Anna-Deavere Smith News

The Lortel Awards will be presented tonight, May 7, 2017 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00 PM EST. This year's event will be hosted by actor and comedian, Taran Killam, and will once again serve as a benefit for The Actors Fund.

Between the two of them, drag icons Sherry Vine and Joey Arias have more than 50 years of performing experience combined. Not only that, but their working relationship and enduring friendship began more than 20 years ago. Though they've toured with one another around the world over the years, it's been a few years since they've teamed up for a big show in New York, where they first met. Thankfully, the legendary divas will reunite onstage in the city for a new show at Feinstein's/54 Below, as part of Garth Schilling's (also known as Miss Vodka Stinger) drag-themed Thursday night series called LATE NIGHT DRAG. The run will also include Cacophony Daniels, Marti Gould Cummings, Varla Jean Merman, Ray DeForest, RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE star Alexis Michelle, and Miss Vodka Stinger herself with the Martha Rayes. Prior to Vine and Arias' show, the pair pressed pause on their first day of rehearsal to speak with us over the phone about their individual careers, more than two decades of collaboration, and reuniting onstage in the city that brought them together.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the West Coast premiere of An Octoroon written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Eric Ting will close out its season.

American Theater Company (ATC) is proud to announce its Season 33, which kicks off this October with the world premiere of Janine Nabers' Welcome to Jesus, directed by Artistic Director Will Davis, October 26-December 3, 2017.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) has announced five productions as part of its complete 2017/18 Season.

The Playwrights Realm, led by Katherine Kovner, Founding Artistic Director, and Roberta Pereira, Producing Director, will celebrate its tenth anniversary with the annual Writers Block Party honoring Realm Board Member and award-winning playwright and actor, Anna Deavere Smith.

The World Science Festival will culminate its groundbreaking first decade by bringing science to the crossroads of the world, Times Square, and to locations across New York City's five boroughs, with more than 50 events, May 30 - June 4, 2017.

Earlier this morning, Laura Benanti (She Loves Me, Gypsy) and Javier Muñoz (Hamilton, In the Heights) announced the nominations for the 62nd Annual Drama Desk Awards.

The Saint Mary's College Department of Communication Studies, Dance, and Theatre is proud to welcome writer, comedian, and actress Casey Whitaker to campus as this year's Margaret M. Hill Endowed Visiting Artist in Residence. Whitaker is a member of Second City improvisational troupe, who spent a week on campus in March 2015 as part of the Margaret M. Hill Endowed Visiting Artist series. Whitaker is directing Saint Mary's theatre students in the spring production, a play titled Lucky, Liar, Loser, which she wrote herself. The play will run April 27-30 in Little Theatre.

Ma-Yi Theater Company and Producing Artistic Director, Ralph B. Peña and Executive Director, Jorge Z. Ortoll have announced the 28th Anniversary Gala honoring legendary prima ballerina of Ballet Philippines and Alvin Ailey Dance Company, Elizabeth Roxas Dobrish, and creators and patrons of the arts, Frank and Lolita Valderrama Savage.

In a not-too-distant future where no one dies, a family navigates life's big questions during an annual road trip in Zack Zadek's new musical Deathless.

L ynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) have announced full casting for Manhattan Theatre Club's New York premiere of Cost of Living, the new play by Martyna Majok (Ironbound, Mouse in a Jar), directed by Jo Bonney (Father Comes Home from the Wars; By the Way, Meet Vera Stark).

As previously announced, Second Stage Theatre will begin the 2017 Uptown Series with the world premiere of Chisa Hutchinson's SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER, directed by MAY ADRALES.

Two dozen nominations of outstanding actors, directors, designers and ensembles were announced today by The Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA), with winners to be revealed at the 35th Annual Elliot Norton Awards on Monday, May 15, 2017 at 7 PM, at Huntington Theatre Company's BU Theatre.  

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 19 categories for the 32nd Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway.

Beloved storytelling nonprofit The Moth today announced details for their annual fundraising gala, The Moth Ball.

Honor! Madness! Blood! Obie Award-winner Jo Bonney directs the world premiere of an edgy, intense and darkly comic new play by John Pollono (Small Engine Repair, Lost Girls) in a Latino Theater Company production presented in association with The Temblors, a unique new collective of seven Los Angeles-based playwrights. Rules of Seconds opens March 23 at The Los Angeles Theater Center, with low-priced previews beginning March 16. 

Founded and curated by Glory Kadigan, the annual Playwrights for a Cause benefit, hosted by Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, addresses powerful social and topical issues in our society through the works of prominent playwrights. This year, the event will be Sunday, July 23, and will benefit the New York Civil Liberties Union with 'The Protest Plays,' stories of standing up to injustice written by celebrated authors, CATHERINE FILLOUX, LYLE KESSLER, JOSE RIVERA, and REGINA TAYLOR.

Epic Theatre Company is kicking off its sixth season with a diverse line-up of brand new, innovative and exhilarating work that looks at the relationship between power and the people it affects.

Playwrights Foundation (PF) Artistic Director Amy Mueller has announced a year-long celebration of its illustrious 40-year legacy discovering and supporting unknown playwrights, who have gone on to become some of the most important contemporary voices of American theater. Playwrights Foundation kicks off the 40th Anniversary celebration with its flagship event, the annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF) July 14 - 23, 2017 at Custom Made Theatre, San Francisco CA.