Christopher Durang News

Music Theater Works (formerly Light Opera Works) presents the Leonard Bernstein classic, CANDIDE, based on Voltaire's satire on the follies of the human race, at Cahn Auditorium in Evanston, June 3 through 11. A 24-piece orchestra accompanies the well-known songs "Glitter and Be Gay," "The Best of All Possible Worlds" and "Make Our Garden Grow."

On Friday, June 9th, 2017, 5-7pm — a Special Book Event for “CREATE! How Extraordinary People Live To Create and Create To Live” — a new book by best-selling author, Ronald Rand — will be held at The Drama Book Shop, 250 West 40 Street in New York City. 

Theatre East presents the BOOGIE DOWN LOUD SERIES, sponsored by Bronx Brewery, as a Summer Spin-Off of the Neighborhood Reading Series.

Tony Award winner, Donna McKechnie's new show, Same Place: Another Time, is a musical deja vu celebrating the scintillating 70's in New York City - the heyday of Studio 54. The journey she takes puts a personal spin on the "ingenue" coming to New York, finding love and success, losing her innocence along the way, perhaps, but never her spirit. It is beautifully illuminated by the music of Irving Berlin, Stephen Sondheim, Marvin Hamlisch, Peter Allen, Jim Croce and Leroy Anderson.

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! Down in the right-hand corner of my computer screen, it tells me that its Friday, May 19 - which means that Memorial Day Weekend is just a week away! - how in the world did we make it from New Year's Day to Memorial Day in what seems to me to be like 15 minutes? When you figure that out, please give me a heads-up so I can better prepare for Christmas shopping! And that, of course, has me wondering what shows we'll be seeing during the next holiday season which, in turn, prompts me to ask the musical question: What's your favorite Christmas or holiday-themed stage offering?

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! Welcome to Thursday, May 18, 2017…It's #TheatreThursday! which begs the question: How do you propose to live life dramatically? And, while we're on the subject, what shows are on your agenda this weekend? Let us know what you plan to see and what led you to make your choice! We'll pass the word along to the powers-that-be!

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! It's May 17, 2017, and summer - or a reasonable facsimile thereof - has arrived in Nashville, with temperatures already climbing toward the 90s! When prompts the musical question: What's on your agenda for the summer of 2017? Anything we should know about and, more importantly, write about?

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! It's Tuesday, May 16, 2017, and while the whole worlds goes to hell in a handbasket, what with the latest news coming out of Washington about highly classified secrets being passed on to the Russians, Nashville theater companies are still striving to prevent people from finding out what shows they plan to do next season…

City Theatre is excited to announce the plays and events included in Momentum '17: New Plays at Different Stages, the South Side theater company's annual festival of new play development. The annual festival will run from May 31 - June 4, 2017 and will include three public presentations of plays - plus one musical - at different stages in the development process, a closed reading of new work by a Young Playwrights Festival Alumnus, a Happy Hour/Artists Meet & Greet with Urbanist Pittsburgh, and an interactive opportunity to participate in conversation with local playwright Tami Dixon for an upcoming project. The readings and events are free and open to the public. Reservations are strongly encouraged to guarantee seating and can be made at CityTheatreCompany.org or by calling the box office at 412-431-CITY (2489).

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! Live life dramatically: It's Friday, May 12, 2017 - graduation day at Vanderbilt University - which prompts the musical question: 'Does it always have to rain on that day? This day, in particular?' Truly it's a FREAKY FRIDAY tradition, if the grads are donning caps and gowns at Vandy, chances are everyone else will be carrying their umbrellas with them in Music City.

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! Welcome to Wednesday, May 10, 2017…which prompts us to ask the musical question: Who remembers the Saturday Night Massacre back in the 1970s, during which Richard Nixon fired the special Watergate prosecutor and all hell seemed to break loose (even more than it had already) in Washington, D.C.?

Playwrights Horizons begins accepting entries today, Monday, May 8 at 12 Noon, for the LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to their world premiere production of BELLA: AN AMERICAN TALL TALE, a new musical with book, music and lyrics by Obie Award winner Kirsten Childs (The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin at Playwrights, Miracle Brothers).

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! It's Monday, May 8, and it looks to be a beautiful spring day in Nashville (so live life dramatically), prompting us to ask the musical question: Do reviews matter anymore?

Director Jim Strait's wit shines in Desert Rose's CLARK GABLE SLEPT HERE. The script needs pruning, but the dialogue flies most of the time, as do the audience's guffaws. The two women in the cast have the juicy roles, and make the most of them. The audience will have fun at this raunchy play.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons will hold its annual Spring Gala on Monday evening, May 8, at the event space 583 Park Avenue. Titled A CELEBRATION OF SONG, the evening will honor three of the company's exceptional alumni writers: Tony Award nominee Scott Frankel (Grey Gardens and Far From Heaven at Playwrights), Tony Award nominee Michael Korie (Grey Gardens and Far From Heaven at Playwrights) and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife and Grey Gardens at Playwrights). The Grey Gardens writing team has returned to Broadway with their new musical, War Paint, now playing at The Nederlander Theatre.

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! Welcome to Thursday, May 4, 2017 - can you believe it's already this far along in the year - and that it's another #TheatreThursday? Today, we're posing the musical question: Are all our artistic efforts worth it during these oh-so-trying times? The answer, most certainly, is a resounding "YES!" You see, gentle readers, it's during times like these that the spirit of creativity, the expression of our collective imagination and the ability to transform and to transport become even more vital to the continued existence of humankind. We implore you to continue to live life dramatically!

City Theatre is wrapping up the 2016-17 season that began with the box-office smash-hit Hand to God by Robert Askins, followed by the world premiere of Sharon Washington's Feeding the Dragon, and included critically acclaimed plays by Marco Ramirez, Jessica Dickey, and Colman Domingo.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre elevates its profile in the national theatre community with the second annual OriginKC: NEW WORKS FESTIVAL. In addition to a striking lineup of playwrights and directors for this year's festival, an impressive list of arts leaders from preeminent regional theaters across the country will be attending the Festival Weekend, May 12-13. 

Atlantic Theater Company has announced its 2017-18 season productions and one Atlantic for Kids production.

ANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE IS DARK NEUROTIC COMEDY at West Coast Players about regrets and the road not taken.