Chris Chalk News

WENN news reports that Denzel Washington had been hesitant to play the role of Troy Maxson in August Wilson's FENCES for years because of who had been there before him. James Earl Jones originally starred in the role in 1987 and for years Washington felt he was too young for the part.

The Red Bull Theater has announced casting for its staged reading of David Bar Katz's new play BURNING BURNING BURNING BURNING. The reading will take place on February 8 at 7:30pm at The Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street). Sarah Benson will direct the performance.

The Red Bull Theater has announced casting for its staged reading of David Bar Katz's new play BURNING BURNING BURNING BURNING. The reading will take place on February 8 at 7:30pm at The Theatre at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street). Sarah Benson will direct the performance.

Additional casting is set for the first Broadway revival of FENCES, the 1987 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by August Wilson, starring two-time Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington and featuring Tony Award-winner and Academy Award-nominee Viola Davis. FENCES, directed by Kenny Leon, will open on Monday, April 26, 2010 at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street). The strictly limited 13-week engagement will begin previews on April 14. Tickets are now on sale through Telecharge.com and can be purchased in person at the Cort Theatre box office beginning February 8.

LAByrinth Theater Company (Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O'Donnell & Yul Vázquez, Artistic Directors and Marieke Gaboury Producing Director) continues its fall season with two annual festivals of free staged readings, the Barn Series (October 6 - October 30, 2009) and Live Nude Plays (October 31 - November 3) the Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street) and is pleased to announce award-winning stage veterans David Morse and Martha Plimpton will appear onstage in readings in October.

LAByrinth Theater Company (Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O'Donnell & Yul Vázquez, Artistic Directors; Marieke Gaboury Producing Director) continues its fall season with two annual festivals of free staged readings, the Barn Series (October 6 - October 30, 2009) and Live Nude Plays (October 31 - November 3) at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street).

Manhattan Theatre Club's record-breaking production of Lynn Nottage's RUINED begins its final eight performances tonight at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). RUINED will play its final performance on Sunday, September 6 after being extended an astonishing eight times.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced that the critically acclaimed production of RUINED by playwright Lynn Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey has been extended by popular demand through Sunday, May 10.

The Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) is hosting a NEW WORKS READING SERIES to support new plays and emerging playwrights. As part of its mission statement, The Irish Repertory Theatre 'encourages the development of new works focusing on the Irish and Irish American experience, as well as a range of other cultures.'

Lynn Nottage, whose critically acclaimed new play RUINED is playing an extended engagement at MTC, will be this week's featured guest on NY1's 'On Stage.' 'On Stage' will air on NY1 (Time Warner Cable Channel 1) Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22 at 9:30 AM and 7:30 PM, and Monday, February 23 (early Tuesday) at 12:30 AM.

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced that the critically acclaimed production of RUINED by playwright Lynn Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey has been extended by popular demand through Sunday, April 12.

The Manhattan Theatre Club's (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) and Goodman Theatre's (Robert Falls, Artistic Director; Roche Schulfer, Executive Director) acclaimed co-production of RUINED, written by Lynn Nottage and directed by Kate Whoriskey began previews last week at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). The limited engagement opens tonight, Tuesday, February 10.

Lynn Nottage, whose new play RUINED is currently in previews at Manhattan Theatre Club at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street), is currently featured on The Huffington Post.

The Manhattan Theatre Club's (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) and Goodman Theatre's (Robert Falls, Artistic Director; Roche Schulfer, Executive Director) acclaimed co-production of RUINED, written by Lynn Nottage and directed by Kate Whoriskey began previews last week at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). The limited engagement will open Tuesday, February 10.

Manhattan Theatre Club is pleased to announce that After Words, the popular discussion series which has been a success at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre will come to MTC at New York City Center for the world premiere of Lynn Nottage's RUINED, the haunting, probing work about the resilience of the human spirit during times of war. The series will make its debut at New York City Center on Saturday, January 31 following the matinee performance of RUNED. The panel will feature RUINED playwright Lynn Nottage and Jessica Neuwirth, a founder and current president of Equality Now. The discussion will be moderated by MTC Artistic Associate Lisa McNulty. After Words is part of MTC's continuing effort to deepen and enrich the play-going experience for its audiences. Held after selected Saturday matinees, this exciting series of talks with writers, cultural critics, journalists, and members of the RUINED cast and creative team provides provocative and illuminating insights into the political, cultural, and artistic contexts of the work MTC produces.

RUINED, currently in previews at Manhattan Theatre Club, is featured on today's edition of NPR's 'Tell Me More.' To hear playwright Lynn Nottage and actress Saidah Arrika Ekulona discuss the play and the timely issues it explores, CLICK HERE. In the interview which also features clips from the play, Nottage and Ekulona discuss the ongoing violence against women that takes place in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where RUINED is set, and bringing the play to the stage. The Manhattan Theatre Club's (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) and Goodman Theatre's (Robert Falls, Artistic Director; Roche Schulfer, Executive Director) co-production of RUINED, written by Lynn Nottage and directed by Kate Whoriskey, will open Tuesday, February 10 at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). In addition to Ekulona, RUINED also features Quincy Tyler Bernstine (The Misanthrope at NYTW), Cherise Boothe (King Hedley II at Signature), Chris Chalk (MTC's Defiance), William Jackson Harper (Queens Boulevard), Chik? Johnson (The Crucible at Steppenwolf), Russell Gebert Jones (Our Lady of 121st Street), Simon Shabantu Kashama (Ruined at the Goodman), two-time Emmy? Award winner Kevin Mambo ('The Guiding Light'), Tom Mardirosian (Wonderful Town, HBO's 'Oz'), Ron McBee (The Colored Museum) and Condola Rashad (Pearl at The Kennedy Center).

The Manhattan Theatre Club's (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) and Goodman Theatre's (Robert Falls, Artistic Director; Roche Schulfer, Executive Director) acclaimed co-production of RUINED, written by Lynn Nottage and directed by Kate Whoriskey begins previews tonight at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). The limited engagement will open Tuesday, February 10. RUINED features Quincy Tyler Bernstine (The Misanthrope at NYTW), Cherise Boothe (King Hedley II at Signature), Chris Chalk (MTC's Defiance), Saidah Arrika Ekulona (Well, Nottage's Fabulation) William Jackson Harper (Queens Boulevard), Chik? Johnson (The Crucible at Steppenwolf), Russell Gebert Jones (Our Lady of 121st Street), Simon Shabantu Kashama (Ruined at the Goodman), two-time Emmy? Award winner Kevin Mambo ('The Guiding Light'), Tom Mardirosian (Wonderful Town, HBO's 'Oz'), Ron McBee (The Colored Museum) and Condola Rashad (Pearl at The Kennedy Center). RUINED played an extended engagement at the Goodman's Owen Theatre where it opened to rave reviews for Nottage's play, the ensemble cast, and director Kate Whoriskey.

The MTC and Goodman Theatre world premiere co-production of Lynn Nottage's RUINED confirms the critically acclaimed cast from Chicago will appear at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

The MTC and Goodman Theatre world premiere co-production of Lynn Nottage's RUINED confirms the critically acclaimed cast from Chicago will appear at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

Set in the present-day DRC, Ruined is the captivating story of Mama Nadi (Ekulona), the owner of a canteen who serves up everything from a cold beer and a warm meal-to the company of a woman. Through the eyes of this savvy businesswoman who both protects and profits from the women whose bodies have become battlegrounds, Nottage captures the constantly shifting allegiances and tragic absurdity that marks the civil war in the DRC. Ruined, rendered with Nottage's trademark humanity, clarity and surprising humor, gives a glimpse of a country that has suffered immeasurable losses since the beginning of this war that has raged for more than a decade.