The Drama League announced today the winners for the 78th Annual Drama League Awards: Distinguished Play, Other Desert Cities, presented by Philip Seymour Hoffman; Distinguished Revival of a Play, Death of a Salesman, presented by Christian Borle; Distinguished Production of a Musical, Once, presented by Cynthia Nixon; Distinguished Revival of a Musical, Follies, presented by Kelli O'Hara; and Distinguished Performance, Audra McDonald, presented by John Lithgow at a star-studded luncheon ceremony hosted by Stockard Channing (Other Desert Cities) and John Larroquette (Gore Vidal's The Best Man) at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.
The Veteran Center for the Performing Arts presents an evening exploring the soldiers experience through the timeless words of William Shakespeare - CRY HAVOC conceived by Stefan Wolfert and directed by Eric Tucker & Bruce Cervi. CRY HAVOC will open on Saturday, May 26th and run through Monday, June 4th at The Shakespeare Center LA - Studio Space, 1238 West 1st Street in Downtown Los Angeles.
The 78th Annual Drama League Awards will be held at the Marriott Marquis Times Square on Friday, May 18, 2012 at noon. Check out the 2012 Drama League Nominees for Distinguished Production of a Play, Distinguished Production of a Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and the much coveted Distinguished Performance Award.
Rep Stage, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), concludes its 19th season with "Las Meninas," playwright Lynn Nottage's account of the seduction of Louis the XIV's queen, Marie-Therese, and the consequences of her scandalous relationship with Nabo, her African servant. Nottage weaves an imaginative tale based on a fascinating but forgotten time in history that examines truths about women and race. Eve Muson, who helmed last season's "Speech & Debate," directs a large cast in this rarely produced play. "Las Meninas" opens April 18 with a limited run through May 6, 2012, in the Studio Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPA) on the campus of HCC.
Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. in association with Illinois State University School of Theatre will present a new adaptation of Electra by Euripides. Adapted and directed by Sonja Moser and performed by an ensemble of 17 Illinois State University undergrads. Electra opens July 6th and runs thru July 29th, 2012. Performances are Friday & Saturday at 8 PM plus Saturday & Sundays at 3 PM. Tickets are $20. (Parking is available at the Mobil gas station across from the theater for a fee.)
This July, 40 of the nation's most prominent and promising writers, directors, and composers will be in residence at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in a new laboratory for collaboration. Today, the renowned nonprofit announced 13 selections for the inaugural summer lab at The Ground Floor, Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work. During an intense four-week period, dozens of artists will live, dine, create, and collaborate at the Theatre's new campus in West Berkeley.
Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver returns to the company for its 20th anniversary season to direct Arthur Schnitzler's (La Ronde) first theatrical work for the stage, ANATOL. This World Premiere translation, commissioned by Aurora Theatre Company, from renowned Schnitzler expert (and Berkeley resident) Margret Schaefer, features Mike Ryan (Shakespeare Santa Cruz) in his Aurora debut as Anatol, along with Aurora veterans Tim Kniffin (Trouble in Mind, The Best Man) and Delia MacDougall (SEX, The Old Neighborhood). ANATOL plays April 6 through May 13 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($30-55) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.
The Skidmore College Department of Theater announces its Spring 2012 Mainstage production, AJAX IN IRAQ by Ellen McLaughlin, directed by Lary Opitz. Performances are April 13-15 and 19-22, 2012. All shows are in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater at 8:00pm except Sunday matinees at 2:00pm.
Rep Stage, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), concludes its 19th season with "Las Meninas," playwright Lynn Nottage's account of the seduction of Louis the XIV's queen, Marie-Therese, and the consequences of her scandalous relationship with Nabo, her African servant. Nottage weaves an imaginative tale based on a fascinating but forgotten time in history that examines truths about women and race. Eve Muson, who helmed last season's "Speech & Debate," directs a large cast in this rarely produced play. "Las Meninas" opens April 18 with a limited run through May 6, 2012, in the Studio Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPA) on the campus of HCC.
Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver returns to the company for its 20th anniversary season to direct Arthur Schnitzler's (La Ronde) first theatrical work for the stage, ANATOL. This World Premiere translation, commissioned by Aurora Theatre Company, from renowned Schnitzler expert (and Berkeley resident) Margret Schaefer, features Mike Ryan (Shakespeare Santa Cruz) in his Aurora debut as Anatol, along with Aurora veterans Tim Kniffin (Trouble in Mind, The Best Man) and Delia MacDougall (SEX, The Old Neighborhood). ANATOL plays April 6 through May 13 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($30-55) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.
Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues its 27th season with the world premiere of the new play, Rx, written by Kate Fodor.
Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues its 27th season with the world premiere of the new play, Rx, written by Kate Fodor.
Extant Arts presents the World Premiere of emerging playwright Andy James Hoover's (NYC Debut) CORNER POCKET, October 7-23 at the Gene Frankel Theatre. This production will be directed by Bridget R. Durkin and will feature Alexandra Hellquist, James Liebman, Virginia Logan, Kari Swenson Riely, Mary Schneider, and Eric Sutton*. The creative team will include Set Design by Jeremy Doucette, Puppet Design by Chana Porter, and Costume Design by Tristan Raines. The production will be Stage Managed by Anna Burnham.
The Indiana University Department of Theatre and Drama in the College of Arts and Sciences 2011-2012 season begins at the Lee Norvelle Theatre and Drama Center.
Extant Arts will present the World Premiere of emerging playwright Andy James Hoover's (NYC Debut) CORNER POCKET, October 7-23 at the Gene Frankel Theatre. This production will be directed by Bridget R. Durkin and will feature Alexandra Hellquist, James Liebman, Virginia Logan, Kari Swenson Riely, Mary Schneider, and Eric Sutton*. The creative team will include Set Design by Jeremy Doucette, Puppet Design by Chana Porter, and Costume Design by Tristan Raines. The production will be Stage Managed by Anna Burnham.
Borrowing myth and storytelling from east and west to fuse Japanese Bunraku-inspired puppetry with magical realism, Jen Silverman's odyssey of a Japanese-American girl's quest to rescue her brother's soul from the Land of the Dead, Crane Story directed by Katherine Kovner, will have its world premiere presented by The Playwrights Realm at The Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce Street, when previews begin Thursday, September 6, at 8:00pm for an opening Thursday, September 15, at 8:00pm.
Today we are talking to DROP DEAD DIVA guest star Sharon Lawrence and discussing her long-awaited return to the series as Bobbie Dobkins in Sunday's "Mother's Day" episode as well as taking a look at her long and varied film and theater career with thoughts on everything from CABARET and CHICAGO onstage to DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, LAW & ORDER: SVU, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM on the small screen and the new Theresa Rebeck play she stars in opening next month at the Mark Taper Forum in LA, POOR BEHAVIOR and much, much more!
Over the course of the next several weeks, we are going to be taking an extensive look at the sights and sounds both onscreen and onset of the hit TV dramedy series DROP DEAD DIVA - new episodes airing Sunday nights at 9 PM on Lifetime - featuring exclusive interviews with the leading lady divas and dashing supporting men on the LA-based supernatural legal series. Featuring a memorable collection of musical performances and Broadway guest stars over the years - Paula Abdul, Rosie O'Donnell, Delta Burke and many more included - DROP DEAD DIVA is the quintessential TV series for Broadway babies looking for some laughs and levity - the latter available in many more ways than one, given the show's heavenly aspirations. DROP DEAD DIVA centers on a legal eagle named Jane whose body acts as the means for the indomitable spirit of a model, Deb, who loses her life, to make a second chance and how the girl inside must learn to adjust to looking like the woman on the outside that she is now. In other words, a model finds out what it means to look like everyone else, in a delightfully quirky twist of fate - and learns to be a lawyer, too. Season Three picks up with the cliffhanger car crash that closed last season in a dark and shocking way. What will Grayson remember of the conversation he had with Jane pre-crash? What will Jane do to save him? What about his engagement (to somebody else)? What will happen back at the office with Teri, Kim and Parker? What about Stacy and Fred? All these questions and many more will most assuredly be answered come Sunday night! Plus, there's always a musical number or two not too far off if you stay tuned - such as this week's BroadwayWorld exclusive world premiere of "Lean On Me" available here!
Be sure to check back often because in the following weeks, we will also feature conversations with DROP DEAD DIVA stars Josh Henderson, Jackson Hurst, Ben Feldman and definitely stay tuned for next week's exclusive chat with featured guest star and Tony-winner, the one and only Faith Prince!
Continuing the BRIDGING TV & THEATRE: DROP DEAD DIVA series, here is my extended conversation with DROP DEAD DIVA guest star Sharon Lawrence in which we discuss her many Broadway credits - CABARET, CHICAGO, ZORBA and FIDDLER ON THE ROOF included - as well as her extensive and varied theater career and acting alongside the likes of Cherry Jones, Marian Seldes and DROP DEAD DIVA guest star and fellow Broadway baby Faith Prince. Additionally, Ms. Lawrence shares her fascinating insights into the art of acting and the role of the actor in society as well as provides detailed insight into her own process and musical theatre versus straight drama - plus, comments on SMASH, GLEE, Weill, Brecht, feminism and much, much more!
Borrowing myth and storytelling from east and west to fuse Japanese Bunraku-inspired puppetry with magical realism, Jen Silverman's odyssey of a Japanese-American girl's quest to rescue her brother's soul from the Land of the Dead, Crane Story directed by Katherine Kovner, will have its world premiere presented by The Playwrights Realm at The Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce Street, when previews begin Thursday, September 6, at 8:00pm for an opening Thursday, September 15, at 8:00pm.
The concept of Ajax in Iraq by Ellen McLaughlin is one that instantly intrigues. Taking the classic Sophocles legend and drawing parallels to the war in Iraq certainly raises an eyebrow or two. That being said, even though I am sure this play is an engaging read, when put into the hands of the masterful Flux Theatre Ensemble it becomes all encompassing. Flux has chosen to call it's current season of theatre 'Don't Look Away' and this very accurately describes the inner monologue of the audience at this fascinating production. It's rare to have an experience at the theatre that won't let you go, but this is one of those occasions.
