Alan Rickman News

Today, July 15, Smith & Kraus have published a new book of collected plays from OCC Award-winning playwright Theresa Rebeck! Featuring an introduction from Tony Award-nominated director and Rebeck's frequent collaborator Moritz von Stuelpnagel, Theresa Rebeck: Complete Plays Volume 5 covers the prolific writer's 2011-2019 works, including:

BritBox, the subscription streaming service from BBC Studios and ITV with the largest collection of British television content in North America, will launch the full BBC Television Shakespeare Collection on May 26.

MUSICAL TALK - the independent podcast for musical theatre a?" has just released episode 670, with messages from many people from the theatre industry offering their support, advice, tips, stories and background as to how they're coping with this situation.  

The Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) recently announced a five-year artistic exchange program, bringing RADA graduates and student productions to the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival, as well as training workshops for students, faculty and staff in both Utah and London. The five-year collaboration began Jan. 1, 2020 and will continue through Dec. 31, 2024, based on financial support from an anonymous donor.

Love Actually?: The Unauthorized Musical Parody is the hilarious new show by Bob and Tobly McSmith, now in performances at the Jerry Orbach Theater. Bob and Tobly, who are also responsible for such productions as Friends! The Musical Parody and Full House! The Musical (starring Perez Hilton), can now be credited with yet another success in the form of Love Actually?, which takes the characters from Richard Curtis' original film and, under the direction of Tim Drucker, gives them a bit more flare than would have otherwise been deemed appropriate.

Accepting the British honor last night at an intimate gathering of artists and special guests in New York, the legendary composer and lyricist remarked, “I've been an Anglophile for a long time, partly because the first good reviews I ever got were in London. This is a continuing love affair as far as I'm concerned.” 

There is a version of me that loves this movie. She's about 14 years old. She's grooving to the hypnotic rhythms of “PoP! Goes My Heart,” and she's super charmed by Hugh Grant, and she, like Drew Barrymore, is a young writer looking anywhere for her big break. She thinks grand gestures are super romantic, especially if they're musical grand gestures, and she's obsessed with 80s pop music. All of the pieces are here for an instant classic, for a movie that I would defend to the end of my life. 

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, is delighted to present Hamish Linklater's eerie drama-comedy, The Vandal. Written by Hamish Linklater and directed by Kari Hayter, The Vandal will preview from September 20th through September 27th; with regular performances beginning September 28th and continuing through October 20th on the Fyda-Mar Stage at the Bette Aitken theater arts Center.

By Grabthar's hammer, the intrepid crew of the NSEA Protector is back to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the uproarious classic GALAXY QUEST, arriving in our solar system September 21, 2019 in a Limited Collector's Edition Blu-ray Steelbook exclusively at Best Buy from Paramount Home Entertainment.

The director has decided to look at the more giggle-worthy elements of PRIVATE LIVES, and has avoided some of the darker implications of this Noel Coward classic. Audiences should eat this one up like a buttered brioche with coffee the morning after a sordid affair.

Skylight Theatre Company's first world premiere musical, BRONCO BILLY - THE MUSICAL, will be helmed by director Hunter Bird. Based on the 1980 Warner Bros. film Bronco Billy starring Clint Eastwood, this rousing MUSICAL centering on a travelling Wild West show, circa 1979, has already begun previews. Hunter managed to rest his cowboy booted feet up for a few to answer my inquiring questions.

It's another busy weekend in Nashville - but when is Music City not packed with events, festivals, affairs? - and we're back with our Critic's Choice recommendations to have you cut through the theatrical flotsam and jetsam and find a cultural opening that's a good fit for your harried lifestyle. Nashville Opera opens its staging of Marc Blitzstein's The Cradle Will Rock at Noah Liff Opera Center, Way Off Broadway Productions unveils its version of Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Music Valley Event Center, Street Theatre Company invites you to the see their staging of Lynn Nottage's Sweat at their new venue on Elm Hill Pike and Nashville Rep continues its celebration of 10 years of The Ingram New Works Festival at Nashville Children's Theatre.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses - Christopher Hampton's acclaimed 1985 play based on the 1782 novel of the same name by Pierre Cholderlos de Laclos - opens as the latest offering from Nashville's Way Off Broadway Productions, running May 10-June 2 at Music Valley Event Center.

Director David O'Hara has mounted one gorgeous-looking musical.

 Jacaranda Collective is thrilled to bring the timely and inspiring words of Rachel Corrie to Chicago in their inagural production of MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE, taken from the writing of Rachel Corrie and edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner, directed by Artistic Director Sam Bianchini, playing March 22- April 6th, 2019 at  The Den Theatre (3A), 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are on sale now at jacarandacollective.com. 

The Den Theatre, Chicago: Jacaranda Collective is thrilled to be bringing the words of Rachel Corrie to Chicago in their production of My Name is Rachel Corrie.

Luxury cruise line Cunard has announced that for the first time it will partner with the prestigious Olivier Awards to sponsor the award for Best Revival. This is an annual award presented by The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) in recognition of achievements in London theatre.

Dusty Hughes' new play sees Hampstead Theatre putting together veterans of the venue. From Alice Hamilton at the direction (previously at the helm of Every Day I Make Greatness Happen earlier in the season) to Sara Kestelman (Filthy Business among others), the team is almost fully comprised of artists who've previously worked at that address, including Hughes, who premiered Bad Language in 1983 starrting Alan Rickman.

DIE HARD is getting the Ultimate Christmas Makeover with All-New Festive Trailer for the Holiday Season. 

All Puppet Players presents DIE HARD: A CHRISTMAS STORY, a ribald adaptation of the flick, running through December 29th at Playhouse in the Park in Phoenix.