Berger News

In what can be labeled a 'First,' the New Jewish Theatre is proud to boast that the director for the upcoming production of Clifford Odet's 1935 classic AWAKE AND SING! is Steve Woolf, Artistic Director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. While Woolf does direct outside of the Rep, he does not direct for other theatres in the St. Louis area. So this is a genuine First for both Woolf and the New Jewish Theatre. Most recently outside of the Rep, Mr. Woolf directed THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre (and then went on to direct the Rep's production of the same show). But the upcoming production at NJT was a show that he could not resist. Its realism and grittiness and the strength of the characters appealed to him.

New York City Center honored Walter Bobbie, Kathleen Marshall and Jack Viertel in a benefit celebration hosted by Christopher Fitzgerald on Monday, April 4 at The Plaza Hotel. Highlights from City Center's acclaimed Encores! series were recreated by a star-studded cast that included Jason Danieley, Christopher Fitzgerald, Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie, James Naughton, Bebe Neuwirth and Emily Skinner, accompanied by members of the Encores! Orchestra under the musical direction of Rob Berman. The evening benefited New York City Center's artistic and education programs.

Pittsburgh Public Theater welcomes spring with Circle Mirror Transformation, winner of the 2010 Obie Award for Best New American Play.

The underbelly of Beatrix Potter comes to life in Brandon Simmons' 'The Tale of Jemima Canard'. An innocent girl falls under the romantic sway of a predatory cad, but as the author is interrogated by one of her own characters, layers of love, envy, jealousy, and much worse becomes revealed as the play delves into the initially whimsical loves of Jemima.

Max and Louie Productions presents THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS by David Rambo, drawn from the life and letters of Ann Landers with the cooperation of Margo Howard. This production stars Stellie Siteman as Ann Landers and is directed by Sydnie Grosberg Ronga. The play opens on Thursday, May 12th at the COCA Black Box Theater.

The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) announced today that their annual fund-raiser entitled PREMIERE GALA: "OPENING NIGHT" will be held at The Pasadena Playhouse on Friday, April 1, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Annex Theatre serves up a saucey satire of the Lifetime television genre in a new late night show WOMEN IN PERIL written by Joel Steinpreis & Craig Trolli and directed by Jason Sharp. Bad Actor Productions bring their campy nonsense and anarchic deviance to bear on the trashy world of 1990's Lifetime movies - the kind of trashy psychotic plot-defying guilty pleasure we secretly binged on with our moms!

Direct from Broadway's American Idiot, American Idol's Justin Guarini and MTV's Paul Iacono (star of the hit series 'The Hard Times of RJ Berger') will star in Jonathan Larson's landmark rock musical RENT at Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven, NJ, from May 28 through June 19. Opening Night is scheduled for Saturday, May 28 at 8:00pm. Celebrating its 62nd Season of Broadway by the Beach, Surflight Theatre, a Jersey Shore entertainment destination for over 60 years, is now under the leadership of Producer and Surflight alum Roy Miller.

CLASSICAL ACTING WEEKEND INTENSIVE- Two Days Only: May 14-15- Master Classes- Voice and Verse, Auditioning for the Classics, Stage Combat, Acting Shakespeare, & Clown

We've gotten word that on Sunday cast members were given a chance to give their thoughts on the new script with work by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Glen Berger and that rehearsals begin today with all of the principles for Act 1 of the new script with the first read thrus and staging taking place with Phil and the leads, while Chase Brock will simultaneously begin working on his new choreography with the ensemble.

The New York Times reports today that Will Swenson (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Hair) will direct independent feature film adaptation of Carol Lynn Pearson's play 'Facing East.' Pearson is also writing the screenplay. The play centers on a family's struggle to come to terms with their Morman faith after losing their gay son to suicide. The subject mater is not far from Swenson's heart, as he witnessed similar struggles within his own childhood Mormon community. Say Swenson of the project: 'Getting through my own adolescence as a young Mormon was challenging as it was, but watching my best friend struggle with his identity as a gay teenager was heartbreaking.'

The overall experience of seeing 'Hair' is exhilarating, as if some pent-up emotion lying dormant for decades is finally being let out into the air, but this revival feels inauthentic, a little like the Disney ride version of the decade and cultural upheaval that changed our society in so many important ways.

Choice Theatricals presents the World Premiere of the comedy, Reading Under the Influence: The 'Real' Westchester Women's Book Club written by Weissberger Award winning playwright Tony Glazer and directed by Wendy C. Goldberg (winner of the 2010 Regional Tony Award).

Making its Midwest premiere in the birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill W. and Dr. Bob is an inspirational, gripping and timely story about the men and their wives whose relationships pioneered the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous and the creation of Al-Anon.

There's just as much drama going on behind the scenes ofSPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark as there is on the stage. There's been news this week that Julie Taymor's deal has not yet been completed and cast member, T.V. Carpio (Arachne) suffered a whiplash injury and additional stoppages. Also, first reported exclusively by BroadwayWorld.com this morning, it's now been officially announced that choreographer Chase Brock has joined the SPIDER-MAN: Turn Off the Dark team. The company was introduced to Brock tonight at a pre-show company meeting. Also at that meeting, they were informed that amongst the many changes that would be coming to the show in the weeks to come, the Geek Chorus who narrate much of the show now would be cut entirely from the new version of the production. The Geek Chorus was played by Gideon Glick, Jonathan Schwartz, Mat Devine, Alice Lee.

The cast was also informed tonight that the first reading of the new script would take place Friday afternoon at 1:30 PM. We're told that no cast members have yet seen the new script, which will not be given out till 1:15 PM tomorrow before the reading takes place. It's the scheduling of Friday's reading that made the telling of the cast tonight about the Greek chorus being cut. Also to be noted, only the leads have been called at the current time, and not the ensemble.

Update: The cast was also informed tonight that the first reading of the new script would take place tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 PM. We're told that no cast members have yet seen the new script, which will not be given out till 1:15 PM tomorrow before the reading takes place. It's tomorrow's reading that made the telling of the cast tonight about the Greek chorus being cut.

F*It Club Presents THE SPRING FLING: 8 Brand New Plays by Berman, Brunstetter, Halfnight, Keller, McGraw, Oliver, Schultz, & Ziegler

Red Fern Theatre Company presents Donna Fiumano-Farley's A SHOT AWAY: Personal Accounts of Military Sexual Trauma directed by Melanie Moyer Williams Featuring Laura

Musical Mondays Theatre Lab Producing Artistic Directors Bick Goss and Frank Evans and Board President Stephen Hanks announce a sneak preview of the new musical ATTACHMENT on Thursday March 24th at 6:30PM at the Jerry Orbach Theater in the Snapple Theater Center, 210 West 50th Street. Single admission is $15.00. For reservations, call 212 989-6706 or email reservations@musicalmondays.org.