Danaya Esperanza News

The Merchant of Venice is traditionally categorized as a comedy, but the character of Shylock anchors one of Shakespeare’s most maddening tragic arcs. Here, Shylock is played by the magnificent John Douglas Thompson, whose powerful interpretations of the character's frank yet contorted appeals for justice make this production unmissable.

This production marks the first Broadway revival of Ntozake Shange's piece, however, it has had quite the life on stage and screen. Today, we're taking you through the production history of for colored girls... to learn more about its journey back to Broadway!

TFANA presents William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, featuring John Douglas Thompson, directed by Arin Arbus, and co-produced with Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC; Simon Godwin, Artistic Director).

Gallery Players opens its 55th season with And Away We Go by Terrence McNally - the first New York revival since its premiere in 2013.

Play-PerView has announced its first LIVESTREAM in person presentation. n Monday, October 18, Play-PerView will present a LIVE reading of “Jane Anger or The Lamentable Comedie of JANE ANGER, that Cunning Woman, and also of Willy Shakefpeare and his Peasant Companion, Francis, Yes and Also of Anne Hathaway (also a Woman) Who Tried Very Hard,”.

Working Theater will present Missing Them- a living public memorial to our neighbors lost to COVID-19. Missing Them is a live theater event that builds on a collaborative journalism project to name every New Yorker lost to COVID-19 and tell a story about them.

The 52nd Street Project is presenting an evening of two new one-act plays in a livestreamed performance by its Teen Ensemble. ME & U., THE TEEN ENSEMBLE ONE-ACTS. This one-night-only performance event features a pair of original one-acts, featuring Teen Ensemble members Darby, Lakshmi, Nicole, Lauren & Magalis.

TFANA will present a virtual exploration of these celebrated artists’ next project together, Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice, this Wednesday, January 27, 7-8pm, and Saturday, January 30, 3-4pm, as part of the Theatre’s new “Artists & Community” series. T

The Public Theater announced an array of free programming has been added to The Public's digital season. Though its physical stages remain dark, the additional virtual programming will include a bilingual audio adaptation of Romeo y Julieta co-presented with WNYC Studios featuring Lupita Nyong'o and Juan Castano as the star-crossed lovers.

Arizona Theatre Company's production of Benjamin Bennea??s emotion-laden drama, ALMA (livestreaming through August 22nd, at 5:00 p.m.PT/8:00 p.m. ET), while promoted as an online reading, is something far more. Directed by Catherine María Rodríguez and featuring riveting performances by Danaya Esperanza and Amandla Jahava, it stands as a virtual virtuoso portrayal of a mother and daughter absorbed in the generational tensions common to parent and child but also threatened by the ominous shadows of a mean-spirited politics.

Arizona Theatre Company's production of Benjamin Bennea??s emotion-laden drama, ALMA (livestreaming through August 22nd, at 5:00 p.m.PT/8:00 p.m. ET), while promoted as an online reading, is something far more. Directed by Catherine María Rodríguez and featuring riveting performances by Danaya Esperanza and Amandla Jahava, it stands as a virtual virtuoso portrayal of a mother and daughter absorbed in the generational tensions common to parent and child but also threatened by the ominous shadows of a mean-spirited politics.

Arizona Theatre Company on August 18 will launch the first of its series of creative digital performance offerings with Alma, the story of a daughter and her mother and the thread of the American dream.

The Public Theater announced additions to the line-up for WE ARE ONE PUBLIC, a one-night-only star-studded virtual event to support The Public Theater, which will take place on Monday, June 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

For Week 5 - Kate Burton, Danaya Esperanza, and Stephanie Roth Haberle all perform as Imogen from Cymbeline! Esperanza even performs a Spanish translation by Ángel-Luis Pujante of Imogen's speech!

The Public Theater's three Imogens from its Brave New Shakespeare Challenge spoke with Mobile Unit Director Karen Ann Daniels on the relevancy of the Bard and interpreting the work of CYMBELINE.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) will bring Shakespeare's CYMBELINE, directed by Carl Cofield, on tour for the first time ever to venues across the city in a free four-week tour (April 16-May 15), as part of The Public's commitment to bringing free theater to all and deepening its engagement with communities across the five boroughs. The Mobile Unit's free tours bring Shakespeare and other works to audiences who have limited or no access to the arts by visiting correctional facilities, homeless shelters, social service organizations, and other community organizations. Following the tour to the five boroughs, there will also be a free three-week engagement of CYMBELINE in The Public's Shiva Theater running Monday, May 18 through Sunday, June 7, with an official press opening on Thursday, May 21.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre [NBT] announces the two workshop productions of its 51st Season 'SOUL Journey: NBT Beyond Walls': Bayano by Darrel Alejandro Holnes, directed by Jeffrey Page, and Retreat by Tracey Conyer Lee, directed by Zhailon Levingston, running March 11-15 and April 1-5 respectively.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced a fourth and final extension of the revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, written by legendary playwright/poet Ntozake Shange. Directed by Obie Award winner Leah C. Gardiner with choreography by Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf began performances on Tuesday, October 8 in The Public's Martinson Hall and officially opened on Tuesday, October 22. for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, November 17, and was extended four times to now run through Sunday, December 15.

Back in 1976, when Ntozake Shange's ravishingly written celebration of survival, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE/WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENOUGH, transferred from The Public Theater to The Booth, if would have been a safe bet to say that Broadway had seen nothing like it before.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced the third extension of the revival of FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE/WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, written by legendary playwright/poet Ntozake Shange. Directed by Obie Award winner Leah C. Gardiner with choreography by Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE/WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF began performances on Tuesday, October 8 in The Public's Martinson Hall and officially opened on Tuesday, October 22. In its third extension, FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE/WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, November 17, and will now run through Sunday, December 8.