David Cromer News

Eric Rosen, Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre has announced his 2014-15 season, its milestone 50th anniversary.

Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) have announced that Ashley Herbert from Boston has won first place at the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition held on Monday, May 5th at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). Robert Upton from Chicago was the runner-up, and an honorable mention went to Atiauna Grant from Atlanta. Denzel Washington surprised the audience with a special appearance during the awards ceremony, and greeted all of the contestants afterwards. The event, which was free and open to the public, featured high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Portland and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright. Scroll down for photos from the competition!

Ashley Herbert, a junior at Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, was named champion of the National Finals of the August Wilson Monologue Competition Monday night at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre.

Just last night, High school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and Seattle perform monologues by the legendary American playwright August Wilson as a part of the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition. Emceed by Kenny Leon (True Colors Theatre Co-Founding Artistic Director), the event was judged by Pauletta Washington, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Cromer, James A. Williams and Narda E. Alcorn, with a special performance from the upcoming Broadway Tupac Shakur musical Holler If Ya Hear Me including cast members Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson, and Ben Thompson.

Bobby Steggert discusses MOTHERS ANS SONS, the YANK! recording and BIG FISH

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: It's a busy Monday! The NY Drama Critics' circle announces its 2014 winners today, Playwrights Horizons and Second Stage are both hosting their annual galas tonight, SEA MARKS opens off-Broadway, the National August Wilson Monologue Competition is today, and Joe Iconis stops by MURDER FOR TWO tonight!

Tomorrow is one of the most exciting mornings of the year for any theatre fan. The 2014 Tony Award Nominations will be announced from The Diamond Horseshoe at the Paramount Hotel. The Tony Nominations can be viewed LIVE (8:30am ET) on BroadwayWorld.com. Be sure to follow us throughout the day for reactions from the nominees, analysis and much more. With only hours left until the big moment, catch up on all of this year's eligible shows and how they fared with the critics (including BroadwayWorld's own Michael Dale) in BroadwayWorld's Season Wrap-Up!

Denzel Washington made his triumphant return to the Broadway stage last night in “A Raisin in the Sun,” which opened at New York's Barrymore Theater.

If Kenny Leon would like to keep on mounting productions of Lorraine Hansberry's riveting classic every decade I'd be most happy to go see them all.

Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, starring Denzel Washington and directed by Tony Award nominee Kenny Leon, opens tonight, April 3 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street), the same theatre where the original production of A Raisin in the Sun opened 55 years ago. A Raisin in the Sun is a limited engagement running through June 15. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Huntington Theatre Company, the 2013 recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award and Boston magazine's Best Theatre of 2013, announces that a new stage adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner will kick off the 2014-2015 Season with performances beginning September 5. The adaptation by August Wilson collaborator Todd Kreidler and directed by David Esbjornson (All My Sons at the Huntington) joins the previously announced six subscription titles plus a special presentation directed by the visionary David Cromer (Our Town).

The Hypocrites are pleased to announce their 2014-15 Season, beginning in August 2014 with the world premiere of ALL OUR TRAGIC, an unparalleled twelve-hour theatrical adaptation that combines all 32 surviving Greek tragedies into a single epic narrative, adapted and directed by Founding Artistic Director Sean Graney*. Audiences may experience ALL OUR TRAGIC at a single twelve-hour marathon performance (with ample breaks for food and beverage) or through shorter installments spread over multiple weekends.

Tympanic Theatre Company and the side project are excited to announce their upcoming world premiere co-production of Sandalwood. Developed over the course of three years through a series of workshops, the script of Sandalwood is written by Dan Caffrey* and directed by Aaron Henrickson*. Sandalwood is performed at the side project (1439 W. Jarvis) March 28-April 20, 2014.

Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the 2014/15 Season, to include Isaac's Eye by Lucas Hnath, directed by Michael Halberstam; The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman, directed by Kimberly Senior; and Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley, directed by William Brown.

Mercury Theater Chicago, 3745 N Southport Ave., announces that The Hypocrites' production INTO THE WOODS, directed by Geoff Button* with Musical Direction by Matt Deitchman, has been extended through Saturday, April 5. The production was selected as a Critics' Pick by Time Out Chicago and has hailed as 'Beautiful' (Chicago Tribune) and 'A wonder! Terrific! Excellent! Perfectly charming.' (Newcity)

Previews begin tomorrow night, Saturday, March 8, for the return to Broadway of Tony Award-winner and two-time Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington, starring as Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's A RAISIN IN THE SUN. This new production begins previews nearly 55 years to the day that A RAISIN IN THE SUN had its Broadway premiere (March 11, 1959) at the same theatre, the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Scroll down to learn more about the cast!

Writers Theatre presents the World Premiere of Days Like Today, inspired by the plays of Charles L. Mee with music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler and book by Laura Eason, directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and music direction by Doug Peck. The production runs May 6-July 13, 2014 at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe.

Previews begin tomorrow night, Saturday, March 8, at 8pm for the return to Broadway of Tony Award-winner and two-time Academy Award-winner Denzel Washington starring as Walter Lee Younger in Lorraine Hansberry's A RAISIN IN THE SUN. This new production begins previews nearly 55 years to the day that A RAISIN IN THE SUN had its Broadway premiere (March 11, 1959) at the same theatre, the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Opening night for A RAISIN IN THE SUN is Thursday, April 3 at 6:45pm. The 14-week limited engagement runs through Sunday, June 15.

The upcoming Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Kenny Leon, and starring Denzel Washington and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, begins performances Saturday evening, March 8 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (247 West 47 Street). Opening night is Thursday, April 3. The 14-week limited engagement run is scheduled through Sunday, June 15.

Sharon Tate in Heaven is a one woman odyssey about model and actress Sharon Tate. Sharon did some television work and made six films, her last with Orson Welles, and was on her way to international stardom. She met director Roman Polanski in 1967 when she was hired to play the lead in his film The Fearless Vampire Killers, fell madly in love, and married him. Two years later while pregnant with his child, a boy, she and four others were savagely killed by members of the Charles Manson 'family' in August 1969 when Manson, a frustrated musician who wanted to get revenge on the Establishment that rejected him, and with paranoid delusions about a Helter Skelter race war he wanted to start, set it in motion. At the home Sharon and Roman rented on Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Sharon passed before being able to say goodbye to her husband or loved ones. In this one woman show, written and performed by Jen Danby (The Blonde Bombshell Project: Marilyn Monroe), and inspired by research into books, pictures, interviews, films, virtual explorations, and more, Sharon Tate is interviewed in Heaven moments after her death to talk about her life, acting, and love, as a Valentine message to her husband. At the juncture of an American Tragedy that is cultural memory, this is the story of the real Sharon Tate and it is a Love Story. Tickets on sale now at SharonTate.brownpapertickets.com