Directed with finesse by Kimberly Senior, THE NICETIES features Lisa Banes as the liberal, white professor Janine, and Jordan Boatman as the ambitious young black student Zoe, who become involved in a polite clash of perspectives that quickly explodes into an urgent and dangerous debate threatening to ruin both their lives. We first meet the two opinionated and obviously brilliant women in Janine's somewhat cramped office, with its slanted ceiling (thanks to scenic designer Cameron Anderson) indicating her top floor status in the department. Posters of great political leaders from all sides, including George Washington, Lech Wa??sa, Nelson Mandela, Emiliano Zapata, and female Suffragettes, adorn her office walls with books about other leaders and revolutionaries scattered around the place. Certainly, all appearances indicate Jeanine is the type of open-minded teacher every student would want to instruct them about American History. Right?
Playwright Eleanor Burgess' latest work THE NICETIES receives its west coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse beginning April 9, 2019. THE NICETIES charts the escalating series of calm-to-volatile discourses between a university college professor and her brilliant student on history, race and reputation. Eleanor, a Huntington Playwright Fellow, carved out some time to answer a few of my inquisitive inquiries on her writing processes, while touching on some of her professional milestones.
Global Creatures' Broadway-bound Moulin Rouge and the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Man in the Ring were the big winners at the 23rd Annual IRNE Awards, as the two productions garnered a dozen awards between them. Moulin Rouge took home seven awards, including Best Musical, New Musical and Director in the Large Stage category, and Man in the Ring was honored with five, including the Best Play, Director, and Actor awards. Moonbox Productions' Cabaret earned a half-dozen awards, including Best Musical, and Best Director and Choreography awards for its director, Rachel Bertone. Lauren Patten of JAGGED LITTLE PILL took home the award for Best Supporting Actress for a Large Company.
Company of Fools (COF) announces its 24th season, which features four mainstage productions at the Liberty Theatre in Hailey. The 2019-2020 lineup includes Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley; Cry It Out by Molly Smith Metzler; Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon; and The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess.
Geva Theatre Center's Artistic Director Mark Cuddy and Executive Director Christopher Mannelli are proud to announce the 10 major productions and 2 festivals of the much anticipated 2019-2020 Season, the non-profit theatre's 47th year of making professional theatre of a national standard in Rochester.
Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company's 2019/20 six play season, opening with Into the Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, and directed by Gary Griffin in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. The season will continue with The Niceties, written by Eleanor Burgess and directed by Marti Lyons; Lydia R. Diamond's Stick Fly, directed by Ron OJ Parson; and Mementos Mori, created by Manual Cinema. A new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, adapted by Sandra Delgado and Michael Halberstam and directed by Lavina Jadhwani, will open the season in the Gillian Theatre, followed by Anna Ziegler's The Last Match, directed by Keira Fromm.
Gulfshore Playhouse is celebrating its 15th Season with legendary heroes, quarreling lovers, award-winning timeless classics and fresh new productions. The 2019-20 Season has just been announced and includes:
The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) today announced the nominees for the 23rd Annual IRNE Awards, which honor the best of the previous year's actors, directors, choreographers, designers and companies across the full spectrum of large, mid-size and fringe theater companies. Moulin Rouge!, a new musical produced by Global Creatures, and An American in Paris, produced by the Ogunquit Playhouse, led with 12 and 11 nominations, respectively, in the Large Stage Musical Category. The Huntington Theatre led all companies with 31 nominations across seven productions, including 11 for Man in the Ring, the story of six-time world champion prizefighter Emile Griffith.
This summer, Heritage Theatre Festival will be back to celebrate its 45th year with a season that explores concepts of connection and community from a variety of fascinating, entertaining, and engaging angles.
The nationally and internationally admired Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University celebrates the publication of Plays by Women of the Contemporary American Theater Festival. Four Seasons Books in Shepherdstown, a CATF partner, will host a release party on Thursday, February 28th from 7-9pm. Guests are able to reserve their copy of the anthology by contacting Four Seasons. This event is free and open to the public.
Geffen Playhouse will present the West Coast premiere of The Niceties, it was announced today, written by Eleanor Burgess (Chill, Start Down) and directed by Kimberly Senior (Disgraced, Career Suicide). This world premiere production of The Niceties is currently running at McCarter Theatre Center in New Jersey, and replaces Antigone on the Geffen Playhouse 2018/2019 season lineup.
Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman have just announced Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2019/20 Season, which celebrates the 10th Anniversary Season of Artistic Director Mark Clements with 15 productions across four venues in the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex.
The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess, having been performed at the Huntington Theatre Company and Manhattan Theatre Club, makes its way to McCarter Theatre Center's Berlind Theatre, a fitting arena for a play set during a history professor's office hours.
Sure, Broadway is traditionally known for its glitz and glamour, but New York audiences have never shied away from socially relevant theatre, either. And while controversial issues are more frequently discussed Off-Broadway, 2018 saw a great many political and social themes brought up throughout Manhattan's stages. So here are ten times New York theatre tackled political and social issues in 2018
California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes) today announced directors for the 2019 Season at the Bruns Amphitheater, including the Cal Shakes debuts of directors Megan Sandberg-Zakian (House of Joy) and Victor Malana Maog (Macbeth).
After sparking thousands of conversations about race, history, and power in Boston and New York, the world-premiere production of Eleanor Burgess' The Niceties will run at McCarter Theatre Center from January 11 through February 10. Directed byKimberly Senior (Disgraced on Broadway), The Niceties features Lisa Banes and Jordan Boatman as a white professor and a black student involved in a polite clash of perspectives which quickly explodes into an urgent and dangerous debate threatening to ruin both their lives. "Scintillating," raves Peter Marks in The Washington Post. "The story of America, it seems, is destined to be wrestled over to the bitter end."
You'll get a standing ovation when you give a gift of New Jersey theatre. The holidays are a great time to explore all of the entertainment options in New Jersey for everyone on your list. All of the theatres on our list have gift certificates or gift cards available for purchase.
Pioneer Theatre Company presents Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, a charming sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The production runs from November 30 through December 15, 2018.
The Huntington is now accepting applications for the 2019-2021 Huntington Playwriting Fellow Cohort. To be eligible, writers must live at least nine months of each calendar year in the Greater Boston area. Applications can be submitted online and all materials must be submitted via email to submissions@huntingtontheatre.org no later than 11:59PM on Thursday, December 13, 2018. Early submissions are encouraged, and submissions are read roughly in the order they are received.
