Arthur Kopit News

32 Actors, 8 Writers, and 8 Directors will gather at Abingdon Theatre Company for an entire weekend of pure creativity to produce FETE 24.

Cal State Fullerton is opening the Tony Award-winning THE MIRACLE WORKER by William Gibson on February 19 (running through March 13) in the Hallberg Theatre on the CSUF campus. Directed by Dr. Joseph Arnold, the docudrama touches on the volatile relationship between the blind, deaf and mute Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan.

For the first musical of its 51st season, the Costa Mesa Playhouse presents 'Nine,' based on auteur Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini's Oscar-winning, semi-autobiographical masterpiece, '8½.' With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston ('Titanic') and a book by acclaimed playwright Arthur Kopit ('Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad'), this sultry and enchanting musical follows the life of world famous director Guido Contini as he prepares his latest picture and balances the numerous women in his life. Drifting toward a nervous breakdown, Contini falls into nostalgic reverie, eventually focusing on the formative sexual encounter of his life, which occurred at the age of nine.

The Dramatists Guild of America has announced the recipients of their annual awards, which will be presented at their annual meeting on Monday, February 22, 2016, at The American Airlines Theatre Penthouse Lobby in New York.

The 'ReGroup Reads' series is gearing up for its second year. The free reading series, based on the best of American Theatre playwriting has already presented works by Paul Green, Tennessee Williams, Lillian Hellman, Maxwell Anderson, George S. Kaufman and more in its first year.

A popular Southern California community theatre actor says he did it for money.

Members and constituents of United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 have been busy speaking out against The New York Times' recent decision to leave out the names of shows' designers when listing credits for theatre productions at the end of reviews. As of today, their hard work has paid off.

politiKos 2015 (Israela Margalit, Founding Artistic Director) NYC's only political theater festival, is happy to announce five special guest poets as part of their OPEN MIC event tonight, November 5th.

Broadwayworld.com interviewed Renee Philippi about 'The Bellagio Fountain Has Been Known to Make Me Cry.' Philippi is the writer of the show and she also co-directs it with Eric Nightengale. It will be onstage at HERE in New York City from November 27th to December 13th.

As previously reported, United Scenic Artists Local USA 829 recently started a campaign to nudge its members and constituents to speak out against The New York Times' recent decision to leave out the names of shows' designers when listing credits for theatre productions at the end of reviews.

politiKos 2015 (Israela Margalit, Founding Artistic Director) NYC's only political theater festival, , is happy to announce five special guest poets as part of their OPEN MIC event on Thursday, November 5th. Poets will include Advocate of Wordz (Nuyorican Slam Team Member), MuMs da Schemer (star of the HBO series OZ),Mahogany Browne (Slam Mistress of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe), Yadira De La Riva (Jerome Foundation Grantee), and Adam Bowser "ShadowKat" (2-time Grand Slam Nuyorican Finalist). The event will be hosted by Darian Dauchan (New Word Artist for Urban Word NYC) and open to anyone who wants to sign up and participate.

The award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company presents two events in time for Halloween: "Poe by Candlelight" on Saturday, October 24 at 8:00p.m. and the silent classic "Phantom of the Opera" on Sunday, October 25 at 8:30p.m., both at The First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes Street in Cape May, where the theater is in residence.

Neil LaBute, Erik Ehn, Arthur Kopit, Deborah Laufer, Ryan McCurdy of Broadway's ONCE, and Heather Woodbury join CLIMATE CHANGE THEATRE ACTION - a series of worldwide readings and performances intended to bring awareness to, and foster discussion around, climate change during the months of November and December 2015.

In the early 1980s, despite their previously long-running friendship, Broadway director, producer and choreographer Michael Bennett and fellow jack-of-all-trades on the Great White Way Tommy Tune, entered into what many consider the greatest face-off in Tony Awards history. Michael Riedel, writing for Vanity Fair, examines this rivalry between DREAMGIRLS and NINE in an adapted excerpt from his book RAZZLE DAZZLE for the magazine's October 2015 issue.

FRIGID New York @ Horse Trade in association with Moonlight Theatre Productions will present the first annual politiKos 2015 (founding Artistic Director, Israela Margalit), a new political theater festival of drama, comedy, satire, songs, and opinions from left, right and center, that gives voice to celebrated as well as to emerging playwrights, poets, and performers. This year's festival will feature work by Arthur Kopit, Dominique Morisseau, Brian Dykstra, Michael Bradford, Libby Emmons, Israela Margalit, Colin Greer, Darian Dauchan, Up and Down Theater, and The Living Theater, under directors John Eisner, Margarett Perry, John-Martin Green, and Christina Russos. politiKos is about politics in the broadest sense of the word, hence the  "K" from the Greek: of, for, or relating to citizens.

Walnut Street Theatre opens its landmark 207th season with the sparkling Broadway musical featuring the classic sounds of Cole Porter, HIGH SOCIETY. Directed by Frank Anzalone, with choreography by Mary Jane Houdina, this Philadelphia premiere opens tonight, September 16th, and runs through October 25th on the Walnut's Mainstage.

Walnut Street Theatre opens its landmark 207th season with the sparkling Broadway musical featuring the classic sounds of Cole Porter, HIGH SOCIETY. Directed by Frank Anzalone, with choreography by Mary Jane Houdina, this Philadelphia premiere began previews on September 8th, opens on September 16th and runs through October 25th on the Walnut's Mainstage. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Walnut Street Theatre opens its landmark 207th season with the sparkling Broadway musical featuring the classic sounds of Cole Porter, HIGH SOCIETY. Directed by Frank Anzalone, with choreography by Mary Jane Houdina, this Philadelphia premiere begins previews on September 8th, opens on September 16th and runs through October 25th on the Walnut's Mainstage.

Helen Dallimore has drawn together a stellar group of actors and creatives to bring Cole Porter's HIGH SOCIETY to life with lots of laughs and beautiful music.

Walnut Street Theatre opens its landmark 207th season with the sparkling Broadway musical featuring the classic sounds of Cole Porter, HIGH SOCIETY. Directed by Frank Anzalone, with choreography by Mary Jane Houdina, this Philadelphia premiere begins previews on September 8th, opens on September 16th and runs through October 25th on the Walnut's Mainstage.