Dianne Wiest News

Josh Hamilton, who won rave reviews last season in Classic Stage Company's production of Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters, has joined the company's upcoming production of Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece THE CHERRY ORCHARD in the role of Trofimov. Hamilton replaces Christian Carmago, who has withdrawn from the production due to a film role. THE CHERRY ORCHARD, which features John Turturro (Lopakhin), Dianne Wiest (Ranevskaya), , Ken Cheeseman (Pischick), Daniel Davis (Gaev), Alvin Epstein (Fiers), Slate Holmgren (Yasha), Roberta Maxwell (Charlotta), Juliet Rylance (Varya), Michael Urie (Yepikhodov), Elisabeth Waterston (Dunyasha) and Katherine Waterston (Anya), begins performances Wednesday, November 16 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). Directed by Andrei Belgrader, with a translation by John Christopher Jones, THE CHERRY ORCHARD will play a limited engagement through Friday, December 23. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, December 4 at 7pm.

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.

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present Anton Chekhov's tragicomic masterpiece THE CHERRY ORCHARD, featuring John Turturro (Lopakhin), Dianne Wiest (Ranevskaya), Christian Camargo (Trofimov), Ken Cheeseman (Pischick), Daniel Davis (Gaev), Alvin Epstein (Fiers), Slate Holmgren (Yasha), Roberta Maxwell (Charlotta), Juliet Rylance (Varya), Michael Urie (Yepikhodov), Elisabeth Waterston (Dunyasha) and Katherine Waterston (Anya), beginning performances Wednesday, November 16 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). Directed by Andrei Belgrader, with a translation by John Christopher Jones, THE CHERRY ORCHARD will play a limited engagement through Friday, December 23. The official press opening is scheduled for Sunday, December 4 at 7pm.

Classic Stage Company announced today a search for a new Executive Director, following the announcement of the forthcoming departure of Jessica R. Jenen, who will leave the company to return to the commercial theater world.

As announced on the FOX dance competition SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Katie Holmes and Kenny Ortega will step in and judge the final four dancers this week.

Today we are talking to a singular literary talent who has written for Broadway, Hollywood, television and film, but, besides her Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway debut, ‘NIGHT MOTHER, which opened on Broadway in 1982, she is perhaps best known as the Tony-winning book-writer for two particularly beloved musicals of the last few decades: THE SECRET GARDEN and THE COLOR PURPLE. Generously covering her varied career writing for stage and screen, Ms. Norman and I discuss her process, her passions, her many projects old and new, and, most importantly, the two premieres she has looming large on the horizon in the next year, both coming after her highly successful collaboration with Jason Robert Brown on THE TRUMPET OF THE SWAN symphonic suite (available now on PS Classics) and the recent world premiere of her new play, THE MASTER BUTCHERS SINGING CLUB, at the Guthrie Theater: in addition to writing the book for Jason Robert Brown's musical adaptation of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, we also discuss her newest project for Theater For Humans which is focused on international women's and children's issues and the manner in which she will tackle the hot button topics of human trafficking and enslavement in it. Additionally, we touch on the bumpy Broadway road of THE RED SHOES and working with Jule Styne, NY versus LA, musicals versus plays, GLEE, WEST SIDE STORY at the Hollywood Bowl, playwrighting pal Teresa Rebeck, as well as much, much more!

As announced on the FOX dance competition SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Katie Holmes and Kenny Ortega will step in and judge the final four dancers this week.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), has opened the nomination process for The Zelda Fichandler Award, which awards an unrestricted grant of $5000 to an outstanding director or choreographer making an exceptional contribution to the national arts landscape through theatre work in a region.

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will close on Sunday, July 31 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale is set to close July 24 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). New York Magazine called UNNATURAL ACTS 'remarkable, sleek and brutal' and said 'the play offers damning lessons in power, persecution and solidarity - or lack thereof.' Variety raved 'UNNATURAL ACTS is riveting and fascinating' with 'stunning theatricality.' The Associated Press called UNNATURALS ACTS 'powerfully riveting' and said 'Speciale has staged this engrossing story with flair and impressive theatricality, employing a company of extremely talented actors. In a riveting series of increasingly charged vignettes, he unspools a story of prejudice, intimidation, friendship, fear and betrayal that displays the crushing effect of societally-approved homophobia.' And The Daily News wrote 'Speciale's production is stylish and stirring, and beautiful.'

Due to extraordinary demand, Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend for one final week through Sunday, July 31 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will close on Sunday, July 17 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend by popular demand for one additional and final week through Sunday, July 24 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). New York Magazine called UNNATURAL ACTS 'remarkable, sleek and brutal' and said 'the play offers damning lessons in power, persecution and solidarity - or lack thereof.' Variety raved 'UNNATURAL ACTS is riveting and fascinating' with 'stunning theatricality.' The Associated Press called UNNATURALS ACTS 'powerfully riveting' and said 'Speciale has staged this engrossing story with flair and impressive theatricality, employing a company of extremely talented actors. In a riveting series of increasingly charged vignettes, he unspools a story of prejudice, intimidation, friendship, fear and betrayal that displays the crushing effect of societally-approved homophobia.' And The Daily News wrote 'Speciale's production is stylish and stirring, and beautiful.'

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, as the final offering of its triumphant 2010-11 season. Based on the real-life story of Harvard's 'Secret Court' of 1920, UNNATURAL ACTS will conclude performances Sunday July 10 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Filled with electrifying dancing, memorable music and timeless spirit, the contagious celebration of youth FOOTLOOSEarrives on Blu-ray for the first time ever and in a new Deluxe Edition DVD, both featuring more than 30 minutes of all-new special features, on September 27, 2011 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), has opened the nomination process for The Zelda Fichandler Award, which awards an unrestricted grant of $5000 to an outstanding director or choreographer making an exceptional contribution to the national arts landscape through theatre work in a region.

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend by popular demand for one additional week through Sunday, July 17 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). New York Magazine called UNNATURAL ACTS 'remarkable, sleek and brutal' and said 'the play offers damning lessons in power, persecution and solidarity - or lack thereof.' Variety raved 'UNNATURAL ACTS is riveting and fascinating' with 'stunning theatricality.' The Associated Press called UNNATURALS ACTS 'powerfully riveting' and said 'Speciale has staged this engrossing story with flair and impressive theatricality, employing a company of extremely talented actors. In a riveting series of increasingly charged vignettes, he unspools a story of prejudice, intimidation, friendship, fear and betrayal that displays the crushing effect of societally-approved homophobia.' And The Daily News wrote 'Speciale's production is stylish and stirring, and beautiful.'

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed production of UNNATURAL ACTS, a new play created by members of the Plastic Theatre, conceived and directed by Tony Speciale, will extend by popular demand for one additional week through Sunday, July 17 at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

Just moments ago the trailer for the 2011 re-imagining of the 1984 Herbert Ross musical film FOOTLOOSE hit the internet, and while the emphasis was on the attractive, largely up-and-coming cast and the gritty, earthy take on the revamped and modernized material, there were enough glimpses of boot-kickin', booty shakin' and barn-stormin' to please the gleeks, DWTS addicts and Broadway musical fans out there in the dark, as well. After all, it isn't very often at all anymore that a film boasting a musical element as prevalent as that in the new 2011 FOOTLOOSE comes along, so - if only for that - it's a cause for anticipatory excitement. Directed by HUSTLE & FLOW helmer Craig Brewer, the new Craig Zadan/Neil Meron-produced big screen version of the classic story of a town that banishes dancing and the scrappy new kid on the bleak block who puts the spark back in their step clearly appears to be a fully-functioning new twist on the tale all its own, ready to reintroduce the story to a whole new generation hungry for a dance-heavy hit. After all, it's been quite awhile since there was a decent movie-musical or music/dance-centric film - HAIRSPRAY, actually (also a Zadan/Meron production), and CHICAGO before that. While this new FOOTLOOSE does not have any traditional burst-into-song moments - as the late-90s Broadway stage version did (though the original film did not) - the dance element is at the forefront of the proceedings, front and center. Yet, what music can we expect?

The Public Theater began previews on Monday, June 6 for the 2011 Shakespeare in the Park summer season featuring MEASURE FOR MEASURE, directed by David Esbjornson, and ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, directed by Daniel Sullivan. The two shows will run in repertory with the same company of actors through Saturday, July 30 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Last night marked the official launch gala for the 2011 Shakespeare in the Park season and BroadwayWorld was on hand for the photo op!