Frances Sternhagen News

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), announces that Lisa Portes is the recipient of the 2016 Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through singular creativity and artistry in the theatre. The award heralds accomplishment to date and promise for the future, artistic vision, and deep commitment to a region outside of New York. It carries an unrestricted grant of $5,000 to the individual recipient.

Penguin Rep Theatre, the award-winning theatre in Stony Point, New York, under the leadership of Artistic Director Joe Brancato and Executive Director Andrew M. Horn, closes its 2016 season with the New York premiere of Daniel's Husband by Michael McKeever from September 23 through October 16, 2016. In Daniel's Husband, Mitchell and Daniel are the ideal couple, everything but married. Mitchell does not believe in marriage; Daniel does. "When their life together takes a shocking and unexpected turn," says Mr. Brancato, who will stage the production at Penguin Rep, "we learn about the power and pain of love in this breathtaking new play."

Two distinctive pieces of theater - a drama about pioneering gay illustrator J.C. Leyendecker, and a musical comedy version of the Greek classic Electra - will be featured in this year's New York New Works Theatre Festival, August 29 through September 14.

Arena Stage is deeply saddened to announce that visionary leader and pioneer of the regional theater movement Zelda Fichandler has died today, July 29, 2016, at the age of 91.

After enjoying its World Premiere engagement earlier this spring at the Playroom Theater, A Class Act, the inaugural and relevant new play by attorney and playwright Norman Shabel, will now hold court at New World Stages  - Stage 5(340 West 50th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues) for a summer run.  Produced by Eric Krebs, performances will begin on Saturday, July 9 at 8pm and continue through Sunday, September 4.

After enjoying its World Premiere engagement earlier this spring at the Playroom Theater, A Class Act, the inaugural and relevant new play by attorney and playwright Norman Shabel, will now hold court at New World Stages  - Stage 5(340 West 50th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues) for a summer run.  Produced by Eric Krebs, performances will begin on Saturday, July 9 at 8pm and continue through Sunday, September 4.

Glynnis O'Connor, one of the actresses in IN THE SECRET SEA, the new play by Cate Ryan and directed by Martin Charnin currently playing The Beckett Theatre on Theatre Row, wrote up a sweet little story about her "few degrees of separation" from every member of the company. Read the essay below!

The Actors' Equity Foundation's 2016 Clarence Derwent Awards for most promising female and male performers on the New York metropolitan scene have gone to Alana Arenas (Head of Passes) and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen). The announcement was made by Arne Gundersen, president of the Foundation, which administers the awards.

The Dramatists Guild Fund presented their Madge Evans and Sidney Kingsley Award to actress Audra McDonald and playwright Craig Lucas just last night. McDonalad was unable to attend the event due to her SHUFFLE ALONG schedule, but the show went on and BroadwayWorld was also there for the festivities. Check out photos below!

Vampingo Productions has announced that it will present a condensed (75-minute) presentation of Buzz...Son of a Bee, a new musical comedy spotlighting the actor's life - featuring a book by Andrew Johns, lyrics by Ariana Johns and music by Darryl Curry. The show will take place on April 16th at 9:30pm at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd St, NYC 10010, Tickets are $15, w/a 2 beverage minimum. http://www.metropolitanroom.com

An all-new THEATER TALK presents an interview with writer James Grissom. In 1982 at age 20, Grissom met playwright Tennessee Williams. He became the famous writer's confidant, took copious notes of their conversations, and - encouraged by Williams (who died the year after they met) - went on to interview many of the great actresses who had worked with the master dramatist about their impressions of him and the impact of his work. Grissom then compiled their insights about one of the most gifted and complex American playwrights into his wonderful book, FOLLIES OF GOD - Tennessee Williams and the Women of the Fog, now published by Alfred A. Knopf.

An all-new THEATER TALK presents an interview with writer James Grissom. In 1982 at age 20, Grissom met playwright Tennessee Williams. He became the famous writer's confidant, took copious notes of their conversations, and - encouraged by Williams (who died the year after they met) - went on to interview many of the great actresses who had worked with the master dramatist about their impressions of him and the impact of his work. Grissom then compiled their insights about one of the most gifted and complex American playwrights into his wonderful book, FOLLIES OF GOD - Tennessee Williams and the Women of the Fog, now published by Alfred A. Knopf.

Judson Theatre Company (Morgan Sills, Executive Producer and Daniel Haley, Artistic Director) has announced the stars of their Fifth Anniversary Season: John Davidson in On Golden Pond and John Wesley Shipp in Twelve Angry Men. On Golden Pond opens Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 7:00 pm and runs through Sunday, March 27. Twelve Angry Men opens Thursday, September 22, 2016 at 7:00 pm and runs through Sunday, September 25. Judson Theatre Company performs exclusively at Owens Auditorium, located at 3395 Airport Road in Pinehurst.

The 'ReGroup Reads' series is gearing up for its second year. The free reading series, based on the best of American Theatre playwriting has already presented works by Paul Green, Tennessee Williams, Lillian Hellman, Maxwell Anderson, George S. Kaufman and more in its first year.

Vampingo Productions has announced that it will present two special backers presentations of Buzz…Son Of A Bee, a new musical comedy spotlighting the actor's life - featuring a book by Andrew Johns, Lyrics by Ariana Johns and music by Darryl Curry. Both presentations will take place at the Actor's Temple Theatre (339 West 47th Street) on Monday, November 2nd at 2PM & 7PM. Tickets are free. http://www.buzzsonofabee.com  

Veteran producer Pat Addiss (Buyer and Cellar, Love Letters) and Georganne Aldrich Heller (Howie the Rookie-Bam, Silent, Forgotten) president of Irish Theatre & Film Production (georgannealdricheller.com) have announced that they will join forces in presenting two invitation only, special staged readings of 'Loves of Picasso' written and directed by Terry D' Alfonso. The two readings will be held on October 9th at 2PM and 5pm at MOMA to coincide with museum's opening of the largest ever Picasso sculpture exhibit that same week. The script is based on the private life of Picasso, the women he loved and will include video installations conceived by Terry D' Alfonso.

BroadwayWorld.com continues our exclusive content series, in collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, which delves into the library's unparalleled archives, and resources. Below, check out a piece by Annemarie van Roessel, Assistant Curator for the Billy Rose Theatre Division for The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts on The New Isaiah Sheffer Archive.

Veteran producer Pat Addiss (Buyer and Cellar, Love Letters) and Georganne Aldrich Heller (Howie the Rookie-Bam, Silent, Forgotten) president of Irish Theatre & Film Production (georgannealdricheller.com) have announced that they will join forces in presenting two invitation only, special staged readings of 'Loves of Picasso' written and directed by Terry D' Alfonso. The two readings will be held on October 9th at 2PM and 5pm at MOMA to coincide with museum's opening of the largest ever Picasso sculpture exhibit that same week. The script is based on the private life of Picasso, the women he loved and will include video installations conceived by Terry D' Alfonso.

Tim Dang, Producing Artistic Director of East West Players in Los Angeles, CA, is the 2015 recipient of the Zelda Fichandler Award, an award to recognize an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through imaginative, brave work in theatre.  The $5,000 award, given by Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, heralds both accomplishment to date and promise for the future, and lauds deep commitment to a community.