David Pownall News

Odyssey Theatre Ensemble has extended Stalin’s Master Class, a wildly comic, music-filled drama by British playwright David Pownall, through June 2.

Stalin’s Master Class is enthralling, darkly funny, awkward, and thought-provoking about the eternal tension of politics vs art, censorship vs thought, modern art vs people’s tastes, groupthink vs ingenuity, and popularity vs quality. 

Politics collide with art when “Father of the People” Joseph Stalin and Soviet cultural minister Andrei Zhdanov summon composers Sergei Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich to the Kremlin for a vodka-fueled “music lesson” in “Stalin’s Master Class.” The wildly comic, music-filled ride by British playwright David Pownall opens this weekend at the Odyssey Theatre. Check out the photos.

When director Ron Sossi elected to present Stalin’s Master Class at Odyssey Theatre Ensemble for the second time, he was aware that audiences might respond differently to the production than they did to the previous staging 37 years ago.

Odyssey Theatre Ensemble founding artistic director Ron Sossi will direct Stalin’s Master Class, a wildly comic, music-filled ride by British playwright David Pownall.

Chester Theatre Company will open its 26th season at the Town Hall in Chester, MA with the East Coast premiere of THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS JEFFERSON, CHARLES DICKENS AND COUNT LEO TOLSTOY: DISCORD. This comedy of ideas, from Scott Carter, the Executive Producer of Real Time with Bill Maher, will run from June 24 through July 5.

Chester Theatre Company continues its 25th Anniversary Season with Caryl Churchill's A NUMBER. The production, which runs now through August 10 at the Chester Town Hall in Chester, MA, will feature CTC favorite Jay Stratton, joined by newcomer Larry John Meyers. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the duo in action below!

Paines Plough celebrates its 40th year in 2014. Under the artistic leadership of James Grieve and George Perrin, the company today announces a taster of the work to come across its anniversary year - the company's most ambitious programme to date.

Villanova Theatre will produce the U.S. premiere of Muswell Hill by award-winning English playwright Torben Betts, tonight, February 12-24, 2013.

Villanova Theatre will produce the U.S. premiere of Muswell Hill by award-winning English playwright Torben Betts, February 12-24, 2013.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) is thrilled to kick off the Americas Off Broadway festival with the NYC premiere of Morris Panych's THE DISHWASHERS, directed by Byam Stevens. THE DISHWASHERS, from the Chester Theatre Company (Chester, MA), begins previews on Friday, May 8 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 7. Opening Night is Wednesday, May 13 at 8:15 PM.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) is thrilled to kick off the Americas Off Broadway festival with the NYC premiere of Morris Panych's THE DISHWASHERS, directed by Byam Stevens. THE DISHWASHERS, from the Chester Theatre Company (Chester, MA), begins previews on Friday, May 8 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 7. Opening Night is Wednesday, May 13 at 8:15 PM.

'The Bully Pulpit' a new play written and performed by Michael O. Smith begins performances on April 29th. Taking place on Teddy's 60th birthday, surrounded by mementos of his adventures as a rancher, Rough Rider, naturalist and President, Roosevelt re-examines the events of his colorful life from humorous and characteristically blunt perspective.

The South Ark Stage announces the Off-Broadway premiere of THE BULLY PULPIT, a new play about the extraordinary life and turbulent times of Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt, our 26th president.