Edward Albee News

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize - the prestigious international award given each year to a woman who has written an outstanding new work for the English-speaking theatre - has announced the 10 finalists for the 32nd annual award.

The Jungle Theater has announced its upcoming works for the company's 2010 season.

Two-time Tony Award-winner Brian Dennehy has thrilled Chicago audiences in unforgettable productions over the past two decades—Desire Under the Elms, Long Day's Journey into Night, The Iceman Cometh and Death of a Salesman; now, his portrayal of contrasting roles in the double-bill of Hughie by Eugene O'Neill and Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett is 'sheer theatrical dynamite' (Toronto Star).

Goodman Artistic Director Robert Falls, acclaimed Canadian director Jennifer Tarver and celebrated star Brian Dennehy team up again for a Broadway-bound double bill, Hughie/Krapp's Last Tape; January 16- February 21, 2010 in the Goodman's Albert Ivar Theatre. Tickets are $25 – $83 and go on sale Friday, November 13 at GoodmanTheatre.org.

Twitter Watch shines a BWW spotlight on Daryl Roth, famed Broadway and Off-Broadway producer who recently celebrated her caricature unveiling at Sardi's.

On Wednesday, January 13, Daryl Roth was feted by Jordan Roth, Charles Busch and David Hyde Pierce and joined by a slew of celebrity friends and colleagues to celebrate her induction onto the famed wall of Sardi's as her caricature was unveiled and added to their collection. Guests included Kathleen Turner, Bill Irwin, Judith Light, Michael Urie, Bob Balaban, Tovah Feldshuh, David Pittu, Doug Hughes, Edward Hibbert, Nilo Cruz, John Doyle, Karen Ziemba and the current cast of Love, Loss, and What I Wore (Katie Finneran, Michele Lee, Debra Monk, Tracee Ellis Ross and Casey Wilson).

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will present the world premiere of MR. & MRS. FITCH, a new comedy from Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed, Xanadu) starring Tony Award winners John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle.

NO BOUNDARIES: A Series of Global Performances, presented by Yale Repertory Theatre and World Performance Project at Yale, continues its 2009-10 season with The Be(A)st of Taylor Mac, written and performed by Taylor Mac, and directed by David Drake, at the University Theatre (222 York Street) for three performances only: Thursday, January 28; Friday, January 29; and Saturday, January 30, at 8PM.

Signature Theatre Company announced today that ANGELS IN AMERICA: A GAY FANTASIA ON NATIONAL THEMES, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning epic work by Tony Kushner, will begin performances on Tuesday, September 14, 2010, launching the theatre's 20th anniversary season. The first New York revival of ANGELS IN AMERICA will be directed by Michael Greif. The production will open in late October on a date to be announced.

Edward Albee's first play, first performed in 1960, is brought to DCAC for the first time by the provocative Theatre Du Jour.

Chris Henry & Royal Family Productions will present the World Premiere of Sean Cullen's SAFE HOME directed by award winning director Chris Henry.

Second Stage Theatre has announced that Tony Award winners John Lithgow and Jennifer Ehle will star as MR. & MRS. FITCH in the world premiere comedy from Douglas Carter Beane. The production marks Mr. Beane's return to Second Stage Theatre where his critically acclaimed, Tony-nominated play The Little Dog Laughed premiered in 2005. MR. & MRS. FITCH will be directed by Scott Ellis, who also staged the world premiere and Broadway transfer of The Little Dog Laughed. Previews begin at Second Stage Theatre on January 26, 2010; opening night is scheduled for Thursday, February 22.

Today, the Lucille Lortel Awards Administration Committee and the Lucille Lortel Foundation announce the recipient of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award: Daryl Roth. This honor is conferred to a theatre professional known for their dedication to Off-Broadway. On May 2, 2010, Daryl Roth will join the recipients in the 18 other Lortel Award categories on stage for the 25th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards starting at 8 PM EST at Terminal 5 in New York City.

This January, Aurora Theatre invites you to curl up with the fascinating psychological drama Tranced, by nationally renowned playwright and psychologist Bob Clyman. Dr. Phillip Malaad, a highly respected psychiatrist famous for 'trancing,' helps his patients uncover suppressed memories.

Whether you're a die-hard Shakespeare lover or you've never understood a word he's written, you'll have a rollicking good time at I Hate Hamlet, the hilarious, action-packed comedy by Paul Rudnick at Northern Stage.

Following the record-breaking and critically acclaimed engagement of 'American Idiot' at the Berkeley Rep, the production is now Broadway-bound. 'American Idiot' will begin previews in March 2010 and open on Broadway in April at the St. James Theatre. The Broadway cast will be announced shortly.

The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC), the largest multi-arts festival in North America, will present the 14th Annual Festival from August 13th - 29th, 2010. Each year the festival presents programming by nearly 200 of the world's best emerging theatre troupes and dance companies.

The New York Times has confirmed that THE ORPHAN'S HOME CYCLE will aim for a fall 2010 Broadway opening, as opposed to rushing the show in this spring, as we previously speculated. While the show had the opportunity to transfer from its current home Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre into the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway for a spring opening, the producers and director Michael Wilson have opted to take the extra time to better prepare the show for the move.

2009 provided me with the opportunity to review 126 of the more than 200 shows that were available in the St. Louis region, and it began in terrific fashion with New Line Theatre's NIGHT OF THE LIVING SHOW TUNES. This was a wonderful sampling of contemporary show tunes performed by a cast of talented locals, and featuring artistic director Scott Miller's fine accompaniment on piano. In the acoustically perfect confines of the Sheldon Concert Hall, these unique melodies made a glorious noise. And, as I continued on my quest to expose my young son to the world of musical theatre, I ended the year with the Imaginary Theatre Company's splendid presentation of BAH! HUMBUG!. I was lucky enough to catch quite a few gems in between, and I've decided to compile a list of the ten most intriguing and engaging productions I saw in 2009.