David Henry Hwang News

As a theatre major, your weeks are pretty unique from one to the next. Besides classes, there are rehearsals, performances, production work, and college life in general with which to be concerned. Sometimes, those things overlap and the week gets hectic. But what might it look like to be a sophomore directing major?

Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its annual holiday family opera tradition with The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, December 14-16, 2018, in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Based on Jeanette Winterson's award-winning children's book which tells the Nativity story from the donkey's point of view, The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me features music by Tony-award winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home) and a libretto by the late poet J.D. 'Sandy' McClatchy. These performances star current and former members of WNO's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.

National Asian Artists Project will hold its 2018 Gala entitled 'The Corner of Chinatown and Broadway' a celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song, featuring Broadway's Jose Llana (The King and I) and Yuka Takara (A Chorus Line), the award-winning Theatre Club from P.S. 124, alumni and NAAP kids, the NAAP Broadway Community Chorus, members from the original casts of the Broadway and 2002 revival productions of Flower Drum Song, as well as honorees Alvin Ing and Yuriko Kikuchi, on Sunday, December 2nd  at The Golden Unicorn (18 East Broadway @ Catherine Street).  

Last night, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), celebrated Free Speech Defender Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theater, at the annual gala, "Our Voices, Uncencosred." 

Signature Theatre will partner with American Theatre, the national magazine for the American professional not-for-profit theatre published by Theatre Communications Group, on a new series of panel discussions covering subject matters relevant to theatre audiences and practitioners. All panels, which are free and open to the public, will take place at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues).

Artists at Play's production of Two Mile Hollow by Leah Nanako Winkler will be extending due to popular demand. The story of the very White Donnelly family is told with an all-Asian American cast and presented by Artists at Play (AAP) as part of a series of world premieres across the country, each receiving much critical acclaim. AAP's production of Two Mile Hollow will now perform through Nov. 11 at the Lounge Theatre. Tickets are available online at http://bit.ly/AAPTMH.

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, the historic Drama Book Shop will leave its 40th Street home because of recent rent escalations. Today playwrights of incredible shows such as Oslo, Sweat, and others will appear at a signing to support the shop.

East West Players (EWP), the nation's longest-running professional theater of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, is pleased to announce an extension for the Los Angeles premiere of Qui Nguyen's Vietgone, which the New York Times has hailed as "a raucous comedy" and Rolling Stone has described as "a wild, enjoyable ride." Directed by Jennifer Chang, Vietgone began preview performances on October 18, with opening night on October 25, 2018, and now closes on Sunday, November 18, 2018 with an extension that includes four additional performances.

The Theater Hall of Fame has announced its 2018 Inductees which include actors Rene Auberjonais, Christine Baranski, and Cicely Tyson; playwrights Maria Irene Fornes, David Henry Hwang, and Adrienne Kennedy; director Joe Mantello, and posthumously James Houghton.

East West Players solidly mounts the Los Angeles premiere of playwright Qui Nguyen's VIETGONE. With a sturdy cast of five talented performers, complemented greatly by the vividly vibrant projection designs of Kaitlyn Pietras and Jason H. Thompson; many individual moments of heart-string tugging pathos score a bulls-eye. Jennifer Chang ably directs her committed cast as they span locations from Vietnam to Arkansas to California, from the 1970s to the 2010s.

Over the past few years DC's Constellation Theatre Company (CTC) has branched out from its mostly classical offerings by presenting a few musicals. They include the blockbusters Avenue Q and Urinetown and one lesser known entity – the Andrew Lippa version of The Wild Party. In all three cases, the shows fit perfectly into CTC's home at Source.

The Old Globe announces its inaugural New Voices in the Community series: free public performances at libraries across San Diego County, followed by conversations with the playwrights and experts in the community. The first New Voices in the Community features three solo shows by women: Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata, "A" Train by Anne Torsiglieri, and Unveiled: A One-Woman Play by Rohina Malik.

Broadway by the Bay ends their 2018 season with four-time Tony Award winning Elton John + Tim Rice's AIDA.  In the time of Pharaohs, a beautiful Nubian princess is taken from her land. But when a bond between her and the future ruler of Egypt grows, loyalties are tested, and both must question their true heart's desire. From the Broadway legends that brought you The Lion King, Evita, and Billy Elliot comes this epic tale of love and courage.   

The Lark, a theater company devoted to the support of visionary playwrights and the development of new plays, is thrilled to announce five New York City-based playwrights have been named as the 2018-19 Rita Goldberg Playwrights' Workshop Fellows. The group spans a wide range of backgrounds and professional experiences and will meet regularly throughout the year to develop new plays.

The William Inge Center for the Arts is pleased to announce playwright Octavio Solis will be the recipient of the 2019 Distinguished Achievement in the American Theater Award for his outstanding contributions to the national theater landscape. Solis will be presented the award at the 38th annual William Inge Theater Festival, the Official Theatre Festival of the State of Kansas, at Independence Community College, in Independence, Kansas. The festival will be held May 22-25, 2019.

The William Inge Center for the Arts is pleased to announce playwright Octavio Solis will be the recipient of the 2019 Distinguished Achievement in the American Theater Award for his outstanding contributions to the national theater landscape. Solis will be presented the award at the 38th annual William Inge Theater Festival, the Official Theatre Festival of the State of Kansas, at Independence Community College, in Independence, Kansas. The festival will be held May 22-25, 2019.

The first of three Monday evening new-play readings at South Coast Repertory for the 2018-19 season will be Eureka Day by Jonathan Spector. The NewSCRipts reading on Monday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m., is directed by Jennifer Chambers. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President & CEO) announced today that Nadine Wong has been appointed to the Board of Trustees after having served on the Advisory Committee.

In an effort to continue fostering the theatrical community between Los Angeles/Beverly Hills and San Francisco branches of Beverly Hills Playhouse, Los Angeles company members in association with WallyBird Productions have decided to present the hysterical two act comedy by James McClure with "Laundry And Bourbon" and "Lonestar".  One-weekend-only opening October 18 - 21, 2018.  The show will perform at The Firescape Theatre at The Beverly Hills Playhouse San Francisco.

Just last night, The American Theatre Wing celebrated 101 Years of supporting strong and fearless voices in the American Theatre with a tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber's unrivaled body of work amassed over five decades. Performers included Tony Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Brandon Victor Dixon, Tony winner and Grammy Award nominee Heather Headley, Tony winner Katrina Lenk, Tony and Grammy nominee Norm Lewis, Webber muse Sierra Boggess, two-time Andrew Lloyd Webber Initiative recipient Sydney Lopes, and a mega-band that includes School of Rock alumni Evie Dolan, Ethan Khusidman, Raghav Mehrotra, and Brandon Niederauer.