Ars Nova News

LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater has announced that Gabriel Ebert, Jon Michael Hill, and Namir Smallwood will be featured in its upcoming production of PASS OVER, a new play by Antoinette Nwandu, directed by Danya Taymor, at the Claire Tow Theater (150 West 65 Street). This New York premiere of PASS OVER will begin performances Saturday evening, June 2 and run for six weeks only throughSunday, July 15. Opening night is Monday, June 18.

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 19 categories for the 33rd Annual Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be presented on Sunday, May 6, 2018 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00 PM EST.  This year's event will be hosted by actors Laura Benanti and Jason Jones and will once again serve as a benefit for The Actors Fund.

New Light Theater Project is thrilled to present the New York premiere of the hollower written by Liza Birkenmeier and directed by Kristy Dodson. the hollower begins performances Thursday, May 17 for a limited engagement through Saturday, June 9. Press opening is Friday, May 25 at 8 PM.

After the lauded World Premiere of The Boy Who Danced On Air, Diversionary is proud to produce the World Premiere of another groundbreaking new musical.

It's Episode #79 and we are seizing the day and sitting down with Tony Award winning Lighting Designer Jeff Croiter. Jeff has a wide ranging career and we're talking about all sorts of projects. Cory and Jeff discuss his recent design of the Big Apple Circus and how one goes about lighting jugglers, horses and the Flying Wallendas as well as his new relationship with Penn & Teller and what goes into lighting two of the most famous magicians in the world. He also discusses the prominent role lighting played in "Bandstand" and how he got 75 old fresnels to change color all night long and of course we're talking about the genesis of his design for "Peter and the Starcatcher" and how it has become a genre of design in itself.

Seattle Repertory Theatre today announced complete casting for its production of Familiar by playwright and actor Danai Gurira, directed by Taibi Magar. A co-production with the Guthrie Theater, Familiar is set in the suburbs of Minneapolis and takes a fresh look at tradition, immigration, and assimilation as a Zimbabwean American family gathers together at their home before the rehearsal dinner for their elder daughter's wedding.

PlayPenn, the new play development organization which assisted in the development of the Tony Award-winning international hit OSLO by J.T. Rogers, has announced their 2018 New Play Development Conference plays and writers. The conference, which takes place July 10 through July 29, 2018 in Philadelphia, includes workshops and readings of six plays, at least two additional readings of works-in-progress, and forums for artists and theatre lovers.

Leah Lowe directs Jaclyn Backhaus' Men on Boats as Actors Bridge Ensemble and Belmont University Department of Theatre and Dance celebrate their 11th annual collaborative production with the Nashville premiere, running April 13-15 and April 19-22 at the Belmont Black Box Theater.

The Tank (Meghan Finn and Rosalind Grush, Artistic Directors), The Renovationists, and Parity Productions will co-present the World Premiere of Corbin Went's OLD NAMES FOR WILDFLOWERS, directed by Emma Rosa Went at The Tank

DESPERATE MEASURES, a musical comedy gone wild with music by David Friedman (Listen To My Heart), book and lyrics by Peter Kellogg (Anna Karenina), and directed by Bill Castellino (Cagney, Marry Harry), will play New World Stages (340 West 50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues), it was announced today by producers Pat Flicker Addiss and Mary Cosette. Following critical and audience acclaim at The New York Musical Festival and The York Theater Company, performances for the open-ended engagement begin May 30th and opening night is set for June 13th.

Broken Nose Theatre is pleased to continue its 2018 Season with the world premiere of Sam Chanse's contemplative drama THE OPPORTUNITIES OF EXTINCTION, directed by company member Jen Poulin*, playing June 2 - 30, 2018 at The Den Theatre (2A), 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 6, 2018 at brokennosetheatre.com. Casting will be announced shortly. Tickets for all Broken Nose Theatre productions are available on a "pay-what-you-can" basis, allowing patrons to set their own price and ensuring theatre remains economically accessible for all audiences. The press opening is Monday, June 4 at 7:30 pm.

In conjunction with the world premiere of The Doppelganger (an international farce) by Matthew-Lee Erlbach, Steppenwolf Theatre Company is offering four free events on select Sundays during the run of the show. Each discussion is a fun and casual chance for audience members to engage with experts on topics associated with the production. Space is limited. RSVP through Audience Services at 312.335.1650 or at steppenwolf.org.

The Play Company (PlayCo) is pleased to announce chefs and artists scheduled for Cabaret Gourmet: The Ultra Violet Party, on Monday, April 9 at Espace in mid-town Manhattan. This year's event will be hosted by Lauren Worsham and Kyle Jarrow, and will feature a live performance by Mwenso and The Shakes. Participating chefs and restaurants will include Graffiti, Miznon, Omar's, Chef Samira Nanda Sine, Ortzi, August, Serengeti Kitchen and more.

Cult-hit Brooklyn band Sky-Pony is led by the husband-and-wife team of Obie winning writer Kyle Jarrow (bookwriter of Broadway's SpongeBob SquarePants, also creator of the new CW television series Valor) and Tony nominated actress-singer Lauren Worsham (Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder).

The calendar may say Spring (has anyone told the weather?) but things are heating up on Broadway! Performances begin tonight for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway.

New Conservatory Theatre Center Founder & Artistic Director Ed Decker announced the line-up for NCTC's 2018-19 subscription season last night at NCTC's annual Season Announcement Party for subscribers, donors and artists.

One Thousand Nights and One Day (www.ProspectTheater.org) a new musical with book and lyrics by Jason Grote (1001; Shostakovich, or Silence), music by Marisa Michelson (Tamar Of The River, Naamah's Ark),and directed by Erin Ortman (For The Love Of; The Wading Pool), will play at the ART/NY Mezzanine Theatre (502 West 53rd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues), it was announced today by Cara Reichel, Producing Artistic Director of the Prospect Theater Company. Performances for the limited engagement begin April 4 and opening night is set for April 15.One Thousand Nights and One Day is based on the play 1001 by Jason Grote.

The Playwrights Realm, led by Founding Artistic Director Katherine Kovner and Producing Director Roberta Pereira, is pleased to present the lineup for their annual INK'D Festival of New Plays.

Award-winning singer-songwriter Shaina Taub will independently release her second full-length studio solo album, Die Happy on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, it was announced today. The album will debut digitally exclusively on Bandcamp in May and will be released widely on all digital platforms later this year. Die Happy is the follow-up to Taub's debut album Visitors, released in 2015. 

George Street Playhouse, today announced Ann Harada (TV's Smash), Colin Hanlon (TV's Modern Family, Broadway's Falsettos), Kate Reinders (Broadway's Wicked and Something Rotten), Zach Shaffer (TV's Six Feet Under, Broadway's A View From the Bridge) and Stephen Wallem (Showtime's Nurse Jackie), will join the previously announced Jonathan Kite (TV's 2 Broke Girls) in Larry Shue's The Nerd, on stage April 24 - May 20, 2018. Hayden Bercy (National Tour, A Christmas Story, The Musical) rounds out the cast as 8-year-old Thor Waldgrave.