Williamstown Theatre News

Tina Benko has received the annual St. Clair Bayfield Award presented by the Actors' Equity Foundation for her performance as Titania in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Julie Taymor as Theatre for a New Audience's inaugural production at its new home in Brooklyn. The announcement was made by Arne Gundersen, President of the Foundation.

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Stacey Mindich, and Jerry Frankel announced that Derek Klena (Wicked) and Caitlin Kinnunen (Spring Awakening) will join the cast of The Bridges of Madison County, the new musical based on the best selling novel by Robert James Waller. The pair will play Michael and Carolyn Johnson, the children of Francesca (Kelli O'Hara) and Bud Johnson (Hunter Foster).

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Tony nominee Euan Morton, making his debut at the acclaimed Manhattan nightspot, on Thursday, December 12th, 2013. Show time is 9:30 PM; doors will open at 8:45 PM. Backed by Grandpa Musselman & His Syncopators, Morton, will perform repertoire of turn of the century ragtime, 1920?s jazz and depression era swing by composers such as Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington. There is a $25-$35 cover charge and a $25 food and beverage minimum. Visit 54Below.com for reservations and information.

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Stacey Mindich, and Jerry Frankel announced today that Cass Morgan and Michael X. Martin will join the cast of The Bridges of Madison County, the new musical based on the best selling novel by Robert James Waller. Morgan and Martin will play the roles of Marge and Charlie, the nosy neighbor and her husband to the Johnson family.

Chris Isaacson Presents and Upright Cabaret have announced that Tony Award-winning Broadway star Laura Benanti will make her Los Angeles solo concert debut in January. The show celebrates the West Coast release of her first album "In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention," which USA Today named "Pick of the Week" and TV Guide called "A must-have." With musical direction and arrangements by Todd Almond, there will be one show only on Thursday, January 9, 2014 at 8:30pm at the Catalina Bar & Grill in Hollywood. Cocktail and dinner service begin at 7pm.

Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara announces its 2013-14 Season in its new home, the New Vic, beginning with the hit Broadway musical A Little Night Music, inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film 'Smiles of a Summer Night. Directed by Ensemble Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Fox, A Little Night Music features one of Stephen Sondheim's best-known songs, 'Send in the Clowns.' A star-studded cast featuring Piper Laurie, Stephanie Zimbalist and Patrick Cassidy will christen the stage at the New Vic.

Williamstown Theatre Festival has named Mandy Greenfield as its new Artistic Director, the Festival's Board Chair Matt Harris announced today. Greenfield, who is currently Artistic Producer at Manhattan Theatre Club, succeeds Jenny Gersten beginning September 2014. As previously announced, Gersten departs Williamstown Theatre Festival in January 2014 to become Executive Director of Friends of the Highline. Gersten will program the upcoming 2014 season, and Williamstown Theatre Festival Producer Stephen Kaus will oversee the season. Greenfield's tenure as Artistic Director will begin immediately following the 2014 season, the Festival's 60th.

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Stacey Mindich, and Jerry Frankel announced today that Tony Award nominee Hunter Foster (Little Shop of Horrors) will join the cast of The Bridges of Madison County, the new musical based on the best selling novel by Robert James Waller.

Vanessa Hidary, best known as the Hebrew Mamita and for her work on Russell Simmons 'Def Poetry Jam' on HBO, returns to the stage with her comedic solo show 10 DAYS. Written and performed by Vanessa Hidary and directed by Kimberly Faith Hickman, this limited engagement will run today, Dec 3 - 13 at the New Ohio Theatre. 10 DAYS is being presented by terraNOVA Collective, a soloNOVA ARTS workshop as part of the New Ohio Theatre's Producers' Club 2013.

Pittsburgh CLO is proud to announce the cast for the WORLD PREMIERE of the hysterical original musical comedy Judge Jackie Justice, which will run January 31 through April 27 at the CLO Cabaret.

Primary Stages continues their 29th season with The Tribute Artist, a new world premiere comedy written by and starring Tony-nominee Charles Busch (The Divine Sister, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Olive and the Bitter Herbs). Directed by Busch's long-time collaborator Carl Andress (The Divine Sister, The Third Story), the cast will also feature Mary Bacon (Harrison, TX...; Giant), Cynthia Harris (Lost in Yonkers, 'Mad About You'), Julie Halston (Olive and the Bitter Herbs, Anything Goes) Keira Keeley (Angels in America, The Glass Menagerie), and Jonathan Walker (The Assembled Parties, The Divine Sister). The Tribute Artist runs January 21-March 16 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Opening night is Sunday, February 9 at 6pm.

The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company presents the ninth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond. The award, named in honor of the late award-winning lyricist Fred Ebb, is presented by Joel Grey tonight, December 2nd from 6-8pm at a by-invitation-only ceremony in the Penthouse Lounge of The American Airlines Theater.

Birdland Jazz Club has announce its upcoming schedule for December 9-15, featuring Donna McKechnie, Shoshana Bush, Frank Wildhorn, Jazz Stories: Eddie Gomez, Kenny Barron, Al Foster, Wallace Roney, and more!

Holiday cheer will abound at Cleveland Play House (CPH) with an all-new production of the beloved holiday classic, A Christmas Story running from tonight, Nov. 29th - Dec. 22nd in the Allen Theatre at PlayhouseSquare.

Move over Grinch; Santa Claus is coming to town and taking up residence at Rubicon Theatre in Ventura! Rubicon's November/ December HOLIDAY CENTRAL calendar offers a sparkling array of more than 35 shows and events for all ages. The festivities begin with the return of a holiday revue with six Broadway singers and a local children's chorus; followed by a late-night adult comedy presented in a cabaret setting; a poetic reading of wartime love letters; and culminating with an enchanting new musical from the Tony and Olivier Award-winning director of Les Miserables and Nicholas Nickleby and the creators of Jane Eyre and Daddy Long Legs, who will have a five-week residency at Rubicon during the holidays.

It's back - the funny, smart, and irreverent musical Nerds! Philadelphia Theatre Company revisits the musical satire Nerds with book and lyrics by Jordan Allen-Dutton and Erik Weiner, music by Hal Goldberg, and a brand new cast and creative team. Directed by Casey Hushion with choreography by Joshua Bergasse, the ensemble features Stanley Bahorek, Matt Bradley, Briana Carlson-Goodman, Benny Elledge, Lexy Fridell, Raymond J. Lee, Alyse Alan Louis, Robert Morrison, Kevin Pariseau, Catherine Ricafort, and Blake Segal.

Back by popular demand, Todd Waite reprises his role as Houston's favorite holiday elf. A compact, one-character comedy, The Santaland Diaries is a hilarious cult classic featuring comic encounters during the height of the holiday crunch. NPR humorist and best-selling author of Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris has become one of America's pre-eminent humor writers. Recommended for mature audiences due to language and subject matter.

Vanessa Hidary, best known as the Hebrew Mamita and for her work on Russell Simmons 'Def Poetry Jam' on HBO, returns to the stage with her comedic solo show 10 DAYS. Written and performed by Vanessa Hidary and directed by Kimberly Faith Hickman, this limited engagement will run Dec 3 - 13 at the New Ohio Theatre. 10 DAYS is being presented by terraNOVA Collective, a soloNOVA ARTS workshop as part of the New Ohio Theatre's Producers' Club 2013.

Michelle Williams will make her Broadway debut next season as 'Sally Bowles' in Cabaret (set to open at Studio 54 on April 24, 2014)!