Bruce A. Young News

Richard Lewis has taken his lifelong therapy fodder and carved it into a commanding, compelling art form. His early career in stand?up brought him to the top of his ranks and over time, he broadened the scope of opportunities so others could share in his brilliantly warped world. Comedy Central has recognized Mr. Lewis as one of the top 50 stand-up comedians of all time and he was charted on GQ Magazine's list of the '20th Century's Most Influential Humorists'. In December of 1989, Lewis achieved a very personal goal...he performed at Carnegie Hall to a standing room only audience.

Mixed Blood Theatre's 2013-14 Season kicks off with Aditi Brennan Kapil's DISPLACED HINDU GODS, an epic festival of three world premieres based on the trinity of Hindu deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva reconjured as contemporary inhabitants of the Western world. While each play stands alone and takes on a different genre - stand-up comedy routine, girl-gang thriller, post-colonial fantasy - they coexist in a common universe where dislocation, identity, immigration and puberty are explored through the lenses of creation, survival and destruction. Seven actors, five designers, three directors and one playwright comprise the creative team of this ambitious extravaganza!

After a sizzling world premiere in 2012 at Horizon Theatre Company, Thomas W. Jones II's doo-wop hip-hop comedy Sheddin' has been awarded a slot at the prestigious National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, North Carolina this summer. Performances of Sheddin' will be Tuesday, July 30th and Wednesday, July 31st at 3 PM and 8 PM at the University North Carolina School of the Arts Catawba Theatre. Held biennially, the Festival will run July 29 - August 3 and feature over 100 theatrical performances for crowds of nearly 60,000.

Victory Gardens opens its 2012-13 season with Equivocation, written by Bill Cain and directed by Sean Graney. The production runs September 14 - October 14, 2012 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The Press Opening is Monday, September 24, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Victory Gardens opens its 2012-13 season with the Chicago Premiere of Equivocation, written by Bill Cain and directed by Sean Graney. The production runs September 14 - October 14, 2012 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The Press Opening is Monday, September 24, 2012 at 7:30 p.m.

Bebop meets hip hop as generations collide in Horizon Theatre's second world premiere of the season, Sheddin' by Thomas W. Jones II. The raucous comedy set in an Atlanta backyard follows up on Jones' 2009 hit A Cool Drink A Water, called "an unexpected breath of fresh air" by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The summer hoopla filled with humor echoing the legendary Kings of Comedy kicks off tonight, July 13th and continues for a seven-week run through August 19th.

Bebop meets hip hop as generations collide in Horizon Theatre's second world premiere of the season, Sheddin' by Thomas W. Jones II. The raucous comedy set in an Atlanta backyard follows up on Jones' 2009 hit A Cool Drink A Water, called "an unexpected breath of fresh air" by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The summer hoopla filled with humor echoing the legendary Kings of Comedy kicks off July 13th and continues for a seven-week run through August 19th.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is currently presenting, William Shakespeare's rarely produced Timon of Athens, directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and featuring Tony Award winner Ian McDiarmid in the title role. Performed in CST's Courtyard Theater from through June 10, 2012, Gaines' production also features Sean Fortunato as Flavius, James Newcomb as Apemantus and Danforth Comins as Alcibiades. Performances began April 24, 2012. Production highlights have been released and BroadwayWorld brings you a look below!

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announced today casting for its 25th Anniversary Season finale, William Shakespeare's rarely produced Timon of Athens, directed by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and featuring Tony Award winner Ian McDiarmid in the title role. Performed in CST's Courtyard Theater from April 24 to June 10, 2012, Gaines' production also features Sean Fortunato as Flavius, James Newcomb as Apemantus and Danforth Comins as Alcibiades.

Mixed Blood's 2011-12 season of Radical Hospitality and no-cost admission for all begins September 16 with the shockingly subversive and wickedly hilarious NEIGHBORS by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a member of NYC's Public Theatre's Emerging Writers Group.

Penumbra Theatre Company, Minnesota's only African American theatre, proudly announced today the third annual Word(s)PLAY!, a forum designed to develop new plays by African American playwrights. Word(s)PLAY! will introduce three new plays to the Twin Cities July 16, 23, & August 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM.

Negro Ensemble Company (www.necinc.org), America's legendary black theater company, will present 'With Aaron's Arms Around Me and The Mire,' an evening of two one-acts by Sophia Romma, a Russian-American playwright, both on the theme of intolerance. Both plays deal with eternal themes of intolerance from an émigré's perspective. Performances are December 3 to 19 at Cherry Lane Theatre (Studio Theatre), 38 Commerce Street. Since our notice of November 2, there has been a change of directors on one of the plays. Now both one-acts will be directed by Negro Ensemble Company's Artistic Director, Charles Weldon.

Negro Ensemble Company (www.necinc.org), America's legendary black theater company, will present 'With Aaron's Arms Around Me and The Mire,' an evening of two one-acts by Sophia Romma, a Russian-American playwright, both on the theme of intolerance.

Negro Ensemble Company (www.necinc.org), America's legendary black theater company, will present 'With Aaron's Arms Around Me and The Mire,' an evening of two one-acts by Sophia Romma, a Russian-American playwright, both on the theme of intolerance. Both plays deal with eternal themes of intolerance from an émigré's perspective. Performances are December 3 to 19 at Cherry Lane Theatre (Studio Theatre), 38 Commerce Street. Since our notice of November 2, there has been a change of directors on one of the plays. Now both one-acts will be directed by Negro Ensemble Company's Artistic Director, Charles Weldon.

Negro Ensemble Company (www.necinc.org), America's legendary black theater company, will present 'With Aaron's Arms Around Me and The Mire,' an evening of two one-acts by Sophia Romma, a Russian-American playwright, both on the theme of intolerance.

Negro Ensemble Company (www.necinc.org), America's legendary black theater company, will present 'With Aaron's Arms Around Me and The Mire,' an evening of two one-acts by Sophia Romma, a Russian-American playwright, both on the theme of intolerance. Both plays deal with eternal themes of intolerance from an émigré's perspective. Performances are December 3 to 19 at Cherry Lane Theatre (Studio Theatre), 38 Commerce Street. Since our notice of November 2, there has been a change of directors on one of the plays. Now both one-acts will be directed by Negro Ensemble Company's Artistic Director, Charles Weldon.

Negro Ensemble Company (www.necinc.org), America's legendary black theater company, will present 'With Aaron's Arms Around Me and The Mire,' an evening of two one-acts by Sophia Romma, a Russian-American playwright, both on the theme of intolerance.

Pillsbury House Theatre presents the World Premiere of PA'S HAT: LIBERIAN LEGACY by Cori Thomas and directed by Marion McClinton. The cast features Ansa Akyea, Namir Smallwood, Regina Marie Williams, and Bruce A. Young.

Pillsbury House Theatre presents the World Premiere of PA'S HAT: LIBERIAN LEGACY by Cori Thomas and directed by Marion McClinton. The cast features Ansa Akyea, Namir Smallwood, Regina Marie Williams, and Bruce A. Young.

Pillsbury House Theatre presents the World Premiere of PA'S HAT: LIBERIAN LEGACY by Cori Thomas and directed by Marion McClinton. The cast features Ansa Akyea, Namir Smallwood, Regina Marie Williams, and Bruce A. Young. Performances run Wednesdays through Sundays, May 28, 2010 through June 27, 2010. Tickets are $10 - $20. Performances take place on the Pillsbury House Theatre Mainstage at 3501 Chicago Avenue South in Minneapolis.