Frances News

When Henrik Ibsen's Nora slammed the door shut on her marriage in A Doll's House, it was said to be the slam heard around the world.

Sarah Frankcom, Royal Exchange Artistic Director, creates a brand-new version of Broadway's biggest musical WEST SIDE STORY for the Royal Exchange Theatre's unique in-the-round stage. Celebrated for her reinterpretations of American classics, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, DEATH OF A SALESMAN and her award-winning production OUR TOWN, she brings a new focus to the gang culture of the iconic Sharks and Jets with new choreography from Aletta Collins and orchestration by Jason Carr. The production runs in the Theatre from 6 April - 25 May.

Ars Nova, "one of the most adventurous Off-Broadway companies" (New York Times), under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director Jason Eagan and Managing Director Renee Blinkwolt, is proud to announce that tickets are on sale for Mrs. Murray's Menagerie, created by The Mad Ones and Phillip James Brannon, Brad Heberlee, Carmen M. Herlihy and January LaVoy. Directed by Lila Neugebauer, Mrs. Murray's Menagerie kicks-off Ars Nova at Greenwich House and marks The Mad Ones' first production since their critically acclaimed play Miles For Mary.

Kevin Williamson is known as a movement artist, and he and his company, performing three performances as part of the 'Dance At The Odyssey 2019' dance festival on February 8th, 9th and 10th, has most certainly experimented extensively with the many shapes and forms of movement. Each of the three pieces presented had a true collaborative and experimental quality to them, each different in theme, and each visually spellbinding. A strong company that has quality technique and stamina to boot, that also has the capacity to entertain and tell a story through movement, is always thrilling to watch perform.

Scotland's leading female-led comedy troupe, Witsherface, is set to storm the stage at Tramway as part of the Citizens Women season for an outrageously funny night out.

BroadwayHD is inviting subscribers this month to run away to the circus, kick-up their heels and dance along with some of the most elite Irish dancers, and enjoy some of their favorite moments from the cannon of Oscar Wilde! In March, BroadwayHD, the premier streaming service for live theater, will be adding a number of standout performances to their service including the West End production of family favorite Hetty Feather directed by the Olivier award-nominated Sally Cookson.  March will also mark a celebration of the legendary Irish playwright Oscar Wilde with four of his plays filmed from West End performances that made up Classic Spring's Oscar Wilde Season. Finally, BroadwayHD's line-up will be rounded out with a special St. Patrick's Day playlist debuting on March 13th featuring some of the most exciting Riverdance performances from around the globe.

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce a return engagement of the RENT 20th Anniversary Tour, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winning musical coming October 18 - 20 to the Merriam Theater on the Kimmel Center's Cultural Campus as part of Broadway Philadelphia's new 2019 - 20 season.

Two time Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage, best known for Ruined and Tony-winning play Sweat, and actor Jessica Frances Dukes, who stars in Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, joined AM to DM by BuzzFeed News this morning. The duo discussed their new play "By the Way, Meet Vera Stark," how things have and haven't changed for black actors since the early days of Hollywood, their inspiration for the story and character and more.

This passionate new play by Olivier and Tony Award nominee Martin Sherman makes its UK debut 40 years after his celebrated modern classic Bent, which subsequently became a major film directed by Olivier and Tony Award nominee Sean Mathias, who directs this production of Gently Down The Stream, marking Martin Sherman's 80th birthday.

Louris van de Geer's short play TUESDAY presents an unusual look into the minds of four seemingly separate individuals on an apparently normal weekday. 

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director), will close its 35th season with the World Premiere of Will Snider's DEATH OF A DRIVER directed by Kim T. Sharp.  This limited engagement at Urban Stages (259 West 30th Street) begins performances on Friday, March 1st, opens on Monday, March 4th and will run through Sunday, March 24th 2019.  Tickets for the show are $40 ($25 during previews; $50 on opening and $15 student rush) and may be purchased via OvationTix at www.urbanstages.org or by phone at 1.866.811.4111.

After concluding last Sunday's Blind Auditions, Coaches Luis Fonsi, Alejandra Guzman, Carlos Vives and Wisin kick-off the Battle rounds of Telemundo's "La Voz" beginning this Sunday, February 24 at 9pm/8c. During this second phase of the hit singing competition, the Coaches start developing their teams with the help of other music celebrity friends who will join them as Mentors, including Becky G, Christian Nodal, Carlos Rivera and Prince Royce. During this phase, each Coach will stage six Battles in the ring, with each Battlepitting two of the Coach's own team members against each other to sing the same song together in front of a studio audience. After each Battle, the Coach will have to make the difficult decision of which of his/her two contestants is the winner and will move on to the last round, known as the Live Shows. Coaches will have two opportunities to "steal," allowing them to prevent a contestant who was eliminated during another Coach's Battle to go home, and become part of his/her team.

What good is sitting alone in your room this week? If you don't already have plans to see a Broadway show, come out to see your favorite Broadway stars in a cabaret act instead. After Broadway orchestras begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Highlights this week include Eva Noblezada, Joanna Gleason, Frances Ruffelle and many more!

The Play Company (PlayCo; Founding Producer Kate Loewald, Managing Director Robert Bradshaw) announces a weekly Idea Lab series complementing their New York premiere production of Recent Alien Abductions, written and directed by Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas. Responding to the play's setting in Puerto Rico and themes of colonialism and asymmetrical power dynamics, PlayCo has partnered with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at New York Law School to present this iteration of the Idea Lab as a series of free, open-to-the-public teach-ins (tickets to performances not required for attendance). The sessions are designed to be accessible to anyone with a curiosity about current issues facing Puerto Rico, and to encourage group dialogue around each topic facilitated by leading thinkers and community activists. Today PlayCo also announces that Maria Cellario has stepped down from the production, and that OBIE-winning actress Mia Katigbak will assume the role of Olga, which she played to acclaim at the 2017 Humana Festival for New American Plays.

The Canadian Premiere of Sting's acclaimed musical, THE LAST SHIP starring and featuring original music and lyrics by multiple Grammy Award' winner Sting is now on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre through March 24, 2019.

The Signature Theatre production of By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and Residency 1 playwright Lynn Nottage and directed by Obie Award-winner Kamilah Forbes, recently celebrated opening night on The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center. Check out photos from the evening below!

Parthenia, New York's premiere viol consort, will be in concert on Wednesday, March 13 at 8:00 PM, performing Music in the Age of Tintoretto - Artist of Renaissance Venice, at The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street in Manhattan.

The Canadian Premiere of Sting's acclaimed musical, THE LAST SHIP starring and featuring original music and lyrics by multiple Grammy Award® winner Sting is now on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre through March 24, 2019. Get a first look at the cast taking opening night bows below!

Highly recognized talent from various walks of life will introduce the eight Best Picture nominees on Oscar Sunday, Feb. 24, announced show producer Donna Gigliotti and co-producer and director Glenn Weiss.