Ben Brantley News

Othello officially opened as part of the Public Theatre's free Shakespeare in the Park program, last night, June 18. Let's see what the critics are saying...

Ten year old Dylynne Cosand from Bigfork has been chosen to portray the title character in Alpine Theatre Project's upcoming production of Matilda the Musical, based on the beloved book by Roald Dahl. The musical, part of ATP's 2018 Broadway Summer Season, will open July 7 and run in rotating repertory until July 20 at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Cosand was chosen after a statewide search to find a young actress to play the young Matilda, a a precocious and confident girl gifted with an extraordinary intellect.

In response to popular demand, Soho Rep. (Sarah Benson, Artistic Director; Cynthia Flowers, Executive Director) extends the world premiere of Jackie Sibblies Drury's Fairview, directed by Sarah Benson, through July 22. In Fairview, the Frasier family (MaYaa Boateng, Charles Browning, Roslyn Ruff, and Heather Alicia Simms) is gearing up for Grandma's birthday, and Beverly needs this dinner to be perfect. But the silverware's wrong, the radio's on the fritz, her sister Jasmine is drinking, her husband Dayton isn't helping, her daughter Keisha is a typical teenager, and her brother Tyrone might not show up at all!

Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center will present an all new production of the Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime, live on stage for six performances only, June 15 through June 24 on the Main Stage Theater.

Paper Mill Playhouse is currently hosting the East Coast premiere of Half Time, a new musical. Get a first look at the company in action below!

This Sunday, the Emmy Award-winning Theater Talk and CUNY TV* present the annual TONY Sunday Marathon with episodes from the past season featuring conversations between 2018 TONY nominees and Theater Talk Executive Producer, Susan Haskins, joined by a prestigious line up of guest co-hosts.

Internationally celebrated percussionist/singer Alessandra Belloni, joined by her performance troupe I Giullari di Piazza, will return June 29 to Cathedral of St. John the Divine for a June 29th, 8 PM, performance of with 'TARANTATA - SPIDER DANCE,' an ancient healing tradition with Tarantella trance dances and healing chants for the Black Madonna.   

Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham announced the line-up today for The Public's 2018-19 Season at their landmark home on 425 Lafayette Street. The iconic New York destination, which includes five theaters and Joe's Pub, as well as The Library restaurant, has been home to over 50 years of revolutionary theater, and continues this season with new work by Emerging Writers Group alum and 2017-18 Tow Foundation Playwright-in-Residence Patricia Ione Lloyd, Public Studio alumni Hansol Jung and Jordan E. Cooper, Master Writer Chair Suzan-Lori Parks, Conor McPherson, Simon Stephens, Nick Payne, Jane Anderson, Tim Blake Nelson, and Luis Alfaro, as well as the continuation of year-round and community engagement programming: Mobile Unit, Public Works, Under the Radar Festival, Public Studio, Public Forum, Public Shakespeare Initiative, Emerging Writers Group, and the beloved Free Shakespeare in the Park.

The theatre critics for the New York Times have perhaps the most influential and respected voices when it comes to Broadway. Every awards season they come up with a list of Tony nominees who they think will win and should win the coveted prize in June. Click here to check out Ben Brantley and Jesse Green's predictions for this year.

Schimmel Center will present Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee Anna Deavere Smith's Obie Award-winning solo performance, Notes From the Field, for one weekend only on Friday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Today, June 2 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in preparation for a two week run at the Royal Court in London. The production is directed by Leonard Foglia and features original music composed and performed by bassist Marcus Shelby who joins Ms. Smith on stage.

Directed by Joe Mantello and produced by Ryan Murphy and David Stone, The Boys in the Band officially opens on Broadway tonight. Let's see what the critics had to say!

Theater (Jonathan Bank, Producing Artistic Director) will present the New York Premiere of Miles Malleson's political love story Conflict. Performances will begin May 25th and continue through July 21st at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Opening Night is set for June 21st.

The world premiere of The Beast in the Jungle officially opened last night, May 24 at Vineyard Theater - 108 East 15th Street, NYC. Let's see what the critics are saying...

Mint Theater (Jonathan Bank, Producing Artistic Director) today announced the cast for a rare reading of Ferenc Molnar's Liliom which will be presented for one night only, onMonday, June 11 at 7pm at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street).  Liliom was turned into the musical Carousel by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II which is now enjoying a successful revival on Broadway.

Celebrate The Feast Of The Tarantati   Tarantella Trance Dances And Healing Chants For The Black Madonna  With Alessandra Belloni  And I Giullari Di Piazza   In Tarantata - Spider Dance     Friday, June 29 At 8 Pm   Cathedral Of St John The Divine - St James Chapel 1047 AMSTERDAM AVENUE, at 112 ST. Tickets : $30 Reservations: 866.811.4111 or www.stjohndivine.org.   

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced a third and final extension for their acclaimed world premiere production of DANCE NATION, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize-winning new play by Obie Award winner Clare Barron (You Got Older, I'll Never Love Again). Directed and choreographed by Obie Award winner Lee Sunday Evans (Caught, D Deb Debbie Deborah, A Beautiful Day in November…, [Porto]), the play is the fifth production of the theater company's 2017/2018 Season.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts is pleased to bring the second of two brand new Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals to Orange County: School of Rock - The Musical. Following two weeks of packed houses for Webber's Love Never Dies, this high-octane Broadway and West End hit comes to Segerstrom Hall July 24 - August 5, 2018. This hilarious musical features all the original songs from the 2003 film plus 14 new songs written specially for the show by Andrew Lloyd Webber and musical theater's first-ever all-kids rock band.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director/CEO) has just announced a new collaboration with Roundabout's Company in Residence: Fiasco Theater. Roundabout will present Fiasco's new production of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG featuring a book by George Furth and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Merrily We Roll Along is based on and with additional material from the original play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced a second extension for their acclaimed world premiere production of DANCE NATION, the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize-winning new play by Obie Award winner Clare Barron (You Got Older, I'll Never Love Again). Directed and choreographed by Obie Award winner Lee Sunday Evans (Caught, D Deb Debbie Deborah, A Beautiful Day in November…, [Porto]), the play is the fifth production of the theater company's 2017/2018 Season.

Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center will present an all new production of the Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime, live on stage for six performances only, June 15 through June 24 on the Main Stage Theater.