American Playwrights News

Marin Theatre Company is delighted to present the comedy BOOM by award-winning Marin native Peter Sinn Nachtrieb.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced a two-week extension for the World Premiere of CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, a new play by Annie Baker ('An original voice' - Daily News; 'A playwright to know' - Newsday) that has just opened to across-the-board rave reviews. Directed by Sam Gold ('A magic-fingered director' - Variety; 'An uncommonly observant eye and ear' - New York Times), the production opened Tuesday, October 13. Originally set to run through Sunday, November 1, the limited engagement will now play through Sunday, November 22 at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, announced today that their production of Radio Golf will travel to The August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh, PA to participate in the 'Aunt Ester Cycle.' The cycle will run November 10 - 22, 2009.

Abingdon Theatre Company, in an ongoing effort to recognize excellence in playwriting, is set to present its 2009 CHRISTOPHER BRIAN WOLK AWARD to author Joel Fields, best-known for writing episodes of TV's 'Ugly Betty,' 'Raising the Bar,' 'Commander in Chief' and 'Dirt,' for his new play HOW I FELL IN LOVE, during an award ceremony and staged reading on Monday, November 9 at 7:30pm at Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Jules Ochoa to direct.

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced nine initial performers who will participate in the return of its unique benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES on Monday, November 9. Among those taking part in the special event will be two-time Academy Award winner and two-time Obie Award winner Diane Wiest (Memory House at Playwrights Horizons/PH, Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway), Tony Award winner Debra Monk (Assassins at PH, Redwood Curtain, Curtains), Obie Award winner Jason Butler Harner (current Stage Manager in Our Town, Hedda Gabler, The Coast of Utopia), Clarence Derwent Award winner Zoe Kazan (100 Saints You Should Know at PH; Come Back, Little Sheba; Things We Want), Theatre World Award winner Cassie Beck (The Drunken City and Prayer for My Enemy at PH), Cristin Milioti (The Retributionists at PH, the upcoming The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter), Sue Jean Kim (The Drunken City and BFE at PH, 365 Days/365 Plays), Carmen M. Herlihy (The Thugs, Crooked) and Greg Keller (Broadway's Uncle Vanya, The Rainmaker). Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced it will present the return of its popular benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES on Monday, November 9.

Native Voices at the Autry, America's leading Native American theater company, launches its 2009-10 main stage play series with the world premiere of CARBON BLACK by Terry Gomez. The humor-tinged suspenseful psychological drama, directed by Native Voices Founder/Producing Artistic Director Randy Reinholz, runs Saturday, November 7 to Sunday, November 22, 2009 (previews begin Wednesday, November 4). Gripping and enigmatic, the play vividly portrays the relationship between an agoraphobic mother and her precocious son, who claims to have witnessed a horrific murder. The mother's refusal to acknowledge the tale and her crippling dependence on sensationalized media coverage of violence around the globe serve to hold them both hostage and isolated. The award-winning cast includes actress Tonantzín Carmelo, Sheila Tousey, Stephan Wolfert and Michael Drummond.

Native Voices at the Autry, America's leading Native American theater company, launches its 2009-10 main stage play series with the world premiere of CARBON BLACK by Terry Gomez. The humor-tinged suspenseful psychological drama, directed by Native Voices Founder/Producing Artistic Director Randy Reinholz, runs Saturday, November 7 to Sunday, November 22, 2009 (previews begin Wednesday, November 4). Gripping and enigmatic, the play vividly portrays the relationship between an agoraphobic mother and her precocious son, who claims to have witnessed a horrific murder. The mother's refusal to acknowledge the tale and her crippling dependence on sensationalized media coverage of violence around the globe serve to hold them both hostage and isolated. The award-winning cast includes actress Tonantzín Carmelo, Sheila Tousey, Stephan Wolfert and Michael Drummond.

Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, announced today that their production of Radio Golf will travel to The August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh, PA to participate in the 'Aunt Ester Cycle.' The cycle will run November 10 - 22, 2009.

The Horton Foote Festival will honor critically acclaimed playwright Craig Wright as the 2009 recipient of the Horton Foote Excellence in American Playwriting Award, according to notes on the Horton Foote Festival website. Amongst the events taking place during the festival weekend will be readings of Wright's plays ‘Grace' and ‘The Pavilion', academic panel discussions of his work, and a tribute to Horton Foote.

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust presented the 2nd Annual ‘Mimi' Awards in a ceremony on Monday, October 26th, at Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont Theater.

Abingdon Theatre Company, in an ongoing effort to recognize excellence in playwriting, is set to present its 2009 CHRISTOPHER BRIAN WOLK AWARD to author Joel Fields, best-known for writing episodes of TV's 'Ugly Betty,' 'Raising the Bar,' 'Commander in Chief' and 'Dirt,' for his new play HOW I FELL IN LOVE, during an award ceremony and staged reading on Monday, November 9 at 7:30pm at Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Jules Ochoa to direct.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is now accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to its next production, the World Premiere of THIS, a new play by Obie Award winner Melissa James Gibson (Suitcase, [sic]).

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is proud to announce its fourth David Mamet Writing Contest in conjunction with its West Coast premiere production of November, Mamet's newest satire on the buffoonery of presidential politics.

Native Voices at the Autry, America's leading Native American theater company, launches its 2009-10 main stage play series with the world premiere of CARBON BLACK by Terry Gomez. The humor-tinged suspenseful psychological drama, directed by Native Voices Founder/Producing Artistic Director Randy Reinholz, runs Saturday, November 7 to Sunday, November 22, 2009 (previews begin Wednesday, November 4). Gripping and enigmatic, the play vividly portrays the relationship between an agoraphobic mother and her precocious son, who claims to have witnessed a horrific murder. The mother's refusal to acknowledge the tale and her crippling dependence on sensationalized media coverage of violence around the globe serve to hold them both hostage and isolated. The award-winning cast includes actress Tonantzín Carmelo, Sheila Tousey, Stephan Wolfert and Michael Drummond.

Into the shading of the nation's first bi-racial president, enters Juliette Fairley and her one woman show the Making of a Mulatto. Arriving in Manhattan for a winter run, starting December 12, 2009 through Feb. 6, 2010, at the Matthew Corozine Theatre.

A panel of prominent American playwrights including Kia Corthron, Lisa Kron and Adam Rapp, will discuss with celebrated photographer Ken Collins how they approach creating portraits with words and with a camera, respectively at a one-time-only event entitled 'Face to Face: Portraits in Theatre and Photography' on Monday, October 26 at 7 p.m. at New Dramatists (424 W. 44 St.) in Manhattan. Presented by the Off-Broadway theater company, The Play Company as part of its Idea Lab series, in conjunction with Umbrage Editions, the evening will also feature brief excerpts from the playwrights' work along with an exhibition of photographs from 'In Their Company,' a series of black and white portraits by Mr. Collins that portray some of America's most distinguished playwrights. A reception follows in the New Dramatists Library.

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust has announced that the 2nd Annual ?Mimi' Awards will be presented at a ceremony to be held Monday, October 26th, at Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont Theater at 6:30 p.m. The recipients of these ?Steinberg Playwright Awards' will be announced at a press conference on Thursday morning, September 17th.

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust has announced that that playwrights Bruce Norris, Tarell Alvin McCraney and David Adjmi are the first recipients of the Steinberg Playwright Award.

Acclaimed theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced nine initial performers who will participate in the return of its unique benefit evening STORIES ON 5 STORIES on Monday, November 9. Among those taking part in the special event will be two-time Academy Award winner and two-time Obie Award winner Diane Wiest (Memory House at Playwrights Horizons/PH, Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway), Tony Award winner Debra Monk (Assassins at PH, Redwood Curtain, Curtains), Obie Award winner Jason Butler Harner (current Stage Manager in Our Town, Hedda Gabler, The Coast of Utopia), Clarence Derwent Award winner Zoe Kazan (100 Saints You Should Know at PH; Come Back, Little Sheba; Things We Want), Theatre World Award winner Cassie Beck (The Drunken City and Prayer for My Enemy at PH), Cristin Milioti (The Retributionists at PH, the upcoming The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter), Sue Jean Kim (The Drunken City and BFE at PH, 365 Days/365 Plays), Carmen M. Herlihy (The Thugs, Crooked) and Greg Keller (Broadway's Uncle Vanya, The Rainmaker). Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.