Edmund Kean News

San Francisco Playhouse continues its thirteenth Mainstage season with the West Coast premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti's biographical play Red Velvet, directed by Margo Hall.

From the first black actor to play Othello on the London stage to an icon of fantasy inspired by a family friend of the author who wouldn't grow up, our 2016/2017 season is peopled by history makers. Some you already know, some you think you know, and a few you've probably never met. A few happened upon notoriety by chance, others fought unbelievable odds to leave their mark on the world, and some committed unspeakable acts to be remembered. Take a seat, and experience everything on offer at Tampa Bay's most award-winning professional theatre.

For its 2016-17 season, the 33-year-old Raven Theatre Company will again bring new plays and playwrights to Chicago audiences along with revivals of classic and lesser-known works by masters of modern drama. Michael Menendian, producing artistic director, today announced a lineup that includes the early Tennessee Williams play Not About Nightingales and Pinter'sBetrayal as well as the Midwest premieres of Richard Greenberg's recent Broadway hit The Assembled Parties and Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti, one of the U.K.'s most acclaimed new playwrights, and the world premiere of Sycamore - a drama of contemporary family life set in the Midwest by New York-based playwright Sarah Sander.

The Junction Theatre will present the West Coast Premiere of RED VELVET, a critically acclaimed play written by Lolita Chakrabarti, directed by Benjamin Pohlmeier, to be presented at Atwater Playhouse, 3191 Castitas Avenue, #100, Los Angeles, CA 90039, on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 5:00 p.m., March 26 - April 30, 2016. Tickets can be purchased by calling Brown Paper Tickets 24/7 at 1-800-838-3006, or online at http://redvelvet.brownpapertickets.com. General Admission is $25 per person; Students, Seniors and Veterans are $20 per person; and Groups of 10 or more $15 per person. To learn more, please visit www.thejunctiontheatre.org and http://atwaterplayhouse.com/

Clark Nicholson directs a visually stunning, perfectly cast production of Lolita Chakrabarti's play about the first great black Shakespearian actor

Gary Naylor sees the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's production of Red Velvet raise questions about ethnicity and art that resonate through the generations.

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company presents Red Velvet, the third production in the inaugural Plays at the Garrick season. The production, which originally premiered at the Tricycle Theatre in 2012 before transferring to St Ann's Warehouse in New York in 2014, will play at the Garrick Theatre from tonight 23 January until 27 February 2016.

Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's RED VELVET just released behind-the-scenes pictures today! The production, which originally premiered at the Tricycle Theatre in 2012 before transferring to St Ann's Warehouse in New York in 2014, is the third play in the inaugural Plays at the Garrick season and will play at the Garrick Theatre from 23 January until 27 February 2016. RED VELVET is written by Lolita Chakrabarti with direction by Indhu Rubasingham and stars Adrian Lester as Ira Aldridge. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company has announced the full cast for Red Velvet, the third production in the inaugural Plays at the Garrick season. The production, which originally premiered at the Tricycle Theatre in 2012 before transferring to St Ann's Warehouse in New York in 2014, will play at the Garrick Theatre from 23 January until 27 February 2016. Red Velvet is written by Lolita Chakrabarti with direction by Indhu Rubasingham and stars Adrian Lester as Ira Aldridge.

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company has announced the full cast for Red Velvet, the third production in the inauguralPlays at the Garrick season. The production, which originally premiered at the Tricycle Theatre in 2012 before transferring to St Ann's Warehouse in New York in 2014, will play at the Garrick Theatre from 23 January until 27 February 2016. Red Velvet is written by Lolita Chakrabarti with direction by Indhu Rubasingham and stars Adrian Lester as Ira Aldridge.

It is the complete package that we have come to expect from this group.

THE HISTORY OF KING LEAR, as revised by Nahum Tate, produced by The Hidden Room is an absolutely brilliant piece of theatre history.

When, in 1933, the legendary African American actor/singer, Paul Robeson, played Othello in London, it was seen by audiences and critics alike as being a landmark in theatre history - and very shocking! Especially when he kissed British actress Peggy Ashcroft! The role of Shakespeare's 'Moor' had always been played by white actors in black makeup.

After acclaimed runs at the Tricycle Theatre and St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn, Lolita Chakrabarti's RED VELVET, starring Adrian Lester, is coming to the West End as part of Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company's inaugural season at the Garrick.

Theater history buffs have two reasons to seek out a production of RED VELVET, Lolita Chakrabarti's historical drama. First, it sketches in part of the true story of the first great black classical actor, Ira Aldridge. Second, it depicts the beginning of the shift from old-fashioned 19th century declamatory acting style to something closer to the naturalism of the 20th century, a naturalism that still dominates today's stages.

BRIGHT SWORDS has three essential elements that make it one of the most polished, intelligent, and satisfying productions at Fringe: an elegant performance by Ryan Vincent Anderson, a beautifully written, smart, funny, human script by playwright Rick Creese, and stylish, impeccably focused direction by director Jeffrey Wienckowski.

BroadwayWorld.com continues our exclusive content series, in collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, which delves into the library's unparalleled archives, and resources. Below, check out a piece by Barbara Cohen-Stratyner, Ph. D., Judy R. and Alfred A. Rosenberg Curator of Exhibitions for The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts on Getting Ready for Shakespeare's 400th: