Ben Butler News

Two West Coast premieres, one Southern California premiere and one World premiere highlight an engaging, eclectic 2021-2022 seven-play series at North Coast Repertory Theatre, now celebrating its 40th season.

Boca Stage (formerly Primal Forces) has announced its third season at Boca Raton's Sol Theatre. The 2020/2021 season (the company's seventh overall) will present four South Florida premieres each featuring characters struggling against the system and immersed in compelling situations.

Theatre Forty will present a play-reading via Zoom of the historical drama Ben Butler by Richard Strand on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. PST. John Leslie directs a cast that includes Martin Thompson, Shawn Savage, Tony Williams and John W. Combs.

Riding a new wave of critical acclaim from A Different War, her incredibly timely and most politically charged album to date, widely heralded Biracial blues-rocker DANIELIA COTTON has risen again into the light, fiercely and defiantly, to join a star-studded lineup for “Rock for Relief,” the star-studded benefit concert supporting Feeding America's COVID-19 Response Fund on July 3 at 8pm ET and again at 11pm ET broadcasted at www.rockforrelief.net.

Set for release May 29 on all major digital platforms through Cottontown Music, the six-song opus finds the “fiery rock vocalist” (American Songwriter), whose voice gives her songs “stunning power” (No Depression), speaking to these extraordinary times by unloading her sin while the world around her is gripped in a turbulent spin. Cotton frames A Different War by confronting race, gender, and wealth − deeply personal and pervasive issues that have plagued folks like her for an eternity.

Peterborough Players has announced their 2020 Summer Season, where 'Anything can happen...'! The Players has a lot to celebrate as this summer commemorates not only the 87th year of the Players, but the 25th season of lauded leadership team, Artistic Director Gus Kaikkonen and Managing Director Keith Stevens.

The actors had been chosen, rehearsals scheduled, and notices for the Players' Ring show already sent out when the production team realized they would not be getting the rights for the script for a?oeBen Butler,a?? which had been picked out specifically for Black History Month.

British talk-show host David Frost has become a laughingstock. Richard Nixon has just resigned from the Presidency in disgrace. One man is determined to save his career. The other wants to redeem his place in history. When these two titans come together for a series of interviews, it's clear that, on television, image is king, and only one of them can win.

As evidenced by the breadth of nominations for Broadway World's Annual Audience Choice Awards, Maine's theatrical landscape seems to grow and flourish with each new season. For a state as remote as we are, we boast two prestigious regional theatres now in their second half centuries a?" Maine State Music Theatre and Ogunquit Playhouse a?" which are leaders on the national regional scene and which have become destinations for travellers from far flung places. Add to these an array of countless other companies of every size and philosophic bent, and you have a colorful, rich artistic arena that grows more interesting each year. I am privileged to get to sample these performances as Broadway World's Maine editor and to be able to compare many of them favorably with shows I see across the country, in New York and London. These are my personal choices of the best in Maine for 2019, grouped by theatre company and show.

The Country Music Association has announced the final nominees for a?oeThe 53rd Annual CMA Awards,a?? as Maren Morris tops the list of finalists with six nominations. Brothers Osborne receives four nominations, the second most nominations this year, while 11 garner three nominations eacha?"Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Scott Hendricks, Dann Huff, Greg Kurstin, Kacey Musgraves, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton and Carrie Underwood. For the night's highest honor, reigning Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban is nominated again in the category alongside Garth Brooks, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton and Underwood. 

Gloucester Stage Company presents the Boston area premiere of Richard Strand's BEN BUTLER, a Union army general who was a settler of Gloucester's Bayview neighborhood, a presidential candidate, and the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts. Those achievements came after he retired from the military, where he forged a reputation as a champion of the causes of labor, abolition of slavery, and naturalized citizens. In the play, set in the middle of the Civil War in 1861, Butler faces a moral dilemma, forced to choose between adhering strictly to the law or daring to make a bold move that holds the promise of changing history.

Gloucester Stage Company continues its 40th Anniversary Season of professional theater with the Boston area premiere of Richard Strand's Ben Butler from August 2 through August 25 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Richard Strand's Ben Butler, a smart and funny discourse on race, protocol and our sense of humanity garnered high critical acclaim during its Off Broadway run in 2016. New York's Joseph Discher who helmed the show's world premiere production in 2014 and the Off Broadway production in 2016, makes his GSC debut directing Ben Butler. Actors Ames Adamson as General Benjamin Butler and Shane Taylor as escaped slave Shepard Mallory make their GSC debut in Ben Butler. GSC veterans Doug Bowen-Flynn as Lieutenant Kelly and David DeBeck as Confederate Major Cary complete the cast. Richard Strand's Ben Butler, runs from August 2 through August 25. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

Peninsula Players Theatre, America's oldest professional resident summer theater and Door County's theatrical icon, is proud to announce it has received a $20,000 award from The Shubert Foundation. The Shubert Foundation has awarded a record total of $30 million to 533 not-for-profit performing arts organizations across the United States since its inception. This marks the 38th consecutive year that the Foundation has increased its giving, including an additional $5,000 to Peninsula Players.

Playhouse on Park has announced the cast for its next Main Stage Series production, My Name is Asher Lev.

Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Rachael Sage has released her new acoustic album PseudoMyopia, today via MPress Records/ILS/Universal. Purchase PseudoMyopia here.  Sage will support the album with a full schedule of performances throughout the year, including an official album release launch at NYC's prestigious Joe's Pub, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary season. See below for the list of tour dates.

General Butler is faced with a moral dilemma when escaped slaves request sanctuary at Fort Monroe.  Not following the letter of the law will alter the course of U.S. History. Based on actual events in 1861, this play is clever without being glib, meaningful without being pretentious, and side-splittingly funny.  It's a timeless exploration of social conscience and individual responsibility.

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Carnegie Hall presents two performances of We Chose to Go to the Moon—a music and multimedia presentation that reignites the unforgettable moments of the historic mission—on Tuesday evening, July 16 and Saturday evening, July 20 in Zankel Hall, created and narrated by historian John Monsky.

In celebration of International Women's Day, Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Rachael Sage has released the acoustic version of her longtime fan favorite “Sistersong” along with a fan-sourced video for her song “Spark” via Popmatters. Both songs appear on her forthcoming album PseudoMyopia, out March 22 via MPress Records/ILS/Universal.

Vilna, a new play by Ira Fuchs directed by Joseph Discher, will begin its limited Off-Broadway World Premiere engagement at the Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street, between Ninth & Tenth Avenues) on Monday March 11th. Opening Night is set for Wednesday March 20th (7pm). This limited Off-Broadway engagement continues through Sunday April 14th only.

A fun, new musical adaptation of an audience favorite comes to First Stage this holiday season. Created by the talented husband/wife team of Jahnna Beecham (Playwright/Lyricist) and Malcolm Hillgartner (Composer/Lyricist) and based on the play by Barbara Robinson, THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER: THE MUSICAL is filled with catchy,'60s-inspired original music and a delightful story that both young and old will enjoy. The horrible Herdmans are the worst kids in the history of the world. The entire town panics when these rowdy six siblings are cast in the church's annual Christmas pageant. It's up to good-hearted Mrs. Bradley to help the Herdmans - and the rest of the town - discover the true meaning of Christmas before it's too late. Silent night? Not a chance, but sometimes a little joyful noise is just right for Christmas. Sponsored by Associated Bank and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren.