Arthur Miller News

The Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program has announced that Barry Edelstein will mentor this year's fellows. Edelstein will replace the late Lynn Redgrave. This year's retreat will run from July 11 to July 18 and will focus on Shakespeare.

Last weekend, I had the exceptional privilege of conducting an InDepth InterView with 2010 Tony-winning Best Featured Actress In A Play: the luminous and winsomely witty film and stage star Scarlett Johannson. We talked about her work in the theatre on this year's highly-praised revival of Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, as well as her feelings on musicals, Stephen Sondheim, and growing up in New York, which then veered off into a considerable discussion of her film work and working with actors like Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz, as well as directors like Woody Allen and Christopher Nolan. Additionally, we discussed her love of musicals, her favorite shows, scores and cast albums, singing showtunes with Hugh Jackman, her thoughts on a Woody Allen musical, what Sondheim roles she would like to play, GLEE, and, of course, a detailed and descriptive discussion of the entire process of bringing BRIDGE to the stage. This is the complete InDepth InterView you have all been waiting for - of course, two sneek peek samples have gone up on BWW this week and have so far been quoted and reprinted in US WEEKLY, Perez Hilton and Oh No They Didn't, just to name a few, all of whom also reprinted her e-mail response to me. She is without a doubt one of the brightest stars of our age and it was a extreme privilege for me to help her shine some light on the more obscure corners of her career, as well as the highs - on Broadway, in Hollywood and elsewhere. Enjoy!

Dublin's Gate Theatre has announced that Harris Yulin will star as Willy Loman in their production of Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN. The production, to be directed by David Esbjornson, will open on July 20 and will run through September 4.

Opening the mainstage season is 'Tuesdays With Morrie' by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom, based on the book by Mitch Albom, playing October 29th - November 21st, 2010, with a preview performance on October 28th. This theatrical incarnation of the beloved bestseller is the heartwarming autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, an accomplished journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch happens to catch Morrie's appearance on a television news program and learns that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrig's Disease. Mitch is reunited with Morrie, and what starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a last class in the meaning of life. Wayne LeGette, who played Cleante in their production of 'Tartuffe' will star as Mitch.

The Weston Playhouse of Weston, Vermont has announced its summer 2010 season. The season will include four mainstage productions--THE 39 STEPS, AVENUE Q, DAMN YANKEES, and DEATH OF A SALESMAN-- as well as other productions.

Celebrated cabaret performer Jamie deRoy presents a special evening of her Multi MAC Award-winning variety show, Jamie deRoy & friends on Wednesday, July 14th (7PM) at the New York hotspot Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street ~between 5th & 6th Avenues).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce casting for the first New York revival of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning epic work, ANGELS IN AMERICA: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATIONAL THEMES. The production will be directed by Michael Greif. ANGELS IN AMERICA is the first production of Signature's 20th Anniversary season, celebrating the works of Tony Kushner.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast for its upcoming production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, playing in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre July 20 - August 22, 2010 (press opening: July 27 at 7:00 pm).

This weekend, I had the exceptional privilege of conducting an InDepth InterView with 2010 Tony-winning Best Featured Actress In A Play: the luminous and winsomely witty film and stage star Scarlett Johansson. We talked about her work in the theatre on this year's highly-praised revival of Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, as well as her feelings on musicals, Sondheim, and growing up in New York, which then veered off into a considerable discussion of her film work and working with actors like Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz, as well as directors like Woody Allen and Christopher Nolan. In this second sample portion of the forthcoming interview we talk about her love of musicals, her favorite shows, scores and cast albums, singing showtunes with Hugh Jackman, her thoughts on a Woody Allen musical, what Sondheim roles she would like to play, GLEE, and more. The complete InDepth InterView will be available next Friday, but here is another small sampling to curb your appetite until then. A special early-summer treat!

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment present the fifth and final production of La Mirada Theatre's 2009-2010 season, the Pulitzer Prize-winning DINNER WITH FRIENDS, written by Donald Margulies and directed by La Mirada Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite (Proof, Steel Magnolias).

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce a two week extension of the American premiere production of Olivier Award nominee Moira Buffini's play GABRIEL, which will now play through Sunday, June 20, 2010 Off Broadway at Atlantic's Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street).

Tonight, I had the exceptional privilege of conducting an InDepth InterView with 2010 Tony-winning Best Featured Actress In A Play: the luminous and winsomely witty Scarlett Johansson. We talked about her work in the theatre on this year's highly-praised revival of Arthur Miller's A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, as well as her feelings on musicals, Sondheim, and growing up in New York, which then veered off into a considerable discussion of her film work and working with actors like Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz, as well as directors like Woody Allen, Brian DePalma and Christopher Nolan. In this sample portion of the forthcoming interview, in addition to speaking eloquently about the acclaimed revival and winning the Tony, Ms. Johansson was also gracious enough to address the 'Give The Tonys Back To Broadway' Facebook campaign controversy and her response is reflected here, as well as in the e-mail follow-up and further explanation I received from her just moments ago. The complete interview will be available next week, here is a small sampling to whet your palette. Enjoy!

Howard Davies' critically acclaimed production of All My Sons at the Apollo Theatre has extended its run by 3 weeks and is now booking until 2 October 2010. Acknowledged as Arthur Miller's first great success, this current production of All My Sons starring David Suchet and Zoë Wanamaker with Stephen Campbell Moore, Daniel Lapaine and Jemima Rooper has been universally hailed by the critics.

Polish actress Elzbieta Czyzewska has died in Manhattan at the age of seventy-two, The New York Times reports. The cause of death was esophageal cancer, according to Czyewska's friend Nancy Weber.

The Creative Tony Award Winners Ceremony, streamed live on TonyAwards.com has wrapped and the broadcast is underway! MEMPHIS won big with prizes for best book, score and orchestrations. AMERICAN IDIOT took home prizes for best set and best lighting. Additional winners include Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Eddie Redmayne, Michael Grandage, Terry Johnson and more! CLICK HERE to view all of the winners on BroadwayWorld, being updated throughout the night!

The American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were held at Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 13, 2010 and broadcast on the CBS Television Network. For more information visit tonyawards.com.

Jamie deRoy brings her show back to the Metropolitan Room July 14 at 7pm with special guests Natalia Zuckerman, Alexandra silber, Martin Vidnovic, Pamela Myers and Benjamin Levy. Barry Kleinbort will direct the concert, with musical direction by Christopher Danny.

Antony Sher will lead the cast in Arthur Miller's Broken Glass, directed at the Tricycle Theatre by Iqbal Khan. Broken Glass, designed by Mike Britton with lighting by Matthew Eagland runs from 30 September - 27 November, with press night on 6 October 2010. Further casting will be announced shortly.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment present the fifth and final production of La Mirada Theatre's 2009-2010 season, the Pulitzer Prize-winning DINNER WITH FRIENDS, written by Donald Margulies and directed by La Mirada Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Brian Kite (Proof, Steel Magnolias).

Today, we continue our series of interviews with the recipients of this year's Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre with popular and critically-praised playwright and director Alan Ayckbourn, recently on Broadway with THE NORMAN CONQUESTS as well as many others over the last forty years.