Bekah Brunstetter News

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the line-up of new musicals for their 30th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which takes place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26, 2018 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). The Festival events will kick off on Monday, October 22 with Thank You, 30!, a gala event to celebrate the 30th Annual Festival.

Directed by Adam Knight ('In The Room, 'Naperville. Performances of STUPID F##KING BIRD are on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8PM, July 6th through July 21st.

Stripped Scripts ('Tomorrow In The Battle, an Ars Nova Fling), in association with Long Island City Artists Inc. and The Plaxall Gallery ('Garden Of Delights'), has announced that it will present Aaron Posner's STUPID F##KING BIRD, a satirical spin on the Chekhov's classic text, 'The Seagull', directed by Adam Knight ('In The Room, 'Naperville'), running July 6th - July 21st, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 8pm at The Plaxall Gallery (5-25 46 Avenue, Long Island City).

The Orchard Project, a nationally renowned performance laboratory, today announced the six original, independent pilots selected to participate in its first annual Episodic Lab. More than 430 artists applied to the inaugural year of the Episodic Lab, which will help writers develop television and episodic content, working with accomplished showrunners and producers as mentors. The pioneer artists include playwrights, cartoonist, and screenwriters — and they are working on a diverse set of pilots, focusing on everything from the world of rap to the world of celebrity cruises. Selected artists and projects include: BRIGHTSTAR! By Michael Cyril Creighton; CRACK'D by Nako Adodoadji; THE PARK by Amy Jephta; THE SHAMROCKS by Chris Sharp and Kate Barry; THE STRIP by Tom Toro; and TINO & HEDDY by Patricia Scanlon and Louis Mustillo.

Samuel French's Off Off Broadway Short Play Festival, the nation's premier short play competition, is excited to open 2018 ticket sales with an announcement of this year's Top 30 playwrights.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in the Berkshires, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, presents the regional premiere of The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter (NBC's This Is Us). Previews begin June 21, with an official opening night on June 24, with performances through July 15 on the St. Germain Stage at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center (36 Linden Street).

The Geffen Playhouse today announced that it has added three directors to its upcoming 2018/2019 season, the first from new Artistic Director Matt Shakman. Tony Award nominee Michael Arden will direct Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, adapted by and starring Tony Award winner Jefferson Mays; Obie Award winner Jo Bonney will direct the world premiere of Jose Rivera's The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona; and Obie Award-winner Robert O'Hara will direct the world premiere of Inda Craig-Galvan's Black Super Hero Magic Mama.

Stripped Scripts in association with Long Island City Artists Inc. and The Plaxall Gallery has announced that it will present Aaron Posner's STUPID F##KING BIRD, a satirical spin on the Chekhov's classic text, 'The Seagull', directed by Adam Knight ('In The Room, 'Naperville'), running July 6th - July 21st, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at The Plaxall Gallery (5-25 46 Avenue, Long Island City).

Theater Breaking Through Barriers celebrates playwright A.R. Gurney with the first Off-Broadway revival of his comedy THE FOURTH WALL. Directed by Christopher Burris, performances run through June 23 at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at The A.R.T./New York Theatres. 

Known nationally and internationally for its professional cultivation of vibrant new plays, the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University welcomes the 2018 company to Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Each July, artists from around the country, including cities such as New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, gather in historic Shepherdstown to create the future of American theater.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University, dedicated to producing and developing new American theater, welcomes Nicole M. Smith, as the full-time Company Manager. Smith served as CATF's seasonal Company Manager from 2012 to 2014, before accepting a position at the notable Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. For Smith, returning to CATF is akin to returning home.

The final two plays have been announced for Manhattan Theatre Club's upcoming 2018-2019 season off-Broadway at New York City Center (131 W. 55th Street).

The Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University will produce the world premiere of Michael Weller's A Late Morning (in America) with Ronald Reagan as part of its 2018 season. This play is a result of a collaboration between Weller, director Sam Weisman, and actor Tim Matheson. Initially, Matheson was to originate the role of Ronald Reagan. However, due to an unexpected scheduling conflict, Matheson is no longer able to be a part of the project and the role will be recast.

City Theatre (@citytheatremia) and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County (@arshtcenter) are proud to present SUMMER SHORTS, America's Short Play Festival. Playing May 31-July 1, 2018 in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House) and led by City Theatre Artistic Director Margaret M. Ledford, SUMMER SHORTS is an annual theatrical celebration that showcases the diversity of Miami through a variety of new short plays and musicals.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core will add four performances to the run The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter, directed by Lauren Shouse, and featuring RTE Founders Tara Mallen and Keith Kupferer, RTE Member Krystel McNeil, with Tuckie White.  Eight performances have been added to the run, which must close June 2, 2018 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. 

Today Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein of the Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company announced the Twelfth Season of Keen Teens. This season's offerings will be Winifred & Myrtle Go to High School by Leah Nanako Wrinkler, directed by Michael Goldfried; Around 2 by James Anthony Tyler, directed by Estefania Fadul; and The Caribbean Queen with book & lyrics by Jamie Cowperthwait, music & lyrics by Salomon Lerner, directed and choreographed by Ilana Ransom Toeplitz with musical direction by Salomon Lerner. An-Lin Dauber will provide scenic design, with costume design by Karen Boyer, lighting design by Kate August and sound design by Karl Berntson.

As part of its ninth season, Unexpected Stage Company presents Be a Good Little Widow, a comedy about life, grief, and longing by Bekah Brunstetter (This Is Us, The Cake, The Oregon Trail). The production will run July 12 to August 5 in the Fireside Room, an intimate 40-seat venue at the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation Building, located at 6301 River Road in Bethesda. General admission tickets, priced $10 to $29.50, are on sale via phone at 800-838-3006, online at www.unexpectedstage.org, and at the door subject to availability. A special Pay-What-You-Wish preview performance is scheduled for Thursday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m.; reservations are recommended. For information, please call 301-337-8290 or visit www.unexpectedstage.org.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in the Berkshires (Pittsfield, MA) under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, is pleased to announce initial casting for the 2018 Season.

F*It Club, the New York Innovative Award-winning film and theatre company, continues its annual series of short, commissioned world-premiere plays at the IRT Theater as part of their 3B Development Series in Manhattan's West Village with The Spring Fling: Chemistry, seven new short plays by Mario Correa (Tail! Spin!), Jahna Ferron-Smith (Ensemble Studio Theatre's Youngblood), Jon Kern (Modern Terrorism), Dan McCabe (Christina Martinez), Mara Nelson-Greenberg (Do You Feel Anger?), Erica Saleh (Channel Zero, Wisdom of the Crowd) and Amy Staats (Eddie and Dave).

Bekah Brunstetter has been in the news a lot lately as her play THE CAKE (Geffen Playhouse, Manhattan Theatre Club) sweeps the nation and for her work on NBC's hit THIS IS US. Previously acclaimed plays like BE A GOOD LITTLE WIDOW, THE OREGON TRAIL and YOU MAY GO NOW have created a growing fan base for the playwright.