Danai Gurira News

AMC and the American Red Cross have joined forces to raise awareness about the constant need for blood. In the event of a natural disaster or even a zombie apocalypse, it's the existing blood supply that will help save lives.

Obie-winning director Robert O'Hara will direct the Public Theater's WILD WITH HAPPY by Colman Domingo. The play explores the surreal, bizarre, and outrageous comedy that lies in dealing with death and healing as a young man named Gil plans to scatter his mother's ashes in the place where she was the most happy. O'Hara chatted with BWW about the upcoming play which takes on a unique yet truly universal subject matter.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company has announced the one week extension of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, now playing through October 7, 2012.

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, by Kristoffer Diaz and directed by Woolly Company Member John Vreeke, opens Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company's Season 33, tonight, September 3 through September 30, 2012.

Following the launch of The Black Women Playwrights Group's Cyber Narrative Project at Woolly Mammoth last February, the theatre has introduced DC audiences to Powerbomb!, an online video game inspired by Woolly's season opener, Pulitzer Prize Finalist, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 197 nominations in 34 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions, which opened between August 1, 2011, and July 31, 2012. The Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 118 Equity productions offered by 55 producing organizations. From these openings, 96 productions were 'Jeff Recommended,' which made them eligible for award nominations.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) have announced that their annual Gala will take place Wednesday, November 14, 2012 at The Edison Ballroom (240 W. 47th Street). The event will honor Tony Award winner Tyne Daly (Master Class, Rabbit Hole, Gypsy), and producers and Primary Stages board members Jamie deRoy, and Ted Snowdon. The Gala Chair is Tom Kirdahy.

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, by Kristoffer Diaz and directed by Woolly Company Member John Vreeke, opens Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company's Season 33, September 3 - 30, 2012.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) launches its 28th season tonight, July 24 when HARRISON, TX: THREE PLAYS BY HORTON FOOTE begins performances.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced this morning the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy(R) Award nominations, recognizing AMC with 34 nominations, the most for any basic cable network for the fifth year in a row, breaking the previous 29 nomination record for the network from 2011.

Primary Stages Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA), the company's professional training school, has announced its Fall 2012 schedule of classes now open for enrollment. ESPA will offer new classes including Comedy Writing, Advanced Libretto and Lyric Writing and Dialects 2: Russian. ESPA will also be offering two new workshops: Writing for TV: Making the Transition from Stage to Screen and The Pilot. Additionally, Tanya Barfield, whose show The Call is part of Primary Stages mainstage 2012-2013 season, will be teaching a special workshop, Finding Your First Draft.

The first trailer for Lifetime's all-African-American remake of STEEL MAGNOLIAS has just been released by the cable network. Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner and Academy Award nominee Queen Latifah has signed on to star in and executive produce the television adaptation of the iconic play and 1989 film. Get a first look below!

McCarter Theatre Center has announced that the 2012 Sallie B. Goodman Artists' Retreat will take place from June 7through June 16.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company announces the public launch of its fundraising campaign Free the Beast, an innovative effort that will support the production of 25 new plays starting 2012 through 2022.

Yale School of Drama and Yale Repertory Theatre have received a transformational $18 million gift from the Robina Foundation that will permanently endow the creation of new plays and musicals for the American stage through the Binger Center for New Theatre.

'The Convert' opened last night, April 19 at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. The show, written by Danai Gurira and directed by Emily Mann in co-production with McCarter Theatre Center and the Goodman Theatre, is a world premiere production running through May 19. Danai Gurira, Wes Craven, Rutina Wesley, L. Scott Caldwell, Ntare Mwine, Glen Mazzara, Nyambi Nyambi, Deidrie Henry, Kristolyn Lloyd, Mia Barron, Edwina Findley, Lauren Cohan and more attended opening night. Check out the photos below!

Danai Gurira's powerful new play, "The Convert," which was commissioned by Center Theatre Group, will be presented at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, April 17 through May 19, 2012. The opening is scheduled for April 19. The world premiere production of "The Convert," a co-production with McCarter Theatre Center and Goodman Theatre, is directed by Emily Mann.

Center Theatre Group has announced updated information for three productions in CTG's 2011-2012 season.

Center Theatre Group, host of the August Wilson Monologue Competition (AWMC) in Southern California, has announced that 15 finalists have been selected to compete in the AWMC regional finals to be held at the CTG/Mark Taper Forum on March 26, 2012.

Acclaimed playwright Danai Gurira (In The Continuum) returns to Chicago with her newest work, The Convert, directed by Emily Mann.