Charles Busch News

The Civil War has ended, but conflict rages backstage at Ford's Theatre on the night of Lincoln's assassination. Playwright Charles Busch mixes fact with outlandish fiction in this unlikely comedy (yes, comedy!) set against the backdrop of one of the most dramatic events in our nation's history: Our Leading Lady.

THE 15th ANNUAL LOWER EAST SIDE (LES) FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS will bring together under one roof in just three days a multitude of performing artists - actors, dancers, singers, painters, sculptors, playwrights, performance artists, poets, etc. -- all of whom reside, work or have their roots in the culturally diverse, artistically rich Lower East Side -- for New York City's most diverse FREE 3-day festival, from Friday, May 28 through Sunday, May 30, at Theater for the New City (155 1st Avenue, between E. 9th and 10th Sts.) in Manhattan.

Anna Chlumsky (My Girl), Julie Halston (Gypsy), LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Freedomland), Doris Roberts ('Everybody Loves Raymond') and Brooke Shields ('Lipstick Jungle') joined the May cast of Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron's smash hit show Love, Loss, and What I Wore beginning this week on April 28 (through May 23). Love, Loss, and What I Wore, which opened in October 2009 and played its 200th performance on Sunday (3/28/10), has been playing to sold-out houses at the Westside Theatre. BroadwayWorld was on hand to help welcome the new cast last night.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced a special addition to its 25th Anniversary Season with Primary Stages Spring Celebration, celebrating 25 years with 25 days of events.

The Manhattan Theatre Club Broadway premiere of COLLECTED STORIES, by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies (Time Stands Still, Dinner with Friends), directed by Lynne Meadow (The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, The Loman Family Picnic) opened last night at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). BroadwayWorld was there to capture the starry arrivals!

Anna Chlumsky (My Girl), Julie Halston (Gypsy), LaTanya Richardson Jackson (Freedomland), Doris Roberts ('Everybody Loves Raymond') and Brooke Shields ('Lipstick Jungle') join the May cast of Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron's smash hit show Love, Loss, and What I Wore beginning tonight, April 28 (through May 23). Love, Loss, and What I Wore, which opened in October 2009 and played its 200th performance on Sunday (3/28/10), has been playing to sold-out houses at the Westside Theatre (407 W 43rd Street).

'TalkOut Mondays' (after the performance) continues and is honored that the guest for May 3rd will be Barney Frank (US Congressman; just named # 2 in the Out magazine Power 50 - their annual guide to America's most influential gays), at the critically acclaimed hit show 'The Temperamentals' by Jon Marans at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

The campy comedy 'Psycho Beach Party' by Charles Busch will be performed at the Newnan Community Theatre Company this summer. The play is a fun spoof of 1960s beach movies with a slight Hitchcock twist.

'TalkOut Mondays' (after the performance) continues April 26th with Chuck Wolfe (President & CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund) at the critically acclaimed hit show 'The Temperamentals' by Jon Marans at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Daryl Roth, Stacy Shane and Martian Entertainment are presenting the new American play.

Several Broadway stars are set for the upcoming Primary Stages Concert series, including Charles Busch, Mario Cantone, Penny Fuller, Julie Halston, Jamie deRoy, Gregg Edelman, and Karen Mason. The performances will take place in April and May over a one week span that will take place at the 59E59 Theatre.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced a special addition to its 25th Anniversary Season with Primary Stages Spring Celebration, celebrating 25 years with 25 days of events.

The Lucille Lortel Awards recently hosted an reception for all 2010 Lucielle Lortel Award Nominees for the 25th Anniversary Lortel Awards Reception & Ceremony. The full Awards Reception will be held on May 2, 2010 at 6 PM EST with the Ceremony beginning at 8 PM EST at Terminal 5, 610 West 56th Street, between 11th & 12th Avenues. Members of the industry may purchase tickets through the Off-Broadway League while members of the public wishing to watch the show can purchase tickets at ticketcentral.com or via phone 212-279-4200.

PREMIERES (Paulette Haupt, Artistic Director/Producer), in association with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), presents the special 4-week presentation of Inner Voices: Solo Musicals, with the premieres of two new one-act solo musicals: Mosaic with Book & Lyrics by Cheri Steinkellner and Music & Lyrics by Georgia Stitt, featuring Heidi Blickenstaff as Ruth, and Whida Peru: Resurrection Tangle with Book & Lyrics by David Simpatico and Music by Josh Schmidt, featuring Judith Blazer as Whida Peru.

LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are thrilled to announce their 2010 - 2011 season of shows! This season, the company will offer its subscribers and audiences six unforgettable theatrical experiences: From the hilarious Broadway hit from Charles Busch, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife to the cotton-candy colored pop musical blast from the past, The Marvelous Wonderettes.

The Lucille Lortel Awards announced today the details for the 25th Anniversary Lortel Awards Reception & Ceremony. The Awards Reception will be held on May 2, 2010 at 6 PM EST with the Ceremony beginning at 8 PM EST at Terminal 5, 610 West 56th Street, between 11th & 12th Avenues. Members of the industry may purchase tickets through the Off-Broadway League while members of the public wishing to watch the show can purchase tickets at ticketcentral.com or via phone 212-279-4200.

Baby Jane doesn't hold a crazy candle to the madness of Angela Arden in the Who Wants Cake? production, Die! Mommie! Die!, the insanely funny Charles Busch parody playing this spring at Ferndale's hot spot, The Ringwald Theatre. Die! Mommie! Die! opens Friday, May 14th and plays for an exclusive four week engagement ending on Monday, June 7th.

Baby Jane doesn't hold a crazy candle to the madness of Angela Arden in the Who Wants Cake? production, Die! Mommie! Die!, the insanely funny Charles Busch parody playing this spring at Ferndale's hot spot, The Ringwald Theatre. Die! Mommie! Die! opens Friday, May 14th and plays for an exclusive four week engagement ending on Monday, June 7th.

The ghosts who have taken up residence with The Production Company are a restless lot, filled with a crackling, questing vitality rarely found even among the living. As embodied with disquieting fierceness by Sara Lilly, David Ross Paterson, and Skip Pipo in COPENHAGEN, this endlessly fascinating play by Michael Frayn is directed with surgical exactitude by August Viveirto to a fever pitch. These spectral presences just won't stop haunting one another with their questions and revisions and caveats. Give them the courtesy of your full attention, and you'll find them taking possession of your own imagination as well, probably raising your blood pressure in the process. They prove themselves electrifying companions.

The ghosts who have taken up residence with The Production Company are a restless lot, filled with a crackling, questing vitality rarely found even among the living. As embodied with disquieting fierceness by Sara Lilly, David Ross Paterson, and Skip Pipo in COPENHAGEN, this endlessly fascinating play by Michael Frayn is directed with surgical exactitude by August Viveirto to a fever pitch. These spectral presences just won't stop haunting one another with their questions and revisions and caveats. Give them the courtesy of your full attention, and you'll find them taking possession of your own imagination as well, probably raising your blood pressure in the process. They prove themselves electrifying companions.

Lately, my favorite part of Broadway has been the extras - the bonuses - what happens when the shows are dark.