Brian Crawley News

Playwrights Horizons presents the New York premiere of 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist Marjorie Prime, a new play by Jordan Harrison (Maple and Vine, Doris to Darlene at PH; Amazons and Their Men; Kid-Simple; 'Orange is the New Black'). Commissioned by Playwrights Horizons and directed by Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman (Detroit, Maple and Vine, Your Mother's Copy of the Kama Sutra at PH; Belleville; This Wide Night; The Thugs), the play is the third production of the theater company's 2015/2016 Season. The first preview is tonight, November 20 at 8PM at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street). The production has an Opening Night set for Monday, December 14 and will play a limited engagement through Sunday, January 3.

Playwrights Horizons begins accepting entries today, Wednesday, November 11, for the LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to their New York premiere of 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist Marjorie Prime, a new play by Jordan Harrison (Maple and Vine, Doris to Darlene at PH; Amazons and Their Men; Kid-Simple; 'Orange is the New Black').

Due to critical acclaim and popular demand, Playwrights Horizons has announced a second extension of their New York premiere production of HIR, a new play by Obie Award-winning theater artist Taylor Mac (A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, The Lily's Revenge, The Walk Across America for Mother Earth, The Be(a)st of Taylor Mac, The Young Ladies Of).

This week rehearsals have commenced for the premiere of the 2014 Broadway revival of VIOLET in Australia. Playing at the Hayes Theatre Co from 27 November, this will be the first time the production has been seen in Australia.

It's a story about the amazing things that can happen on the way to somewhere else, as an emotionally and physically scarred young woman sets out to change her life. The Pennington Players present "Violet - The Musical" at Mercer County Community College's (MCCC's) Kelsey Theatre.  Dates and show times for this transformative tale are: Fridays, Nov. 6 and 13 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Nov. 7 and 14 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Nov. 8 and 15 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.  A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Nov. 6.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, in partnership with Mark Cortale, has added two new leading ladies to the line-up of Seth Rudetsky's Broadway Concert Series, for the 2015-16 season. Performances by Tony-Award winners Kelli O'Hara and Sutton Foster have been added due to popular demand, completing the roster of Broadway powerhouses to perform with Sirius XM star Seth Rudetsky. The series kicks off with Tony-Award winner Audra McDonald on Wednesday, October 7. Additional performances in the series will take place on Friday, January 29 (Kelli O'Hara), Thursday, March 3 (Sutton Foster), and as previously announced, Thursday, May 5 (Megan Hilty). All performances will be held at the Merriam Theater at 8:00 p.m. In this unique series, Rudetsky will serve as pianist and host, engaging in intimate and witty conversations with the Broadway stars, all while presenting an evening of stellar performances of musical theater favorites.

The Pennington Players are bringing Violet, a musical story about the growth and enlightenment of a young woman scarred by a childhood accident, to the stage of Kelsey Theatre. Performances are November 6, 7, 13, 14 at 8:00 pm and November 8 & 15 at 2:00 pm.   Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.  A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on November 6th.  

Mark Cortale's acclaimed Broadway @ The Nourse concert series returns to San Francisco this season with stars Darren Criss and Sutton Foster.  Hosted by Sirius XM Radio Star Seth Rudetsky whom the New York Times dubbed "The Mayor of Broadway," the popular series will return for the 2015/16 season at The Nourse Theater with two concerts. First up will be the red-hot star of TV's "Glee" and Broadway's "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," Darren Criss on October 30, followed by two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster on January 16. 

Theatrical Outfit will present A LITTLE PRINCESS, running December 3 - 27, 2015 at The Balzer Theater at Herren's, starring Broadway actress and Atlanta native Emerson Steele, with Christy Baggett, Bryant Smith, Molly Coyne, Jeanette Illidge, Laughton Berry and many more. Scroll down for a first look at Steele and more in costume!

Two powerhouse musicals DOGFIGHT and VIOLET; two explosive Off-Broadway plays APPROPRIATE and BOOTYCANDY; and the New England debut of Harvey Fierstein's acclaimed comic-drama CASA VALENTINA are set for SpeakEasy Stage Company's 2015-16 Season, the company's Founder and Producing Artistic Director Paul Daigneault announced today.

Award-winning Broadway composer Andrew Lippa, who was the 2010-2011 Composer in Residence at Texas State, will return to Texas State to perform a concert of music from his shows along side students from the musical theater program and Broadway veteran Kaitlin Hopkins (Bat Boy, Bare) at the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Texas State University on October 17th at 7:30pm. There will also be a silent auction in the lobby of signed Film, TV and Theatre Memorabilia including scripts, photos and posters. All proceeds from the concert will go to scholarships for students in the Department of Theatre and Dance. Tickets are available at www.txstatepresents.com.

Theatrical Outfit will present A LITTLE PRINCESS, running December 3 - 27, 2015 at The Balzer Theater at Herren's, starring Broadway actress and Atlanta native Emerson Steele.

Blue Saint Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co have announced the cast for this stunning musical to be presented at Hayes Theatre Co in Nov/Dec 2015.

Sutton Foster won two Tony Awards for her leading roles in 'Anything Goes' and 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' and starred in the ABC Family TV series 'Bunheads.'

When Violet first premiered off-Broadway in 1997, it created a stir winning two prizes for Best Musical but didn't make waves until 2014 when it transferred to Broadway in an all new production starring Sutton Foster. It heartfully tells the story of a disfigured girl from Spruce Pine, North Carolina Violet Karl who makes a journey to Tulsa, Oklahoma in the hopes of being physically transformed by a faith healer. An accident occurred when she was a teen - a blade that her father was using cut her face, leaving an ugly scar - and Violet always blamed her father proclaiming that he did not want her to be pretty. She would have no male prospects and be forced to stay on to live with him on their small farm. The scar runs deep - 'it reaches to your heart' new acquaintances tell her, so the journey to find a brand new 'glamorized' look means everything to Violet who will sacrifice just about anything to have it all.

Second Stage Theatre welcomes film star Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables, Dear John, Mamma Mia!, upcoming Ted 2 and Pan) in her off-Broadway debut opposite Thomas Sadoski (The Newsroom, Wild, upcoming in NBC's The Slap) in the world premiere production of NEIL LaBUTE's drama, The Way We Get By. Directed by Tony nominee LEIGH SILVERMAN, the production began previews on April 28, 2015 and officially opens tonight, May 19, 2015 at Second Stage Theatre, 305 West 43rd Street.

Kelrik Production's upcoming production of the award-winning off-Broadway hit musical VIOLET, a powerful and heartwarming story of a vulnerable young woman's challenges, loves and emotional journey, will now be staged today, May 15 - 31st, 2015 at the Monroe Forum Theater @ El Portal in North Hollywood.

The Program Launch for the second half of 2015 shows that the Independent Music Theatre team comprising Luckiest Productions (David Campbell, Lisa Campbell and Richard Carroll), Neglected Musicals (Michelle Guthrie), and Neil Gooding Productions, the driving force behind Hayes Theatre Company, have no intention of slowing down are staying true to their vision to provide a permanent home for small-scale musical theatre and cabaret.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons has announced details for its 2015 special online Auction.  Bidding for the auction, which will feature an eclectic array of items and unique opportunities, begins today, Tuesday, May 5 at www.CharityBuzz.com/PlaywrightsHorizons. Online bidding will continue through Tuesday, May 19.