Frances Hill News

Join Urban Stages for the 15th Annual WINTER RHYTHMS 2023, featuring 22 shows, over 11 days, and more than 100 performers. From cabaret to jazz and everything in between, this award-winning series is a must-see event for music and performance lovers. Don't miss out on this spectacular showcase!

Discover Urban Stages' production of THE MAKING OF A GREAT MOMENT, written by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb and directed by James Barry. Join in on the special post-show conversations and engage with the play's themes. Don't miss this opportunity starting October 11.

Award-winning Off-Broadway theater Urban Stages will produce Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's play The Making of a Great Moment, directed by James Barry, Chester Theater Company's Co-Producing Artistic Director.  Learn more about the production here!

The original Off Broadway cast recording of “Other Lives: The Story Songs of Michael Colby” (Jay Records), a cycle of story songs by lyricist Michael Colby (Charlotte Sweet, Ludlow Ladd), with music by a variety of composers, including Alex Rybeck, Larry Hochman, Joseph Thalken, Steven Silverstein, will be officially released on CD and all digital music platforms on Friday, June 16th.

Urban Stages will present its 39th annual benefit, taking place on Tuesday, May 23rd, 2023 starting a 6:30pm at the legendary club The Players - 16 Gramercy Park South, NYC. 

Oren Safdie's FACADE will have its first reading at Urban Stages on April 16th.

URBAN STAGE's annual Winter Rhythms cabaret series has announced the full run-down of shows and acts to play in the 2022 season

Get a first look at Urban Stages' world premiere of Eleanor and Alice – Conversations Between Two Remarkable Roosevelts by Ellen Abrams.

See photos of Urban Stages unveiling their new production with a special preview performance. Eleanor and Alice: Conversations between Two Roosevelts written by Ellen Abrams will be playing at Urban Stages 259 West 30th Street through December 4th.

Award-winning Off-Broadway theater, Urban Stages, will host several special post-show conversations following performances of Eleanor and Alice: Conversations Between Two Remarkable Roosevelts by Ellen Abrams and directed by Urban Stages Founder/Artistic Director Frances Hill.

Celebrating its 38th Off Broadway season, Urban Stages’ has announced its upcoming season featuring two play premieres, the 14th installment of the award-winning cabaret series Winter Rhythms. Urban Stages also programs and presents dozens of free plays and art programming in libraries across NYC and online. 

Due to popular demand, the critically acclaimed play GRATITUDE written by playwright Oren Safdie, and directed by Maria Mileaf, will add an additional performance on Monday, June 27 at 7:30 PM.

Oren Safdie (Unseamly at Urban Stages) will get a New York premiere of his newest play, when Urban Stages presents MainLine Theatre’s (Amy Blackmore, Artistic Director) production of  GRATITUDE.

Urban Stages 38th Annual Gala took place on Monday, May 23rd, 2022 at the Central Park Boathouse.

Playwright Oren Safdie will get a New York premiere of his newest play, Urban Stages presents MainLine Theatre’s (Amy Blackmore, Artistic Director) production of  GRATITUDE. Directed by Maria Mileaf, performances will begin on June 5 in advance of its opening night on Thursday, June 8, and will run through June 30, 2022.

This year’s honorees have all starred on the Urban Stages stage during their careers and include Tony Award winner Reed Birney will be presented with Urban Stages’ Luminary Award and Terence Archie, Nikki M. James, and AJ Shively will receive a mid-career award.

Urban Stages' Artistic, Producing Director, Frances Hill announces MUSICAL MARATHON FOR UKRAINE, featuring musical artists from Ukraine and from NYC's Urban Stages. The event will present four different shows on Saturday, April 23rd beginning at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, and 8:00 PM at Urban Stages' Theater (259 West 30th Street). 

Urban Stages has announced MUSICAL MARATHON FOR UKRAINE, featuring musical artists from the Ukraine and from NYC’s Urban Stages. The event will present four different shows on Saturday, April 23rd beginning at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00PM at Urban Stages’ Theater (259 West 30th Street).

Urban Stages' Artistic Director Frances Hill announces its 13th annual awarding-winning cabaret series, Winter Rhythms, returning live to its 30th Street theater December 7th through December 19th and benefiting Urban Stages' Outreach, Arts in Education programs.

As theaters begin to reopen, many theater companies are bringing the lessons they learned during the pandemic with them into the future. They're reevaluating 'best practices' to determine what still works and what needs to change, now that the nation is different from when we closed our doors.