Bette Davis News

Susan Claassen, who stars as legendary Hollywood designer Edith Head in ?A Conversation With Edith Head? will be appearing in California in June. Following her engagement in London last summer, Ms. Claassen began her US tour by opening the 16th season at Houston?s Theater LaB with a sold out 5-performance engagement. Her US tour also included appearances in Tucson at the Invisible Theatre, at Arizona?s Tubac Center of the Arts, and, most recently, at the 35th Annual Symposium of the Costume Society of America in Tempe and Phoenix, AZ where she, once again, received rave review's. Symposium attendee Nena Ivon, Manager, Special Events, Saks Fifth Avenue, Chicago, said: ?A Conversation With Edith Head was outstanding and a fitting finale to the symposium?.

My Pal Bette, a one act play that was a smash hit at the 2007 Orlando International Fringe Festival, is making its NY premiere this summer at The Producer's Club. Written by John Ryan, My Pal Bette stars Tammy Kopko as Bette Davis, the razor-mouthed, high-ball drinking, chain-smoking screen siren and unlikely mentor to pre-pubescent Tommy Klein.

Uptown Players has revived this tradition of slapstick with its outrageous stage production Mommie Queerest, a parody of the 1970s book and hit film 'Mommie Dearest' based on the life of screen actress Joan Crawford, now running through Jul. 12 at the S4 Rose Room in the Oak Lawn area.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey continues its 2009 Season with American playwright Lillian Hellman's compelling work, The Little Foxes running now through June 28 at the Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage - The F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue at Lancaster Road in Madison. The production opens tonight, June 6th, after beginning previews on June 3rd, 2009.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Broadway Under The Stars for one night only, on Saturday, June 27 at 8:30 pm at John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, starring six favorite Reprise performers -- Jason Graae, Lucas Grabeel, Dorian Harewood, Jean Louisa Kelly, Vicki Lewis, and Valarie Pettiford. The production is directed by Lee Martino, with music direction by Mary Ekler.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey continues its 2009 Season with American playwright Lillian Hellman's compelling work, The Little Foxes running now through June 28 at the Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage - The F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue at Lancaster Road in Madison.

On Thursday, May 21, TheatreWorks New Milford will present a free staged reading of the classic film, ALL ABOUT EVE, at 8:00 pm, at the Theatre, 5 Brookside Ave, in New Milford. The reading will be followed by a wine and cheese reception. ALL ABOUT EVE tells the story of Margo Channing, one of the biggest stars on Broadway.

On Thursday, May 21, TheatreWorks New Milford will present a free staged reading of the classic film, All About Eve, at 8:00 pm, at the Theatre, 5 Brookside Ave, in New Milford. The reading will be followed by a wine and cheese reception.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey continues its 2009 Season with American playwright Lillian Hellman's compelling work, The Little Foxes beginning performances on June 3 and continuing through June 28 at the Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage - The F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Avenue at Lancaster Road in Madison.

23 Elephants proudly presents The Unspeakable Act, a hilariously twisted fairytale you won?t be telling your children anytime soon. Inspired by an ancient Japanese fairytale, The Unspeakable Act follows an empress on her journey of sexual discovery with an unlikely lover: a hermit-monk turned demonic sex stud. Through the use of improvisation, dance and 80?s music 23 Elephants has created a show rife with physical comedy and throbbing with innuendo.

On Thursday, May 21, TheatreWorks New Milford will present a free staged reading of the classic film, ALL ABOUT EVE, at 8:00 pm, at the Theatre, 5 Brookside Ave, in New Milford. The reading will be followed by a wine and cheese reception. ALL ABOUT EVE tells the story of Margo Channing, one of the biggest stars on Broadway.

On Thursday, May 21, TheatreWorks New Milford will present a free staged reading of the classic film, All About Eve, at 8:00 pm, at the Theatre, 5 Brookside Ave, in New Milford. The reading will be followed by a wine and cheese reception.

Marin Theatre Company is pleased to present the world premiere of Magic Forest Farm by Zayd Dohrn, winner of the first annual Sky Cooper New American Play Prize in 2008. The production will be staged in MTC's 99-seat Lieberman Theatre. From one of America's hottest young playwrights comes a riveting story of a young woman's desperate search for her past. Seventeen year-old Allegra is beginning to piece together the swirling memories of her early years in the beautiful woods of Northern California on a mystical commune called Magic Forest Farm. Mixing with joyous recollections of waterfalls and wildflowers are darker revelations and startling images of the people she thinks she trusts most. A journey begins that takes Allegra back to the commune, back to the past, to confront the truth.

The Mirror Repertory Company's presents John Colton's THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, an epic story of love and revenge -- and the culture clash of blood and ethnicity, April 21, 2009 thru May 17, 2009 at the Julia Miles Theatre, 424 West 55th St. Previews begin April 23rd and the official opening will be on April 30, 2009 at 7PM.

The Mirror Repertory Company will present John Colton's THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, an epic story of love and revenge -- and the culture clash of blood and ethnicity, April 21, 2009 thru May 17, 2009 at the Julia Miles Theatre, 424 West 55th St. Previews begin April 23rd and the official opening will be on April 30, 2009 at 7PM.

In October 2008, the theatre world and most especially the LA theatre community lost a giant. Milton Katselas, founder of The Beverly Hills Playhouse acting school and its non-profit theatre company Camelot Artists (founded in 1982), was arguably one of the premiere theatrical directors and acting teachers of his time

The world-renowned Imagination Workshop was founded 40 years ago by Margaret Ladd, the award-winning actress and Founding Artistic Director, and her husband Lyle Kessler, the critically-acclaimed playwright, and Co-Founder of the organization. Today, the Imagination Workshop, a unique theatre company comprised of professional theatre artists collaborating with patients recovering from mood disorders and other mental illnesses, is one of the longest running Arts and Social Institutions in the country.

The Mirror Repertory Company's presents John Colton's THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, an epic story of love and revenge -- and the culture clash of blood and ethnicity, April 21, 2009 thru May 17, 2009 at the Julia Miles Theatre, 424 West 55th St. Previews begin April 23rd and the official opening will be on April 30, 2009 at 7PM.

Jenna gives a rundown of where she's been and who she's seen in the world of cabaret in the past week. The past week's shows include Cait Doyle at the Duplex, Christine Pedi at Birdland, and Ben Cherry at Don't Tell Mama.

The world-renowned Imagination Workshop was founded 40 years ago by Margaret Ladd, the award-winning actress and Founding Artistic Director, and her husband Lyle Kessler, the critically-acclaimed playwright, and Co-Founder of the organization. Today, the Imagination Workshop, a unique theatre company comprised of professional theatre artists collaborating with patients recovering from mood disorders and other mental illnesses, is one of the longest running Arts and Social Institutions in the country.