Colonel News

The touring production of '3 Redneck Tenors' played the Temple Theater in Tacoma for one night and it was one night too many.

Richard Eyre's production of The Last Cigarette, adapted by Hugh Whitemore and Simon Gray from Gray's critically acclaimed The Smoking Diaries, is to transfer to the West End having previously opened the 2009 season at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Starring Felicity Kendal, Nicholas Le Prevost and Jasper Britton, who all perform as Simon Gray, The Last Cigarette will run at Trafalgar Studios from 21 April - 1 August, with opening night 28 April 2009. Designs are by Rob Howell with lighting and projection by John Driscoll and music by George Fenton.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) announces its Spring 2009 Musicals in Mufti Series-the York's acclaimed series of musical theatre gems in staged concert performances.

The Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Michael Bloom announces the world premiere production of Thornton Wilder's novel Heaven's My Destination, adapted by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing. The play is the centerpiece of the fourth annual FusionFest, a multidisciplinary performing arts festival.

Richard Eyre's production of The Last Cigarette, adapted by Hugh Whitemore and Simon Gray from Gray's critically acclaimed The Smoking Diaries, is to transfer to the West End having previously opened the 2009 Season at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Starring Felicity Kendal, Nicholas le Prevost and Jasper Britton, who all perform as Simon Gray, The Last Cigarette will run at Trafalgar Studios from 21 April - 1 August, with opening night 28 April 2009. Designs are by Rob Howell with lighting and projection by John Driscoll and music by George Fenton.

Bristol Riverside Theatre presents the Philadelphia Premiere of Defiance, the second installment in American playwright, John Patrick Shanley's planned trilogy exploring hierarchies in America - which began with the award winning Doubt: A Parable.

The much anticipated, critically acclaimed 3 Redneck Tenors: A New Musical Adventure arrives at the Canyon Club Thursday, March 19, 2009 as part of a current, highly successful, multi-city, U.S. tour.

The much anticipated, critically acclaimed 3 Redneck Tenors: A New Musical Adventure arrives at the Canyon Club Thursday, March 19, 2009 as part of a current, highly successful, multi-city, U.S. tour.

The much anticipated, critically acclaimed 3 Redneck Tenors: A New Musical Adventure arrives at the Canyon Club Thursday, March 19, 2009 as part of a current, highly successful, multi-city, U.S. tour.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Executive Directors) will honor Award-winning playwright John Guare and Golden Globe winner Stanley Tucci at their 8th Annual Winter Gala to be held at Twenty Four Fifth (24 Fifth Avenue) on Monday, March 9, 2009.

BoHo continues its 5th season by exploring a literary classic from a different perspective. As a company, BoHo strives to illuminate the classics of years past and make them accessible to today's audiences. Through the intimacy of its writing, Barbara Fields' Playing with Fire (after Frankenstein) fulfills this goal by bringing back to life the tragic tale of one of literature's most notorious creatures in a most unique way. And, as usual, the talented cast is able to bring the complexities of this piece to life deftly.

Bristol Riverside Theatre presents the Philadelphia Premiere of Defiance, the second installment in American playwright, John Patrick Shanley's planned trilogy exploring hierarchies in America - which began with the award winning Doubt: A Parable.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Executive Directors) will honor Award-winning playwright John Guare and Golden Globe winner Stanley Tucci at their 8th Annual Winter Gala to be held at Twenty Four Fifth (24 Fifth Avenue) on Monday, March 9, 2009.

TVGuide.com is reporting that Lou Diamond Phillips has been cast as Colonel Telford on Sci Fi Channel's upcoming series, Stargate Universe.

Love! Rivalry! Politics! Pacific Lyric Association presents Luisa Fernanda, the last of the great Spanish zarzuelas by Federico Moreno Torroba. Four fully-staged performances of the complete libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernandez Shaw will take place at the 1000-seat Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood, February 19-21. Traveling from Spain to conduct the orchestra is the son of the composer, Federico Moreno-Torroba Larregla. Performances will be in Spanish with English supertitles. A zarzuela (pronounced zar zway' la) is a Spanish musical that blends the brilliance of Broadway with the passion of opera. The art form had its inception near Madrid in the 1640s. Legend says the name originates from a pavilion overgrown with blackberry bushes (zarzas) in a remote section of the city's El Prado Park, where actors gathered to present plays and entertain King Philip IV. Influenced over the centuries by Italian and French musical styles, but retaining a distinct personality, zarzuelas flourished as a popular entertainment in the 1920s and '30s. 'Unlike opera, zarzuelas are a form of populist entertainment,' explains Pacific Lyric Association artistic director, Madrid-born Carlos Oliva. 'The role of the story and dialogue is equally important to that of the singing and music - it's an early form of musical theater. It is paramount that the performers be strong actors as well as singers.'

BoHo continues its 5th season by exploring a literary classic from a different perspective. As a company, BoHo strives to illuminate the classics of years past and make them accessible to today's audiences. Through the intimacy of its writing, Barbara Fields' Playing with Fire (after Frankenstein) fulfills this goal by bringing back to life the tragic tale of one of literature's most notorious creatures in a most unique way. And, as usual, the talented cast is able to bring the complexities of this piece to life deftly.

The Men's Auxiliary of Women's Project theater company will hold its Valentine's Day Bake Sale Saturday, February 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm followed by a performance of Virginia Woolf's only play, Freshwater directed by Anne Bogart, at Women's Project, 424 West 55th Street. 'Men know that the way to reach a women's heart is through her stomach. We have found a new way for men with a talent for the palate to participate in the development of Women's Project,' said Producing Artistic Director Julie Crosby, who volunteered her own significant other to head the Men's Auxiliary. 'The Men's Auxiliary Valentine's Day Bake Sale will put our men's skills to the test. We will also vote to see which guy delivers the tastiest sweets and award prizes to the men with the best goods.'

The Men's Auxiliary of Women's Project theater company will hold its Valentine's Day Bake Sale Saturday, February 14, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm followed by a performance of Virginia Woolf's only play, Freshwater directed by Anne Bogart, at Women's Project, 424 West 55th Street. 'Men know that the way to reach a women's heart is through her stomach. We have found a new way for men with a talent for the palate to participate in the development of Women's Project,' said Producing Artistic Director Julie Crosby, who volunteered her own significant other to head the Men's Auxiliary. 'The Men's Auxiliary Valentine's Day Bake Sale will put our men's skills to the test. We will also vote to see which guy delivers the tastiest sweets and award prizes to the men with the best goods.'

The Roundtable Ensemble (Kelly Ann Moore, Artistic Director and Joshua P. Weiss, Managing Director), now in its 10th season, will present the New York premiere of Linda Escalera Baggs' award-winning play 'SILENT HEROES,' inspired by a true story, and directed by Rosemary Andress. 'SILENT HEROES' will be presented at Theatre 54 at Shetler Studios, 244 West 54th Street, 12th floor (bet. 8th and 9th Aves). Performances will begin on January 8, and the official opening performance was Sunday, January 11 at 3:00 p.m. Performances will run through Saturday, January 24. Set shortly after the end of the Vietnam War, the wives of six Marine Corps aviators have gathered in the night after hearing that one of the base's jet fighters has crashed. The Corps has offered no comfort or information, but the women know that one of their husbands isn't coming home. 'SILENT HEROES' deals with women's rights, race relations, family, war and peace, and the tenuous social structure that enables military wives to cope with the constant fear that their husbands' lives, and their futures, could end suddenly. It won Best Play at FutureFest (Dayton, OH), at the Firehouse Theatre Festival of New American Plays (Richmond, VA), and at the Pittsburgh New Play Festival. TheaterMania's Peter Filichia was one of the judges at FutureFest and wrote this in his column: 'While I was watching Linda Escalera Bagg's Silent Heroes, I thought 'Hmm...this playwright has not only written six fat parts for women but also at least two parts that could very well win Tony Awards for the actresses playing them.' 'SILENT HEROES' was also honored with the Source Literary Prize in Washington, D.C. Linda Escalera Baggs is a Virginia-based playwright whose plays have been produced across the U.S.A. In addition to her award-winning Silent Heroes her full length plays include Harps & Harmonicas and Word War, and her one-acts and short plays include: Parting Words, The August Jinx, Welcome to Florida, Who's Margaret, and Dress Blues. Baggs is the daughter of a Marine colonel.

Love! Rivalry! Politics! Pacific Lyric Association presents Luisa Fernanda, the last of the great Spanish zarzuelas by Federico Moreno Torroba. Four fully-staged performances of the complete libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernandez Shaw will take place at the 1000-seat Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood, February 19-21. Traveling from Spain to conduct the orchestra is the son of the composer, Federico Moreno-Torroba Larregla. Performances will be in Spanish with English supertitles. A zarzuela (pronounced zar zway' la) is a Spanish musical that blends the brilliance of Broadway with the passion of opera. The art form had its inception near Madrid in the 1640s. Legend says the name originates from a pavilion overgrown with blackberry bushes (zarzas) in a remote section of the city's El Prado Park, where actors gathered to present plays and entertain King Philip IV. Influenced over the centuries by Italian and French musical styles, but retaining a distinct personality, zarzuelas flourished as a popular entertainment in the 1920s and '30s. 'Unlike opera, zarzuelas are a form of populist entertainment,' explains Pacific Lyric Association artistic director, Madrid-born Carlos Oliva. 'The role of the story and dialogue is equally important to that of the singing and music - it's an early form of musical theater. It is paramount that the performers be strong actors as well as singers.'