Craig Lucas News

Reckless - Craig Lucas' skewed vision of suburban life in contemporary America - is brought to life in an engaging and entertaining new production from Actors Bridge Ensemble. Directed with finesse by Jessika Malone and performed by a cast of talented actors who are supremely confident in interpreting Lucas' off-kilter comedy, it's a well-crafted show that fairly crackles with humor.

A sweeping saga of love beneath the Tuscan sun, TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley presents the epic Tony Award-winning musical THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, with book by Pulitzer Prize-nominee Craig Lucas and music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, based on the 1960 novella by Elizabeth Spencer. Set to the soaring melodies of what the Chicago Tribune called 'the most beautiful score written for the American musical theater in 20 years,' this breath-taking musical is the poignant tale of two extraordinary young people and the overwhelming power of love. Featuring Broadway veterans Rebecca Eichenberger and Martin Vidnovic and regional favorites Whitney Bashor and Constantine Germancos, with TheatreWorks Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley at the helm, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA plays August 25-September 19, 2010 (press opening August 28) at TheatreWorks at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets and information the public may call (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

Today we are taking a listen to the new Sony Masterworks & Arkiv Music re-release of Marc Blitzstein's half-musical/half-opera REGINA, based on THE LITTLE FOXES by Lillian Hellman. A little bit like Adam Guettel's THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA or Michael John LaChiusa's MARIE CHRISTINE in that it defies any traditional definition or classification, it is a true masterpiece and a marvel of craftsmanship and creativity, whatever it is. Leonard Bernstein once called REGINA his favorite theatre score of all time and perhaps no other score of the period comes closest to the classical aspirations - actual accomplishment, actually - as much as Bernstein's own CANDIDE which he wrote with Lillian Hellman and John LaTouche seven years later, inspired by this show. This score virtually has it all: opera, jazz, Dixieland, blues, gospel spirituals, Victorian parlour songs, stirring symphonic sequences, stunning arias, glorious choral swell-ups, biting satirical anthems, cakewalks, recitative and some serious - seriously innovative - dialogue/song centerpiece scenes to all three acts of this operamusical. Whatever you want to call it: a triple-decker treat awaits!

Propinquity Productions presents the World Premiere of An Idiot, Jeff Tabnick's modern retelling of Dostoevsky's The Idiot, directed by Eric Nightengale, as part of The New York International Fringe Festival - Fringe NYC, a production of The Present Company, from August 14 - 28, 2010 at Venue #3, The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th Street (Second Avenue & Bowery), NYC.

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust has announced that the 3rd Annual ‘Mimi' Awards will be presented at a ceremony to be held Monday, November 8, 2010 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center Theater (150 West 65th Street).

What starts as an innocent lunch between a septuagenarian Mom and her two adult children degenerates into a fierce game of cat and mouse which leads to a confession that will radically upset the lives of the entire family. In Joel Drake Johnson's darkly humorous play, a weekly family outing takes some unimaginable turns.

9Thirty Theatre Company (Jeff Burroughs, Artistic Director) announces 'THE BIRDS' TO SAVE BIRDS, a benefit to support one of the country's first eco theatres and Tri-State Birds, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and rehabilitating birds in the Gulf of Mexico. The benefit will take place from 7PM-11PM on July 25th at The Foundry.

ROGUE MACHINE proudly extends performance schedule for the West Coast Premiere of FOUR PLACES written by Joel Drake Johnson.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that Zach Braff, Bobby Cannavale, Sutton Foster, and Ari Graynor will co-star in the world premiere comedy TRUST, written by Paul Weitz, directed by Peter DuBois. Mr. Weitz returns to Second Stage Theatre, where his plays Privilege and Show People premiered in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Directed by Peter DuBois, who staged Second Stage's acclaimed production of Becky Shaw, TRUST will begin previews on Friday, July 23 at Second Stage Theatre (305 West 43rd street) and officially open on Thursday, August 12. The production runs through September 5.

Craig Lucas' Reckless, directed by Jessika Malone, is next up in Actors Bridge Ensemble's 2010 season, opening Friday, July 23 at Belmont University's Black Box Theater. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m., except for Sunday matinees which are at 4:30 p.m.

Propinquity Productions presents the World Premiere of An Idiot, Jeff Tabnick's modern retelling of Dostoevsky's The Idiot, directed by Eric Nightengale, as part of The New York International Fringe Festival - Fringe NYC, a production of The Present Company, from August 14 - 28, 2010 at Venue #3, The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th Street (Second Avenue & Bowery), NYC.

Six plays have been chosen as the winning scripts from the 35th Annual Samuel French, Inc. Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival, which concluded Sunday, July 18th in The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row.

Renowned Playwrights, Theatrical Agents and Artistic Directors to be among the judges for the 35th Annual SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. OFF OFF BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL July 13 - 18 at The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of Little Doc, written by award-winning filmmaker Dan Klores and directed by John Gould Rubin. Opening the company's 16th Season, performances of Little Doc will begin Friday, June 11 at Rattlestick Theatre (224 Waverly Place).

Bob Boyett and NETworks Presentations announce casting for the national tour of the Lincoln Center Theater production of Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein's prize-winning musical 'South Pacific,' directed by Bartlett Sher, opening June 2 at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and playing through July 17, 2010. Previews begin May 27.

9Thirty Theatre Company (Jeff Burroughs, Artistic Director) announces 'THE BIRDS' TO SAVE BIRDS, a benefit to support one of the country's first eco theatres and Tri-State Birds, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and rehabilitating birds in the Gulf of Mexico. The benefit will take place from 7PM-11PM on July 25th at The Foundry.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director, Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce its 25th Anniversary season productions.

Renowned Playwrights, Theatrical Agents and Artistic Directors to be among the judges for the 35th Annual SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. OFF OFF BROADWAY SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL July 13 - 18 at The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director, Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) has announced its 25th Anniversary season productions. The 2010-2011 season will feature world premieres from Academy Award® winner Ethan Coen, Pulitzer and Tony Award® winner David Auburn, Lucy Thurber, a return to the work of Tony Award® and Nobel Prize winner Harold Pinter and a 25th anniversary one-act festival that will reunite a who's who of Atlantic alumni playwrights, directors and actors.