Ellen Mandel News

Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble today announced its 17th annual summer festival: Voices from the Tower, exclusively featuring works composed by women.

What happens when the sting of betrayal's flame is fanned by the heat of the Nile? MURDER! Agatha Christie's classic play Murder on the Nile, celebrates its 75th birthday this year having opened in Scotland at the Dundee Reparatory Theatre on January 17, 1944. Be Bold Productions has mounted a faithful production of her smoldering work Off-Broadway at the Player Theatre.

As long autumn shadows cast their spell across Greenwich Village, the days grow shorter and the nights grow restless and long, enticing the Headless Horseman to realize his lonely, faithful quest.  Sleepy Hollow, an original musical by Michael Sgouros and Brenda Bell, which began previews on September 28th at The Players Theatre in New York City's Greenwich Village, reveals a haunting deeper than the woods of the hollow. Its shadows are cast from the darkness of the human soul.

A beautiful woman, a dead body and a smoking gun!  Agatha Christie's classic play The Unexpected Guest, celebrates its 60th birthday this year having opened in the West End at the Duchess Theatre on August 12, 1958.  Be Bold Productions has mounted a faithful production of her plot-twisting work Off-Broadway at the Player Theatre.

What does it mean to be a woman in the times of the #metoo and #timesup movements? What would our historical sisters have to say about it? From Sappho and Hildegard von Bingen to present day, this classical cabaret explores some of the innermost thoughts, desires, dreams, and experiences of women through music and poetry. Opera on Tap makes its' Flea debut as an Anchor Partner, presenting a diverse program of classical song in their signature fresh, heartfelt, and entertaining style.  

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble announces the casting, directors, design team for Robert Patrick's Judas, which will start previews on April 27, with official opening Sun April 29,  and will run through May 13 at The Wild Project at 195 East 3rd Street in NYC.   

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble is presenting Moliere's comedy Tartuffe in the New York premiere of a sizzling adaptation by David Ball for a limited run through November 12th at The Wild Project ( 195 E. 3rd St).Tartuffe began previews on October 21st and opened on October 27th.

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble announces the opening of Moliere's great comedy Tartuffe in the New York premiere of a sizzling adaptation by David Ball.

Hudson Theatre Works presents Shakespeare's Macbeth.

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble announces that Josh Tyson is playing the title role in Moliere's great comedy Tartuffe in an adaptation by David Ball. 

French playwright Jean Anouilh wrote his 'Antigone' during the Nazi occupation of France. It became a symbol of resistance as freedom fighters viewed the heroine's defiance as a crie de coeur of patriotism. The play, written with a modern sensibility, is based on the Greek tragedy of the princess who dies for burying her brother's corpse against the orders of her dictator uncle. Its parallels to modern times are exciting and provocative.

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble announces that Joe Orton's dark comedy Entertaining Mr. Sloane will begin performances May 4th and will run for 13 performances only through May 14 at The Wild Project  in NYC.   

???????Yes, it's King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Lancelot in Camelot but not as you might expect them. Written in 1937 when Jean Cocteau was emerging from opium addiction, he dreamed Camelot as a barren wasteland.

October 20 - November 13 THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI by Bertolt Brecht in a new translation by Stephen Sharkey, directed by Kevin Confoy With Desmond Confoy, Sergio Fuenzalida,  John Lenartz,  Zach Lusk,  Ellen Mandel,  Craig V. Smith, Jim  Sterling, Elise Stone, Antonio Suarez,  and Josh Tyson Lighting Design by Harold Mulinex; Sound Design by Ellen Mandel; Costume Design by Deborah Hobson; Multimedia design by Andrew Lazarow; Stage Management by Irene Lazaridis Produced by Phoenix Theatre Ensemble Performance schedule: Oct. 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27 @ 8PM; Oct. 22 @ 2PM; Oct. 23 @ 3PM Nov.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 11, 12 @ 8PM; Nov. 2 & 5 @ 2PM; Nov. 6 & 13 @ 3PM  Tickets: $25

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble announces that Bertolt Brecht's political farce, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, will lead off the company's 13th season on October 20 and will play for 21 performances through November 13, 2016 at The Wild Project in the East Village.  Previews will start October 20 with an official opening Saturday, October 22 @ 8PM.

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble announces that Bertolt Brecht's political farce, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, will lead off the company's 13th season from October 20 through November 13, 2016 at The Wild Project in the East Village. Previews will start October 20 with an official opening Saturday, October 22 @ 8PM.

Artistic Directors Elise Stone and Craig Smith announce that Phoenix Theatre Ensemble will be presenting 4 staged readings of Eric Bentley's ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN, which is taken from the  actual testimony of witnesses before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) during the late 1940's and early 1950's. 

Artistic Directors Elise Stone and Craig Smith announce that Phoenix Theatre Ensemble will be presenting 4 staged readings of Eric Bentley's ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN, which is taken from the  actual testimony of witnesses before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) during the late 1940's and early 1950's. 

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble (PTE), now in its 12th season, announces that Olivier-nominated playwright Glyn Maxwell's The Gambler will begin performances on January 21, 2016 at The Wild Project at 195 East 3rd Street in NYC's East Village.  It will be playing in repertory with Strindberg's Creditors through February 14. 

In one quick-moving hour and with a memorably melodic score, Passion in Pigskin tells the tragi-comic story of a love triangle between two New York Knights football players, Billy a dashing, cynical running back, Eddie, a sincere slow-witted tackle, and Mary Jo, a sweetly innocent cheerleader.