Dorothy Parker News

Louis Viljoen's new play, a dark psycho drama entitled THE PERVERT LAURA, opens at The Little Theatre in December.

San Francisco's Lamplighters take Candide, his beloved Cunegonde, the absurdly optimistic philosopher Pangloss, and a virtual clown car of other eccentric characters on their picaresque journey around the world in search of the meaning of life. As classic in the realm of operetta as West Side Story is in the realm of American musical theatre, the British Royal National Theatre version of Candide, as adapted for the stage by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, is set to the sublime music of that quintessential modern American master, Leonard Bernstein, and the brilliant lyrics of Richard Wilbur and Stephen Sondheim.

The New Jersey Hall of Fame is honored to announce that six cast and crew members from the former HBO hit series The Sopranos will attend this year's 7th Annual 'Red Carpet' Induction Ceremony.

The Douglas Morrisson Theatre continues its 35th Season with the musical CANDIDE, Royal National Theatre Version, with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, in a new version by John Caird; and lyrics by Richard Wilbur, additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein. Featuring Leonard Bernstein's soaring score and lyrics from some of the wittiest writers of all time, this rollicking musical satire chronicles the lives and loves of Candide, a simple soul whose glass is always half-full.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today that the final Film Comment Double Feature of 2014, on December 2, will be Fred Zinnemann's last two films.

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (aka 'The Wallis') presents the return engagement of Love, Noel: The Letters and Songs of Noel Coward, devised and written by Coward authority Barry Day, and directed by Jeanie Hackett. Love, Noel transforms the Lovelace Studio Theater into an intimate lounge for cocktails, comedy and Coward.

Michael Shannon will present the New York Premiere of EXCUSE MY DUST (A DOROTHY PARKER PORTFOLIO), written and performed by Jennifer Engstrom. Directed by Darren Lee Cole, previews begin tonight, October 10 at SoHo Playhouse with opening night set for Sunday, October 19.

The Douglas Morrisson Theatre continues its 35th Season with the musical CANDIDE, Royal National Theatre Version, with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler, in a new version by John Caird; and lyrics by Richard Wilbur, additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein. Featuring Leonard Bernstein's soaring score and lyrics from some of the wittiest writers of all time, this rollicking musical satire chronicles the lives and loves of Candide, a simple soul whose glass is always half-full.

This season's revival of George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's Pulitzer Prize-winning play YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU opens on Broadway tonight, and in honor of the playwriting pair's long list of contributions to the theatre, we've rounded up some of their most notable works. Scroll down to learn more about the duo's canon!

Michael Shannon will present the New York Premiere of EXCUSE MY DUST (A DOROTHY PARKER PORTFOLIO), written and performed by Jennifer Engstrom. Directed by Darren Lee Cole, previews begin October 10 at SoHo Playhouse with opening night set for Sunday, October 19.

Urban Momfare has been selected to extend its run at the FringeNYC Encore Series after a critically acclaimed run at the 2014 New York International Fringe Festival in August. Book by Pamela Weiler Grayson and Alice Jankell, music and lyrics by Pamela Weiler Grayson, directed by Alice Jankell and musical direction by Clare Cooper. Urban Momfare is being produced by Emerging Artists Theatre Company (EAT). A workshop performance of the musical was previously presented at EAT's New Work Series in March of 2013.

Beautiful Soup Theater's Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day is an unconventional, almost chilling ode to Holiday that is careful not to emphasize and dwell upon the singer's musical accolades and success; in fact, it does little to promote her career and the person as seen through the eyes of her adoring public. This production, written and directed by the incredibly talented Steven Carl McCasland (who also founded Beautiful Soup and serves as the group's Artistic Director), wades in the realm of storytelling without the fantastical twist that people always enjoy adding to make their lives seem more interesting - to add drama where drama may sometimes be due.

After Beautiful Soup Theater's acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, they proudly present the last two works in Steven Carl McCasland's trilogy examining women in the arts. SHADES OF BLUE: THE DECLINE AND FALL OF LADY DAY begins tonight, August 27, running in rep with WHAT WAS LOST. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast of SHADES OF BLUE in action below!

According to published reports, composer Sandy Wilson passed away today, August 27. He was 90 years old.

Larkin McLean got her start sitting in at jazz clubs, taking piano lessons from Sarah Vaughan's accompanist George Gaffney, and studying Flamenco dance. You can hear it woven eloquently throughout her new record, 'Ladybug.' A follow-up to the well-received 'If You're a Wild Girl, Say Aye,' McLean first hit the scene with her self-titled album, which CD Baby declared as 'the best CD to have sex to.' Jazz Review described her voice as 'ever present to cajole, inflame, and inspire desire.'

"Tragedy is easy... comedy is hard." The short stories and sketches of James Thurber, Dorothy Parker, and the legendary Mark Twain fill the bill of Centenary Stage Company's ninth GREAT AUTHORS ALOUD presentation for this free staged reading event on Sunday, September 7th at 3 pm in The Edith Kutz Theater.

Steven Carl McCasland is a rising voice in the world of theatre. After their acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, Beautiful Soup presents the last two works in McCasland's trilogy. The plays examine the lives of historical women in the arts. Beginning on August 27th, Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day and What Was Lost, an examination of Laurette Taylor's preparation for The Glass Menagerie, will open at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal!

ARTISTIC NEW DIRECTION (AND) will present the New York premiere of FELICITAS, as part of the 18th Annual New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC, written and performed by Libby Skala (Best Solo Performer, A Time To Dance - London Fringe Theatre Festival; Off-Bway: Lilia!; Film: Birth with Nicole Kidman), with original music written and performed by Steven May, and directed by Artistic New Direction's Co-Artistic Director Janice L. Goldberg (The Kennedy Center Gold Medallion Award).

"Tragedy is easy... comedy is hard." The short stories and sketches of James Thurber, Dorothy Parker, and the legendary Mark Twain fill the bill of Centenary Stage Company's ninth GREAT AUTHORS ALOUD series for this free staged reading event on Sunday, September 7th at 3 pm in The Kutz Black Box Theatre. This exploration of the human foibles, comic frustrations and eccentricities of ordinary people will be read by Randall Duk Kim and Anne Occhiogrosso. At a time when the world seems to be falling down around our ears and human behavior has left the sanest of us baffled, a healthy dose of these three might be exactly what the doctor ordered to reassure ourselves that the world isn't going crazy; it's simply always been that way.

ARTISTIC NEW DIRECTION (AND) will present the New York premiere of FELICITAS, as part of the 18th Annual New York International Fringe Festival - FringeNYC, written and performed by Libby Skala (Best Solo Performer, A Time To Dance - London Fringe Theatre Festival; Off-Bway: Lilia!; Film: Birth with Nicole Kidman), with original music written and performed by Steven May, and directed by Artistic New Direction's Co-Artistic Director Janice L. Goldberg (The Kennedy Center Gold Medallion Award).