G. Allen News

NY City casting director, Bob Cline, has spent many years behind the audition table - but returns to the stage in the Bill C. Davis play, AVOW, presented by 4th Wall Theatre in Bloomfield, NJ.

ACT's annual Young Playwrights Festival (YPF) returns March 19 through 21 for a seventh year, and features a stunning mix of dramatic and comedic new works from extraordinarily talented student writers ages 14 to 18. Taking place in the Allen Theatre, ACT will present staged readings of eight new plays developed through ACT's Young Playwrights Program (YPP). This program serves upwards of 350 middle and high school students from King, Kitsap, and Pierce counties throughout 16 greater Seattle-area schools.

Celebrate Irish spirit and culture with music, dancing, Gaelic contests, films and much more at Safeco Insurance Fest?l: Irish Week Festival, March 14 - 15, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., and March 17, 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., in Center House at Seattle Center.

Seattle Shakespeare Company announces its Wooden O free, outdoor summer plays - The Taming of the Shrew and Richard III - which will run July 9 through August 2. Both plays will perform in park venues throughout King County (please see attached schedule). All performances are free and open to the public. Donations are heartily encouraged.

The 6th Annual Moisture Festival kicks off March 11, 2009 at ACT with 10 shows in the Falls Theatre. This year, as a part of The Central Heating Lab at ACT, the festival plans to dazzle and delight even more people, of all ages, with five Grand Variet? shows (family friendly) and five Burlesque shows (18 years and over). On March 19th, the Festival continues with comedy/variet? shows at Hales Palladium through April 5, 2009. The family friendly all ages variet? shows include captivating acts of skill and daring - be it aerial, acrobatic, clowning, rope tricks, sketch comedy, juggling, dancing, singing, magic, puppetry, and astonishing bubbles. A live show band provides the underlying pulse that propels the show to create a fantastic family entertainment experience. Performances are: March 11, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m.; March 14 at 2:00 p.m. and March 15 at 5:30 p.m.

The Central Heating Lab at ACT celebrates RAWSTOCK's Fifth Anniversary Screening, Friday March 6. RAWSTOCK V features cinematic highlights such as Spencer Susser's brilliant zombie love story Sara Jane, Megan Griffith's drama Moving (featuring Humpday director Lynne Shelton), Tor Fruegaard's ultraviolent puppet epic It Came From The West, Darrius Scheider's Fluffer (his follow up to I Married A Towel) and Lick A Ninja, Shawn Telford's beserk foray into corporate sponsorship. The evening is bookended by two decadent parties sponsored by Bulliet Bourbon and features live music from The Fred Roth Revue. Yet any description of the night falls short of capturing the energy and essence of this event. As local filmmaker Darrius Scheider recently opined, 'The only way to describe RAWSTOCK is to experience RAWSTOCK.'

Intiman Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Bartlett Sher and Managing Director Brian Colburn, announces that outgoing Board President Susan J. Leavitt and William H. Block, a former Intiman Trustee and Director of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, will be honored for their outstanding contributions to Intiman at the 2009 Gala.

Celebrate Irish spirit and culture with music, dancing, Gaelic contests, films and much more at Safeco Insurance Fest?l: Irish Week Festival, March 14 - 15, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., and March 17, 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., in Center House at Seattle Center.

ACT's annual Young Playwrights Festival (YPF) returns March 19 through 21 for a seventh year, and features a stunning mix of dramatic and comedic new works from extraordinarily talented student writers ages 14 to 18. Taking place in the Allen Theatre, ACT will present staged readings of eight new plays developed through ACT's Young Playwrights Program (YPP). This program serves upwards of 350 middle and high school students from King, Kitsap, and Pierce counties throughout 16 greater Seattle-area schools.

BroadwayWorld gave the cast of Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of 'Pippin' a FLIP video camera and then set them free backstage during rehearsals as they prepared for opening night on January 25th and beyond!

Discover a Feast for the Senses at Safeco Insurance Fest?l: Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival Committee and Seattle Center Safeco Insurance Fest?l: Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival April 17 - 19, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at Center House and Fisher Pavilion

The Central Heating Lab at ACT celebrates RAWSTOCK's Fifth Anniversary Screening, Friday March 6. RAWSTOCK V features cinematic highlights such as Spencer Susser's brilliant zombie love story Sara Jane, Megan Griffith's drama Moving (featuring Humpday director Lynne Shelton), Tor Fruegaard's ultraviolent puppet epic It Came From The West, Darrius Scheider's Fluffer (his follow up to I Married A Towel) and Lick A Ninja, Shawn Telford's beserk foray into corporate sponsorship. The evening is bookended by two decadent parties sponsored by Bulliet Bourbon and features live music from The Fred Roth Revue. Yet any description of the night falls short of capturing the energy and essence of this event. As local filmmaker Darrius Scheider recently opined, 'The only way to describe RAWSTOCK is to experience RAWSTOCK.'

The 6th Annual Moisture Festival kicks off March 11, 2009 at ACT with 10 shows in the Falls Theatre. This year, as a part of The Central Heating Lab at ACT, the festival plans to dazzle and delight even more people, of all ages, with five Grand Variet? shows (family friendly) and five Burlesque shows (18 years and over). On March 19th, the Festival continues with comedy/variet? shows at Hales Palladium through April 5, 2009. The family friendly all ages variet? shows include captivating acts of skill and daring - be it aerial, acrobatic, clowning, rope tricks, sketch comedy, juggling, dancing, singing, magic, puppetry, and astonishing bubbles. A live show band provides the underlying pulse that propels the show to create a fantastic family entertainment experience. Performances are: March 11, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m.; March 14 at 2:00 p.m. and March 15 at 5:30 p.m.

Intiman Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Bartlett Sher, Managing Director Brian Colburn and Board President Susan J. Leavitt, announces that Melaine Bennett has joined its staff as Director of Development. Bennett will officially begin work at Intiman on March 2, prior to the end of this season's fiscal year, as Intiman launches new fundraising efforts following the successful completion of its Dramatically Different campaign.

Intiman Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Bartlett Sher and Managing Director Brian Colburn, announces that Abe Lincoln in Illinois will conclude its 2009 season - the year of the Lincoln Bicentennial - under the direction of Sheila Daniels, Intiman's Associate Director. Robert E. Sherwood's epic play, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, will launch Intiman's second American Cycle, a series of large-cast plays and free community programs. Through great plays and conversations at Intiman and throughout the Puget Sound region, the American Cycle bring artists and audiences together to share the issues and hopes we feel in our community and as citizens of our country at this moment in its history.

Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of 'Pippin' opens the Mark Taper Forum's 2009 season on Sunday, January 25, at 6:30 p.m. Both deaf and hearing actors sign and sing the magical musical comedy with book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, 'Pippin' continues performances through March 15. 'Pippin' is the captivating coming of age story about a young man's search for meaning in his life, as told by a lively band of troubadours in the Roman Empire. The episodic quest of Pippin, the son of the powerful Charlemagne, takes him through battlefields, orgies, revolution, and finally, love and domesticity, as he tries to find a place for his 'spirit to run free,' for his 'corner of the sky.' This production interweaves music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combines powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures. The cast includes (in alphabetical order) Michael Arden, Jonah Blechman, Dan Callaway, Bryan Terrell Clark, Nicolas Conway, Rodrick Covington, James Royce Edwards, TL Forsberg, Sara Gettelfinger, Tyrone Giordano, Harriet Harris, Rebecca Ann Johnson, Troy Kotsur, Jos? F. Lopez, Jr., John McGinty, Anthony Natale, Aleks Pevec, Victoria Platt, Ty Taylor, Nikki Tomlinson, Melissa van der Schyff and Alexandria Wailes.

BroadwayWorld gave the cast of Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of 'Pippin' a FLIP video camera and then set them free backstage during rehearsals as they prepared for opening night on January 25th. This production interweaves music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combines powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures. BWW TV is proud to bring you this very special video feature, stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon! 'Pippin' opens the Mark Taper Forum's 2009. Both deaf and hearing actors sign and sing the magical musical comedy with book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, 'Pippin' continues performances through March 15. 'Pippin' is the captivating coming of age story about a young man's search for meaning in his life, as told by a lively band of troubadours in the Roman Empire. The episodic quest of Pippin, the son of the powerful Charlemagne, takes him through battlefields, orgies, revolution, and finally, love and domesticity, as he tries to find a place for his 'spirit to run free,' for his 'corner of the sky.' This production interweaves music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combines powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures.

4th Wall Theatre, a non union professional theatre in Bloomfield, NJ is presenting Schmidt & Jones musical, I Do! I Do! as a Valentine for lovers of all ages. Starring in the 4th Wall production is the incredible team of Julie Waldman-Stiel and Will Lampe. Waldman-Stiel has toured the country with Topol in Fiddler on the Roof, the national tour of Cats, and was seen opposite Tony Award winner Michael Crawford in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber. Lampe has done NY and regional theatre and toured in the 1st National Company of Urban Cowboy: The Musical. The musical is a photo album of memories that follow the lives of two people through fifty years of a marriage: from the wedding night, to having children and all the trials, tribulations, laughter and tears that a couple endures. The musical originally paired Mary Martin and Robert Preston in 1966 on Broadway and was revived in 1996 with Karen Ziemba and David Garrison. The show will be directed by 4th Wall Artistic Director, Gregory G. Allen, music directed by Deborah Martin and choreographed by Randy Accardi. The musical will run two weekends from January 30 - February 8 at the Westminster Arts Center in Bloomfield. NJ. More info at www.4thwalltheatre.org. Tickets are $22 and can be reserved at: 973-748-9008 ext 279 or purchased at the door.

Center Theatre Group and Deaf West Theatre's production of 'Pippin' opens the Mark Taper Forum's 2009 season on Sunday, January 25, at 6:30 p.m. Both deaf and hearing actors sign and sing the magical musical comedy with book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, 'Pippin' continues performances through March 15. 'Pippin' is the captivating coming of age story about a young man's search for meaning in his life, as told by a lively band of troubadours in the Roman Empire. The episodic quest of Pippin, the son of the powerful Charlemagne, takes him through battlefields, orgies, revolution, and finally, love and domesticity, as he tries to find a place for his 'spirit to run free,' for his 'corner of the sky.' This production interweaves music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combines powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures. The cast includes (in alphabetical order) Michael Arden, Jonah Blechman, Dan Callaway, Bryan Terrell Clark, Nicolas Conway, Rodrick Covington, James Royce Edwards, TL Forsberg, Sara Gettelfinger, Tyrone Giordano, Harriet Harris, Rebecca Ann Johnson, Troy Kotsur, Jos? F. Lopez, Jr., John McGinty, Anthony Natale, Aleks Pevec, Victoria Platt, Ty Taylor, Nikki Tomlinson, Melissa van der Schyff and Alexandria Wailes.

Following its critically-acclaimed debut, Seattle Dance Project, in conjunction with The Central Heating Lab at ACT, kicks off 2009 with p2: Project Two, an enticing array of new works by four innovative choreographers from around the world. Performances will run in ACT's Falls Theatre from January 22 ? 24 at 8:00 p.m.