Brian Anthony Wilson News

1812 Productions will present a one-of-a-kind digital theatre experience, Set Model Theatre. Conceived at the height of national quarantine, Set Model Theatre is a documentary series that pulls back the curtain on the creative processes of 15 Philadelphia theatre designers as they work in distanced collaboration on a fantasy production of Shakespeare's King Lear.

Five-time Grammy Award-winning bassist Victor Wooten has joined the creative team of August Wilson's JITNEY, opening Nashville Shakespeare's annual Summer Shakespeare Festival. Wooten, also a songwriter and record producer who was ranked among the Top 10 Bassists of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine, will compose original music for the show.

1812 Productions will present a one-of-a-kind digital theatre experience, Set Model Theatre. Conceived at the height of national quarantine, Set Model Theatre is a documentary series that pulls back the curtain on the creative processes of 15 Philadelphia theatre designers as they work in distanced collaboration on a fantasy production of Shakespeare's King Lear.

The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s production of William Shakespeare’s King Lear, directed by Carl Cofield, opened in Forest Park on June 4 in St. Louis, MO. In the title role is Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown, The Wiz, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Play On!, The Full Monty). 

Yes, André de Shields is playing Lear! His long career in musical theater stretches from the original Hair to The Wiz to Hadestown, and it is bespangled with awards (Emmy, Grammy and others). He’s an icon. Now, at seventy-five, he takes on the most demanding role in all of Shakespeare.

Simpatico Theatre and Jouska PlayWorks, an assembly of Black playwrights whose goal is to create theatre that enriches, entertains, empowers, and awakens the moral conscience, is proud to announce the first ever Jouska PlayWorks Virtual New Play Showcase, featuring excerpts from seven new plays created by Jouska artists.

EgoPo’s 2020-21 season continues with a presentation of Lawrence Theatre Company’s newest play, Three OG’s, as a live, virtual reading at 8pm on January 22nd, 2021. Written by Lawrence Theatre Company’s founder, Derrell Lawrence, Three OG’s stars John Canada Terrell, Brian Anthony Wilson and Lawrence’s Artistic Director, Damien J. Wallace.

Actor, writer, singer, educator and activist Tamara Della Anderson has announced the launch of Gumbo Lab, a mentorship and professional development lab and virtual showcase for Black female, trans, queer, and femme theatre artists.

1812 Productions has announced its 2020-2021 theatre season. The 2020-2021 season features four original comedic works that are being designed for virtual performance, with live performances tentatively scheduled for spring, 2021. Each production will feature a mixture of live performance and pre-recorded material and will be streamed through 1812 Productions' website.

The Black Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia (BTAP) will be re-distributing recently donated funds to Black theatre community members through micro grants, in an effort to support each other through this difficult time.

Stars in the House continued today (2pm) with Regional Theatre Spotlight On: Philadelphia Theatre Company with Paige Price, Tamara Anderson, Jen Childs, Scott Greer, Amanda Morton, Georgiana Summers, Kathleen Turner and Brian Anthony Wilson.

Today (June 8) in live streaming: Stars in the House spotlights Philadelphia Theatre Company, Paper Mill showcases new voices, and so much more!

Stars in the House continues today (2pm) with Regional Theatre Spotlight On: PHILADELPHIA THEATRE COMPANY with Paige Price, Tamara Anderson, Jen Childs, Scott Greer, Amanda Morton, Georgiana Summers, Kathleen Turner and Brian Anthony Wilson; and tonight (8pm) with Guest Host Andréa Burns with guests Broadway Inspirational Voices founder Michael McElroy, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Telly Leung and Norm Lewis.

1812 Productions presents its annual gala fundraiser Eventa du Schmancy. An evening of music and comedy from a team of 1812 Productions performers, Eventa du Schmancy will stream on the Crowdcast platform on Monday, June 8th at 7pm.

The 25th Annual Barrymore Awards were held in South Philly and awarded $92,000 in grants to artists and organizations.

Get a front row seat to history! Act II Playhouse presents Looking Over the President's Shoulder by James Still, on stage Oct. 22-Nov. 17 in Ambler.

a??a??a??a??a??a??a??Lantern Theater Company launches its 2019/20 season with the Philadelphia premiere of Ralph Manheim's translation of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht, which begins previews tonight. Focusing on a shady businessman's rise to power, Brecht wrote this brilliant drama on the eve of World War II as a parable about the rise of Hitler and fascism. Lantern Artistic Director Charles McMahon directs a cast that includes Anthony Lawton as Arturo Ui, with Mary Lee Bednarek, Charlie DelMarcelle, Julia Hopkins, Gregory Isaac, Jered McLenigan, David Pica, Brian Anthony Wilson, and Frank X. Theater critics and members of the press are invited to request press comps for opening night on Wednesday, September 11 at 7 p.m. by contacting Anne Shuff at ashuff@lanterntheater.org. The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui runs Thursday, September 5 through Sunday, October 13, 2019; a complete schedule of performances and audience enrichment events is included in the fact sheet below.

Theatre Philadelphia, the non-profit organization that promotes and celebrates theatre across the Philadelphia region, has announced this year's nominees for the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre. 

This winter and spring, the Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia will celebrate the work of late playwright August Wilson with two productions that explore the genius of the iconic writer. Wilson's GEM OF THE OCEAN, the first installment of his decade-by-decade, ten-play chronicle, The American Century Cycle, begins performances on February 27, 2019 at the F. Otto Haas Stage. Starting on March 7, 2019, Wilson's autobiographical solo show, HOW I LEARNED WHAT I LEARNED, co-conceived by Todd Kreidler, will play the Bob and Selma Horan Studio Theatre at the Arden's Hamilton Family Arts Center.

Charlotte's Web is a heartwarming story of a special friendship between a lovable pig and everyone's favorite spider. When a runt pig is born on the Arable farm, the young girl Fern saves him and nurtures him. She names him Wilbur and helps him grow big and strong. Wilbur is moved to the Zuckerman farm where he befriends a batch of barnyard animals, including a talented spider that weaves words into her web that are crucial to saving Wilbur's life as the story unfurls.