Branden Jacobs-Jenkins News

Definition Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tyrone Phillips and Managing Director Neel McNeill, announces casting for the first play of its 2017-2018 season, the Chicago premiere of An Octoroon by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Gloria, Appropriate), produced in association with Goodman Theatre.

Atlantic Theater Company has announced that the New York premiere play Animal by Clare Lizzimore (Mint) and directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch (Harper Regan, Bluebird) has been extended an additional week through Sunday, July 2 in advance of officially opening next Tuesday, June 6.

Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA) has announced that it has successfully completed its capital campaign to stabilize the institution's finances and open a permanent home, surpassing the campaign's $69.1 million goal.

LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater will open its 2017-2018 season with AFTER THE BLAST, a new play by Zoe Kazan, to be directed by Lila Neugebauer, beginning performances Saturday, October 7 and running for six weeks only through Sunday, November 19 at the Claire Tow Theater (150 West 65 Street). Opening night is Monday, October 23.

"Massacre (Sing to Your Children)" is an abstract play whose meaning will depend on an individual's views of the world, and their willingness to search for the author's intent and purpose. This is a script and production for playgoers who like to probe for ideas with no need for clarity of ideas or outcomes.

ArtsWest Artistic Director Mathew Wright has announced his third season, running September 2017 through July 2018. Opening with Pulitzer Prize-winner Ayad Akhtar's THE WHO AND THE WHAT, the six-production season will feature five Seattle premieres and a Tony-award winning musical.

Cherry Lane Theatre's Founder's Project will celebrate 100 years of Horton Foote as they present, in a co-production with La Femme Theatre Productions, THE TRAVELING LADY, directed by Austin Pendleton. 

Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announce that Vineyard Theatre's 2017-2018 season will include the world premiere of THE AMATEURS by Jordan Harrison (2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist for MARJORIE PRIME) directed by Oliver Butler (THE OPEN HOUSE, Obie Award for Direction).

An Octoroon is a person who has one-eighth black heritage. In 1850s Louisiana, that meant they are automatically unclean and, ultimately, a slave. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins radically reimagines Dion Boucicault's 1859 play based upon a tragic and rather melodramatic love story between white plantation owner George and his uncle's illegitimate daughter Zoe. Entwined in this is the apparent financial ruin of the plantation, which leads to a series of racially motivated violent events.

Provocative director Liesl Tommy brings Broadway savvy, storytelling flair and a revolutionary sensibility to Macbeth, Shakespeare's masterpiece of suspense. In a world beset by civil war and invasion, Macbeth and his artful lady begin a series of murders, designed to further their own ambitions, only to plunge their lives into madness.

The Vineyard Theatre's Annual Emerging Artists Luncheon will take place on Tuesday, June 6 from noon-2:30pm at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. The event will feature the presentation of the 2016-2017 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award by Paula Vogel to Kate Tarker (THUNDERBODIES), who began her residency last fall.

Theatre for a New Audience has announced casting for British director Simon Godwin's new staging of Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare's dark comedy about justice, faith, power, sex, and family.

Hampstead Theatre presents the UK premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Gloria, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016, directed by Michael Longhurst.

The Tony-nominated playwright Paula Vogel (INDECENT) - a Pulitzer Prize winning dramatist and one of the nation's preeminent teachers of playwriting -- will offer one of her trademark sessions on playwriting, which she calls BOOT CAMPS, on Monday, May 22nd at the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) starting at 10 a.m., it has been announced by Vineyard's artistic directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern.

The Omaha Community Playhouse is announcing its Alternative Programming series for the 2017-18 season. Alternative Programming includes a series of staged readings, special events and play development collaborations. All events are held at OCP.

Signature Theatre will offer a general rush policy for the world premiere production of The Antipodes, written by Residency Five playwright Annie Baker and directed by Lila Neugebauer, the company announced today.

Tony, Emmy, and two-time Golden Globe nominee Matthew Morrison will headline Westport Country Playhouse's 2017 fundraising gala on Saturday evening, September 9. New this year will be the Gala's move to Saturday evening instead of Monday night as in past seasons. The Gala's theme, 'Moonlight Over Venice,' is a nod to the Playhouse's autumn production of 'Romeo and Juliet'.

SPACE on Ryder Farm, the non-profit artist residency program located on Ryder Farm, an idyllic 221 year-old working organic farm in Brewster, NY, announces its 2017 season, which will support artists, activists and changemakers through its residency programs: The Working Farm, Family Residency, Creative Solutions Symposium, Creative Residency, Institutional Residency and inaugural Film Lab and Playwriting Mentorship Residency.

Provocative director Liesl Tommy brings Broadway savvy, storytelling flair and a revolutionary sensibility to Macbeth, Shakespeare's masterpiece of suspense. In a world beset by civil war and invasion, Macbeth and his artful lady begin a series of murders, designed to further their own ambitions, only to plunge their lives into madness.

Joe's Pub at The Public has announced its lineup of nightly performances, May 10-21, 2017. Scroll down for details!