The renowned scholar Michael Henry Heim, professor of Slavic languages and literature at the University of California, has written a brilliant new translation of this play that established Chekhov. One of the first productions of the Moscow Art Theatre, the plot deals with a young Treplev, his unfulfilled literary ambitions and his love for Nina. Convinced that he has lost her and furious at her attention to the literary lion, Trigorin, the despairing young man kills a seagull and lays it at Nina's feet as a symbol of his ruined hopes. Nina leaves with Trigorin, only to return later after Trigorin has lost interest in her. In a moving half-coherent speech, she compares herself to the seagull destroyed by a man's momentary whim. In this translation, Professor Heim gives us a fluent, utterly Chekhovian text without making it so contemporary that the play loses its sense of period. This is The Seagull that soars.
Broadway fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, with dozens of shows having opened since January, hundreds of actors having made their debuts, and many more having returned to the stage for critically acclaimed performances. Not all news was good though, as we also suffered a loss of an incredible amount of talent.
Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2014.
Following the internationally acclaimed production with sold-out engagements on Broadway and in London's West End, television legend, Oscar recipient and five-time Tony Award-winner Angela Lansbury returns to the stage in Noel Coward's smash-hit comedic play 'Blithe Spirit' in an exciting North American tour to be launched at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre.
Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, and Jam Theatricals just announced that five-time Tony Award-nominee and Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Award winner Danny Burstein (Cabaret, Golden Boy, Follies, South Pacific) will step into the iconic role of Tevye when Fiddler on the Roofbegins performances on Broadway on November 17, 2015. Rehearsals are set to begin September 28, 2015.
Following the internationally acclaimed production with sold-out engagements on Broadway and in London's West End, television legend, Oscar recipient and five-time Tony Award-winner Angela Lansbury returns to the stage in Noel Coward's smash-hit comedic play 'Blithe Spirit' in an exciting North American tour to be launched at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre.
A.R. Gurney's enduring romance about first loves and second chances, LOVE LETTERS, will have its first Broadway revival, beginning performances Saturday, September 13, 2014, at 8pm, at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41 Street).
The 55th Dublin Theatre Festival will stage 27 world-class productions across 21 different venues in Dublin city and suburbs this September and October. As always the range of work will be eclectic, bold and diverse, offering spectacular, large-scale presentations, intimate performances and theatrical firsts to appeal to both seasoned theatre-goers and first-time audiences alike.
California Shakespeare Theater continues its 2014 season with George Bernard Shaw's brilliant Pygmalion, directed by Cal Shakes Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone. Pygmalion plays at the Bruns Amphitheater from July 30 through August 24.
Chichester's Festival Theatre reopens today with a new production of Amadeus, featuring West End and Hollywood star Rupert Everett alongside acclaimed young actor Joshua McGuire.
Chichester's Festival Theatre reopens in July with a new production of Amadeus, featuring West End and Hollywood star Rupert Everett alongside acclaimed young actor Joshua McGuire.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that the 2014 Public Theater Annual Gala will present ONE THRILLING COMBINATION, a gala event directed by Ted Sperling celebrating Marvin Hamlisch, The Public Theater and the creation of A Chorus Line on Monday, June 23 at the Delacorte Theater. This unforgettable summer evening will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the creation of The Public's groundbreaking musical, A Chorus Line, and the legendary man behind the music, Marvin Hamlisch, in a one-night-only, star-studded gala to support The Public Theater. Renee Beaumont and Lizanne Rosenstein will serve as Gala Co-Chairs for this memorable evening in Central Park.
The Old Vic today announced its programme for Summer/Autumn 2014. The CQS Space, The Old Vic in the round, will be home to the whole season of productions, continuing after Other Desert Cities which opens this month. The plays will be performed in the round, a transformation of The Old Vic's auditorium first seen for the award-winning 2008 production of The Norman Conquests. The season of productions is supported for the fourth consecutive year by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
Roundabout Theatre Company has announced Tony Award winner Rosemary Harris will play the role of 'Eleanor Swan' in the Off-Broadway premiere of Tom Stoppard's Indian Ink, directed by Carey Perloff. The production will begin performances on September 4 and open Sunday, September 28, 2014 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold & Miriam Steinberg Centre for Theatre (111 West 46th Street).
Yesterday evening at five, Playhouse on the Square hosted a lively reception. Amid refreshments and trivia questions with prizes, Jackie Nichols unveiled the 2014-2015 Season. It's going to be grand!
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Thornton Wilder's great dramatic homage to small-town American life and the greater universal experience of life, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Our Town beginning October 17th and continuing through November 17th at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at973-408-5600 or by visiting www.ShakespeareNJ.org. Performances are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m.; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Individual tickets range from $35 to $70; student rush tickets are available 30 minutes prior to curtain for $15.
The New Group launches its 2013-2014 Off-Broadway season with the New York premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Beth Henley's The Jacksonian, arriving in Fall 2013. Directed by Tony Award winner Robert Falls, this production features Ed Harris, Glenne Headly, Amy Madigan and Bill Pullman. The Jacksonian was first produced at the Geffen Playhouse in 2012. In Winter 2014, as the second production in the company's season, The New Group delivers the world premiere of Thomas Bradshaw's Intimacy, directed by Scott Elliott. The third production of The New Group's upcoming season is to be announced.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that due to inclement weather, The Public Theater Gala performance of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE will now happen on the rain date, Tuesday, June 11 at 8:00 p.m. at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. A stand-by line for tomorrow's concert performance will start forming at 6:00 p.m. with any available tickets given out just prior to curtain.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced additional casting today for the 2013 season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. This summer, all performances for THE COMEDY OF ERRORS and LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, A NEW MUSICAL will begin at 8:30 p.m. with running times of approximately 90 minutes, no intermission.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced additional casting today for the 2013 season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. This summer, all performances for THE COMEDY OF ERRORS and LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST, A NEW MUSICAL will begin at 8:30 p.m. with running times of approximately 90 minutes, no intermission.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that the 2013 Public Theater annual gala will celebrate the company's acclaimed 1980 production of the musical, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, with a one-night-only concert performance on Monday, June 10 at the Delacorte Theater where The Public's production originally premiered more than three decades ago. Sir Howard Stringer, Arielle Tepper Madover, and Renee Beaumont will serve as Gala Co-Chairs for this unforgettable evening that will also honor the late Nora Ephron who was a longtime Public Theater board member and consummate lover of Shakespeare in the Park.
The Public Theater will begin previews on Monday, July 23 for Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS, the second show of The Public's 50th Anniversary season at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Directed by Timothy Sheader with co-direction by Liam Steel, INTO THE WOODS will continue for five weeks through Saturday, August 25, with an official press opening on Thursday, August 9.
The Public Theater will present an additional free performance of AS YOU LIKE IT, directed by Daniel Sullivan, tonight (Tuesday, June 19) at 8 p.m. AS YOU LIKE IT, the first show of The Public's 50th Anniversary season at the Delacorte, will officially open on Thursday, June 21 and continue through Saturday, June 30.
The Public Theater announced today that Shakespeare in the Park alumni F. Murray Abraham, Christine Baranski, John Cullum, David Harbour, Bill Irwin, Sandra Oh, Phylicia Rashad, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Sharon Washington will join Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of ROMEO AND JULIET on Monday, June 18 - the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Over the past five decades, more than five million people have enjoyed over 150 productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals at the Delacorte.
The Public Theater announced today that Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare has been cast as The Baker in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Timothy Sheader with co-direction by Liam Steel. INTO THE WOODS will be O'Hare's Shakespeare in the Park debut. Previews begin on Monday, July 23 at the Delacorte Theater and continue for five weeks through Saturday, August 25, with an official press opening on Thursday, August 9.
The Public Theater will begin previews on Tuesday, June 5 for AS YOU LIKE IT, the first show of The Public's 50th Anniversary season at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park--home of free Shakespeare in the Park. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, AS YOU LIKE IT will continue for four weeks through Saturday, June 30, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 21.
The Public Theater announced complete casting today for AS YOU LIKE IT, the first show of the 50th Anniversary season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. Directed by Daniel Sullivan, AS YOU LIKE IT will begin previews on Tuesday, June 5 and continue for four weeks through Saturday, June 30, opening on Thursday, June 21.
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