances O'Connor will play the great modernist poet and his temperamental wife in an upcoming London revival of Michael Hastings' Tom and Viv, running from September 12th through November 4th

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater (David Van Asselt, Artistic Director; Sandra Coudert, Managing Director) presents the New York premiere of a provocative new play by Christopher Denham (star of Red Light Winter), directed by Adam Rapp (Red Light Winter, 'Winter Passing').

Julius Caesar, opened on Sunday night April 3rd at the Belasco Theatre. BroadwayWorld.com was there to capture some of the night's star-studded attendees.