Craig Lucas News

The Flea Theater has announced the extension of the World Premiere of THE MYSTERIES - a radical retelling of the Bible. Playwrights commissioned by Jim Simpson and Carol Ostrow including Tony Award and Academy Award winners and nominees David Henry Hwang, Craig Lucas, Billy Porter, Jose Rivera and Jeff Whitty; Flea alumni, Mallery Avidon, Trista Baldwin, Erin Courtney, Yussef El Guindi, Amy Freed, Sean Graney, Nick Jones, Qui Nguyen, and Jenny Schwartz; and a host of notable newcomers, Marc Acito, Johnna Adams, Liz Duffy Adams, Bill Cain, CollaborationTown, Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas, Eisa Davis, Gabriel Jason Dean, Chris Dimond, Madeleine George, Kate Gersten, Sevan K. Greene, Kirsten Greenidge, Lillian Groag, Jordan Harrison, Lucas Hnath, Ann Marie Healy, Meghan Kennedy, Kimber Lee, Kenneth Lin, Laura Marks, Ellen McLaughlin, Michael Mitnick, Don Nguyen, Dael Orlandersmith, A. Rey Pamatmat, Max Posner, Kate Moira Ryan, Najla Said, Jordan Seavey, Matthew Stephen Smith, Lloyd Suh, Jason Williamson and Bess Wohl join together to tell the entire History of Man's Salvation in 52 episodes from The Fall of Lucifer through and including Judgment Day.

The Shakespeare Forum follows up its acclaimed production of Love's Labours Lost last summer with its take on THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Co-directed by Andrew Borthwick-Leslie and Sybille Bruun, previews begin May 22 at The Gym at Judson, 243 Thompson Street, for an opening night set for Thursday, May 29.

Playwrights Horizons is now accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for up to two $5 tickets each to the New York premiere of FLY BY NIGHT: A NEW MUSICAL, conceived by Kim Rosenstock (Tigers Be Still); written by Will Connolly (performer, Once), Michael Mitnick (Sex Lives of Our Parents, the upcoming film The Giver) and Ms. Rosenstock; choreographed by Sam Pinkleton (Mr. Burns at PH; Natasha, Pierre…); and directed by Carolyn Cantor (The Great God Pan and After the Revolution at PH, Pumpgirl, Orange Flower Water).

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, will present The Last Five Years, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, from tonight, May 7 through June 1, 2014 on the Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre.

Undercover Productions LLC will present the Off-Broadway Premiere of Ethel Sings, by Joan Beber beginning performances at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues) on May 31st, with Opening Night set for Friday June 6th. This limited engagement will continue through July 13th.

The Kleban Foundation just announced that the 24th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist has been awarded to Nathan Tysen and the 24th annual Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist has been awarded to Arthur Perlman.The 2014 prizes will be presented on Monday, June 23, 2014, in a private ceremony (by invitation only) hosted by ASCAP and BMI.

The Shakespeare Forum follows up its acclaimed production of Love's Labours Lost last summer with its take on THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Co-directed by Andrew Borthwick-Leslie and Sybille Bruun, previews begin May 22 at The Gym at Judson with opening night set for Thursday, May 29.

Past Tony-nominee Jonathan Groff will join Lucy Liu reveal the names in a live webcast seen on TonyAwards.com.

Sundance Institute today announced the nine projects selected to participate in its 2014 Theatre Lab, July 7-27 at the Sundance Resort in Utah. The Lab is the centerpiece of the Institute's year-round work with the theatre community and is one of 10 residential labs the Institute will host for artists this summer, collectively representing the most promising new independent theatre and film projects.

The New York based company, The One-Minute Play Festival (Dominic D'Andrea, Producing Artistic Director) and the Central Heating Lab at ACT- A Contemporary Theatre create a dynamic partnership to bring The One-Minute Play Festival (#1MPF) to Seattle for the first time.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced additional top items for the 2014 edition of its popular, annual online auction. Bidding for the auction, which features an eclectic array of items and unique opportunities continues at www.biddingforgood/playwrightshorizons now through Monday, April 28 at 8PM.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater's Artistic Director David Van Asselt and Managing Director Brian Long have announced that following strong reviews, the world premiere of Ode to Joy, written and directed by Craig Lucas, ends its run today, April 19 at the Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce Street.

The Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Philadelphia-based Greenfield Foundation have presented Nilo Cruz with the 2014 Greenfield Prize in drama at a celebration dinner in Sarasota, FL.

Victory Gardens Artistic Director Chay Yew, Managing Director Chis Mannelli and The One-Minute Play Festival Producing Artistic Director Dominic D'Andrea announce the Fourth Annual Chicago One-Minute Play Festival (#1MPF), an evening of one-minute plays by sixty of Chicago's top playwrights, directed by ten Chicago directors. #1MPF will be presented for two performances only, Sunday, May 4 and Monday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park.

ATCA has named Lauren Gunderson's I and You recipient of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award, recognizing playwrights for scripts that premiered professionally outside New York City during 2013.

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were established hit makers when they teamed up to make a musical about cowboys and farmers. What follows was a miracle-Oklahoma!, then Carousel and South Pacific; the list of extraordinary hits goes on. Tonight, April 5 and April 6 and 7 get to know these legends even better at Getting to Know You: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lyrics & Lyricists first look at the two songwriters as a team. Guest artistic director, writer and host Ted Chapin, head of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, shares an insider's perspective on the pair, gleaned from his years with the Rodgers and Hammerstein families; joined by vocalists Lewis Cleale, Mandy Gonzalez, Jonathan Groff, Rebecca Luker, and Phillipa Soo.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, will present The Last Five Years, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, from May 7 through June 1, 2014 on the Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre.

The Flea Theater presents the World Premiere of THE MYSTERIES - a radical retelling of The Bible.

Villanova Theatre presents The Light in the Piazza, book by Craig Lucas, music and lyrics written by Adam Guettel, directed by Dr. Valerie Joyce, PhD., and on stage today, April 1-13, 2014. A mother's need to protect her daughter comes in conflict with her desire to set her free into life, love, and happiness. Triumphant, gorgeous, and courageous, Villanova's production of The Light in the Piazza proves that love truly can conquer all.

The YALE INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC THEATRE has selected two original book musicals to be developed in an intensive lab setting in New Haven, June 3-15. Afterland, with music and lyrics by Benjamin Velez and book and lyrics by Kathryn Hathaway, will be directed by Mark Brokaw; and Clouds are Pillows for the Moon, with music by Tidtaya Sinutoke and book and lyrics by Ty Defoe, will be directed by Leigh Silverman. The Institute culminates with open rehearsal readings of each project, presented as a part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, on June 14 and 15.