Ensemble Studio Theatre News

Lisa Renee Jordan, David Margolin Lawson and Betsy Heffron have joined the creative team of BIRDS, Marcina Zaccaria's provocative new play which premieres Friday, October 17 at 10PM, kicking off the THIS/THAT Festival at the Brick Theater in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Theatre Exile begins its season examining the dark side of the American Dream with the Philadelphia Premiere of Lucas Hnath's Red Speedo. This taut, darkly comic new play runs October 30-November 23 at Theatre Exile's Studio X, 1340 S. 13th Street (13th and Reed Streets.) Opening Night is Wednesday, November 5 at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $25-$40 and are available online at www.theatreexile.org or by phone (215) 218-4022.

Obie Award winner Steven Boyer, best known for originating the roll Jason/Tyrone in the Off Broadway hit Hand To God is the latest featured artist in The Creative Faces Project: an evolving portrait and interview collective of artists inspiring the New York stage. His photos and interview, posted today, October 2nd, can be viewed here and on The Creative Faces Project website: www.thecreativefacesproject.com.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announces the cast and creative team for Dracula, the Original Vampire Play, the second production in the 'Alley Theatre @ UH' season. Featuring iconic costume and set designs by Edward Gorey, the Alley's production is based on the original 1927 adaptation of the classic thriller that marvelously balances the menace of the horror tale with sophisticated satire.

Hop a box car through the Dustbowl with Woody Guthrie and commune with the spirit, stories and songs of America's iconic folksinger, saint-of-the-workingman and poet-of-the-people as he plays for a union meeting of striking mineworkers in Oklahoma on the verge of vigilante violence.

The National Alliance For Musical Theatre (NAMT) just announced initial casting for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals. Michael Cassara Casting serves as the resident casting office for the 26th Annual Festival of New Musicals, taking place on Thursday, October 23, 2014 and Friday, October 24, 2014 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will open their 2014-15 season with Olives and Blood at the Nafe Katter Theatre today, October 2nd - 12th. Written by Michael Bradford, this new play stars Martin Sola as Juan Luis Trescante Medina, the aging fascist who claims responsibility for the murder of poet-playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, played by Nicholas Urda.

Cori Thomas's critically acclaimed raw, edgy and funny play about the many flavors of desire, When January Feels Like Summer, directed by Daniella Topol, returns tonight, October 1 for a month-long run presented by the Ensemble Studio Theatre and Women's Project Theater at Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street.

Soho Rep. and The Play Company, in association with John Adrian Selzer, announce casting and the creative team for the U.S. premiere of debbie tucker green's generations. The production, today, September 30-October 26, reunites the playwright with director Leah C. Gardiner, who worked together on the OBIE Award-winning 2011 production of born bad. generations features a 12-person community chorus led by music director Bongi Duma (The Lion King). The cast includes Shyko Amos (An Octoroon), Mamoudou Athie, Khail Toi Bryant (The Lion King), Ntombikhona Dlamini (Sarafina!), Thuli Dumakude (The Lion King, Poppie Nongena), Jonathan Peck (The Lion in Winter) and Michael Rogers (born bad, Breakfast With Mugabe).

Premiere Stages, celebrating its 10th anniversary as Kean University's professional Equity theatre, will present a full production of its 2013-2014 Liberty Live Commission, At Liberty Hall by James Christy, October 16th through 19th in the historic 1882 Carriage House at Liberty Hall Museum.

'Misterman' enjoyed sold-out runs and glowing reviews from audiences and critics when it premiered at the 2011 Galway Arts Festival, followed by the New York premiere at St. Ann's Warehouse. 'Misterman' is headed to Colorado with the news that Mr. Walsh's critically acclaimed hit play, will feature Olympia Dukakis voicing the role of Mammy. The play will be directed by Melissa Firlit and the role of Thomas Magill will be played by New York actor Craig MacArthur. 'Misterman' opens at the Thingamajig Theatre Company's 99-seat black box today, September 26th and runs through October 12th. The production will then relocate to Denver this fall before returning to New York in spring of 2015.

Cori Thomas's critically acclaimed raw, edgy and funny play about the many flavors of desire, When January Feels Like Summer, directed by Daniella Topol, returns Wednesday, October 1 for a month-long run presented by the Ensemble Studio Theatre and Women's Project Theater at Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street.

Folger Theatre launches its 2014/15 season in Rome with William Shakespeare's enduring political tragedy, Julius Caesar from October 28 - December 7, 2014. Robert Richmond (Richard III and Henry V at Folger) directs the epic portrait of the battle between ambition and honor, conspiracy and loyalty, leading an outstanding ensemble including Anthony Cochrane (Broadway's War Horse and Folger's Henry VIII) as the honorable Marcus Brutus, and Maurice Jones, making his Folger Theatre debut as Caesar's closest ally, Mark Antony.

Nominees for the 2014 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 22 at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. The nominations were revealed by past Ovation Award recipients Gigi Bermingham, Brighid Fleming, Parmer Fuller, Jennifer Haley, Brian Kite, Glynn Turman, and John Zalewski, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

Nominees for the 2014 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 22 at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. The nominations were revealed by past Ovation Award recipients Gigi Bermingham, Brighid Fleming, Parmer Fuller, Jennifer Haley, Brian Kite, Glynn Turman, and John Zalewski, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.

L. A. Unified, a solo show written and performed by David Newer, will play at the Theatre Row Complex (410 W. 42nd St.) as part of the United Solo Festival on October 11th and 20th starting at 7:30PM. Erica Silberman directs Newer as he embodies 16 characters while recounting the chapter in his life as a substitute teacher in the often brutal L.A. Unified School System.

California Stage will revive Rick Foster's smash-hit show Love, Isadora today, September 20th-October 12th, 2014.

The Playwrights Realm has selected four early-career playwrights for its 2014-15 Writing Fellows program: Michael Yates Crowley, Sarah Gancher, Emma Goidel, and Tony Meneses.

Women's Project Theater, under the leadership of new Producing Artistic Director Lisa McNulty and Interim Executive Producer Jessica R. Jenen has announced the four plays in its 2014-15 season, continuing the theater's 37 year commitment to producing the finest work by women in the theater. Beginning in October, WP Theater's season will include new work by Cori Thomas (My Secret Language of Wishes), directed by Daniella Topol (Charles Ives take Me Home, Row After Row); Kate Benson (Lee Miller), directed by Lee Sunday Evans (The Play About My Dad); Tanya Barfield (The Call, Blue Door), directed by Leigh Silverman (Violet--Tony Nominee, Chinglish, Well), and Laura Eason (Sex With Strangers, "House of Cards"), directed by Kirsten Kelly (Slipping).

California Stage will revive Rick Foster's smash-hit show Love, Isadora September 20th-October 12th, 2014. Professional actress Lori Russo reprises her Elly Award-winning turn as Isadora Duncan, the mother of modern dance, with Janis Stevens' inspired direction.