American Playwrights News

Ma-Yi Theater Company - which had a breakout season with the award-winning success of the musical KPOP, and with Mike Lew's newest play TEENAGE DICK (at The Public Theater) - will debut two new American plays by Asian-American playwrights this fall; SESAR byOrlando Pabotoy and THE CHINESE LADY, by Lloyd Suh, will perform in rep October 20 - November 18 at Theatre Row (410 W. 42ndStreet).

As Playwrights Horizons (Artistic Director Tim Sanford, Managing Director Leslie Marcus) begins their 2018-2019 season with the New York Premiere of Craig Lucas's I Was Most Alive with You-a play featuring both Deaf and hearing casts-the company continues to emphasize a commitment to accessibility with the launch of an expanded captioning program, powered by GalaPro. GalaPro, which lets Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons view captions on their smartphones/devices, allows captions to be available at every post-opening performance on both Playwrights stages. GalaPro closed-captioning will be available for all I Was Most Alive with You performances after September 24.

Theater M­u announces its 27th season, Being Extraordinary, which includes DANDELION GIRL, a family show and world premiere by May Lee-Yang; the first ever co-production between Theater Mu and Penumbra Theatre with Prince Gomolvilas' THE BROTHERS PARANORMAL; and the world premiere of HOT ASIAN DOCTOR HUSBAND, a biting romantic comedy by Leah Nanako Winkler.

Winner of the 2002 Tony Award for Best Play, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? is about a profoundly unsettling subject: the irrational, confounding, and convention-thwarting nature of love. Martin-a hugely successful architect who has just turned fifty-leads an ostensibly ideal life with his loving wife and gay teenage son. But when he confides to his best friend that he is also in love with Sylvia, he sets in motion events that will destroy his family and leave his life in tatters. Albee's boundary-pushing play is puzzling, powerful, bawdy, and disturbing.

Inis Nua Theatre Company is proud to celebrate its 15th anniversary with the announcement of the 2018-2019 season. Music, laughter and mystery will fill the stage as Inis Nua presents the American Premieres of Inua Ellams' untitled and Monsay Whitney's Box Clever, plus the Philadelphia Premiere of David Greig's The Monster in the Hall. With the new season, Inis Nua will continue to be the only America theatre exploring exciting contemporary plays from Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. All three works from across the pond will continue to bring Philadelphia audiences provocative, shocking and jubilant work by some of the best playwrights of today. Performances will be held at Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake, 302 South Hicks Street. Subscriptions for the season are currently available and single tickets are on sale now. For tickets and more information, visit www.inisnuatheatre.org or call (215) 454-9776.

Native Voices at the Autry, America's leading Native American theatre company, presents Hurricane Savage as part of its First Look Series, a script development process that brings playwrights together with professional directors, dramaturgs, and actors.

Broken Nose Theatre is pleased to announce it Seventh Season, featuring a world premiere and two Midwest premieres to presented at its resident home, The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

The Weston Playhouse's 2018 season expands into the fall with Two Trains Running by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson at the company's new second stage, Weston Playhouse at Walker Farm, beginning September 27. 

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in the Berkshires under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, presents Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie. Previews for The Glass Menagerie begin October 3, with an official opening on October 7 and performances through October 21 on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage (30 Union Street).

Children's Theatre Company (CTC) announced today the appointment of Michael Winn as the organization's new Director of Community Partnerships and Inclusion.

Rory D. Sheriff - if you haven't heard that name, it's only a matter of time before you will. Statuesque, bearded and dread-locked, he is a man that's very visible, even in a crowded room. Yet, there is a humbleness and genuine kindness that is etched in his face and resonates in his voice. Why is this man so significant? Under the auspice of his production company, Brand New Sheriff (BNS) Productions, is consistently providing a platform of entertainment via the performing arts as a resident playwright at the Duke Energy Theater of Belk Performing Arts Center. His passion for community theater is echoed loud and clear through his talent-filled cast and masterfully-produced stage plays.

Luna Stage will launch its 2018-19 Season with J.Stephen Brantley's award-winning play Pirira, directed by Luna's new Artistic Director Ari Laura Kreith. Set simultaneously in Malawi and New York, the play explores the challenges of international aid across interpersonal borders, and how we bridge seemingly impossible cultural divides.

First Floor Theater is pleased to launch its seventh season with the Chicago premiere of Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm's wild, social commentary HOODED, OR BEING BLACK FOR DUMMIES

Theatre of NOTE continues its 2018 season with the West Coast premiere of MARIAN, OR THE TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD, written by Adam Szymkowicz and directed by Christopher Johnson.

Theatre of NOTE continues its 2018 season with the West Coast premiere of MARIAN, OR THE TRUE TALE OF ROBIN HOOD, written by Adam Szymkowicz and directed by Christopher Johnson.

The OBIE Award-winning NAATCO, National Asian American Theatre Company, kicks off their 28th season with Stephen Brown-Fried's new adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry VI. This Off-Broadway limited engagement at the Mezzanine Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theaters (502 West 53rd Street at Tenth Avenue) opens Tuesday August 21st (Part 1) and Wednesday August 22nd (Part 2).  Performances continue through September 8th only.

What does Steven Dietz, the author of 'Bloomsday,' which is now on stage at none-too-fragile, have in common with Tennessee Williams and Edward Albee? Yes, they are all American playwrights, but, believe it or not, they are all tied for number eight on the list of the Top Ten Most Produced Playwrights in America.

Winner of the 2002 Tony Award for Best Play, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? is about a profoundly unsettling subject: the irrational, confounding, and convention-thwarting nature of love. Martin-a hugely successful architect who has just turned fifty-leads an ostensibly ideal life with his loving wife and gay teenage son. But when he confides to his best friend that he is also in love with Sylvia, he sets in motion events that will destroy his family and leave his life in tatters. Albee's boundary-pushing play is puzzling, powerful, bawdy, and disturbing.

For the 20-somethings working at a chic, unnamed New York magazine, the only thing that matters is style, status - and selling out to the highest bidder. The Echo Theater Company presents a razor-sharp, darkly comic drama about ambition, office warfare and pecking orders by MacArthur "genius" grant recipient Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.Chris Fields directs the West Coast premiere of Pulitzer Prize-finalist Gloria, opening Sept. 15 at Atwater Village Theatre.

Ma-Yi Theater Company - which has had a breakout season with the award-winning success of the musical KPOP, and recently with Mike Lew's new play TEENAGE DICK (at The Public Theater) - announces its 2018-19 season of new works, according to the company's Producing Artistic Director, Ralph B. Peña.  Among the offerings will be world-premieres of plays that have been created and developed through Ma-Yi's celebrated Writers Lab, which has the distinction of being a primary incubator of new Asian American theater and the largest collective of Asian-American playwrights in the world.