Dianne Wiest News

Classic Stage Company has announced complete casting for their upcoming production of Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, which begins previews at CSC on Wednesday, April 4 for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 20. Joining two-time Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth (Hippolyta/Titania) and acclaimed film/television/stage star Christina Ricci (Hermia) in the cast are Jordan Dean (Demetrius), Nick Gehlfuss (Lysander), David Greenspan (Flute/Fairy), Halley Wegryn Gross (Helena), Anthony Heald (Theseus/Oberon), Erin Hill (Starveling/Fairy), Chad Lindsey (Snout/Fairy), Taylor Mac (Egeus/Puck), James Patrick Nelson (Snug/Fairy), Steven Skybell (Bottom) and Rob Yang (Quince/Fairy). Directed by Tony Speciale (Unnatural Acts), A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM has its official opening Sunday, April 29.

CENTERSTAGE and Westport Country Playhouse announced today casting for their co-production of Into the Woods, and Broadway fans will be excited to hear that the original Little Red Riding Hood, Danielle Ferland, is making her way back Into the Woods. The production is set to run March 7-April 15 at CENTERSTAGE before moving to Westport Country Playhouse in May. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved fairy tale musical will be directed by Westport Country Playhouse's Artistic Director Mark Lamos.

On Thursday, March 15, 2012, Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) will be hosting its annual Gala at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Damian Arnold, has announced casting for the Broadway premiere of Marc Camoletti's classic farce Don't Dress For Dinner, starring Ben Daniels as "Robert," Melora Hardin as "Jacqueline," Adam James as "Bernard" and Jennifer Tilly as "Suzanne" with Spencer Kayden as "Suzette." Don't Dress For Dinner is adapted by Robin Hawdon and directed by John Tillinger.

Classic Stage Company's upcoming production of Bertolt Brecht's GALILEO (translated by Charles Laughton) starring Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham, which begins previews Tuesday evening, February 1, will extend by one additional week through Sunday, March 18.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick, will next season present new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, to be directed by John Doyle (the Tony Award-winning revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company). PASSION is slated to begin performances in February, 2013.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick, will present Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham in a new production of Bertolt Brecht's GALILEO, translated by Charles Laughton, and directed by Kulick, beginning performances Wednesday, February 1 at CSC (136 East 13th Street) for a limited engagement through Sunday, March 11. The official press opening for GALILEO is Sunday, February 12. Tickets for GALILEO go on sale to the public today, Tuesday, January 3.

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, will present the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of THE SECRET GARDEN.

Classic Stage Company's new production of Anton Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece THE CHERRY ORCHARD, featuring John Turturro (Lopakhin), Dianne Wiest (Ranevskaya), Ken Cheeseman (Pischick), Daniel Davis (Gaev), Alvin Epstein (Fiers), Josh Hamilton (Trofimov), Slate Holmgren (Yasha), Roberta Maxwell (Charlotta), Juliet Rylance (Varya), Michael Urie (Yepikhodov), Elisabeth Waterston (Dunyasha) and Katherine Waterston (Anya), has extended its upcoming engagement through Friday, December 30. Previews begin Wednesday, November 16 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). THE CHERRY ORCHARD is directed by Andrei Belgrader, with a translation by John Christopher Jones. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, December 4 at 7pm.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick, has announced that acclaimed actress Christina Ricci will join two-time Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth in the company's upcoming production of William Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. Directed by Tony Speciale, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM will begin performances Wednesday, March 28 and play a limited engagement through Sunday, May 6. Neuwirth will play the role of Titania and Ricci the role of Hermia. Additional casting will be announced early in the new year. Tickets will go on sale to the general public February 6. CSC is currently presenting the highly-acclaimed, sold-out production of Anton Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD (through January 8 only) and will next present Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham in Bertolt Brecht's GALILEO, directed by Brian Kulick, beginning performances Wednesday, February 1.

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed, sold-out production of Anton Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece THE CHERRY ORCHARD, featuring John Turturro and Dianne Wiest, among an esteemed cast, will extend by one additional week through Sunday, January 8. THE CHERRY ORCHARD is directed by Andrei Belgrader, with a translation by John Christopher Jones.

Whether it's historic Off-Broadway theatres being replaced by chain stores and condos after their rents are tripled or beloved long-time Coney Island businesses facing eviction if they don't conform to the bland, antiseptic vision of new planners, New Yorkers are very familiar with the culture vs. commerce issues Anton Chekhov was writing about in The Cherry Orchard.

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, will present the Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of THE SECRET GARDEN.

Deadline.com reports that actor Ewan McGregor is set to star in the pilot for the upcoming HBO series THE CORRECTIONS.

Iconic writer, director, actor, comedian, and musician Woody Allen allowed his life and creative process to be documented on-camera for the first time. With this unprecedented access, Emmy®-winning, Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Robert Weide followed the notoriously private film legend over a year and a half to create the ultimate film biography. Woody Allen: A Documentary premieres nationally Sunday, November 20 from 9-11 p.m. (ET/PT) and Monday, November 21 from 9-10:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on PBS (check local listings) as part of the 25th anniversary season of American Masters.

Classic Stage Company's new production of Anton Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece THE CHERRY ORCHARD, featuring John Turturro (Lopakhin), Dianne Wiest (Ranevskaya), Ken Cheeseman (Pischick), Daniel Davis (Gaev), Alvin Epstein (Fiers), Josh Hamilton (Trofimov), Slate Holmgren (Yasha), Roberta Maxwell (Charlotta), Juliet Rylance (Varya), Michael Urie (Yepikhodov), Elisabeth Waterston (Dunyasha) and Katherine Waterston (Anya), has extended its upcoming engagement through Friday, December 30. Previews begin Wednesday, November 16 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). THE CHERRY ORCHARD is directed by Andrei Belgrader, with a translation by John Christopher Jones. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, December 4 at 7pm.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director), in association with Damian Arnold, is pleased to announce the Broadway premiere of Marc Camoletti's classic farce Don't Dress For Dinner, adapted by Robin Hawdon, directed by John Tillinger. The cast will be announced soon. Don't Dress For Dinner will begin previews on March 30 and open officially on April 26, 2012 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street). This will be a limited engagement through June 17, 2012.

Classic Stage Company has announced the establishment of the Rosemarie Tichler Fund, which will annually award a young artist with a $3,500 grant.

HOWL! Arts Project & The Actors Fund welcome Manhattan Theatre Club's readings of two new plays - DUTCH MASTERS by Greg Keller and BETHANY by Laura Marks - as part of HOWL! ARTS PROJECT 2011 on Mondays, October 17 and 24, respectively, at 7pm at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks) in Manhattan. These two plays were selected for inclusion in the festival by MTC Artistic Producer, Mandy Greenfield. Proceeds benefit HOWL! HELP, an emergency services assistance and health fund for East Village Artists.

HOWL! Arts Project & The Actors Fund welcome Manhattan Theatre Club's readings of two new plays - DUTCH MASTERS by Greg Keller and BETHANY by Laura Marks - as part of HOWL! ARTS PROJECT 2011 on Mondays, October 17 and 24, respectively, at 7pm at Theatre 80 (80 St. Marks) in Manhattan. These two plays were selected for inclusion in the festival by MTC Artistic Producer, Mandy Greenfield. Proceeds benefit HOWL! HELP, an emergency services assistance and health fund for East Village Artists.