Douglas Turner Ward News

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of HOME opens this Sunday, December 7. HOME is the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for HOME, by Samm-Art Williams and directed by Ron OJ Parson. HOME will be the second production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) announced today that THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER has been extended for a second time by popular demand after receiving glowing reviews and playing to sold out houses since beginning performances on August 5th. The limited engagement, initially slated to conclude Sunday, September 28th, will now run through Sunday, October 19th. THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, by Leslie Lee and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, is the first production of the 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). The show opened August 21st at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, the first production of Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), will begin previews tomorrow, August 5th. THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, by Leslie Lee and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, officially opens on Thursday, August 21st and continues through September 28th at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

Yaya Dacosta is a formidable young actress who is making her mark in film with stand out performances in Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas and Honeydripper where she co-starred along with Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton. On television she was last seen in a breakout performance in the Lifetime motion picture Racing for Time, as well as a recent featured role on All My Children. Fans of America's Next Top Model will remember her as a favorite contestant in the popular series third season. In the Signature Theatre Company's The First Breeze Of Summer, Miss Dacosta essays the pivotal role of 'Lucretia'. BroadwayWorld.com spoke with Yaya about winning the emotional role and bringing the powerful drama to life on stage.

Dr. Bonnie Maslin and Dr. Yehuda Nir will host a party for The Classical Theatre of Harlem at their East Hampton home on Sunday, August 17.

THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, the first production of Signature Theatre Company's 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), will begin previews today, August 5th.

THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, the first production of Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), will begin previews tomorrow, August 5th. THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, by Leslie Lee and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, officially opens on Thursday, August 21st and continues through September 28th at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

Signature Theatre Company is proud to announce full casting for THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, the first production of Signature's 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company is proud to announce that Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Leslie Uggams will appear in 'The First Breeze of Summer.'

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce its 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

The Tony Award-winning Negro Ensemble Company -- celebrating its historic 40th anniversary season as a national showcase and home for black actors, writers and directors -- opens its present season with the NEC premiere of award-winning playwright Layon Gray's WEBEIME, with previews to begin March 28 prior to its official opening April 5 at The Harlem School of The Arts (645 St. Nicholas Avenue) in Manhattan.

Variety reports this morning that the dynamic producing duo of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are bringing another show to the small screen - A Raisin in the Sun, which will go before the cameras in December for a 2007 airing on ABC featuring the leads of the Broadway revival - Sean 'Diddy' Coms, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and Sanaa Lathan.

LAByrinth Theater Company (Co-Artistic Directors Philip Seymour Hoffman and John Ortiz and Executive Director Steve Asher) will be honored at the Eighth Annual Otto Renee Castillo Awards for Political Theatre in a ceremony tonight at the All Stars Project's Performing Arts & Education Center

On February 13, New York's historic Town Hall will be the setting for an extraordinary star-studded salute to the endurance and influence of Woodie King, Jr.'s New Federal Theatre (NFT), for 35 years a seminal force in the Black Arts Movement (BAM).

On February 13, New York's historic Town Hall will be the setting for an extraordinary salute to the endurance and influence of Woodie King, Jr.'s New Federal Theatre (NFT), for 35 years a seminal force in the Black Arts Movement (BAM) co-hosted by Ossie Davis and Lynn Whitfield. In addition to celebrating the NFT's vital contribution to the arts internationally, the gala will feature a special 'roast and toast' to Negro Ensemble Company co-founder award winning actor/director/writer, Douglas Turner Ward and an awards presentation honoring significant contributors to the development of the theatre.