Eisa Davis News

The goal of the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University is to create dialogue. In addition to five fresh, new American plays, the 2009 Festival will include visual arts exhibitions from Jodi Patterson and Alison Helm.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) is pleased to announce their 2009 lineup of new plays. 'The addition of a fifth play during our last season was very well received,' stated Ed Herendeen, CATF Founder and Producing Director.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University will run from July 8 through August 2, with five powerful plays and humanities events that create dialogue within the community. This year, their popular lecture series will feature special guests discussing issues raised by the plays.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) is pleased to announce their 2009 lineup of new plays. 'The addition of a fifth play during our last season was very well received,' stated Ed Herendeen, CATF Founder and Producing Director.

Playwrights Horizons, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tim Sanford and Managing Director Leslie Marcus, proudly announces the sixth and final production of its upcoming 2009/2010 Season, as well as additional casting. Presented at the theater company's home at 416 West 42nd Street, the new production will be: A COOL DIP IN THE BARREN SAHARAN CRICK - the World Premiere of a new play by Playwrights Horizons alumna Kia Corthron (Breath, Boom at Playwrights Horizons, Force Continuum), directed by Obie Award winner Chay Yew (Durango at The Public). A co-production with The Play Company (Kate Loewald, Founding Producer) and Culture Project (Allan Buchman, Artistic Director).

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper 54th Annual OBIE awards took place on Monday, May 18,2009 at the newly landmarked Webster Hall in the East Village.

On May 18th, Urban Stages Founder and Artistic Director Frances Hill, Managing Director Lauren Schmiedel and the dedicated Urban Stages Board of Directors will tip their hats to the talented collection of actors, designers, and playwrights that have brought exciting new work to the stage for the past 25 years.

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, announced today the 54th Annual OBIE awards will take place on Monday, May 18,2009 at the newly landmarked Webster Hall in the East Village. The OBIES will be co-hosted by Martha Plimpton and Daniel Breaker at an invitation-only ceremony. A list of notable presenters will be released soon.

The Village Voice, the nation's largest alternative weekly newspaper, announced today the 54th Annual OBIE awards will take place on Monday, May 18,2009 at the newly landmarked Webster Hall in the East Village.

PBS will air Spike Lee's film adaptation of PASSING STRANGE in 2010. The film recently had its New York premiere when it played the Tribeca Film festival. Passing Strange will air as part of PBS' 'Great Performances'.

New Village Arts (NVA) concludes its 2008-2009 season with Four Dogs and a Bone by award-winning playwright and recent Oscar-nominee John Patrick Shanley. NVA Associate Artistic Director Joshua Everett Johnson directs this brutally hysterical satire of Hollywood. Four Dogs and a Bone runs June 4 through 28 at the New Village Arts Theatre, located at 2787 State Street in Carlsbad Village. Tickets range from $25 - $30 and are available by calling the box office at 760-433-3245 or by visiting www.NewVillageArts.org.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, and Hip-Hop Theater Festival is currently playing OBIE Winning Actress/Pulitzer-nominated playwright Eisa Davis' 'ANGELA'S MIXTAPE,' directed by Liesl Tommy.

To mark the occasion of AMERICAN THEATRE magazine's 25th anniversary, Theatre Communications Groups (TCG) will honor the publication by publishing The American Theatre Reader, a 620-page compilation of significant and insightful articles, essays and interviews from the magazine's first quarter century.

The OBIES will be co-hosted by Martha Plimpton and Daniel Breaker at an invitation-only ceremony. Anne Hathaway, Brian d'Arcy James, Gavin Creel, Karen Olivo, John Shea, Kate Mulgrew, and Marc Kudisch will join the ceremony as presenters.

On May 18th, Urban Stages Founder and Artistic Director Frances Hill, Managing Director Lauren Schmiedel and the dedicated Urban Stages Board of Directors will tip their hats to the talented collection of actors, designers, and playwrights that have brought exciting new work to the stage for the past 25 years.

Due to strong demand, The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that it would extend Tracey Scott Wilson?s THE GOOD NEGRO an additional two weeks through Sunday, April 19. THE GOOD NEGRO begins previews on Tuesday, March 3 and will now run through Sunday, April 19 with an official press opening on Monday, March 16. Directed by Liesl Tommy and in association with Dallas Theater Center, THE GOOD NEGRO is the first new play to transfer from the Public LAB initiative to a full main stage production at The Public.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced casting for its production of RAGTIME in the Eisenhower Theater April 18 - May 10, 2009. Based on a 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, the production features book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and will be directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge. The musical is part of the Kennedy Center's Broadway: The Third Generation, a series celebrating the current generation of Broadway musical composers. The official press night will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced that Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. will host a post-show discussion immediately following the Saturday, April 11 2 p.m. matinee of THE GOOD NEGRO by Tracey Scott Wilson. Directed by Liesl Tommy and presented in association with Dallas Theater Center, THE GOOD NEGRO opened to critical acclaim last month and will continue its extended run through Sunday, April 19.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, and Hip-Hop Theater Festival will present the premiere of OBIE Winning Actress/Pulitzer-nominated playwright Eisa Davis' 'ANGELA'S MIXTAPE,' directed by Liesl Tommy. Ms. Davis who was recently seen on Broadway in last season's award-winning musical Passing Strange will portray herself and Linda Powell, last seen on Broadway in the Tony-nominated revival On Golden Pond, will portray her aunt, professor and activist Angela Davis. 'ANGELA'S MIXTAPE' will be performed at the Ohio Theatre, 66 Wooster Street (between Spring and Broome Streets). Previews begin Monday, April 6, and the official Opening Night will be Thursday, April 9 at 7:00 p.m. Performances will run through May 2.

New Village Arts (NVA) continues its 2008-2009 season with Be Aggressive by award-winning playwright, Annie Weisman. NVA Executive Artistic Director Kristianne Kurner directs this edgy comedy centered in San Diego around the world of cheerleading. Be Aggressive runs April 4 through 26 at the New Village Arts Theatre, located at 2787 State Street in Carlsbad Village. Tickets range from $25 - $30 and are available by calling the box office at 760-433-3245 or by visiting www.NewVillageArts.org.