Frances News

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for 2021 for its prestigious playwriting award, the oldest and largest prize awarded to women+ playwrights.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has postponed the opening of its 51st mainstage season to October 2021, with eight plays to be presented through August 2022.

Urban Stages has announced a February virtual production, THE HEROES AND VILLAINS MONOLOGUES, streaming February 5- 12, 2021 at urbanstages.org. Creative Consultant Bara Swain serves as the project's producer with Kim T. Sharp as the production manager. 

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts will host a Virtual Volunteer Open House on Wednesday, February 10th  from 6 PM –  7 PM to provide information on volunteering opportunities during the upcoming year. The first of its kind, the open house moved to a digital streaming platform this year in accordance with COVID-19 regulations. 

We may be in the doldrums of winter right now – with nippy temperatures, dark skies and some much-needed rain – but January also means that San Francisco Ballet (SFB) is back in season for the next several months and, to me, that signifies all’s right with the world. SFB is kicking off its 2021 digital season exactly where it left off last March, when the remainder of its 2020 season was abruptly cancelled for obvious reasons. The company presented an enchanting new production of George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream only to have the curtain come down on opening night to the news that the just-ended performance would be its last for the season.

Nettwerk Records is excited to announce the signing of Amsterdam-based American music producer Fletcher Reed (aka Andrew Smith).

Today (January 25) in live streaming: Jessica Vosk sings with Seth Rudetsky, Phillipa Soo guests on Live at the Lortel, and more!

“No Matter What” - now comes to you direct to your home. On 29 and 30 January at 7pm watch this show by purchasing tickets through Quicket. At only R45, a fun evening of musical entertainment. 

This week's Theater Stories features the Longacre Theatre! Learn about the shows to have graced the theater's stage including A Bronx Tale, The Prom, and The Lightning Thief, the next show that is set to open at the theater, Diana, and much more!

Los Angeles duo Neil Frances (Jordan Feller and Marc Gilfry) are excited to announce they will release their new 6-track EP, Stay Strong Play Long, on March 12th.

Performances of Les Miserables: The Staged Concert have been cancelled between 16 – 28 February 2021.

Bangarra Dance Theatre has announced that the Russell Page Graduate Program has been enhanced for 2021, welcoming two young Dancers into the Company and introducing a Youth Programs Trainee role to support the important work of the Company's Youth Programs Team.

The Music Center’s digital series, For the Love of L.A., celebrates the creativity of Los Angeles and supports L.A.-based artists representing the disciplines of music, dance, visual culture and more. In its first season, For the Love of L.A. provided more 35 L.A. artists with a platform to express their views of Los Angeles that are relevant and reflective of the current time.

During an ostentatious wedding reception at a Knoxville, Tennessee, estate, five reluctant, identically clad bridesmaids hide out in an upstairs bedroom, each with her own reason to avoid the proceedings below.

RED BULL THEATER today announced that its 2020-21 offerings will continue with a special event benefit reading of Frances Burney’s The Woman Hater, directed by Everett Quinton. The reading will  feature Bill Army, Arnie Burton, Veanne Cox, Rebecca S'Manga Frank, Cherie Corinne Rice, Matthew Saldivar, Jenne Vath, and Nick Westrate.

This year, the BroadwayWorld Cabaret awards were thrilled to be able to celebrate streaming events from all across the globe thanks to the innovation of the Cabaret community during the pandemic - and we look forward to celebrating the return of NYC Cabaret with you all in 2021.

Due to popular demand, Quintessence Theatre Group, Philadelphia's professional classic repertory theatre, is offering a special filmed version of their holiday hit The Little Princess. This recording of a live performance from the show's initial run offers audiences the opportunity to watch whenever they like from January 25 - 31.

Metropolitan Playhouse presents its next free 'screened' readings, live-streamed at no charge, with talkback to follow: AFTERMATH, Mary P. Burrill, January 16, 2021 at 8 PM Eastern, available at www.metropolitanplayhouse.org.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre, The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in collaboration with Naked Productions have announced Sound Stage – a new immersive audio digital theatre which from late March will premiere 8 new plays written by amongst others Mark Ravenhill, Roy Williams, Timberlake Wertenbaker, and John Byrne.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has named Satchel and Jackson Lee, children of legendary filmmaker and three-time Golden Globe nominee Spike Lee with producer Tonya Lewis Lee, as the 2021 Golden Globe Ambassadors.