Alliance Theatre News

Twenty students gathered at the Alliance Theatre today to begin the thirteenth annual Collision Project. This diverse group of teenagers from around the metro Atlanta area will explore a classic text under the guidance of a professional playwright. The Pulitzer Prize winning American realist novel The Grapes of Wrath will serve as the source text that will inspire a new performance piece developed by the students. Under the guidance of the Alliance Theatre's Mellon Playwright in Residence, best-selling author, Pearl Cleage, students will explore John Steinbeck's themes of home, family, environment, and income inequality and examine how these themes are manifested in modern times.

Continuing its 40th Mainstage Season, the Hangar Theatre's artistic director Jen Waldman will direct, Little Shop of Horrors by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, today, July 10 until July 26, 2014. This hilarious musical, based off of the 1960 movie, is cosmic fun for the whole family. With toe tapping tunes and a carnivorous alien planet, this show is sure to entertain. Join the cast, crew, and Hangar staff on opening night, Friday, July 11 at 8pm at the Hangar Theatre, as they continue to celebrate their 40th Anniversary of the Mainstage Season. The Hangar Theatre is located at 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850 near Cass Park.

The Old Globe today announced the full cast and creative team for the third production of the 2014 Summer Season, Ronald Harwood's comedy Quartet, directed by Richard Seer (Other Desert Cities, God of Carnage, The Last Romance). Harwood received an Academy Award for his screenplay of The Pianist and was nominated for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and The Dresser (also a hit on Broadway and the West End). Quartet will play in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, July 25 - August 24, 2014.

True Colors Theatre will present SAME TIME NEXT YEAR, running today, July 8 - August 3, 2014 at the Southwest Arts Center. Written by Bernard Slade and directed by Chris Coleman, the production will star Tony winners Kenny Leon and Phylicia Rashad.

Continuing its 40th Mainstage Season, the Hangar Theatre's artistic director Jen Waldman will direct, Little Shop of Horrors by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, July 10 until July 26, 2014. This hilarious musical, based off of the 1960 movie, is cosmic fun for the whole family. With toe tapping tunes and a carnivorous alien planet, this show is sure to entertain. Join the cast, crew, and Hangar staff on opening night, Friday, July 11 at 8pm at the Hangar Theatre, as they continue to celebrate their 40th Anniversary of the Mainstage Season. The Hangar Theatre is located at 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850 near Cass Park.

Playwrights Horizons has announced initial casting for its upcoming 2014/2015 Season. The announcement includes casting for the first two shows of the season: initial casting for BOOTYCANDY, the New York premiere of a new play written and directed by Obie Award winner Robert O'Hara (In the Continuum, Antebellum, Insurrection: Holding History); and initial casting for GRAND CONCOURSE, the World Premiere of a new play by playwright and two-time Obie Award-winning actress Heidi Schreck (There Are No More Big Secrets, Creature), directed by Kip Fagan (The Revisionist, Asuncion).

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: LADY DAY marks the big 1-0-0, Ariana Grande debuts songs from her new album on MTV, and JUNE MOON starts this year's festival in Williamstown!

Atlanta's nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre and Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth are pleased to announce the 2014/15 Season for the Alliance Stage, Hertz Stage and Theatre for Youth and Families series. The 46th season includes seven exciting world premieres, including two new American musicals. Tickets are on sale now at www.alliancetheatre.org.

Mountainfilm on Tour ATL, a part of the Mountainfilm in Telluride family, makes its second annual appearance at the Plaza Atlanta Theatre in August. Year-round and worldwide, Mountainfilm in Telluride takes a selection of festival films out on the road. Mountainfilm on Tour ATL is August 22 and 23 at The Plaza Atlanta Theatre.

True Colors Theatre will present SAME TIME NEXT YEAR, running July 8 - August 3, 2014 at the Southwest Arts Center. Written by Bernard Slade and directed by Chris Coleman, the production will star Tony winners Kenny Leon and Phylicia Rashad.

Twenty students gathered at the Alliance Theatre today to begin the thirteenth annual Collision Project. This diverse group of teenagers from around the metro Atlanta area will explore a classic text under the guidance of a professional playwright. The Pulitzer Prize winning American realist novel The Grapes of Wrath will serve as the source text that will inspire a new performance piece developed by the students. Under the guidance of the Alliance Theatre's Mellon Playwright in Residence, best-selling author, Pearl Cleage, students will explore John Steinbeck's themes of home, family, environment, and income inequality and examine how these themes are manifested in modern times.

Patrons will thrill to music from the Big Band Era all the way to Funk and Rock classics of the 70s and 80s at Aurora Swing Nights: Funktacular! concert tonight, June 21 at 8:00pm. Now a summertime tradition, this upbeat edition of the popular Swing Night concert series will feature the Metro Jazz Club performing a memorable array of rock 'n roll songs.

The Children's Theater Foundation of America (CTFA) has announced that Barry Kornhauser of Millersville University, a nationally recognized playwright, director and educator has been named the recipient of its 2014 Medallion Award. The Award is regarded as the highest honor in the field of Theater for Young Audiences. This year's ceremony - where the award will be officially announced and presented -- will take place in the Imperial Ballroom of the Denver Hyatt at the annual American Alliance for Theatre and Education national conference in Denver, Colorado on Friday, August 1. Kornhauser will be attending to accept his award.

Do blondes really have more fun? Audiences will soon find out at Pittsburgh CLO's production of Legally Blonde The Musical, June 13-22 at the Benedum Center. This mega movie hit will be brought to life by a cast of Broadway's best and Pittsburgh CLO veterans. Watch as Elle Woods takes over the stage with her vivacious personality and a score sure to please.

Do blondes really have more fun? Audiences will soon find out at Pittsburgh CLO's production of Legally Blonde The Musical, June 13-22 at the Benedum Center. This mega movie hit will be brought to life by a cast of Broadway's best and Pittsburgh CLO veterans. Watch as Elle Woods takes over the stage with her vivacious personality and a score sure to please.

As announced earlier this evening, A Raisin in the Sun's Kenny Leon has won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play. BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge was in the press room to catch up with the winner on what the award means to him - hear what Leon had to say below! As announced earlier this evening, A Raisin in the Sun's Kenny Leon has won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play. BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge was in the press room to catch up with the winner on what the award means to him - hear what Leon had to say below!

A Raisin in the Sun's Kenny Leon has won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play. Kenny Leon's Broadway credits include August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean (five Tony nominations) and the Tony Award-winning revival of A Raisin in the Sun, both featuring Phylicia Rashad; for the latter, he earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Director of a Play. Other directing credits include the Off-Broadway hit Emergence-See featuring Daniel Beaty, Blues for an Alabama Sky, and From the Mississippi Delta (Huntington Theatre).

Penobscot Theatre Company has announced the hiring of Amy Roeder-actor, writer, director, voiceover artist, and award-winning teacher/instructor-as its new director of education. In August Amy will relocate from Chicago where she has served among The Second City's elite corps. 'I saw Amy perform when I was at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta,' said Artistic Director Bari Newport, 'and she blew me away! She's a lifelong student of the craft, seriously dedicated and hilariously funny, which is why she shines on stage and also why she's one of Second City's most in-demand instructors. She has so much to offer our Dramatic Academy and we're excited to welcome her to the community.'

The Snow Queen:The New Musical that made its world premiere at San Jose Repertory Theatre last December, is an 'Official Selection of the 2014 New York Musical Theatre Festival,' the most prestigious musical theatre festival in the world. A full featured production of the fantastical coming-of-age tale based on Hans Christian Andersen's story was chosen as the one 'Family Musical' in the annual festival that runs July 7 - July 27, 2014. Half of the original cast will return, including Jane Pfitsch, who will take time off from Cabaret on Broadway with Alan Cumming to reprise her role as the Snow Queen. The show will have five performances at The Alice Giffin Jewel Box Theatre at the Pershing Square Signature Center.

Max McLean, Artistic Director of Fellowship for Performing Arts, announces that C.S. Lewis' THE GREAT DIVORCE will be presented from tonight, June 5, through Sunday, June 15, at the Alliance Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. NE in Atlanta. This journey to Heaven and Hell is a provocative exploration of human nature, featuring vivid characters drawn with Lewis' trademark wit.