Charles Dickens News

2014-2015 season announcements from some of Louisville's most popular theater companies.

On Monday, April 28, 2014, Marymount Manhattan College (MMC) will host the annual President's Gala, a special evening honoring Grammy and Tony Award nominated composer, lyricist and producer Frank Wildhorn.

More?! Of course we want more -- OLIVER!, that is. The Daily Mail writes that Cameron Mackintosh is plowing ahead with a new film adaptation of the Lionel Bart musical, assuming he can get all the proper permissions for the project. Mackintosh owns most of the stage rights to the show and has been rooting out who owns the motion picture rights.

Geva Theatre Center's Artistic Director Mark Cuddy and Executive Director Tom Parrish are proud to announce the 12 major productions of the much anticipated 2014-2015 Season, the non-profit's 42nd year of making professional theatre of a national standard in Rochester.

Artistic Director Jim Helsinger and Managing Director PJ Albert announced the 10 productions that will comprise Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF's upcoming 2014-2015 Season. Featuring a mix of Shakespeare favorites, popular stories for children of all ages, daring new plays, and a musical event of epic proportions, the celebrated Theater's 26th Season offers something for every audience in Central Florida and beyond.

The British are coming to Monmouth for Theater at Monmouth's 45th season. The British Invasion, running from June 28 through September 28, 2014, features a line-up of plays from England's greatest playwrights.

It's readers' choice at New York's 'Best Story Hour' (The Village Voice Best of NY), as Naked Girls Reading presents SMÖRGÅSBORD! Join some of of our favorite Naked Girls as they present a buffet of their most beloved books ever: from classics to contemporary fiction, children's literature to poetry, scripts, lyrics and more - anything goes!

Ford's Theatre Director Paul R. Tetreault today announced that the Ford's Theatre 2014-2015 season will include mainstage productions of Driving Miss Daisy, headlined by Nancy Robinette and Craig Wallace, the return of Edward Gero as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, the world premiere of The Widow Lincoln by James Still, and a new musical, Freedom's Song, still in development, inspired by the words of Lincoln and those who lived through the Civil War.

A Tale of Two Cities runs through April 13 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (free parking and shuttle; see below). Performance times are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 4 p.m.

There are two types of people in Austin: those who have seen a Trouble Puppet show, and those who have not yet seen a Trouble Puppet show. Regardless of which one you are, The Crapstall Street Boys is certain to be 75 minutes of pure entertainment.

Hale Center Theater Orem has announced its 2015 Season. This season represents a great milestone in the history of the theater as it is the 25th Anniversary of its founding.

The Tony Award-winning Denver Center Theatre Company announced its 36th season which boasts new adaptations of classics, a Broadway hit, a beloved holiday tradition, two world premieres and a telling of a night after an historic boxing championship. The season will run September 12 - April 26 with eight main stage productions.

The third play in MALIBU PLAYHOUSE's 2013-2014 season will be The Vortex by Noel Coward, opening Friday, April 11, 2014. The play will be directed by Artistic Director Gene Franklin Smith and stars Shannon Holt and Craig Robert Young. Tickets are $30, and may be purchased through the box office, online at http://www.malibuplayhouse.org or by calling 323-960-7711. There will be previews on April 9th and 10th for $20. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 3 PM. Malibu Playhouse is located at 29243 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265 (near Zuma Beach, between Kanan-Dume Road and Morning View Drive, near Heathercliff Road).

Theater for the New City, Crystal Field, Executive Director presents Nicholas Nickleby, A New Musical based on the classic Charles Dickens novel with book by Robert Sickinger, music and lyrics by Alaric Jans. Performances will be staged Off-Broadway at the Joyce and Seward Johnson Theater at Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue (bet. 9th and 10th Streets), New York, NY 10003 from April 17-May 5, 2014.

City Circle Acting Company of Coralville announces its 2014-2015 season, featuring exhilarating musicals, exciting family-friendly fare, and farcical comedy. All performances will be held at City Circle's home theater, the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts, located at 1301 5th Street in Coralville.

PICT Theatre's Artistic and Executive Director Alan Stanford has selected a bold assortment of classic plays for PICT's 18th season, Something Wicked This Way Comes. Each play contains its own version of wickedness, with the Noel Coward classic Blithe Spirit opening the season May 3rd (May 1 and 2 previews.)

Chicago's most established resident theater presents a 90th anniversary "season to celebrate," a line-up of new and contemporary works on its two stages-the 856-seat Albert Theatre and 400-seat flexible Owen Theatre. Today, Artistic Director Robert Falls and Executive Director Roche Schulfer announced six plays (of eight)-half of which were developed by commission and/or workshop in the Goodman's new play development programs-that comprise the 2014/2015 Season, plus co-productions with Chicago's off-Loop theaters. Remarked Falls, "We are proud to present this Season in the same spirit that launched the Goodman in 1925: 'an array of dramatic fare, from classics to noteworthy contemporary works, innovative and oft controversial, embracing genres from farces to searing social dramas.' We hope to give our audiences compelling, relevant experiences from a range of culturally and aesthetically diverse artists, from bold new talents to acclaimed local and national voices." For a limited time, Subscriptions start at $90 in honor of the milestone season; call 312.443.3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org. Individual tickets go on sale in August. Two Albert plays are TBA.

The Old Globe today announced it will present two Shakespeare-themed events. On Monday, April 28 at 7:00 p.m., Tony Award winner Roger Rees will return to the Globe for a one-night-only engagement of What You Will, his hysterical (and somewhat historical) 90-minute gallop through the world of Shakespeare. On Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 a.m., Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein will offer an encore of Thinking Shakespeare Live!, his 90-minute exploration of the language of Shakespeare. This fast-paced, funny, and altogether fascinating program based on Edelstein's book, Thinking Shakespeare: A How-To Guide for Student Actors, Directors, and Anyone Else Who Wants to Feel More Comfortable with the Bard, reveals a performer's approach to Shakespearean language so audiences may easily understand the poetry of the Bard.

The Lakewood Playhouse has announced its 76th season of shows! It's a season filled with laughter, mystery, literature, and stories that touch the heart. This year includes three shows from Lakewood's 75 year history and 3 shows never before seen at the theatre. The full season and details are listed below.

Trinity Repertory Company's OLIVER! is one of the finest and most memorable theatrical productions of Rhode Island's 2013-14 season. TRC has a bona fide hit on its hands with its talented song-and-dance performers, atmospheric sets and lighting effects, and smart direction by Richard and Sharon Jenkins.