Woodie King News

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre kicks off its 44th season with 'The Ed Bullins Project' - two revivals from his 'Twentieth Century Cycle of Plays' - In The Wine Time and The Fabulous Miss Marie. Bullins, winner of the prestigious NY Drama Critics' Circle Award and OBIE Award for The Taking of Miss Janie, has greatly influenced American theatre, especially Black theatre. His work, characterized by disdain for ineffective political rhetoric as a substitute for action, most often examines the lives of Black people in the inner city. In 1968, Clive Barnes, writing in the New York Times called Bullins 'a welcome addition to the ranks of New York playwrights.' Four years later, Barnes added 'Bullins writes the way Charlie Parker played: It is all so easy and effortless. It sounds improvised, and yet it doesn't sound improvised, simply because it is the improvisation of formality.' Today, Bullins is regarded as a seminal force in the American theater.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) will celebrate its 22nd year as a not-for-profit service organization with a celebration of three extraordinary people at the annual TRU Love Benefit, Honoring Friendship, Remembering Friends. The 2013 TRU Spirit of Theater Award, presented to a member of the producing community who has demonstrated exceptional generosity, support and kindness to others in the business, will be posthumously awarded to producer Randall Wreghitt (Little Women, Beauty Queen of Leenane, Grey Gardens, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Golda's Balcony, As Bees in Honey Drown, The Food Chain) who died unexpectedly at the age of 55 in May 2011. The event will take place Sunday, November 17th at Caroline's on Broadway at 47th Street.

The New Yiddish Rep is staging the first-ever production of Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" in Yiddish. In an unusual collaboration with the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street, where the world premiere runs from Friday September 20 to Sunday October 13, diverse audiences will see this seismic landmark of the modern theatre in an entirely new light. Directed by Moshe Yassur, with an authorized translation by Shane Baker, the production marks the 60th anniversary of "Waiting for Godot's" Paris premiere in January of 1953. This "Waiting for Godot" opens on Sunday September 22 at 2pm.

The Ensemble Theatre is one of 30 African American theatres to participate in a national benefit staged play reading of A Soldier's Play by Charles Fuller, tonight, June 17, 2013, 6:30PM at 3535 Main Street, Houston, TX.

The Ensemble Theatre is one of 30 African American theatres to participate in a national benefit staged play reading of A Soldier's Play by Charles Fuller, Monday, June 17, 2013, 6:30PM at 3535 Main Street, Houston, TX.

This year's Edwin Booth Award will be presented to the legendary theatre director and producer Woodie King, Jr., founding director of the pioneering African-American theatrical production and training institution New Federal Theatre. The New Federal Theater integrates minorities and women into the mainstream of the profession through artistic training and play production. Mr. King will be present to receive the award. The event takes place May 6th at the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center (MESTC) of The Graduate Center of City University of NY.

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre, in association with Castillo Theatre, will present Plenty of Time by John Shevin Foster at the Castillo Theatre (543 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.). Performances begin April 4th with Opening Night set for Thursday, April 18th. Performances continue through May 5th only.

On Monday, March 11, 2013 at the Castillo Theatre in New York City, members of the Awards Committee of the Otto Rene Castillo Awards for Political Theatre gathered for the announcement of the 2013 Otto Award honorees. The 15th annual awards celebration will be held on May 19, 2013 at 2:00 pm at the Castillo Theatre.

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre, in association with Castillo Theatre, will present Plenty of Time by John Shevin Foster at the Castillo Theatre (543 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.). Performances begin April 4th with Opening Night set for Thursday, April 18th. Performances continue through May 5th only.

In this week's School in the Spotlight, we feature the Theatre Department of Brandeis University in Waltham, MA! Read about their programs below and scroll down to see photos from the 2012-2013 production season!

The National Black Touring Circuit's 2013 Black History Month Play Festival presents Dr. DuBois and Miss Ovington, a drama about the early years of the NAACP written by Clare Coss and co-starring Peter Jay Fernandez as W.E.B. DuBois and Kathleen Chalfant as Mary White Ovington from February 22 - 24 at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42rd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenue).

The National Black Touring Circuit's 2013 Black History Month Play Festival presents He Who Endures, an anti-slavery abolitionist drama written by Bill Harris starring Ralph McCain as Frederick Douglass and Norman Marshall as John Brown from February 15 - 17 at the National Black Theatre, 2031 Fifth Avenue (at 125th Street).

The National Black Touring Circuit's Black History Month Play Festival 2013 will examine American history from anti-slavery Abolitionists to the emergence of the NAACP to the height of the civil rights movement through dramas on the lives of African American historic figures Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois and Adam Clayton Powell. Performances are in New York City theaters from February 8 - 24.

The Show Goes On Productions in collaboration with R.Evolución Latina presents a talk-back series on the topic of 'Revolution' to be held following the 8pm performances of Ghost Dancer on Thursdays, tonight, December 1st and December 8th.

Actress / award-winning playwright Renee Flemings presents a free, staged reading of her acclaimed play "Strange Weather" on Sunday, December 2nd at Harlem's George Faison Firehouse Theatre (6 Hancock Place) at 3:00pm.

Crossroads Theatre Company will take audiences on a journey through the ages during its 2012-2013 season of theatrical presentations that bring drama, poignancy and humor to different chapters of American history, from the 1920s to post-9/11 America.

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre, in association with Castillo Theatre, will present Sowa's Red Gravy by Diane Richards at Castillo Theatre (543 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.). Performances begin tomorrow, October 18th with Opening Night set for Sunday, October 28th. Performances continue through November 18th only. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre, in association with Castillo Theatre, will present Sowa's Red Gravy by Diane Richards at Castillo Theatre (543 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.). Performances begin Thursday October 18th with Opening Night set for Sunday, October 28th. Performances continue through November 18th only.