Bert Williams News

The Flea Theater announces its winter 2019-2020 Anchor Partners, an initiative designed to support small independent theater, music and dance companies. This season, The Flea welcomes companies Tiffany Mills Company, Elisa Monte Dance, Notch Theatre Company, Gabrielle Revlock, The Bang Group and TOSOS.

UnsungMusicalsCo. heads to Washington, D.C. where Show Time! creator Ben West will give a two-part lecture series for The Library of Congress entitled Diversity and the Birth of Broadway.

From Friday, October 11 through Thursday, October 17, BAM presents New Orleans-based artist Garrett Bradley's revelatory modern silent film America (2019), a poetic, visually sumptuous work that challenges the idea of Black cinema as a “wave,” or “movement in time,” proposing instead a continuous thread of achievement. 'From the moment I saw this blazingly original, poignantly dreamlike short at this year's Sundance Film Festival,' says series programmer Ashley Clark, 'it felt imperative to offer our audiences the chance to luxuriate in this ambitious short-form work on the big screen.' Each program throughout the series features the 30-minute short paired with films, talks, and special guest appearances.

Lori Sokol, Executive Director of Women's eNews, today announced the Host, Honorary Gala Chair, and Honorary Gala Co-Chairs for the 19th annual '21 Leaders for the 21st Century' Awards gala, which will take place on May 6th at Club 101 in New York City.

It's not Halloween without a Handbag show, so Hell in a Handbag Productions' Artistic Director David Cerda is conjuring up a special treat: THE GOLDEN GIRLS: Bea Afraid! - The Halloween Edition.

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to kick off its 2018 Season with a revival of its 2013 hit L'IMITATION OF LIFE, a dead on parody of the 1959 film Imitation of Life about race, mothers and daughters - and looking fabulous! Adapted by Ricky Graham and Running with Scissors and directed by ensemble member Stevie Love*, L'IMITATION OF LIFE will play March 31 - May 6, 2018 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at www.handbagproductions.org (through Stage 773) or by calling (773) 327-5252. 

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to announce its 2018 season, kicking off this spring with a revival of its 2013 hit L'IMITATION OF LIFE, a dead on parody of the 1959 film Imitation of Life about race, mothers and daughters - and looking fabulous! Adapted by Ricky Graham and Running with Scissors and directed by ensemble member Stevie Love, ensemble member Ed Jones and Robert Williams reprise their roles as Lana Turner and Annie Johnson.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) presents the San Francisco premiere of Until, Until, Until..., a play written, staged, and directed by Los Angeles based artist Edgar Arceneaux. Until, Until, Until is an investigation and meditation on the infamous 1981 performance by Broadway legend Ben Vereen, televised nationally as part of Ronald Reagan's inaugural celebration.

The new Broadway production of Once On This Island officially opens tonight, December 3rd, at the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th street, NYC), and is directed by Tony nominee Michael Arden, and choreographed by the critically-acclaimed Camille A. Brown. Scroll down to learn more about the company and watch highlights from the show!

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Nina Simone: Four Women runs November 10-December 24, 2017 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company at their first rehearsal below!

Nina Simone didn't write her most iconic song inside Birmingham's bombed out 16th Street Baptist Church just after four girls were killed there in 1963. But she was so full of rage she could have. It's not the only flight of fancy in Christina Ham's dynamic theatrical work 'Nina Simone: Four Women' at Arena Stage.

Virginia Stage Company continues its 39th Season with The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the '61 Freedom Riders. Co-produced with Norfolk State University Theatre Company, The Parchman Hour journeys through the Deep South with the pioneers who fought discrimination and paved the way for the future. Written and directed by Mike Wiley, this play is adapted from real life accounts of the 1961 Freedom Rides and shares these struggles through music that ranges from spirituals to Bob Dylan.

The 'Girls' are headed to Boystown! After an eleven-week sell-out run, including two extensions at Mary's Attics in Andersonville, Hell in a Handbag Production' campy world premiere THE GOLDEN GIRLS - THE LOST EPISODES is transferring to Lakeview's Stage 773 for an additional six-weeks. The new condensed, late-night edition will feature the best of the original run - plus new material.

Virginia Stage Company continues its 39th Season with The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the '61 Freedom Riders. Co-produced with Norfolk State University Theatre Company, The Parchman Hour journeys through the Deep South with the pioneers who fought discrimination and paved the way for the future. Written and directed by Mike Wiley, this play is adapted from real life accounts of the 1961 Freedom Rides and shares these struggles through music that ranges from spirituals to Bob Dylan.

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 15th Anniversary Season with the world premiere of BEWILDERED, a musical parody of the classic TV sitcom Bewitched, told from the perspective of Gladys Kravitz, Samantha Stephens' iconic nosy neighbor.

Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 15th Anniversary Season with the world premiere of BEWILDERED, a musical parody of the classic TV sitcom Bewitched, told from the perspective of Gladys Kravitz, Samantha Stephens' iconic nosy neighbor. Featuring a book by Ron Weaver, music and lyrics by Aaron Benham and Ron Weaver and direction and choreography by Brigitte Ditmars, BEWILDERED will play September 27 - November 11, 2017 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at www.handbagproductions.org and stage773.com, by calling (773) 327-5252 or in person at the Stage 773 box office.

The 'Girls' are headed to Boystown! After an eleven-week sell-out run, including two extensions at Mary's Attics in Andersonville, Hell in a Handbag Production' campy world premiere THE GOLDEN GIRLS - THE LOST EPISODES is transferring to Lakeview's Stage 773 for an additional six-weeks. The new condensed, late-night edition will feature the best of the original run - plus new material.

The Nashville Association of Talent Directors (NATD) announced today four Nashville leaders who will be recognized at the 7th Annual NATD Honors Gala, scheduled for November 14, 2017, at the Hermitage Hotel.

Hell in a Handbag Productions, now celebrating its 15th Anniversary Season, is pleased to announce casting for the world premiere of BEWILDERED.

Tickets are selling faster than cheesecake, pussycat! After a month of sell-out performances, Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to announce a second extension of its campy world premiere THE GOLDEN GIRLS - THE LOST EPISODES, with added performances through through Saturday, September 16, 2017 at Mary's Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. The campy parody of one of TV's most beloved sitcoms is written by David Cerda and directed by Shade Murray. Ticket for all performances are currently available at www.handbagproductions.org or by calling (800) 838-3006.