Alan Alda News

An afternoon Island Celebration! The Theatre World Awards Board of Directors, Dale Badway, President, have announced, today, the 74th Annual Theatre World Awards Ceremony will take place at Circle in the Square. Theatre World Award Alum Victor Garber (Hello, Dolly!) will receive the 6th Annual John Willis Award for Lifetime Achievement In The Theatre, celebrating his 46th year on the Broadway stage.

In an era where seemingly everything from "Roseanne" to "Will and Grace" has received a reboot, God also has decided to take a fresh look at one of his greatest cultural achievements, The Ten Commandments, in the hilarious Broadway comedy, "An Act of God." Directed by Tracy Brigden, the comedy runs at Bucks County Playhouse May 18 - June 16. The official opening night performance is Saturday, May 19 at 7:30 pm. The 2018 Bucks County Playhouse Season is sponsored by Bank of America.

The comic genius of Charlie Chaplin will be on full display as Philadelphia-based "Not So Silent Cinema" provides live accompaniment to three Chaplin shorts in a special one-performance only event at Bucks County Playhouse, Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. The presentation is part of the Playhouse's Visiting Artist Series.

5-STAR THEATRICALS (formerly Cabrillo Music Theatre) continues its 2017-2018 season with the Thousand Oaks premiere of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Peter Parnell (based on the Victor Hugo Novel and songs from the Disney film), musical direction by Dan Redfeld, choreography by Michelle Elkin and directed by Misti B. Wills. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME opens on Friday, April 20, 2017 and runs through Sunday, April 29, 2018 at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.  

Lou Volpe, the retired theatre education pioneer was recently inducted into the prestigious Bucks County Playhouse Hall of Fame, following such honorees as Angela Lansbury, Oscar Hammerstein and Shirley Jones. A formal ceremony was held on April 14 at the historic playhouse. Volpe, whose career is the inspiration behind "Rise," the new TV series on NBC, was heralded for his life's work as a high school drama teacher at Harry S. Truman High School in Levittown, PA. During his tenure there, he transformed this Bucks County community with the magic of theater.

Irondale, Brooklyn's leading theatrical ensemble producing immersive and non-traditional performance experiences, will present the M. Edgar Rosenblum Award to American actor, author and playwright, Alan Alda. The award will be presented at Irondale's 35th Anniversary Celebration Benefit, May 10, 2018, at the Norwood Club in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. 

In a season where Disney's "Frozen" is heating up the box office on Broadway and an American commoner is preparing to marry an English prince, one of Broadway's most charming princesses, two-time Tony nominee Laura Osnes ("Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella" on Broadway) is bringing her own Princess Party to Bucks County Playhouse. The concert is being presented in New Hope as part of the Bucks County Playhouse Visiting Artist Series.

Lou Volpe, the retired theatre education pioneer, is being given the prestigious Bucks County Playhouse Hall of Fame Award, following such honorees as Angela Lansbury, Oscar Hammerstein and Shirley Jones.

A classic tap-happy musical and a new production of a legendary Broadway comedy are highlights of Bucks County Playhouse's 2018 Season. Executive Producer Robyn Goodman, Producing Director Alexander Fraser and Producers Stephen Kocis and Josh Fiedler announced details of the season, which will kick off at the historic Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania on May 19.

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts is pleased to announce Title Wave at Bay Street: The 5th Annual New Works Festival, May 4 - 6, 2018. All readings are free, but tickets are required, as these events typically sell out. Tickets are available now at baystreet.org or by calling the Bay Street Theater Box Office at 631-725-9500, open Tuesday through Saturday 11 am to 5 pm.

Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross, the parents from the five-time Emmy-winning NBC comedy "Family Ties," will make their Bucks County Playhouse debut, as part of the Visiting Artists Series, in A. R. Gurney's critically acclaimed "Love Letters." Running from April 4 - 8, 2018, 'Love Letters' is an especially meaningful show for Baxter and Gross who have continued as friends and colleagues since working together on "Family Ties" 30 years ago.

The acclaimed Stepinac Theatre will present a production of 'Ragtime,' the Tony-Award winning musical based on the distinguished novel by E.L. Doctorow, as its spring musical.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (EST) (William Carden, Artistic Director, Sarah McLellan, Executive Director) and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (Doron Weber, Vice-President, Programs) announced today the full cast and creative team for the World Premiere of BUMP, written by Chiara Atik (Five Times in One Night) and directed by Claudia Weill(Girlfriends). Part of the EST/Sloan Science & Technology Project (Graeme Gillis, Program Director; Linsay Firman, Associate Director), BUMP begins previews at EST's Curt Dempster Theatre (549 W. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019) on May 9, 2018, with an opening night set for May 17, for a limited run through June 4, 2018.

Audiences are invited to take a sentimental journey when the 1940s musical revue "In The Mood" returns to Bucks County Playhouse for a limited engagement, March 21-25. "In the Mood" is being presented as part of the Playhouse's Visiting Artist Series.

5-STAR THEATRICALS (formerly Cabrillo Music Theatre) continues its 2017-2018 season with the Thousand Oaks premiere of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Peter Parnell (based on the Victor Hugo Novel and songs from the Disney film), musical direction by Dan Redfeld, choreography by Michelle Elkin and directed by Misti B. Wills. THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME opens on Friday, April 20, 2017 and runs through Sunday, April 29, 2018at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.

SLATE Live has teamed up with Employee of the Month with Catie Lazarus to celebrate the ninth year anniversary of the talk show, which The New York Times calls as a "beloved downtown institution." On Thursday, March 15th, downtown darling Catie Lazarus will interview and honor comedian Hannibal Buress (30 Rock, Broad City), Tony Award-winning Broadway and (now film) music conductor and director Alex Lacamoire (Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Incredibles II); actor Emily Mortimer (The Party, Marry Poppins, Newsroom), musical guest The Resistance Revival Chorus, fresh from The Grammy's with Kesha and the Women's March.

"America's Got Talent" 2016 Finalist Brian Justin Crum has been added to the cast of "Dance to the Movies" for its upcoming engagement at Bucks County Playhouse. Crum joins Tony Dovolani, a Mirror Ball Trophy Winner and celebrity pro from "Dancing with the Stars," and Anna Trebunskaya, also a "Dancing with the Stars" celebrity pro and fan favorite, in this high-powered cast. "Dance to the Movies" is being presented as part of the Playhouse's Visiting Artists Series. The show will take over the playhouse stage March 7 - 11. 

The comic genius of Charlie Chaplin will be on full display as Philadelphia-based "Not So Silent Cinema" provides live accompaniment to three Chaplin shorts in a special one-night event at Bucks County Playhouse, Friday, March 2 at 8 p.m. The presentation is part of the Playhouse's Visiting Artist Series.

Three television icons will take the stage in two different shows announced today by Bucks County Playhouse as part of their winter Visiting Artist Series. 

The quick-witted American actor and icon, Groucho Marx was a frequent visitor to New Hope and Bucks County. Now nearly 41 years after his death, Groucho makes a hilarious return to Bucks - this time in the form of award-winning actor Frank Ferrante in the global comedy hit, "An Evening with Groucho." The show is presented February 14 - 25 at Bucks County Playhouse as part of the 2018 Visiting Artists Series.