Branden Jacobs-Jenkins News

I'd venture to say that this is one of the strongest new plays I've seen at Woolly in recent memory.

Sundance Institute today announced the seven artists selected for its 2014 Playwrights Retreat at Ucross Foundation. The 15th annual writing colony at the 20,000-acre working cattle ranch outside of Sheridan, WY takes place February 3-21. Under the supervision of Artistic Director Philip Himberg and Producing Director Christopher Hibma, the Playwrights Retreat is made possible through the generosity of Ucross Foundation.

In this searing and audacious comic drama, the estranged members of the Lafayette family return to Arkansas, and their crumbling old plantation home, to settle the accounts of their recently deceased patriarch. As they sort through a hoarded lifetime of mementos and junk, they discover a gruesome relic that sends the family spiraling into a dark history of repressed memories and family secrets.

Victory Gardens Theater kicks off its 2013-14 season with the Co-World Premiere of Appropriateby Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by Gary Griffin. Appropriate is presented in association with Actors Theatre of Louisville and was developed, in part, by IGNITION 2012. Appropriate runs November 8-December 8, with the press performance on November 15, 2013, at Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE continues to support MARIE ANTOINETTE by David Adjmi, commissioned by Yale Rep, now in previews at Off-Broadway's Soho Rep.

Perhaps the defining characteristic of Soho Rep, under the artistic direction of Sarah Benson, is the institution's commitment to artists creating surprisingly big theatrical events in its very small space on Walker Street. Soho Rep's 2013-14 season, announced today, provides ample evidence of that commitment, comprising two shows that are among the biggest the organization has ever produced: the New York premiere of David Adjmi's Marie Antoinette, directed by Rebecca Taichman and featuring Marin Ireland (Blasted); and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' An Octoroon, directed by Benson.

Kathleen Chalfant and Kate Mulgrew just hosted the Vineyard Theatre's annual Emerging Artists Luncheon on yesterday, Oct. 3 at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. The event featured the presentation of the 2013 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award to Christopher Chen, a San Francisco-based playwright whose works include THE HUNDRED FLOWERS PROJECT and other plays. Check out photos from the special event below!

Kathleen Chalfant and Kate Mulgrew will host the Vineyard Theatre's annual Emerging Artists Luncheon today, Oct. 3 from noon to 2 p.m. at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. The event will feature the presentation of the 2013 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award to Christopher Chen, a San Francisco-based playwright whose works include THE HUNDRED FLOWERS PROJECT and other plays. Ms. Vogel will be in attendance and present the award.

Christopher Chen -- a San Francisco-based playwright whose works include THE HUNDRED FLOWERS PROJECT and other plays - is the 2013 recipient of the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, presented annually by Vineyard Theatre to an emerging playwright of exceptional promise, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, Vineyard Theatre's Artistic Director and Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director.

Kathleen Chalfant and Kate Mulgrew will host the Vineyard Theatre's annual Emerging Artists Luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 3 from noon to 2 p.m. at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. The event will feature the presentation of the 2013 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award to Christopher Chen, a San Francisco-based playwright whose works include THE HUNDRED FLOWERS PROJECT and other plays. Ms. Vogel will be in attendance and present the award.

Signature Theatre will present an evening of cocktails and a special one-night-only concert starring one of Broadway's living legends, Betty Buckley, on Monday, September 30 in The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 W. 42nd Street) to support the Legacy Program in honor of Horton Foote. Buckley will be singing some of musical theatre's most iconic songs, including songs she's sung in her sold-out national concert appearances. Tickets start at $150 for both the pre-show cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. and the concert at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of $75 concert only tickets are now available. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 646-388-8118 or email sjohnson@signaturetheatre.org (for the $75 ticket offer, mention code BB75).

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company is pleased to announce the East Coast premiere of Appropriate, an audacious comic drama written by native Washingtonian Branden Jacobs-Jenkins and directed by Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed). Jacobs-Jenkins' brazen reimagining of the classic Southern family drama will continue Woolly's season-long excavation of the secrets that lie beneath America's sunny exterior.

Signature Theatre will present an evening of cocktails and a special one-night-only concert starring one of Broadway's living legends, Betty Buckley, on Monday, September 30 in The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 W. 42nd Street) to support the Legacy Program in honor of Horton Foote. Buckley will be singing some of musical theatre's most iconic songs, including songs she's sung in her sold-out national concert appearances. Tickets start at $150 for both the pre-show cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. and the concert at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of $75 concert only tickets are now available. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 646-388-8118 or email sjohnson@signaturetheatre.org (for the $75 ticket offer, mention code BB75).

Christopher Chen -- a San Francisco-based playwright whose works include THE HUNDRED FLOWERS PROJECT and other plays - is the 2013 recipient of the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, presented annually by Vineyard Theatre to an emerging playwright of exceptional promise, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, Vineyard Theatre's Artistic Director and Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director.

PRELUDE allows the public to experience work-in-progress presentations, open rehearsals and discussions by dozens of NYC's most exciting theater and performance artists -- for FREE -- including Taylor Mac, Nature Theater of Oklahoma, Big Dance Theater, Big Art Group, Cesar Alvarez & Sarah Benson, Annie Baker, David Levine, Cynthia Hopkins, 600 HIGHWAYMEN, Jay Scheib & Co., Elastic City, PearlDamour, ANIMALS, Katherine Brook / Tele-Violet, Woodshed Collective, Daniel Fish, Andrew Ondrejcak, James Monaco & Jerome Ellis and more.

Perhaps the defining characteristic of Soho Rep, under the artistic direction of Sarah Benson, is the institution's commitment to artists creating surprisingly big theatrical events in its very small space on Walker Street. Soho Rep's 2013-14 season, announced today, provides ample evidence of that commitment, comprising two shows that are among the biggest the organization has ever produced: the New York premiere of David Adjmi's Marie Antoinette, directed by Rebecca Taichman and featuring Marin Ireland (Blasted); and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' An Octoroon, directed by Benson.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the first play of its 2013-14 Season: the Co-World Premiere of Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins,directed by Gary Griffin. Appropriate is presented in association with Actors Theatre of Louisville and was developed, in part, by IGNITION 2012. Appropriateruns November 8-December 8, with the press performance on November 15, 2013, at Victory Gardens Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.

As part of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company's ongoing initiative to 'ignite an explosive engagement between theatre artists and the community,' Woolly has announced the House Lights Up events for its upcoming production of The Second City's AMERICA ALL BETTER!! Following sell-out runs of BARACK STARS, BARACK STARS: THE WRATH OF RAHM, A GIRL'S GUIDE TO WASHINGTON POLITICS, and SPOILER ALERT: EVERYBODY DIES, Chicago's The Second City returns to Woolly today, July 9 through August 4, 2013.

As part of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company's ongoing initiative to "ignite an explosive engagement between theatre artists and the community," Woolly is pleased to announce the House Lights Up events for its upcoming production of The Second City's AMERICA ALL BETTER!! Following sell-out runs of BARACK STARS, BARACK STARS: THE WRATH OF RAHM, A GIRL'S GUIDE TO WASHINGTON POLITICS, and SPOILER ALERT: EVERYBODY DIES, Chicago's The Second City returns to Woolly July 9 through August 4, 2013.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director) is now accepting applications for Play Group, a vibrant and eclectic group of emerging writers who gather twice a month at Ars Nova to share new work and get peer feedback. The group offers members the chance to develop their plays with peer support; to be inspired by each other's work; to form collaborative relationships; and to build a strong sense of community within Ars Nova. All emerging playwrights are eligible for membership. If selected, new members will be invited to join for a period of two years beginning in January of 2014.