David Geffen News

The Geffen Playhouse presents the West Coast premiere of Choir Boy. This new production -- featuring gospel music -- will highlight several performers from the Manhattan Theatre Club run. Nicholas L. Ashe and Grantham Coleman will join the previously announced Jeremy Pope.

Multi-platinum recording artist, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and philanthropist Avril Lavigne has teamed up with CrowdRise, an online fundraising platform

The Actors Fund and the Geffen Playhouse continue their partnership with a special one-night benefit concert featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell on Monday, October 6 in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse.

The Geffen Playhouse announces the complete cast for the West Coast premiere of Choir Boy. This new production -- featuring gospel music -- will highlight several performers from the Manhattan Theatre Club run. Nicholas L. Ashe and Grantham Coleman will join the previously announced Jeremy Pope.

Nick Gehlfuss (Shameless, The Newsroom), Shawn Hatosy (Southland, Reckless), Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and Alicia Witt (Justified, 88 Minutes) are cast in the Geffen Playhouse production of Reasons to Be Pretty, nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play (2009). Helmed by Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Randall Arney, Reasons to Be Pretty will be performed in the Gil Cates Theater through August 31 with an opening night of tonight, August 6.

Nick Gehlfuss (Shameless, The Newsroom), Shawn Hatosy (Southland, Reckless), Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and Alicia Witt (Justified, 88 Minutes) are cast in the Geffen Playhouse production of Reasons to Be Pretty, nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play (2009). Helmed by Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Randall Arney, Reasons to Be Pretty will be performed in the Gil Cates Theater today, July 29 to August 31 with an opening night of August 6.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) just announced complete Broadway casting for the world premiere co-production of THE COUNTRY HOUSE, the new play by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan.

The Off-Broadway hit Murder for Two is the eighth and final play to be announced in the 2014-2015 Geffen Playhouse season. The new musical will run from May 27 through July 7, 2015 in the Geffen Playhouse's intimate Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater. Murder for Two, in which everyone is a suspect, is a hilarious musical murder mystery with a twist: one actor investigates the crime, the other plays all of the suspects - and they both play the piano! This 90-minute whodunit is a zany blend of classic musical comedy and madcap mystery, a highly theatrical duet loaded with killer laughs.

Nick Gehlfuss (Shameless, The Newsroom), Shawn Hatosy (Southland, Reckless), Amber Tamblyn (Joan of Arcadia, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) and Alicia Witt (Justified, 88 Minutes) are cast in the Geffen Playhouse production of Reasons to Be Pretty, nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play (2009). Helmed by Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Randall Arney, Reasons to Be Pretty will be performed in the Gil Cates Theater July 29 to August 31 with an opening night of August 6.

The World Premiere of ROCK & ROLL'S GREATEST LOVERS, with music by Anzu Lawson and Joerg Stoeffel, book and lyrics by Anzu Lawson, tells the Romeo and Juliet story of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, two rebels from opposite ends of the world who stood together in the name of LOVE only to face every kind of hate and tribulation. The 60 minute production of selected songs from the play is directed by Nell Teare, presented at the Lillian Theater during the 2014 Hollywood Fringe Festival.

The Geffen Playhouse has announced four plays for the eight-play 2014-2015 season, including the Co-World Premiere, with the Sydney Theatre Company, of the Geffen commissioned, Switzerland, written by Joanna Murray-Smith (The Female of the Species); the West Coast Premieres of The Night Alive, written by Olivier and Evening Standard Award winner and Tony nominee Conor McPherson (The Weir, The Seafarer) and directed by Geffen Artistic Director Randall Arney; and The Power of Duff, written by Stephen Belber and directed by Peter DuBois (Rapture, Blister, Burn); and The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord, written by Scott Carter.

Dr. Susan Love-surgeon, researcher, advocate, author, and cancer survivor-will share insights learned during her recent battle with leukemia with Dr. Deborah Axelrod, Kanas Family Foundation Associate Professor of Surgical Oncology and Medical Director for Community Outreach & Education for the NYULMC Cancer Center, during a special discussion, book signing and reception, 'The Only Difference Between a Researcher and a Patient is a Diagnosis!' on Thursday, May 1 at 6:00pm at NYU School of Medicine.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Craving a show after the show? 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is expanding its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th St., 54 BELOW welcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming events:

This April, May and June at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

The Geffen Playhouse is announcing three plays of its eight-play 2014-2015 season, including the West Coast Premiere of Choir Boy, written by 2013 MacArthur Fellow Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Trip Cullman, with its off-Broadway star Jeremy Pope; Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, directed by Trevor Hay; and the West Coast Premiere of Bad Jews, which received rave reviews for its off-Broadway production, written by Joshua Harmon and directed by Matt Shakman.

Flashdance - The Musical, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation, will run at the Community Center Theater from tonight, February 4 - 9, 2014.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Geffen execs have halted the production after actor Steven Berkoff was let go, with no suitable replacements found before their first official bow on Feb 12. Previews were to begin next week, on Feb. 4.

Flashdance - The Musical, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation, will run at the Community Center Theater from February 4 - 9, 2014, as part of California Musical Theatre's Broadway Sacramento series. With electrifying dance at its core, Flashdance - The Musical tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a bar dancer by night with dreams of one day becoming a professional performer. When romance with her steel mill boss threatens to complicate her ambitions, Alex learns the meaning of love and its power to fuel the pursuit of her dream.

Flashdance - The Musical, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation, will run at the Community Center Theater from February 4 - 9, 2014, as part of California Musical Theatre's Broadway Sacramento series. With electrifying dance at its core, Flashdance - The Musical tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a bar dancer by night with dreams of one day becoming a professional performer. When romance with her steel mill boss threatens to complicate her ambitions, Alex learns the meaning of love and its power to fuel the pursuit of her dream.