Frances News

It was only eight years ago when two-time Pulitzer winner Lynn Nottage's terrific show-biz social satire, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark was first seen Off-Broadway, but director Kamilah Forbes' crackling good new mounting for Signature Theatre is a welcome return.

Amazon Prime Video today announced that the fourth and final season of the Emmy Award-winning series The Man in the High Castle will premiere this fall. The final season is currently being filmed in Vancouver and will wrap next month.

Stars continue to line up to present on the Oscars – the year's most-watched, live entertainment event – on Sunday, Feb. 24, announced show producer Donna Gigliotti and co-producer and director Glenn Weiss. “The Oscars” airs live on The ABC Television Network and is broadcast in more than 225 countries and territories.

Parthenia, New York's premiere viol consort, will be in concert on Sunday, March 10 at 4:00 PM, performing By the Waters of Babylon (Al Naharot Bavel), with ARTEK vocal and instrumental ensemble at The Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street in Manhattan. Al Naharot Bavel is a co-presentation of Yeshiva University Museum and Stern College for Women. 

The University of Texas Department of Theatre and Dance at Austin presents UTNT (UT New Theatre), March 12-31, 2019 in multiple locations throughout the F. Loren Winship Drama Building. Established in 2007 by nationally renowned playwright Steven Dietz, UTNT (UT New Theatre) is an annual showcase of newly developed works for the American stage from playwrights of the Department of Theatre and Dance's master of fine arts program and Michener Center for Writers. Now in its twelfth year, UTNT brings to the stage compelling works by I-Chia Chiu, Hannah Kenah, Daria Miyeko Marinelli and Thom May.

Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theater of California is extending its an all new version of Ragtime: The Musical through Saturday March 9.  With strong critical acclaim and audience reviews, performances have already been selling out.  Six more performances have been added March 5-9.

Theatre for a New Audience announces the seventeen-member cast and the creative team for its production of William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, directed by Shana Cooper in her Off-Broadway debut.

Roundabout Theatre Company's new Broadway production of the musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate, starring Tony Award winner Kelli O'Hara, begins preview performances today. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

'Nowhere could you get that happy feeling when you are stealing that extra bow...' Ms. Lorna Dallas has returned to NYC to steal an extra bow (or 3) after a lifetime of trodding the theatrical boards in London's West End, Australia, Germany, NY, on televison, and in Royal Variety performances. What a 'Glamorous Life'.

'I, Too, Sing America' transfers to Brava Theater Center following an award nominated SRO Summer run at the Buriel Clay Theater. BATCO Presents 'I, Too, Sing America' running February 14th - 24th (Preview Feb 14th) for 8 performances only! The production honors the perspectives and experiences of American artists of color with poetry, song, music and movement, featuring original compositions by Othello Jefferson and others using a diverse cast of singers, actors, poets, and performers. 'I, Too, Sing America' is nominated by the Bay Area Dance Critics following the summer run for 'Izzie Awards' in the areas of Choreography and Music/Sound/Text.

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 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.

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 kick-off Ars Nova at Greenwich House with the world premiere commission of 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 marks The Mad Ones' first production since their critically acclaimed play Miles For Mary and celebrates 10 years of "triumphantly original" and "skillfully acted" (New York Times) theater that is saturated with "precision, invention, and richness" (Time Out New York). The Mad Ones has been Ars Nova's Company-in-Residence since 2015, developing Mrs. Murray's Menagerie and Miles For Mary.

A second wave of stars is headed for the Oscars stage on Sunday, Feb. 24. Academy Awards producer Donna Gigliotti and co-producer and director Glenn Weiss announced today 13 more Hollywood luminaries to celebrate the year in movies. “The Oscars” airs live on The ABC Television Network and will be broadcast in more than 225 countries and territories.

After fantastic audience and critical response, BAREFOOT, a daring new sexual escapade by Kate T. Billingsley and Thomas G. Waites, will extend through March 2 at the Gene Frankel Theatre when it began performances on January 24. BAREFOOT is produced by Black Rose Productions and directed by Thomas G. Waites (Awake and Sing! with Frances McDormand, Al Pacino's King Richard III).

Joanna Syrokomla and Cynthia Amsden, Co-Chairs of the Canadian Alliance of Film & Television Costume Arts & Design (CAFTCAD) Awards are very pleased to announce the official winners of this evening's gala. The CAFTCAD Awards congratulate the nominees and the winners and thank the team who worked diligently to make this evening possible, the generosity of the sponsors, as well as all the costumers who submitted their designs. We look forward to the 2020 CAFTCAD Awards.

Romance de la guitarra is a captivating concert lovingly conceived around the theme of Valentine's Day. The program features Spanish classical guitarist Daniel Salazar and his ensemble of international musicians, guest vocalists, and dancers performing exhilarating rhythms and beautiful melodies of Spain and Latin America for a special Valentine's Day program, Thursday, February 14 at the Hoffman Auditorium in the Bruyette Athenaeum, University of Saint Joseph at 8:00 p.m.

Chester Theatre Company (CTC) has just announced a significant, new artistic undertaking. Playwright Darcy Parker Bruce has been selected to author the new work, tentatively slated for the 2020 Season. Longtime, loyal CTC attendees Frances Henry and Walter Korzec have generously underwritten the project with a $100,000 gift to the company. This marks the first commission in what the organization sees as a new artistic initiative, to consistently develop original works that will appear on its stage and have life in other theatres beyond Western Massachusetts.

A Blank stage is set to adorn a combination of a house on one side and what will soon become the work stations of the women in this production. On the projection behind the set were words written to strike a chord with incoming audience members, "If one woman were to tell the truth about her life, the world would split open." These wise words from Muriel Rukyster were the only thing standing between the audience and the works to be portrayed on the stage this night. In the program, Founder and Director Fran Powers wrote, "Directing These Shining Lives has been a project of the heart. "It is vitally important to keep honoring courageous women who sacrificed so much for others." This is the foundation of the Powerstories Theatre mission."With that the scene is set and a whirlwind 90 minutes set to no intermission was about to unfold in front of us.

A wizard, a hobbit, elves, trolls, dwarves, goblins and a dragon swarm the darkened Circle Theatre to tell the tale of THE HOBBIT, Patricia Gray's adaptation of the 1937 classic fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien.