CENTERSTAGE's Upcoming Raisin Cycle Honored with NEA Grant and Edgerton AwardDecember 3, 2012National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced Wednesday that CENTERSTAGE is one of 832 non-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant for its Spring 2013 Raisin Cycle. The announcement comes on the heels of CENTERSTAGE Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah's own Beneatha's Place, penned for the Cycle, receiving the Edgerton New American Play Award.
York Theatre Company Announces STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW Encore PerformancesDecember 3, 2012Due to the overwhelming success of the one-night performance of the hit Off-Broadway musical revue, Starting Here, Starting Now, with lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. and music by David Shire, The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) has added two additional performances: Sunday evenings, December 9th & 16th at 7:30 p.m. at The York Theatre at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).
Nick Blaemire and the Hustle Play Rockwood Music Hall, 12/17December 3, 20129-piece R&B/Pop band Nick Blaemire and the Hustle returns to Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 for an evening of holiday songs, re-invisioned in their signature 'nerd soul' style. Expect hits like 'This Christmas,' 'What Christmas Means to Me' and 'All I Want for Christmas is You,' as well as a few original holiday tunes written for the occasion.
Dan LeFranc's TROUBLEMAKER Set to Premiere at Berkeley Rep, Beginning 1/4December 3, 2012Get ready for Troublemaker, or The Freakin Kick-A Adventures of Bradley Boatright. Only Berkeley Repertory Theatre could unleash this wild world premiere, which it commissioned from hot young playwright Dan LeFranc. Director Lila Neugebauer returns to the Bay Area to stage this new script on the intimate Thrust Stage. Troublemaker starts previews on January 4, opens January 9, and runs through February 3, 2013. Berkeley Rep is proud to announce that this super project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Marc Acito's HOW I PAID FOR COLLEGE Opens Friday at The Hub Theatre, Starring Alex BrightmanDecember 3, 2012MARC ACITO's new play with music or monological, HOW I PAID FOR COLLEGE is set to premiere at THE HUB THEATRE on December 7, 2012. The production features ALEX BRIGHTMAN in a one man tour-de-force, and is directed by The Hub's Artistic Director, HELEN PAFUMI. Inspired by his own misspent youth, Acito describes the story as 'just true enough to be embarrassing to my family.' Published in 2004, Acito's novel How I Paid for College won the Ken Kesey Award for Fiction and was hailed as a New York Times 'Editors' Choice.'
Women's Project Theater's BETHANY, Starring America Ferrera, Begins RehearsalsDecember 3, 2012America Ferrera, joined by cast members Emily Ackerman, Kristin Griffith, Ken Marks, Tobias Segal and Myra Lucretia Taylor, begins rehearsals today for Women's Project Theater's world premiere dark comedy Bethany by Laura Marks. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Ms. Ferrera stars as a financially-strapped woman who discovers just how far she'll go to regain what she has lost.
Pantochino Productions Opens GLITZ, 12/7December 3, 2012Pantochino Productions Inc. will open its new holiday musical, 'GLITZ! The Little Miss Christmas Pageant Musical' on Friday, December 7th for eight performances at the Milford Center for the Arts on Railroad Avenue in Milford, Connecticut.
Sandy Stewart and Bill Charlap's SOMETHING TO REMEMBER Album to be Released TomorrowDecember 3, 2012GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS has announced the release of the new CD from the Grammy Award-nominated vocalist SANDY STEWART, and her son BILL CHARLAP, the world-renowned jazz pianist. Something To Remember will be available on Tuesday, December 4 on iTunes, Amazon and other music retailers. In addition to classic songs by Rodgers & Hart ("Where Or When"), Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ("Two For The Road") and Irving Berlin ("Isn't This A Lovely Day"), the album features rarely-heard gems such as "I Was Telling Him About You" with music by Moose Charlap (the composer of Peter Pan starring Mary Martin, also Bill's father and Sandy's late husband) and "Stars" by noted songwriter Charles Sweeney. The album can be ordered at http://sh-k-boom.com/stewart-charlap_somethingtoremember.shtml.
Ian Robertson to Serve as Lyric Opera of Chicago's Guest Chorus MasterDecember 3, 2012Anthony Freud, Lyric Opera of Chicago's general director, announced today that Ian Robertson, chorus director of San Francisco Opera since 1987, will serve as guest chorus master at Lyric Opera starting December 11. Lyric Opera's search for a permanent chorus master is ongoing.
Charlotte Jones's AIRSWIMMING Begins 1/9 at Irish Repertory TheatreDecember 3, 2012Irish Repertory Theatre in association with Fallen Angel Theatre Company, Inc. present the U.S. premiere of AIRSWIMMING by Charlotte Jones, the award-winning author of HUMBLE BOY, with previews set to begin January 9, prior to an official press opening January 13, in Irish Repertory Theatre Company's W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre (132 West 22nd Street). John Keating directs.
A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS, Featuring Alice Ripley and Bob Stillman, Opens TomorrowDecember 3, 2012New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director William Russo presents A Civil War Christmas, written by Paula Vogel and directed by Tina Landau. Performances of this holiday-themed work began Tuesday, November 13, 2012, at 7pm at NYTW, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue. Opening night is scheduled for Tuesday, December 4 at 7pm. A Civil War Christmas is scheduled to run through Sunday, December 30.
Profiles in History Announces New Auction, Featuring Famous ScientistsDecember 3, 2012Profiles in History, run by Joe Maddalena, has announced that the personal correspondence, manuscripts and first edition books from the brilliant scientists that shaped and formed our understanding of the universe will be included in their December 18th auction, The Property of a Distinguished American Private Collector. Part I of The Property of a Distinguished American Private Collector will include 300 of the most important items in the collection. The entire collection has over 3,000 items and will be sold over the next two years.
BENJAMIN WALKER’S FIND THE FUNNY Returns to Joe's Pub TonightDecember 3, 2012Benjamin Walker, the critically acclaimed star of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and the upcoming 2013 Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with Scarlett Johansson presents and performs in Find The Funny - which he created and hosts.