American Playwrights News

Abingdon Theatre Company - which has produced more than 77 new American plays in its 20-year history - is pleased to announced that its 20th Anniversary Gala and dinner, canceled due to Hurricane Sandy, has been rescheduled to Monday, November 19 at Espace (635 West 42nd Street) Manhattan, beginning at 6pm.

The Utah Shakespeare Festival just finished its largest and most successful season to date for the summer and fall of 2012. The unofficial tagline of this season was, "the only thing bigger than 50 is 51" and the cast, crew, directors, designers, and management certainly lived up to the challenge. Ben Fulton from the Salt Lake Tribune said it best, "No relaxing. No easy breaks. Just more innovative programming, risk-taking and tight scheduling that will carry William Shakespeare's torch into more rigorous years for the Tony Award-winning theater company."

Playwrights Horizons' production THE WHALE, the New York premiere of a new play by Obie Award winner Samuel D. Hunter (A Bright New Boise), is directed by Davis McCallum (February House, A Bright New Boise, the upcoming Water By the Spoonful at Second Stage) and opens tonight, November 5 at 7PM at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

American Theater Group, New Jersey's newest professional theater, in association with The ASCAP Foundation, announces the CY COLEMAN NEW AMERICAN MUSICAL READING SERIES taking place today, November 3 and November 10 at 8 pm at Hamilton Stage, the brand new, state-of-the-art theater located at 360 Hamilton St., Rahway, NJ. All readings will be FREE to the public.

Performance Network Theatre, Ann Arbor's professional theatre known for bringing Michigan audiences the hottest new scripts from New York and beyond, is proud to announce the December installment of its Fireside New Play Festival, showcasing four full-length plays as from emerging American playwrights. These new plays have been selected from hundreds of submissions and will be showcased to the public at Performance Network from Sunday, December 2 through Wednesday, December 5 in developmental performances known as a "staged readings."

After a call for new work that resulted in submissions of more than 120 plays, Capital Repertory Theatre and Proctors announce the winning selections for the inaugural NEXT ACT NEW PLAY SUMMIT.

The McCarter Lab Fall Festival 2012 will feature some of the leading and emerging playwrights of the American theater from October 29 through November 4, in a series of unstaged readings and special events in celebration of the artist's work. All events are FREE, but seating is limited and reservations are encouraged. To reserve seats, call (609) 258-2787.

Native Voices at the Autry continues its vital role as the country's only equity theatre company dedicated exclusively to developing the work of Native American playwrights with its Short Play Festival, featuring six engaging short plays written by veteran and first-time playwrights, on Saturday, November 3, 3 pm, at the Wells Fargo Theatre at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles.

Azuka Theatre opens its season with the World Premiere of Pookie Goes Grenading. The show will be performed at Azuka's new home at the Off-Broad Street Theater at First Baptist Church, 1636 Sansom Street. The show starts previews on Halloween, tonight, October 31, at 8 p.m. It opens Saturday, November 3 at 7 p.m., and closes Sunday November 18. Tickets cost $18-$27. Discounts are available for students with a valid I.D. Tickets are available online at www.azukatheatre.org or by phone at (215) 563-1100.

The McCarter Lab Fall Festival 2012 will feature some of the leading and emerging playwrights of the American theater from tonight, October 29 through November 4, in a series of unstaged readings and special events in celebration of the artist's work. All events are FREE, but seating is limited and reservations are encouraged. To reserve seats, call (609) 258-2787.

In response to the impending storm and shut down of New York City's mass transit system, Abingdon Theatre Company has cancelled its upcoming 20th Anniversary Gala, which was set for Monday, October 29 at Espace (635 West 42nd Street), beginning at 6pm.

Previously scheduled for this coming Monday, October 29, 2012 at 7:30 p.m., the 2012 Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust's presentation of the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award to David Henry Hwang at the Lincoln Center Theater has been postponed to a later date due to expected weather conditions. The new date and further details will be announced shortly.

On Monday, October 29, 2012 at 7:30 p.m., the 2012 Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust will present the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award to David Henry Hwang at the Lincoln Center Theater. The event will feature performances by Jennifer Lim, Ben Stiller, Julyana Soelistyo and John Rubinstein.

Native Voices at the Autry will present a free staged reading of Emergency Management, a new play by Jason Grasl (Blackfeet*) tonight, October 25, 2012, 7:30 pm, at the Wells Fargo Theater at the Autry National Center in Griffith Park. Packed with intrigue and suspense, Emergency Management chronicles a Cheyenne boy adopted into a non-Native family. Now a rising political star in Arizona, he tries to be everything to everyone. When his sister is kidnapped and held for ransom, he must reassess his life and overcome deep, dark secrets to save his career and his family. The reading is followed by an audience 'Talk-Back' with Grasl and the director.

Cliff Goodwin, program director of New Dramatists into the 1970s, has passed away.

American Theater Group, New Jersey's newest professional theater, in association with The ASCAP Foundation, announces the CY COLEMAN NEW AMERICAN MUSICAL READING SERIES taking place on November 3 and November 10 at 8 pm at Hamilton Stage, the brand new, state-of-the-art theater located at 360 Hamilton St., Rahway, NJ. All readings will be FREE to the public.

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons recently announced additional performers participating in the return of its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES: Poetic Justice this evening, October 22.

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons has announced additional performers participating in the return of its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES: Poetic Justice on Monday evening, October 22.

Shattered Globe Theatre kicks off its 2012/13 Season with BURN THIS by Lanford Wilson, directed by Linda Gillum, playing tonight, October 18 - November 18, 2012 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. The production features Shattered Globe ensemble members Kate LoConti and Brad Woodard, with Ryan Kitley and Jake Szczepaniak. Tickets for BURN THIS are currently available at www.shatteredglobe.org or by calling (773) 795-8150. The press performance is Sunday, October 21 at 3 pm.

Abingdon Theatre Company - which has produced more than 77 new American plays in its 20-year history - is set to celebrate its 20th Anniversary with ABINGDON: SETTING THE STAGE FOR 20 YEARS, its Annual Benefit Gala and dinner on Monday, October 29 at Espace (635 West 42nd Street) Manhattan, beginning at 6pm.