David Lander News

Kansas City Repertory Theatre will kick off its 2013-14 season with the world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman. The show runs August 30-September 28 at the Rep's downtown theatre Copaken Stage, 13th and Walnut Streets. The Tallest Tree in the Forest is a co-production with La Jolla Playhouse.

It is my pleasure to share some casting news regarding The Winslow Boy, directed by Lindsay Posner: Michael Cumpsty (Desmond Curry) and Alessandro Nivola (Sir Robert Morton) will join the previously announcedRoger Rees and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in this Terence Rattigan classic.Zachary Booth, Spencer Davis Milford,Chandler Williams, Meredith Forlenza,Stephen Pilkington, and Henny Russell will round out the cast.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced the Broadway cast of The Winslow Boy, starring Tony nominee Michael Cumpsty as 'Desmond Curry', Academy & Tony Award nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as 'Grace Winslow', Alessandro Nivola as 'Sir Robert Morton' and Tony Award winner Roger Rees as 'Arthur Winslow'.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for His Girl Friday, adapted by John Guare (Six Degrees of Separation, House of Blue Leaves) from the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur play The Front Page and the Columbia Pictures film His Girl Friday. Directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley (Glengarry Glen Ross, Memphis), the production will kick off the 2013/2014 season, running May 28 - June 30 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The titular Guys and Dolls of Frank Loesser's classic show in Cleveland have become decidedly more fly this week, releasing a music video of 'Suit and Tie' by Justin Timberlake. Click below to watch!

The New Group announced today that Ayub Khan Din has stepped into the title role in the new musical Bunty Berman Presents..., replacing actor Erick Avari who withdrew from the production last week on doctor's orders following an injury. The world premiere of this musical comedy, with book & lyrics by Ayub Khan Din and music by Ayub Khan Din and Paul Bogaev, is directed by Scott Elliott. Previews began April 12. Performances resume Wednesday, April 24 in advance of Official Opening Night on Thursday, May 9 at 7:00pm. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through June 1 at The New Group at Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street).

Preview performances of Bunty Berman Presents... will not take place Friday, April 19, Saturday, April 20 and Monday, April 22 at The New Group. Actor Erick Avari sustained an injury from a fall during a rehearsal earlier this week, and as a result, has withdrawn from the show on doctor's orders.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for His Girl Friday, adapted by John Guare (Six Degrees of Separation, House of Blue Leaves) from the Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur play The Front Page and the Columbia Pictures film His Girl Friday. Directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley (Glengarry Glen Ross, Memphis), the production will kick off the 2013/2014 season, running May 28 - June 30 in the Playhouse's Mandell Weiss Theatre.

The New Group will present the world premiere of the new musical Bunty Berman Presents…with book & lyrics by Ayub Khan Din and music by Ayub Khan Din and Paul Bogaev. Directed by Scott Elliott, this production begins previews April 10 in advance of an Official Opening Night on Thursday, May 9 at 7:00pm. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through June 1 at The New Group at Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street).

Any mention of Aaron Sorkin's A FEW GOOD MEN makes people instantly think of Jack Nicholson yelling, 'You can't handle the truth!' Currently, the Alley Theatre is offering a production of Aaron Sorkin's play that easily surpasses the 1992 film adaptation in quality. The Alley Theatre's powerful production of A FEW GOOD MEN is a tense, taut court room drama thrill-ride that will leave audiences breathless and speechless.

Bringing together an outstanding, large cast with a world-class artistic team, Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd directs Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men. This epic production brings this captivating military courtroom drama to life. A Few Good Men runs tonight, March 1 through March 24, 2013, on the Hubbard Stage.

Bringing together an outstanding, large cast with a world-class artistic team, Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd directs Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men. This epic production brings this captivating military courtroom drama to life. A Few Good Men runs March 1 through March 24, 2013, on the Hubbard Stage.

The new Broadway revival of The Heiress will play its final performance, having recouped its $3 million capitalization, tonight, February 9, at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre. The Heiress will have played 27 previews and 117 regular performances. BroadwayWorld takes you back through The Heiress' opening on Broadway below!

The producers of the new Broadway revival of THE HEIRESS have just announced that the production will recoup its $3 million capitalization during the final week of performances. The final performance is on Saturday, February 9th at 7:00 p.m. (note the new early curtain time) at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre (219 W. 48th St. NYC). THE HEIRESS will have played 27 previews and 117 regular performances.

The cast of Broadway's THE HEIRESS was increased by one at this past Saturday's matinee performance. Deep into the drama's second act, at perhaps the most climactic point of the show, an adorable three legged dog unexpectedly pranced onto the stage.

More than 110 local and national theater artists representing more than 45 San Diego theatrical productions will compete for the 2012 Craig Noel Awards.

The Vineyard Theatre presents the New York premiere production of THE NORTH POOL, a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Vineyard's Paula Vogel Award-winning playwright Rajiv Joseph (BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO), directed by Giovanna Sardelli (ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER). THE NORTH POOL, starring Stephen Barker Turner and Babak Tafti, will begin performances on Thursday, February 14, 2013 at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St., between Irving Place and Union Square East). Opening Night is Wednesday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Vineyard Box Office at 212-353-0303 or online at www.vineyardtheatre.org. The cast just met the press and you can check out coverage from the festivities below!

The producers of the new Broadway revival of THE HEIRESS have announced that the production will now play its final performance on Saturday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m. (note the new early curtain time). The previously scheduled Sunday, February 10 closing performance has been cancelled to enable Jessica Chastain, who plays the title character, to attend the BAFTA Awards (the British equivalent to the Academy Awards) where she is nominated for Best Actress on Sunday, February 10th in London. Ms. Chastain is nominated for an Academy Award and has already received Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards for her performance in the film Zero Dark Thirty. THE HEIRESS is currently playing at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre (219 W. 48th St. NYC).

The Vineyard Theatre proudly announces that its 30th Anniversary season will continue with the New York premiere production of THE NORTH POOL, a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Vineyard's Paula Vogel Award-winning playwright Rajiv Joseph (BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO), directed by Giovanna Sardelli (ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER). THE NORTH POOL, starring Stephen Barker Turner and Babak Tafti, will begin performances on Thursday, February 14, 2013 at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St., between Irving Place and Union Square East). Opening Night is Wednesday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Vineyard Box Office at 212-353-0303 or online at www.vineyardtheatre.org.

The hit Broadway revival of The Heiress has partnered with GoldDerby.com on an exclusive sweepstakes where fans can enter to win round trip air travel for two to New York City, a two night stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Metropolitan and a pair of tickets to The Heiress, plus a backstage tour of the Walter Kerr Theatre. For more information, go to www.goldderby.com/news/3804/the-heiress-contest-broadway.html.