Emily DeCola News

It is always exciting when you sit in a theater to see the world premiere of a new musical. The Arena Stage's Kreeger Theater was a buzz in anticipation of SNOW CHILD which is a co-production with Alaska's Perseverance Theatre. Why Perseverance? Well, Arena Stage's Artistic Director Molly Smith actually grew up in Alaska, returned there after schooling and founded the Perseverance Theatre in Juneau. She served as Artistic Director there for 19 years before coming to Arena Stage. Four years ago, Smith and Perseverance Artistic Director Art Rotch discussed the idea for an adaptation for SNOW CHILD.

While the musical is not quite perfect, it's the strongest one I've seen this season in the DC area. I hope it has a future life beyond the production in Juneau later this year. It deserves it.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full cast and creative team for the world-premiere musical Snow Child, based on Eowyn Ivey's Pulitzer Prize-nominated novel. Infused with a score that combines Alaskan string band-traditions with contemporary musical theater, Snow Child follows a couple rebuilding their lives in the Alaskan wilderness when they meet a magical and mysterious snow child who transforms them.

The Bushwick Starr will present THE SOLDIER'S TALE, based on Stravinsky's timeless story of a violin, a book of riches, and a deal with the devil, brought to life by Puppet Kitchen Productions.

The Bushwick Starr is thrilled to present THE SOLDIER'S TALE, based on Stravinsky's timeless story of a violin, a book of riches, and a deal with the devil, brought to life by Puppet Kitchen Productions.

The Bushwick Starr will present THE SOLDIER'S TALE, based on Stravinsky's timeless story of a violin, a book of riches, and a deal with the devil, brought to life by Puppet Kitchen Productions.

The Tank - the Manhattan-based theater company devoted to developing and presenting new works for the stage by emerging artists -- will begin the 2015 season of 'Flint & Tinder,' The Tank's flagship theater program, this month with the world-premiere of GATHERING THE MAGIC, a solo play written and performed by Nelson Lugo about a young man's journey from his first toy magic kit to professional magician - and all the things magical and not-so-much he encounters along the way - with previews starting tonight, January 30 prior to opening January 31 at The Tank's home theatre located at 151 W. 46 St. in NYC.

The Tank - the Manhattan-based theater company devoted to developing and presenting new works for the stage by emerging artists -- will begin the 2015 season of 'Flint & Tinder,' The Tank's flagship theater program, this month with the world-premiere of GATHERING THE MAGIC, a solo play written and performed by Nelson Lugo about a young man's journey from his first toy magic kit to professional magician - and all the things magical and not-so-much he encounters along the way - with previews starting January 30 prior to opening January 31 at The Tank's home theatre located at 151 W. 46 St. in NYC.

The Tank - the Manhattan-based non-profit arts presenter, located at 151 West 46th Street, 8th floor - is pleased to announce its third season of its flagship theatre program Flint & Tinder, the curated series of exciting new independent theater presented in the heart of Manhattan's theater district. The series showcases ferociously imaginative emerging artists making work that spans (and often flagrantly combines) physical theater, puppetry, dance, clowning, and more. They are storytellers, relentless risk-takers, and theatrical alchemists shaping the future of the medium.

The June edition of ARTS IN THE CITY, hosted by Tinabeth Piña from the beautiful Alice Austen House museum on Staten Island, debuts Friday, June 13 (2014) on CUNY TV* at 10am, 3pm and 8:30pm; is repeated Sunday 6/15 at noon; and returns Friday 6/27 at 10am, 3pm and 8:30pm and on Sunday 6/29 at noon on CUNY TV. On and after June 13, the program may be viewed anytime on www.cuny.tv.

Presenters La MaMa and St. Ann's Warehouse, and producers piece by piece productions, Mabou Mines and Dovetail Productions-all ardent and longtime supporters of the 'bad boy of avant-garde theater' (Village Voice) Lee Breuer-unite for the World Premiere of Breuer's epic magnum opus, La Divina Caricatura. Breuer wrote and directs the work, a mixed-media pop-opera with Bunraku puppets, a cast of singers and live music composed by Lincoln Schleifer that ranges from Motown to Broadway and reggae to raga. La Divina Caricatura, a metaphorical send-up of Dante's classic, concerns Rose the Dog, who makes a pilgrimage through love to Paradiso. Rose thinks she's a woman and fantasizes a mad love affair with her master John, an East Village independent filmmaker. The show, Part 1 of a trilogy, draws on material that stretches all the way back to Breuer's doo-wop opera Sister Suzie Cinema (1975).

Presenters La MaMa and St. Ann's Warehouse, and producers piece by piece productions, Mabou Mines and Dovetail Productions-all ardent and longtime supporters of the "bad boy of avant-garde theater" (Village Voice) Lee Breuer-unite for the World Premiere of Breuer's epic magnum opus, La Divina Caricatura. Breuer wrote and directs the work, a mixed-media pop-opera with Bunraku puppets, a cast of singers and live music composed by Lincoln Schleifer that ranges from Motown to Broadway and reggae to raga. La Divina Caricatura, a metaphorical send-up of Dante's classic, concerns Rose the Dog, who makes a pilgrimage through love to Paradiso. Rose thinks she's a woman and fantasizes a mad love affair with her master John, an East Village independent filmmaker. The show, Part 1 of a trilogy, draws on material that stretches all the way back to Breuer's doo-wop opera Sister Suzie Cinema (1975).

A contemporary riff on an Andean myth, 'A Girl Without Wings' by Jason Williamson, directed by Kathleen Amshoff, is an object theater piece telling the story of a lonely condor who falls in love with a spirited shepherd girl. The play is based on a folktale of the Quechua speaking communities of Ecuador and Peru. IATI Theater and Dramatic Adventure Theatre will present the piece today, October 4 to 27, 2013 as the first production in IATI's newly-renovated facility at 64 East Fourth Street. The story is a fable for all ages and is recommended for ages 8 to 108. This play is presented with support from the Jim Henson Foundation.

A contemporary riff on an Andean myth, 'A Girl Without Wings' by Jason Williamson, directed by Kathleen Amshoff, is an object theater piece telling the story of a lonely condor who falls in love with a spirited shepherd girl. The play is based on a folktale of the Quechua speaking communities of Ecuador and Peru. IATI Theater and Dramatic Adventure Theatre will present the piece October 4 to 27, 2013 as the first production in IATI's newly-renovated facility at 64 East Fourth Street. The story is a fable for all ages and is recommended for ages 8 to 108.

Two years into its second half-century, La MaMa, under the artistic direction of Mia Yoo, continues the omnivorous work of its founder, the late Ellen Stewart. The institution's fall 2013 season is a mixture of established artists and forms La MaMa has long supported (Lee Breuer, Dario D'Ambrosi, puppetry) and celebrated artists and programs new to La MaMa (Irina Brook, Chiori Miyagawa and Alice Reagan, Pascal Rambert, Maureen Fleming, Dan Fishback and Max Steele, and many others). Show-by-show descriptions are below.

St. Ann's Warehouse has announced programming highlights of its 2013-14 season, which will kick off in October with the American Premiere of the Donmar Warehouse's tremendously acclaimed all-female production of Julius Caesar.

The Puppetmaster of Lodz by Gilles Ségal, translated by Sara O'Connor and directed by Brian Roff will begin Berkshire Theatre Group's Theatre Festival season at The Unicorn Theatre, 6 East St. in Stockbridge on June 21 with an official press opening on June 23.

Under the direction of Lab Director Matthew Acheson, participating artists and their collaborators met weekly over several months to develop projects, share puppetry elements and other design and technical ideas, discuss plot structure and character development, and work on narrative.