Adam Bock News

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.

Get a peek inside opening night of Manhattan Theatre Club's New York premiere of Long Lost, written by Donald Margulies and directed by Daniel Sullivan.

Over 400 guests including current and past New York City high school students and their mentors who have participated in the TDF Wendy Wasserstein Project, the theatre arts mentoring program, (formerly called "Open Doors"), that TDF founded in 1998 with playwright Wendy Wasserstein, will attend this year's graduation ceremony at 5:30pm on Monday, June 3at The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College (524 West 59th Street, NYC). The graduation ceremony will open with a performance by Aisha Jackson who covers the role of Anna in Disney's Frozen.

Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei today announced South Coast Repertory's 13-play, 2019-20 season, which builds on the theatre's 56-year foundation of stellar artistry. The offerings range from a two-person show to a large-cast musical and represent a kaleidoscope of classics and popular hits, along with four world premieres and three shows for young audiences and families. The season includes the world premiere of The Scarlet Letter by Kate Hamill, the musical She Loves Me (directed by Ivers), American Mariachi by Jose Cruz Gonzalez, Arcadia by Tom Stoppard and the beloved children's story, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Subscription packages are currently on sale; single tickets will go on sale on June 10. More information is available at www.scr.org.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019 kicks off the eighth annual Rita and Burton Goldberg MFA Playwrights Festival at Hunter College. Under the leadership of Annie Baker and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Hunter's MFA Playwriting Program features intensive, hands-on writing workshops that foster a tight-knit, supportive community of artists committed to challenging assumptions about what theater is and will become.

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. The play is set to run October 18-November 10, with Opening Night on October 23. The company also announced that Sarna Lapine will make her local directing debut. Subscriptions are on sale and start at $48. Single tickets will go on sale August 1. Subscriptions are available at the box office, online at philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420.

Clubbed Thumb announces initial casting for SUMMERWORKS, its annual series of new plays.

Pasadena Playhouse, State Theatre of California, welcomes the LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) for a Summer Acting Intensive from July 22 through August 2.

From the lobby of its home at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company announced its 45th Anniversary Season last night. Producing Artistic Director Paige Price and Managing Director Emily Zeck announced PTC's slate for 2019-2020, their second producing season at the helm of the theatre. The duo has assembled a line-up of plays that continue the theatre's commitment to seek stories that center around women.

Playwright Kara Lee Corthron is the recipient of the 2019 William Inge Theatre Festival's Otis Guernsey New Voices in the American Theatre Award, which recognizes substantial early contributions to the contemporary American stage.

Five-time Obie Award-winning theater company Clubbed Thumb (Maria Striar, Producing Artistic Director; Michael Bulger, Associate Artistic Director; Quinn Metal Corbin, Advancement Director) is proud to announce the line-up for SUMMERWORKS, its annual series of new plays. Now in its 24th season, SUMMERWORKS will run May 17 through June 29 at The Wild Project (195 E 3rd Street) in Manhattan, and will feature productions of three new plays: LUNCH BUNCH by Sarah Einspanier and directed by Tara Ahmadinejad; YOU NEVER TOUCHED THE DIRT by Zhu Yi and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll; and KING PHILIP'S HEAD IS STILL ON THAT PIKE JUST DOWN THE ROAD by Daniel Glenn and directed by Caitlin Ryan O'Connell.

Rising Phoenix Repertory hosted a reception in honor of Ren Dara Santiago as the first recipient of The Cornelia Street American Playwriting Award. The honor will be presented annually to an emerging playwright of exceptional work ethic, character, and talent.

Atlantic Theater Company is proud to announce that Little Known Facts at Atlantic, a live podcast hosted by Ilana Levine, will be returning as a full series this spring. Little Known Facts at Atlantic was originally presented as a one night only event featuring Atlantic Ensemble member Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson. Following the first event's success, three additional live podcasts have been announced.

Williamstown Theatre Festival has announced its lineup for its 65th season. Among those set to perform are Uma Thurman in Ghosts, Jesse Tyler Ferguson in Grand Horizons, and more. 

Just last night, Williamstown Theatre Festival celebrated its annual Gala: "An Evening with Audra McDonald" honoring WTF Board Chairman Matt Harris with special appearances by Eden Espinosa, Jessica Hechtand Martyna Majok. Check out photos from inside the special night below!

South Coast Repertory Artistic Director David Ivers and Managing Director Paula Tomei today announced the lineup for the 2019 Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF). The annual showcase of new works kicks off on April 26 with a concert reading of a new musical adaptation of Prelude to a Kiss, directed by Ivers in his directorial debut as SCR's artistic director.