Elliot Norton News

Following the internationally acclaimed production with sold-out engagements on Broadway and in London's West End, television legend, Oscar recipient and five-time Tony Award-winner Angela Lansbury returns to the stage in Noel Coward's smash-hit comedic play 'Blithe Spirit' in an exciting North American tour to be launched at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre.

The William & Eva Fox Foundation and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, have announced the ninth round of Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships recipients. The program is designed to support actors' professional and artistic development, to enrich relationships between actors and nonprofit theatres and to ensure continued professional commitment to live theatre. Funded by the Fox Foundation and administered by TCG, the fellowship is one of only a few programs of its kind for actors in the country.

Happy Medium Theatre (HMT) opens its 6th season with Language of Angels by Naomi Iizuka. Heading up the production is award-winning and widely-praised Boston Fringe director, Lizette M. Morris (DOG SEES GOD: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, HMT, Elliot Norton Award Outstanding Fringe Production). The production runs for two weeks (October 23rd - Nov. 1st, 2014) as the final show at the Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02118.

Arts leader Tina Packer-- celebrated stage director and one of the country's foremost experts on Shakespeare--has joined the Boston College Theatre Department for the 2014-2015 academic year, as the Rev. J. Donald Monan, S.J. Professor in Theatre Arts.

Stoneham Theatre opens its 15th season with Doubt, John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, featuring Karen MacDonald and Gabriel Kuttner in the two lead roles. Performances run from tonight, September 11-28 at Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street in Stoneham.

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston's 2014-15 Season begins September 5 with Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece SWEENEY TODD, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The musical thriller runs tonight, September 5 through October 11, 2014. The opening is set for September 7 at 3 p.m.

Varla Jean Merman is the purported love child of Ethel Merman and Ernest Borgnine. Returning to 54 Below tonight and tomorrow, September 3 & 4 by popular demand, Varla Jean, aka Jeffery Roberson, unveils a show of hilarious songs, videos and fabulous costumes, featuring Tom Judson at the piano.

Varla Jean Merman is the purported love child of Ethel Merman and Ernest Borgnine. Returning to 54 Below on September 3 & 4 by popular demand, Varla Jean, aka Jeffery Roberson, unveils a show of hilarious songs, videos and fabulous costumes, featuring Tom Judson at the piano. For Tickets please visit 54 Below online at http://54below.com/artist/varla-jean-merman/ or call 646 476-3551.

PAGE 73 has announced the world premiere of YOU GOT OLDER, a new play by 2014 P73 Playwriting Fellow Clare Barron. Directed by Obie Award-winner Anne Kauffman, YOU GOT OLDER will star Tony Award nominee Reed Birney and Brooke Bloom and begins previews on October 29, 2014 on the Mainstage at HERE (145 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10013-1548). YOU GOT OLDER's opening date is currently set for November 6, 2014 and runs through November 22, 2014.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) has announced fall programming at OBERON, featuring limited engagements of exciting work by groundbreaking artists. The lineup for October and November includes POOL (NO WATER) by Mark Ravenhill, created by One Year Lease Theater Company and directed by Ianthe Demos; SHIDA, a new musical in development, written and performed by Broadway powerhouse Jeannette Bayardelle and directed by Andy Sandberg; and RUBY WAX: SANE NEW WORLD, written and performed by the incomparable comedienne and actor Ruby Wax.

Gloucester Stage Company's 35th Anniversary Season wraps up with August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winning Fences from today, August 21 through September 7 at the Gorton Theatre, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

GOD HATES THIS SHOW: Shirley Phelps-Roper In Concert, Live From Hell, written and directed by John J. Caswell, Jr. and starring Erin Markey, will play a one night only exclusive public and industry invited engagement at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette St,) in preparation for a lengthier Off-Broadway run in 2015.

Gloucester Stage Company's 35th Anniversary Season wraps up with August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winning Fences from August 21 through September 7 at the Gorton Theatre, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. The 1987 Winner for Pulitzer Prize in Drama, Fences tells the moving story of Troy Maxson, a former star of the Negro baseball leagues who now works as a garbage man in 1957 Pittsburgh. Excluded from the major leagues during his prime, Troy's bitterness takes its toll on his relationships with his family. Gloucester Stage Artistic Director Eric C. Engel directs this powerful and poignant American work with GSC veteran Boston actress Jacqui Parker as Rose Maxson and a cast of GSC newcomers including Daver Morrison as Troy Maxson; Warren Jackson as Lyons; Gregory Marlow as Jim Bono; Jermel Nakia as Gabriel; Jared Brown as Cory and Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Workshops student Bezawit Strong in her professional stage debut as Raynell.

North Shore Music Theatre's production of GREASE runs through August 24. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Stoneham Theatre opens its 15th season with Doubt, John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, featuring Karen MacDonald and Gabriel Kuttner in the two lead roles. Performances run from September 11-28 at Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street in Stoneham.

The Tony and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical ONCE, will celebrate its 1000th performance on Broadway on Wednesday, August 13. Following the 8:00pm performance, ONCE composer Glen Hansard, who flies in from Los Angeles after performing songs from his new album at the Hollywood Bowl, will join the cast on stage at the curtain call.

The Old Globe today announced the full cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Bright Star, a new American musical featuring music by Edie Brickell and Steve Martin, lyrics by Brickell, and book by Martin, based on an original story by Martin and Brickell. Directed by Walter Bobbie, Bright Star will run September 13 - November 2, 2014 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run September 13 - September 27. Opening night is Sunday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. Single tickets go on sale on Friday, August 8 at noon.

Gloucester Stage Company's 35th Anniversary Season continues with Amy Herzog's funny and moving 4000 Miles from today, July 31 through August 17 at the Gorton Theatre, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.

New Repertory Theatre announces the final show of the 30th Anniversary Season, the Next Rep World Premiere: SCENES FROM AN ADULTERY by Ronan Noone, June 6 through June 21, 2015 at the Boston University Theatre, Lane-Comley Studio 210. SCENES FROM AN ADULTERY is co-presented with Boston Center for American Performance (BCAP).

Gloucester Stage Company's 35th Anniversary Season continues with Amy Herzog's funny and moving 4000 Miles from July 31 through August 17 at the Gorton Theatre, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Winner of the 2012 Obie Award for Best New American Play and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama Finalist, Amy Herzog's 4000 Miles looks at how two outsiders find their way in today's world. After suffering a major loss while he was on a cross-country bike trip, 21 year-old Leo seeks solace from his feisty 91 year-old grandmother Vera in her West Village apartment in New York City. Over the course of a single month, these unlikely roommates infuriate, bewilder, and ultimately reach each other. Directed by Gloucester Stage Artistic Director Eric C. Engel, the production features GSC favorite and Rockport resident Nancy E. Carroll as Vera and Rockport native Tom Rash as Vera's grandson Leo. The reminder of the cast features Sarah Oakes Muirhead, last seen at GSC in 2013's award winning Spring Awakening and GSC newcomer Samantha Ma.