Adam Bock News

Williamstown Theatre Festival (Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director) has announced that Sanaz Toossi is the 2020 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award recipient for her play English. Sanaz receives the $10,000 award as well as the $10,000 Jay Harris Commission to write a new play.

Playwright Gina Femia is the recipient of the 2020 William Inge Theatre Festival's Otis Guernsey New Voices in the American Theatre Award, which recognizes substantial early contributions to the contemporary American stage.

Salt Lake Acting Company (SLAC), Utah's leading destination for brave, contemporary theatre, proudly presents a free, one night-only reading of Shawn Fisher's new play, THE (obsolete) UNKINDNESS OF RAVENS, as part of its New Play Sounding Series.

Arizona Theatre Company (Sean Daniels, Artistic Director; Billy Russo, Managing Director) presents Athol Fugard's powerfully haunting masterpiece, 'Master Harold' ... and the Boys from Jan. 18- Feb. 8 at the Temple of Music and Art in Tucson and from Feb. 13 to March 1 at the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, has announced the recipients of the third round of the 2019 Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards. The awards, totaling $415,000, allow 9 productions extra time for the development and rehearsal of new plays with the entire creative team, hoping to extend the life of the world premiere play after its first run. 

At an SRO ceremony held at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield, the Board of the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) presented the Berkshire Theatre Awards on the evening of Monday, November 11, 2019. This was the fourth year the awards have been presented to honor and celebrate the excellence and diversity of theatre in the greater Berkshire region.

Sometimes you can't come to your senses until you lose them. This is the message that comes out of Philadelphia Theatre Company's A Small Fire. The play, written by Adam Bock and featuring veteran actress Bebe Neuwirth as construction company owner Emily Bridges, follows her as she goes from boss lady to a woman with no sight, sound, or smell.

 Founding Artistic Director Patrick Dooley has this to say about Shotgun's latest lineup: a?oeFor 2020 we selected a season of plays with writing that leaped off the page. Words so good that you want to hear them every night. And we found plays with characters that intrigue us a?' not necessarily because they're so honorable that we want to be like them a?' but because we might have something to learn from their all too familiar shortcomings. We hope you'll be as inspired (and hopeful!) as we are for our 2020 season.a??

Read to Me by Brendan Pelsue is open for reviewers Friday, October 25 at 7:30 pm. Read to Me is a poignant story about a child with a terminal illness who connects delicate moments in unusual ways. Discovering the mysterious a?oePostal Service,a?? he sends messages to the world and awaits a response. This poetic play, created through magical realism, reveals the quiet ways in which we connect. 

For playwright Adam Bock's endearing new gay romantic comedy THE CANADIANS---now having its infectiously giddy World Premiere production at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa through October 20, 2019---the typical blueprint for the usual girl-meets-boy trope gets a fresh, heady spin and an inspired recast that elevates it higher that your average rom com. Sweet and endearing without having to be too sanitized for a mainstream audience, the play, overall, is simply a winning play that both straight and queer audiences can equally cheer for. Don't be surprised if even you shed a tear or two for its touching, absolutely satisfying climax.

Playwrights Horizons today announced that its beloved longtime Artistic Director, Tim Sanford, will step down from the position in July 2020.

Philadelphia Theatre Company's 45th Anniversary Season kicks off with the Philadelphia premiere of Obie Award Recipient Adam Bock's meticulously crafted drama A Small Fire, starring two-time Tony and Emmy Award winner Bebe Neuwirth. The play will be directed by Joanie Schultz, former Artistic Director of the WaterTower Theatre in Texas, and also known for her work in Chicago at The Goodman, Victory Gardens and Steppenwolf Theatres. Producing Artistic Director Paige Price and Managing Director Emily Zeck are excited to welcome Neuwirth and a cast of nationally and locally renowned actors to star in the season opener. Previews begin October 18th, Opening Night is Wednesday, October 23rd, and the show runs through November 10th. Single tickets range from $25-$74 and 3-play subscriptions start as low as $48, available now at the box office, online at philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420.

a??a??a??a??a??a??a??SPACE on Ryder Farm--a nonprofit residency program and organic farm located on the grounds of a 224-year-old family homestead in Putnam County, New York--announced that applications for 2020 residency programs are now open.

Philadelphia Theatre Company kicks off the 2019-2020 season with a bang. For the company's 45th season, Producing Artistic Director Paige Price and Managing Director Emily Zeck are excited to welcome two-time Tony and Emmy Award winner Bebe Neuwirth to star in their season opener, the Philadelphia premiere of Adam Bock's raucous, funny and unexpectedly touching A Small Fire.

Today, South Coast Repertory Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei announced an expanded schedule of thoughtful, lively conversations and talkbacks for the 2019-20 season, the first programmed by Ivers. The main productions on the Segerstrom and Julianne Argyros stages will have at least 4 post-show discussions, a series of artistic director talkbacks and Saturday morning seminars called Inside the Season. There will be a special talkback for A Christmas Carol, which marks its 40th anniversary this year.

Today, South Coast Repertory Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei announced the 13 creative dream teams for the 2019-20 season, the first programmed by Ivers. The roughly 100 individuals are among the theatre industry's finest, most creative and versatile talents.

Yes, the setting and backdrop for the events that play out is recovery. And, yes, along the way we learn about the steps, but Bock's heartfelt and often humorous material is about people. Not, those people or a?oeYOU peoplea?? a?' all people. More specifically, how people are more alike than different. How that which we claim not to understand and often separates us is a manifestation of fears. As an example, in response to Arnie's desire for change in the standard routine we learn why Gail clings to it as she explains that a?oeso much of sobriety has to do with change, its nice to have some constantsa??. When both Nicole and Tim each face their own personal challenges, we are reminded that although we cannot choose our family of origin, we can choose to build a supportive and nurturing family of choice comprised of select members of the family of man. An unexpected visit from Gail's estranged daughter, Angela (Cassie Beck) really upsets the routine and provides a reminder that forgiveness, like love, are both hard to ask for and often, even harder to give.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, announces the recipients of the first round of the 2019 Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards. The awards, totaling $509,000, allow 13 productions extra time for the development and rehearsal of new plays with the entire creative team, hoping to extend the life of the world premiere play after its first run.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announces casting and creative teams for the summer season of new musicals and plays selected for development at the National Music Theater Conference and National Playwrights Conference.

Portland Stage is proud to announce that New England's most prestigious playwriting contest, the Clauder Competition, is moving to a Biennial schedule. Submissions are open now, and will be accepted through March 31, 2020. For submission restrictions and guidelines, see below. The winning play will be announced in March 2021. The Clauder Grand Prize Winner will receive a cash award of $3,000, as well as a full production at Portland Stage with a professional director, designers, and actors.