Arena Stage News

Come and dance the blues away with Five Guys Named Moe! Helen Hayes Award winner Robert O'Hara (Bootcandy, director of The Mountaintop at Arena Stage) returns to Arena Stage to direct an explosive, reimagined tribute to the 'King of the Jukebox'-legendary composer and saxophonist Louis Jordan. This modernized production features new orchestrations for classic songs, including 'Let the Good Times Roll' and 'Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby,' and a contemporary twist on the five Moes, now a hit boy band set in 2014. This dynamic musical revue features musical direction by Darryl G. Ivey (assistant music director for original Broadway production of Five Guys Named Moe) and choreography by Byron Easley (off-Broadway's Langston in Harlem). A co-production with Cleveland Play House, Five Guys Named Moe runs November 14-December 28, 2014 in the Kreeger Theater.

Opera Saratoga announces its 2015 Summer Festival season, which will run from July 2 - July 26, 2015 at multiple venues throughout Saratoga Springs, New York.

Joseph Haj, Producing Artistic Director of PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, NC, has been named recipient of the 2014 Zelda Fichandler Award.

Signature Theatre presents Elmer Gantry, a musical version of Sinclair Lewis' best-selling novel, directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Follies, Million Dollar Quartet). Schaeffer collaborated on the last production of Elmer Gantry at Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre in Chicago with authors John Bishop (book), Mel Marvin (music) and Bob Satuloff (lyrics) in 1998; the show has not been produced since then. This will be the 5th production in the show's history. Running in the MAX Theatre today, October 7 - November 9, Signature's production will include several brand new songs by Mel Marvin and Bob Satuloff and a reimagined script that John Bishop worked on until his death in 2006.

Marin Theatre Company continues its 48th Season with the Bay Area premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's The Whale, which won MTC's 2011 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize and has gone on to become one of the most critically acclaimed new plays in America since its premiere in 2012.

Upcoming Equity Auditions from Sunday, October 5, 2014.

George Street Playhouse opens their season with 'Outside Mullingar' directed by David Saint. Broadwayworld.com interviewed Ellen McLaughiin who plays Rosemary in the show.

Rogue Machine presents the World Premiere of NICE THINGS by Vince Melocchi opening tonight, October 4, 2014 with reception to follow 8pm Fridays and Todays, 3pm on Sundays through November 23, 2014 5041 W. Pico Blvd., LA, CA 90019

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces 11 ensembles set for the 2014/15 Voices of Now season, including seven returning ensembles, two new community-partnership ensembles and two opportunities for young D.C.-area artists to become participants of the internationally recognized devised theater program.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announces the cast and creative team for Dracula, the Original Vampire Play, the second production in the 'Alley Theatre @ UH' season. Featuring iconic costume and set designs by Edward Gorey, the Alley's production is based on the original 1927 adaptation of the classic thriller that marvelously balances the menace of the horror tale with sophisticated satire.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's longest-standing, most distinguished ensemble theater, announced today new leadership and unveiled plans for a future campus expansion. Steppenwolf ensemble member and Tony Award-winning director Anna D. Shapiro will succeed Martha Lavey as artistic director at the conclusion of the current season in fall 2015.

In a bold undertaking as part of the company's involvement with the multi-year, multi-city National Civil War Project, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has commissioned Our War, a dynamic new theatrical event and collection of short stories that explores-through diverse perspectives-the historical memory and present-day reverberations of the U.S. Civil War. The company just met the press, and BroadwayWorld has photos below!

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Broadway production this fall, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater mounts a new staging of Fiddler on the Roof, the iconic musical that has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. Featuring a book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and based on Sholem Aleichem stories, Fiddler on the Roof runs October 31, 2014-January 4, 2015 in the Fichandler Stage. The company just met the press and BroadwayWorld has photos below!

Berkeley Repertory Theatre announces that the City of Berkeley has proclaimed Tuesday, September 30, 2014 Tony Taccone Day. This day will honor Berkeley Rep's Michael Leibert Artistic Director Tony Taccone as a pioneer in contemporary American theatre. Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates will host a ceremony to present Taccone an official proclamation between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM in the City Council Chambers at 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The ceremony will be broadcast on local radio through KPFB Radio 89.3 and on television through Cable B-TV, Channel 33.

Soho Rep. and The Play Company, in association with John Adrian Selzer, announce casting and the creative team for the U.S. premiere of debbie tucker green's generations. The production, today, September 30-October 26, reunites the playwright with director Leah C. Gardiner, who worked together on the OBIE Award-winning 2011 production of born bad. generations features a 12-person community chorus led by music director Bongi Duma (The Lion King). The cast includes Shyko Amos (An Octoroon), Mamoudou Athie, Khail Toi Bryant (The Lion King), Ntombikhona Dlamini (Sarafina!), Thuli Dumakude (The Lion King, Poppie Nongena), Jonathan Peck (The Lion in Winter) and Michael Rogers (born bad, Breakfast With Mugabe).

92Y presents Sandra Tsing Loh: A Work-In-Progress Staged Reading of The Madwoman in the Volvo, a co-production of 92Y and Sundance Institute Theatre Program, with Leslie Kritzer and Mary Beth Peil, directed by Lisa Peterson on Friday, October 10, 8:15 pm.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Artistic Director David Van Asselt and Managing Director Brian Long have announced that Pitbulls, written by Keith Josef Adkinsand directed by Leah Gardiner, will begin previews Thursday, November 6, 2014 at 8pm at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place, west of Seventh Avenue South. Opening night is set for Thursday, November 20 at 8pm. Pitbulls plays through Saturday, December 13.

Bucks County Playhouse Producers Robyn Goodman and Alexander Fraser are thrilled to welcome the addition of Broadway's beloved Marin Mazzie to the cast of GETTING TO KNOW YOU: An Enchanted Evening of Oscar Hammerstein II, the Today night benefit concert of the inaugural Oscar Hammerstein Festival.

Katie Brayben will play the title role in the West End production of Beautiful - The Carole King Musicalopening at the Aldwych Theatre in February next year. Alan Morrissey will play King's husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, with Lorna Want as song-writer Cynthia Weil, Glynis Barber as Genie Klein, King's mother, and Gary Trainor as music publisher and producer Don Kirshner. London previews beginning on 10 February 2015 and with the show currently booking to 13 June 2015. Press night will now take place on 24 February at 7pm. Final casting will be announced shortly.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: MONEY GRUBBIN' WHORES and GOING ONCE! LAUGHING TWICE!! begin off-Broadway, CARRIE travels to Melbourne, Broadway 'gets confirmed' at 54 Below and more!