Aristophanes News

After two decades of war the men are dying and the women feel powerless to stop it. Lysistrata gathers together women from every state to enact her plan. The men will be denied what they desire the most. To get it back, they must agree to peace.

Refuge Theatre Project has announced leadership changes and programming for its third season, according to company co-founder Ross Egan. Christopher Pazdernik, who directed and choreographed the company's breakout production of High Fidelity: The Musical in February 2016 and more recently directed the Chicago premiere of Wicked City by Chad Beguelin and Matthew Sklar for Chicago Theatre Workshop, has been named Artistic Director, a position previously held by Egan. Egan, who founded the company two years ago with Morgan Egan, will move to Executive Director, a new position. Morgan Egan will continue as Managing Director.

In a theatrical touchdown for the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, stage and screen star Darren Criss has agreed to reprise the notable title role he stepped into last year on Broadway: as Hedwig in the just-launched national tour of the rousing 2014 Tony Award-winning reboot of the glam rock musical HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, which began last month in San Francisco and continues its Los Angeles-area performances through November 27 (Euan Morton assumes the role for the rest of the tour starting November 29 in San Diego). Featuring solid direction from Michael Mayer and dynamic new musical staging from choreographer Spencer Liff, the searingly electric, engagingly hilarious show, at its core, celebrates the triumph of living life as authentic and as tenaciously as possible, no matter the constant obstacles. It's certainly a wonderful message to remind everyone in such uneasy times of late.

There are cracks in our foundation. Undeniable fractures that divide society when we should be standing united. Fault Lines is a poetry collection that examines the disconnect, the unchallenged chaos, and the possible downfall of humanity. Much like his collections Civilized Ways and Perceptions, Fault Lines brings us through the delicate ups and downs of lives that will shape the future, and leads us down whichever path we ultimately allow. 

For the upcoming holiday season, 4th Wall Theatre Company (formerly Stark Naked Theatre Company) brings love and laughter to Houston audiences with Shakespeare's beloved romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.  Widely considered to be one of Shakespeare's best comedies, Much Ado is a delightfully hilarious and witty tale of love, friendship and intrigue.  Appropriate for all ages, this not-to-be-missed holiday treat opens on December 1st and runs through Christmas Eve.

Perth International Arts Festival Artistic Director Wendy Martin has unveiled a world-class program of art without borders, inviting us to travel to extraordinary places with the most brilliant artists as our guides.

Mercy Street Theatre Company is proud to announce its 2016/2017 season featuring a slate of new plays written by its Chicago based ensemble to play on its main stage and within its brand new reading and workshop series: Beacon.

Red Branch Theatre Company Artistic Director Stephanie Lynn Williams and Managing Director Tiffany Underwood Holmes unveiled the 2017 season titles on opening night of the current production of Evil Dead: the Musical. The season, entitled 'Mad About You' includes productions of Mad Libs Live!, Lysistrata Jones, The Bridges of Madison County, and Madagascar - A Musical Adventure.

Andrew Kay & Associates Ltd in association with King's Head Theatre presents the London Premiere of The Book Club by Roger Hall,

Weird old people saying and doing outrageously inappropriate things have been a beloved comedy staple ever since the time Aristophanes handed a few zingers to the dirty old men and elderly activist women of LYSISTRATA.

With John Malkovich's acclaimed production of Good Canary entering its final week, Rose Theatre Kingston today announces its new season for 2017.  Headlining the season is the world premiere of My Brilliant Friend, a two-part adaptation of Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan quartet of novels which have become a global literary sensation.  The true identity of the author is a mystery, with Elena Ferrante a pseudonym used by the writer, but speculation over the weekend suggested that the author had been unmasked.  

Gary Beck's Call to Valor is a sweeping story of war, love and courage, as determined Americans face the war on terror, in a world of increasing nuclear threats.

The Ume Group, a physical theatre ensemble hailed by New York critics for its 'commanding, physically impressive performances' (The Village Voice) and 'risky physical vulnerability' (nytheatre.com) is celebrating its 5-Year Anniversary with a week of performances at the historic Irondale Center in Brooklyn, NY, August 10 - 13, 2016.

In preparation for a premiere on Governors Island in New York City in 2017, NACL Theatre, based in Highland Park, NY, presented a site-specific 'Walk-In-Progress,' COURAGE, at Apple Pond Farm (Callicoon Center, NY) on July 22-24 to capacity audiences. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Conceived and directed by NACL Theatre co-artistic director, Tannis Kowalchuk (STRUCK, THE WEATHER PROJECT), with music composed by Rima Fand (DON CRISTO?BAL, BILLY-CLUB MAN, Luminescent Orchestrii) and text by Mark Dunau (GLASS, THE WEATHER PROJECT), Melissa Bell (DEVIL AND THE DEEP), Tannis Kowalchuk, and the NACL ensemble. COURAGE features the NACL professional ensemble of actors and musicians, with community members who perform in the NACL Stilt Corps and Chorus.

The Ume Group, a physical theatre ensemble hailed by New York critics for its 'commanding, physically impressive performances' (The Village Voice) and 'risky physical vulnerability' (nytheatre.com) is celebrating its 5-Year Anniversary with a week of performances at the historic Irondale Center in Brooklyn, NY, August 10 - 13, 2016.

Conceived and directed by NACL Theatre co-artistic director, Tannis Kowalchuk (STRUCK, THE WEATHER PROJECT), with music composed by Rima Fand (DON CRISTO?BAL, BILLY-CLUB MAN, Luminescent Orchestrii) and text by Mark Dunau (GLASS, THE WEATHER PROJECT), Melissa Bell (DEVIL AND THE DEEP), Tannis Kowalchuk, and the NACL ensemble. COURAGE features the NACL professional ensemble of actors and musicians, with community members who perform in the NACL Stilt Corps and Chorus.

Andrew Kay & Associates Ltd in association with King's Head Theatre presents the London Premiere of The Book Club by Roger Hall,

 Perceptions is a poetry collection that challenges many of our attitudes and values, showing us many of our concerns that grow more troubled in these difficult times. Disasters of our time come into immediate focus as they occur. We are shown again and again the catastrophic events of the day. It is the lingering effects that are seen from different viewpoints, and produce a sometimes volatile perception of our world. Gary Beck's ability to capture events seen from unusual angles is on shining display in this brilliant new collection. I knew 'Hard Times' was a beauty when I read it and the national editorial board unanimously voted it in – The Rockford Review All of these pieces hit hard - Heavy Hands Ink Great Poems - Atlantean Publishing https://www.amazon.com/Perceptions-Gary-Beck/dp/1941058493

concludes its 2015-16 season with the musical comedy Lysistrata Jones, by Douglas Carter Beane and Lewis Flinn.  This hit from the 2012 Broadway season is the story of the Athens University basketball team who hasn't won a game in 30 years. But when spunky transfer student Lysistrata Jones dares the squad's fed-up girlfriends to stop "giving it up" to their boyfriends until they win a game, their legendary losing streak could be coming to an end.