Anna-Deavere Smith News

Berkeley Playhouse at the historic Julia Morgan Theater begins the family series of their eighth season with Peter Pan.

MCC Theater presents the New York premiere of John Pollono's LOST GIRLS. Golden Globe nominated star of stage and screen, Piper Perabo-who recently completed five seasons of the USA's popular drama series 'Covert Affairs' for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination, and was last seen onstage in the Broadway and MCC Theater productions of Neil LaBute's Reasons to be Pretty-stars alongside Ebon Moss-Bachrach (HBO's 'Girls'), Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal), Tasha Lawrence (Good People, The Whale), and newcomers Lizzy DeClement and Josh Green.

The play imagines a meeting between Anne Frank and Emmett Till.

Arena Stage announces the 2015/16 programming for Actors Arena, a professional development and community-building forum for experienced D.C.-area actors.

TED, the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, and PBS have announced additional participants for the first ever TED TALKS LIVE, a six-night speaker event featuring TED Talks, short films and performances at The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street) in New York's famed Theater District.

The New York Public Library's annual Library Lions Gala, recognizing individuals for their outstanding achievements in the fields of art, culture, scholarship, and letters, will be held at the Library's landmark Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Monday, November 2.

Berkeley Playhouse at the historic Julia Morgan Theater begins the family series of their eighth season with Peter Pan.

In partnership with the University of Utah School of Medicine's Division of Medical Ethics and Humanities, UtahPresents brings the powerful one-man play Mercy Killers to the Eccles Auditorium at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Mercy Killers, written and performed by Michael Milligan and directed by Tom Oppenheim, will be performed on Friday, November 6 at 7:00 PM, with a talkback following the performance. Tickets are $20, with a $5 ticket for U of U students and a $10 ticket for non-U students and youth 18 and under, and are available at 801-581-7100 or utahpresents.org.

Mercy Killers is in the tradition of American playwrights from Arthur Miller and Clifford Odets, to Tony Kushner and Anna Deavere Smith, in capturing political and social reality in powerful story and unforgettable character. 'Over 60% of all bankruptcies in the U.S. are the result of medical debt. What most people don't realize is that the majority of those bankruptcies, the person involved actually had insurance at the onset of their health crises,' says Milligan. This discovery led him to collect stories from people suffering financial disaster on top of chronic illnesses.

The Kesselring Prize for playwriting -- given by the National Arts Club in New York since 1980 -- returns this year following a six-year hiatus with the announcement that Lucas Hnath is the recipient of the 2015 Kesselring Prize. Hnath was submitted by The Actors Theatre of Louisville for his new play The Christians, which debuted there at the Humana Festival and is currently playing off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in NYC. The play is directed by Les Waters.

MCC Theater has just announced the the New York premiere of John Pollono's Lost Girls, BroadwayWorld has confirmed.  Golden Globe nominated star of stage and screen, Piper Perabo-who recently completed five seasons of the USA's popular drama series "Covert Affairs" for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination, and was last seen onstage in the Broadway and MCC Theater productions of Neil LaBute's Reasons to be Pretty-stars alongside Ebon Moss-Bachrach (HBO's "Girls"), Meghann Fahy (Next to Normal), Tasha Lawrence (Good People, The Whale), and newcomers Lizzy DeClement and Josh Green. 

The Philadelphia Theatre Company announced today that it has repurchased the iconic Suzanne Roberts Theatre from TD Bank, thanks in large part to a spirited community effort led by the Roberts family that raised over $3 million and enabled PTC to reclaim its longtime home, which is the final piece to its remarkable fiscal and artistic turnaround.

Berkeley Playhouse at the historic Julia Morgan Theater opens its eighth season with Avenue Q. The artistic team will be headed by favorite Bay Area actor Danny Cozart (Assassins with Shotgun Players, Babes in Arms with 42nd Street Moon), in his directorial debut. Avenue Q runs from tonight, September 17 - October 11, 2015.

Mercy Killers is in the tradition of American playwrights from Arthur Miller and Clifford Odets, to Tony Kushner and Anna Deavere Smith, in capturing political and social reality in powerful story and unforgettable character. "Over 60% of all bankruptcies in the U.S. are the result of medical debt. What most people don't realize is that the majority of those bankruptcies, the person involved actually had insurance at the onset of their health crises," says Milligan. This discovery led him to collect stories from people suffering financial disaster on top of chronic illnesses.

The world's largest solo theatre festival announced the nominees for the United Solo Special Award. Now in its sixth year, the Festival honors performers who have made outstanding contributions to solo theatre. Previous award winners include Anna Deavere Smith, Patti LuPone, John Leguizamo, Fiona Shaw, and Billy Crystal.

In cooperation with the NYU Tisch Center for Art and Public Policy, NOW AFRICA - a group of New York based African writers, actors and community activists - will present its first annual playwrights festival, conceived to showcase and raise awareness of dramatic works by African writers.

CPH's historic 100th Season will open on an operatic note, with the world premiere of Ken Ludwig's A COMEDY OF TENORS. BroadwayWorld has just confirmed the full cast -- featuring several Broadway vets. Scroll down for the complete list of stars!

Beginning this Saturday, the Elite Theatre Company's South Stage will be presenting Zero Hour, a one-man play about legendary actor Zero Mostel. The project is near and dear to the heart of actor John Medeiros, who has tried to get it produced for almost 5 years. Medeiros has performed in two roles made famous by Mostel, Pseudolus (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) and Tevye (Fiddler on the Roof). He won the Four Star Alliance Award in 2013 for Outstanding Lead Actor for his portrayal of Tevye.

Berkeley Playhouse at the historic Julia Morgan Theater opens its eighth season with Avenue Q. The artistic team will be headed by favorite Bay Area actor Danny Cozart (Assassins with Shotgun Players, Babes in Arms with 42nd Street Moon), in his directorial debut. Avenue Q runs from September 17 - October 11, with previews on September 17 and September 19. Opening Night is Saturday, September 19, at the Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Avenue in Berkeley. Tickets and Season Passes are available now through the Box Office, call (510) 845-8542 x351 or visit Berkeleyplayhouse.org.

California Shakespeare Theater today announced the appointment of Eric Ting as the company's new Artistic Director. The announcement, by Cal Shakes Board President Jean Simpson and Search Committee Chair Kate Stechschulte, caps an extensive seven-month nationwide search. Ting will serve as the fifth artistic director in the company's history, succeeding outgoing Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone, who completed his 16-year tenure with the opening of The Mystery of Irma Vep.