Erik Ehn News

59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) welcomes the return engagement of the East to Edinburgh and Edinburgh Fringe favorite VIVIAN'S MUSIC, 1969, written by Monica Bauer and directed by Glory Kadigan.

LURED, a brutal and honest depiction of gay persecution in Russia, written by Frank J. Avella, and co-directed by Carlotta Brentan, will have a world premiere 3-week run at Theater for the New City (Crystal Field, Artistic Director) November 8-25, 2018. Following its New York run, the play will head to Europe where it was accepted into the Onstage! American Theater Festival in Rome, Italy, with performances there on January 25th & 26th 2019. LURED will be co-directed by Mr. Avella and Carlotta Brentan.

'After much anticipation, it is with great joy that I introduce you to new Producing Artistic Director, Mei Ann Teo,' said Shakina Nayfack. 'She is a visionary interdisciplinary theatre maker and community organizer who brings with her to the job a wealth of experience in new works development, education, and fundraising. We are in great hands, and I have full confidence that MTF will achieve new levels of artistic excellence and organizational sustainability with her expertise and leadership. Please, join me in welcoming MTF's new Producing Artistic Director, Mei Ann Teo!'

LURED, a brutal and honest depiction of gay persecution in Russia, written by Frank J. Avella, and co-directed by Carlotta Brentan, will have a world premiere 3-week run at Theater for the New City (Crystal Field, Artistic Director) November 8-25, 2018. Following its New York run, the play will head to Europe where it was accepted into the Onstage! American Theater Festival in Rome, Italy, with performances there on January 25th & 26th 2019. 

In a unique collaboration with CSU San Marcos, theatre artist and educator  Rebecca Johannsen returns to San Diego to present her moving and powerful exploration of female soldiers. Women at War is devised from Johannsen's interviews conducted with the US Army's Female Engagement Team (FET) Unit, deployed to Afghanistan from 2012-2013. The unit's mission was to engage with the local female Afghan population to build relationships and gather intelligence. They often found themselves in combat zones before women were legally allowed in combat, and received intensive physical training to prepare for the mission. The production runs November 7-10. Talk-backs will follow each production in collaboration with CSUSM Veteran's Center.    

HERE's Board of Directors announces that long-time Producing/Executive Director Kim Whitener will step down from HERE Art Center this fall to return to creative producing and consulting with her company KiWi Productions, where she will work with a range of US artists and companies primarily in the contemporary opera-theater and music-theater worlds.

When Joanna Demafelis' indebted family needed money to fix their typhoon-battered home, she followed in the footsteps of millions of other Filipinos and left to find work overseas. And like far too many Filipinos, her journey ended in tragedy.

PLANET CONNECTIONS' PLAYWRIGHTS FOR A CAUSE: This year, this event, designed to address a powerful social and topical issue facing our society today through engaging stage works, will explore the distinctions between gender and sexuality. The event will benefit THE ALI FORNEY CENTER.

Lured, written by Frank J. Avella, explores the persecution of gays in Russia and will have a World Premiere 3-week run at Theater for the New City (Crystal Field, Artistic Director) November 8-25, 2018. In addition, the play was accepted into the Onstage! American Theater Festival in Rome, Italy, with performances January 25 & 26, 2019. Lured will be co-directed by Mr. Avella and Carlotta Brentan. The U.S. production is a TNC/Impetus Ensemble co-production.

Circle X Theatre Co. presents the world premiere of a site-specific theatrical event, HOLE IN THE SKY, written by Octavio Solis and directed by Kate Jopson (Fefu and Her Friends). Commissioned by Circle X Theatre Co., HOLE IN THE SKY will have a press opening on Friday, August 24 at 8pm and continue through Sunday, September 23 at Courtship Ranch, 11270 Dominica Ave. in Lake View Terrace.

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (PCTF), the brainchild of arts professional Glory Kadigan, turns 10 years old. Known for its engaging and empowering series of plays every summer, the festivity is also celebrated for presenting readings of new works by some of New York's most prominent writers of independent theater. The multi-award-winning theatre festival, now under the direction of producing artistic director, Shaun Peknic, continues this tradition with a series of topical works making their first appearance in front of an audience.

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (PCTF), the brainchild of arts professional  Glory Kadigan, turns 10 years old. Known for its engaging and empowering series of plays every summer, the festivity is also celebrated for presenting  readings of new works by some of Ny's most prominent writers of independent theater.

Boston Court Pasadena announced the full details of its 14th annual New Play Reading Festival, July 19 - 28.  Curated by Literary Manager Emilie Beck, in concert with Artistic Directors Jessica Kubzansky and Michael Michetti, the New Play Reading Festival is a key component of Boston Court Pasadena's commitment to nurturing playwrights and new work, and continues the company's core mission of developing and programming works that are inherently theatrical, textually rich, and visually arresting. This year's Festival features four female playwrights.

The Television Academy has announced 155 nominations in 47 categories for the 70th Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards. Composer Lisa Bielawa and director Charles Otte are nominees for their work on VIREO: The Spiritual Biography of a Witch's Accuser, the first episodic made-for-TV & online opera. Bielawa is nominated in the Creative Technical Crafts – Composer category and Otte's nomination is forOutstanding Director – Programming.

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (PCTF), the brainchild of arts professional Glory Kadigan, turns 10 years old. Known for its engaging and empowering series of plays every summer, the festivity is also celebrated for presenting readings of new works by some of New York's most prominent writers of independent theater. The multi-award-winning theatre festival, now under the direction of producing artistic director, Shaun Peknic, continues this tradition with a series of topical works making their first appearance in front of an audience.

The University of Washington School of Drama, under the leadership of outgoing Executive Director Todd London, incoming Executive Director Lynn M. Thomas and incoming Associate Director Geoff Korf, is pleased to announce our 2018 -2019 season.

The University of Washington School of Drama announced last month that Executive Director Todd London, who has served in that role since 2014, will step down in August.

The York Theatre Company in association with Documentary Arts presents the world premiere of the new musical Lonesome Blues, based on the true story of legendary bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson, created by Alan Govenar (Texas in Paris) and Akin Babatunde (Blind Lemon Blues), directed by Katherine Owens (How Is It That We Live or Shakey Jake + Alice), performed by Akin Babatunde with David Weiss on guitar.

The final show in UW Drama's 2018-2019 mainstage season is Karen Hartman's hilarious, surprising, and deeply human comedy Goldie, Max and Milk.

This summer, Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (PCTF), the brainchild of arts professional Glory Kadigan, turns 10 years old. In that decade, PCTF has successfully changed the landscape of the theatre festival and all of New York independent theatre. The multi-award-winning theatre festival will celebrate in a big way by premiering more than 50 timely and topical plays and musicals written by the next generation of playwrights. Each play contains a powerful message serving as a parable of various world themes.