David Esbjornson News

Signature Theatre (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce initial casting for the world premiere production of Katori Hall's HURT VILLAGE, directed by Patricia McGregor.

Created stitch by loving stitch, The AIDS Memorial Quilt remains an uplifting symbol of hope and a stirring memorial to lives cut short from the ongoing disease, which has become a major staple of our generation. On the heels of World AIDS Day, a new star-studded theatrical gala will commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and the 25th Anniversary of The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Academy Award® winner Sir Ben Kingsley joined Vanessa Redgrave presented, onstage at the Wyndham's Theatre, an Honorary Academy Award® to James Earl Jones. Filmed footage of the presentation, which was made after the curtain call for the critically acclaimed production of Driving Miss Daisy, was shown at the Awards dinner in Los Angeles.

Signature Theatre Company (Founding Artistic Director James Houghton; Executive Director Erika Mallin), announced a change to the theatre's Legacy Program for the inaugural season at the Company's new home, Signature Center: the theatre will produce Albee's 1977 play, The Lady from Dubuque, in a new production featuring Tony Award winner Jane Alexander and directed by David Esbjornson. The world premiere of Edward Albee's Laying an Egg will be produced in a future season.

Created stitch by loving stitch, The AIDS Memorial Quilt remains an uplifting symbol of hope and a stirring memorial to lives cut short from the ongoing disease, which has become a major staple of our generation. On the heels of World AIDS Day, a new star-studded theatrical gala will commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and the 25th Anniversary of The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Two-time Tony Award® winner James Earl Jones (Hoke Coleburn), Tony and Oscar® winner Vanessa Redgrave (Daisy Werthan) and four-time Tony Award® winner Boyd Gaines (Boolie Werthan) will star in the critically acclaimed production of Driving Miss Daisy, at the Wyndham's Theatre from 26 September until 17 December, with press night on 5 October. The play, written by Alfred Uhry and directed by David Esbjornson, enjoyed a record breaking sell-out run on Broadway until 9 April this year. Design is by John Lee Beatty, costumes by Jane Greenwood, lighting is by Peter Kaczorowski , music by Mark Bennett and sound by Christopher Cronin. Driving Miss Daisy is being produced in the West End by Jed Bernstein and Adam Zotovich.

Signature Theatre Company announced yesterday seven productions for its inaugural 2012 season at Signature Center, the company's new Frank Gehry-designed permanent home opening in February 2012. Signature Center will allow the Company to expand its programming, introduce new initiatives, and build audiences. Featuring three intimate theatres, a Studio Theatre, rehearsal studio and a shared lobby with café and bookstore, Signature Center will be both a theatre community hub and a neighborhood destination.

At a special press event on the construction site of the new venue, Signature Theatre loyalists Edward Norton, Edward Albee and more were on hand to discuss the future plans of the company. Broadway Beat was there and brings you coverage below!

Signature Theatre Company (Founding Artistic Director James Houghton; Executive Director Erika Mallin), announced today seven productions for its inaugural 2012 season at Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street near 10th Avenue), the company's new Frank Gehry-designed permanent home opening in February 2012. Signature Center will allow the Company to expand its programming, introduce new initiatives, and build audiences. Featuring three intimate theatres, a studio theatre, rehearsal studio and a shared lobby with café and bookstore, Signature Center will be both a theatre community hub and a neighborhood destination.

The producers of Driving Miss Daisy have just announced on the Tony red carpet that the Broadway production will play a limited engagement in London for 12 weeks beginning in October with the Broadway cast, including James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave and Boyd Gaines. BroadwayWorld will keep you updated as more details are revealed!

Two-time Tony Award® winner James Earl Jones (Hoke Coleburn), Tony and Oscar® winner Vanessa Redgrave (Daisy Werthan) and four-time Tony Award® winner Boyd Gaines (Boolie Werthan) will star in the critically acclaimed production of Driving Miss Daisy, at the Wyndham's Theatre from 26 September until 17 December, with press night on 5 October.

The 2011 Shakespeare in the Park summer season featuring MEASURE FOR MEASURE, directed by David Esbjornson, and ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, directed by Daniel Sullivan, will end on July 30 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director, Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce its 2011-2012 season productions, featuring world premieres from Academy Award® winner Ethan Coen, Fernanda Coppel, Gabe McKinley, Adam Rapp, and Pulitzer Prize winner John Patrick Shanley, as well as a U.S. premiere from Simon Stephens starring Olivier Award winner Simon Russell Beale.

For the sixth consecutive year, The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) will present Summer ShakeUp, a special workshop on Shakespeare for New York City students, presented for free as a part of The Public Theater's Shakespeare Initiative.

The West Coast premiere of Good People by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire will open at the Geffen Playhouse in April of 2011 as part of the theater's 11/12 season. The 2010 Tony Award nominee for Best Play joins the following previously announced productions in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse: Pulitzer Prize nominee The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz, Tony Award nominee Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts, Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins featuring Kathleen Turner and the world premiere of The Exorcist by Edgar Award winner John Pielmeier.

Former 90s club kids nostalgic for theme nights at Limelight should get a kick out of director David Esbjornson's frequently flashy and enjoyable mounting of Shakespeare's Measure For Measure; a production where, under a simple, but austere cathedral-like setting, the antics straddle the line between the play's original early 1600s Viennese setting and a more contemporary techno-fetish club.

We have four exciting new plays drawn from a national search, four Oregon playwrights' work to explore and spanking new works from adventurous local companies filling every nook and cranny of the Armory (even the men's room!).

The Public Theater began previews June 6 for the 2011 Shakespeare in the Park summer season featuring MEASURE FOR MEASURE, directed by David Esbjornson, and ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, directed by Daniel Sullivan. The two shows will run in repertory with the same company of actors through Saturday, July 30 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. On June 25, ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL opened to favorable notices and tonight, June 30, MEASURE FOR MEASURE celebrates its official opening night.

Two-time Tony Award® winner James Earl Jones (Hoke Coleburn), Tony and Oscar® winner Vanessa Redgrave (Daisy Werthan) and four-time Tony Award® winner Boyd Gaines (Boolie Werthan) will star in the critically acclaimed production of Driving Miss Daisy, at the Wyndham's Theatre from 26 September until 17 December, with press night on 5 October. The play, written by Alfred Uhry and directed by David Esbjornson, enjoyed a record breaking sell-out run on Broadway until 9 April this year. Design is by John Lee Beatty, costumes by Jane Greenwood, lighting is by Peter Kaczorowski , music by Mark Bennett and sound by Christopher Cronin. Driving Miss Daisy is being produced in the West End by Jed Bernstein and Adam Zotovich.

The Public Theater began previews yesterday, June 6 for the 2011 Shakespeare in the Park summer season featuring MEASURE FOR MEASURE, directed by David Esbjornson, and ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, directed by Daniel Sullivan. The two shows will run in repertory with the same company of actors through Saturday, July 30 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Check out the production shots from All's Well That Ends Well below!