Christopher Ashley News

La Jolla Playhouse is proud to announce its 2009/2010 resident theatre company: MOXIE Theatre. This marks the second year of the Playhouse's landmark Resident Theatre Program, and the newly-appointed company will be in residence at La Jolla Playhouse July - September, 2009, in the Mandell Weiss Forum Studio.

La Jolla Playhouse announces updates to its 2009/2010 season. Alfred Hitchcock?s The 39 Steps, based on the beloved Alfred Hitchcock thriller, adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow, directed by Maria Aitken, will replace the previously-announced Page-to-Stage production of The Hudsucker Proxy. The 39 Steps will run August 11 ? September 13 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

After a three-month run at the Drury Lane Theater Water Tower Place, XANADU announces its final three weeks, ending its run in Chicago on March 29, before making its way to Tokyo for its Asian premiere. The entire production, including sets, will travel to Japan for a month-long engagement before beginning a US National Tour in Fall 2009.

The Colony Theatre Company presents the fifth and final production of its 2008 ? 2009 season, the Los Angeles premiere of the Off-Broadway, Smash-Hit Musical Thriller, No Way to Treat a Lady, book, music and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen, (based on the novel by William Goldman) and co-directed by West Hyler and Shelley Butler. No Way to Treat a Lady will preview on Wednesday, April 15; Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, April 18 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, May 17 at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center.

After a three-month run at the Drury Lane Theater Water Tower Place, XANADU announces its final three weeks, ending its run in Chicago on March 29, before making its way to Tokyo for its Asian premiere. The entire production, including sets, will travel to Japan for a month-long engagement before beginning a US National Tour in Fall 2009.

It was announced today that MEMPHIS, a new musical about the birth of rock 'n' roll in the turbulent 50s which recently played a critically acclaimed and sold-out engagement at Seattle?s 5th Avenue Theatre, is aiming to open on Broadway in the fall of 2009. Based on a concept by George W. George (producer of the Tony nominated Bedroom Farce & film: My Dinner With Andre), MEMPHIS features a book & lyrics by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), and music & lyrics by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan, in his Broadway debut. The new musical is directed by Tony nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu) and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys).

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will present Terrence McNally's Nights at the Opera - an event showcasing three of the playwright's works including Master Class, The Lisbon Traviata, and Golden Age concurrently in Kennedy Center theaters from March 20 - April 18, 2010. Directors include Walter Bobbie for Master Class and Christopher Ashley for The Lisbon Traviata.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced the Center and the National Symphony Orchestra's complete season for 2009- 2010. In wide ranging programming that covers theater, dance, classical music, jazz and productions for young people, the Center continues its commitment, as the nation's center for the performing arts, to producing and presenting the best of national and international arts.

XANADU, the show the surprised and delighted Broadway, is now delighting Chicago fans by offering a 'Happy Sale' featuring $44 tickets. This is the perfect time to see the 90-minute show critics are hailing 'very funny,' 'high energy,' 'strange magic,' and 'blissfully giddy' -whether seeing it for the first time or for the fifth! Part of Broadway In Chicago 2008-2009 season, XANADU is at the Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place (175 E Chestnut St).

After winning awards in New York, Boston and Dublin while garnering rapturous rave reviews internationally, Bradford Louryk's mesmerizing and vibrantly sensuous reincarnation of the 1950's most famous woman on earth, 'CHRISTINE JORGENSEN REVEALS', will make its historic return engagement off-Broadway at The Lion Theatre (410 West 42nd Street) on Thursday, February 26th.

UK Theatre website WhatsOnStage.com has revealed that producer David Ian tipped off his plans to bring the popular former Broadway, now US Touring musical, Xanadu to the UK. Speaking on Radio Five Live, Ian hinted that a UK transfer will be 'coming to a stage near you in August' - by which WhatsOnStage assumes is the West End.

LAST CALL, is a new documentary film by Christopher Ashley that explores the fascinating, cultural phenomenon of piano bars.

Each year, The Drama League's one-night-only gala concert at NYC's famed Rainbow Room boasts an incredible roster of Broadway's biggest and brightest stars, performing favorite songs from Broadway seasons past and present. The musical revue is the highlight of The Drama League's annual benefit gala at Rockefeller Center's breathtaking Rainbow Room.

On Monday, February 2, 2009, Chita Rivera, Donna Murphy, Christine Ebersole, Cheyenne Jackson, Kerry Butler, Nancy Opel, Cady Huffman, Keith Carradine, Julie Halston, Bailey Hanks, Cady Huffman, Lee Roy Reams, the original 'Cagelles' from from the 1983 Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles, the original Broadway cast of The Will Rogers Follies and more will take part in The Drama League's 25th annual all-star gala, 'A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY.'

On Monday, February 2, 2009, Tony and Drama League Award winners Christine Ebersole and Donna Murphy will host The Drama League's annual all-star gala, 'A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY.'

La Jolla Playhouse's Artistic Director Christopher Ashley is proud to announce the six productions in the 2009/2010 season. 'So much of the joy of running a theatre comes from the ability to invite world-class artists into your home - and allowing them to make it their home as well,' says Ashley. 'At La Jolla Playhouse, our goal is to serve as an artistic home where the most exciting theatre artists in the country are given the resources to create works that drive them, and our 2009/2010 season welcomes some of the best to San Diego.'

La Jolla Playhouse productions heading for national exposure fared well as the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle on Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, presented the annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, honoring the best local stage work of 2008. Noel, the 93-year-old founding director of the Old Globe Theatre, was in attendance for his namesake awards, which were presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, in La Jolla, attended by some 350 theater industry members and supporters. Moises Kaufman's '33 Variations,' about to open on Broadway with Jane Fonda in the lead role, was honored for David Lander's lighting and Derek McLane's set. The Playhouse's premiere of Joe DiPietro and David Bryan's 'Memphis' (now in production at Seattle's Fifth Avenue Theatre) was honored as outstanding new musical and for Chad Kimball's lead performance. A fresh staging of 'Xanadu,' which Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley first directed on Broadway, was named outstanding resident musical, and Bill T. Jones won for his choreography in the Playhouse's hip-hop musical 'The Seven.' Old Globe productions garnered four mentions, including Steven Drukman's boxing-themed drama about Joe Louis, 'In This Corner,' which was named outstanding new play. 'Dancing in the Dark,' a debut musical with Broadway aspirations (based on the classic film 'The Band Wagon'), won for Patrick Page's featured performance and Larry Hochman's orchestrations. A revival of 'The Women,' directed by Old Globe resident artistic director Darko Tresnjak, was honored for Anna Oliver's costumes. And the national touring production of 'Spring Awakening,' produced by Broadway/San Diego, a Nederlander Organization, won for best touring show.

La Jolla Playhouse's Artistic Director Christopher Ashley has announced the six productions in the 2009/2010 season. 'So much of the joy of running a theatre comes from the ability to invite world-class artists into your home - and allowing them to make it their home as well,' says Ashley. 'At La Jolla Playhouse, our goal is to serve as an artistic home where the most exciting theatre artists in the country are given the resources to create works that drive them, and our 2009/2010 season welcomes some of the best to San Diego.' Beginning in summer 2009, some of the most prominent artists working in theatre today are bringing their wisdom, creativity and craft to the Playhouse stages, including: a West Coast premiere drama from Terrence McNally (Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class), a world premiere La Jolla Playhouse commission by Claudia Shear (Dirty Blonde, Blown Sideways Through Life), a new musical Page To Stage workshop production based on a Coen Brothers film, a revival starring Tony Award-winner B.D. Wong (M. Butterfly, Law & Order: SVU), a world premiere La Jolla Playhouse commission from Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife, Quills) and a world premiere musical comedy by Douglas Carter Beane (Xanadu, The Little Dog Laughed).

Producer David Binder announced today additional casting and the design team for the upcoming Broadway production of Mois?s Kaufman's 33 VARIATIONS starring Oscar & Emmy Award winning actress Jane Fonda.Rehearsals began for the cast including Jane Fonda (Katherine Brandt), Samantha Mathis (ClaraBrandt), Colin Hanks (Mike Clark), Zach Grenier (Beethoven), Don Amendolia (Anton Diabelli), Susan Kellerman (Dr. Gertie Ladenburger), Erik Steele (Anton Schindler) and Diane Walsh (Pianist).

On Monday, February 2, 2009, Chita Rivera, Donna Murphy, Christine Ebersole, Cheyenne Jackson, Kerry Butler, Nancy Opel, Cady Huffman, Keith Carradine, Julie Halston, Bailey Hanks, Cady Huffman, Lee Roy Reams, the original 'Cagelles' from from the 1983 Broadway production of La Cage aux Folles, the original Broadway cast of The Will Rogers Follies and more will take part in The Drama League's 25th annual all-star gala, 'A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY.'