Gene Jones News

The theater community recentky kicked off The Fantasticks 50th anniversary year with an early curtain of the show and a post-performance cocktail reception at The Snapple Center on Monday May 4th. The beloved hit also recently welcomed a number of new cast members, including the charming young actress Ramona Mallory as 'Luisa.'

The Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) production of Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece DEATH OF A SALESMAN, featuring three-time Emmy Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee Charles S. Dutton as Willy Loman, and directed by James Bundy opens tomorrow, Thursday, April 30 and continues through May 23 only at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street)

The theater community kicked off The Fantasticks 50th anniversary year with an early curtain of the show (7PM) and a post-performance cocktail reception at The Snapple Center on Monday May 4th.

Tonight the theater community will kick off The Fantasticks 50th anniversary year with an early curtain of the show (7PM) and a post-performance cocktail reception at The Snapple Center with performances by Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Anna in the Tropics, Jack Goes Boating), Rita Gardner (original 1960 production of The Fantasticks, The Cradle Will Rock, The Wedding Singer), Orfeh (Legally Blonde, Footloose), Aaron Lazar (The Light in the Piazza, A Tale of Two Cities, Les Miserables), GrooveLily (Striking 12) and Jill Paice (Curtains, The Woman in White). In addition, The Office of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will offer a special proclamation declaring Fantasticks Day in New York City.

The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical, will kick off its 50th Anniversary Year with a two-day celebration featuring a reunion of 50 years' worth of cast members and performances by some of the theater industry's biggest names.

Rehearsals begin today in New Haven for the Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) production of Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece DEATH OF A SALESMAN, featuring three-time Emmy Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee Charles S. Dutton as Willy Loman, and directed by James Bundy. Performances begin April 24 and continue through May 23 only at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street). Opening Night is Thursday, April 30.

The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical, will kick off its 50th Anniversary Year with a two-day celebration featuring a reunion of 50 years' worth of cast members and performances by some of the theater industry's biggest names.

Bradley Dean, Jonathan Schwartz, Ramona Mallory and Douglas Ullman, Jr. will join the Off Broadway cast of The Fantasticks as El Gallo, Matt, Luisa and The Mute, respectively, beginning Monday, March 30, 2009.

Rehearsals begin today in New Haven for the Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) production of Arthur Miller's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece DEATH OF A SALESMAN, featuring three-time Emmy Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee Charles S. Dutton as Willy Loman, and directed by James Bundy. Performances begin April 24 and continue through May 23 only at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street). Opening Night is Thursday, April 30.

Bradley Dean, Jonathan Schwartz, Ramona Mallory and Douglas Ullman, Jr. will join the Off Broadway cast of The Fantasticks as El Gallo, Matt, Luisa and The Mute, respectively, beginning Monday, March 30, 2009.

CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY begins Monday, March 9, 2009 at 7:00pm, by Lynn Nottage Directed by Seret Scott, with Laura Heisler ( Doris to Darlene, The Mistakes Madeline Made), Sadrina Johnson (The Book of Lambert, Southern Promises), Billy Eugene Jones (A Raisin in the Sun), Brenda Pressley (The First Breeze of Summer, Seven Guitars at Signature, and American Plan at Manhattan Theatre Club), Amina S. Robinson (Mamma Mia!) Commissioned by Second Stage Theatre in 1992

CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY begins Monday, March 9, 2009 at 7:00pm, by Lynn Nottage Directed by Seret Scott, with Laura Heisler ( Doris to Darlene, The Mistakes Madeline Made), Sadrina Johnson (The Book of Lambert, Southern Promises), Billy Eugene Jones (A Raisin in the Sun), Brenda Pressley (The First Breeze of Summer, Seven Guitars at Signature, and American Plan at Manhattan Theatre Club), Amina S. Robinson (Mamma Mia!) Commissioned by Second Stage Theatre in 1992

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

The OBIE, Drama Desk and Lortel Award-winning Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) will begin their 10th Anniversary Season with a new production of Anton Chekhov's classic THREE SISTERS, directed by CTH Co-Founder Christopher McElroen (The Cherry Orchard). Performances will be at Harlem Stage Gatehouse, 150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street, and will begin on Thursday, February 5th. Opening night is scheduled for Wednesday, February 18th and the show will run through Sunday, March 8th.

The Fantasticks, 'the most child-friendly show currently playing in the theater district' (Terry Teachout, Arts Journal), invites kids to see the show for free at select weekend performances throughout February. Children age 16 and under will receive a free ticket and a free Fantasticks CD sampler with each paying adult for performances on Saturdays at 2 PM and Sundays at 3 PM and 7:15 PM. The Fantasticks plays at The Snapple Theater Center, 210 West 50th Street at Broadway. To take advantage of the offer, call the box office at (212) 921-7862 or Ticketmaster.com at (212) 307-4100 and use the code KIDS09. Tickets must be purchased by Monday, February 23.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

The Fantasticks, the longest-running musical in the world, will present a free lunchtime concert at Borders Columbus Circle on Wednesday, January 28, 2009. The concert, which begins at Noon, will feature cast members Scott Willis (Broadway's Crazy for You and 42nd Street), Betsy Morgan (Broadway's The Little Mermaid) and recent Amazing Race winner Nick Spangler singing selections from the show. Following the concert, the performers will conduct a book and CD signing. Borders is located within The Shops at Columbus Circle at 10 Columbus Circle. The concert will take place on the 2nd floor. For more information call (212) 823-9775. The Fantasticks is a captivating and simple romantic comedy about a boy and girl who fall in and out of love at the hands of their meddling fathers. The audience uses its imagination to follow the narrator, El Gallo, as he creates a world of moonlight and magic until the boy and girl find their way back to one other. The score, which includes the hit songs 'Try To Remember,' 'They Were You' and 'Soon It's Gonna Rain,' is as timeless as the story itself. Having played a record-breaking 17,162 performances in its original run at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, The Fantasticks is now playing in the heart of Times Square at The Snapple Theater Center, located at 210 West 50th Street at Broadway.

The OBIE, Drama Desk and Lortel Award-winning Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH) will begin their 10th Anniversary Season with a new production of Anton Chekhov's classic THREE SISTERS, directed by CTH Co-Founder Christopher McElroen (The Cherry Orchard). Performances will be at Harlem Stage Gatehouse, 150 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street, and will begin on Thursday, February 5th. Opening night is scheduled for Wednesday, February 18th and the show will run through Sunday, March 8th.

The Civilians (Steven Cosson, Artistic Director) the award-winning New York-based theater company, have announced that they will commission a full-length play from their newest project, Brooklyn at Eye Level, following a successful series of initial performances. The show played to capacity crowds December 4 - 7 at The Brooklyn Lyceum and was embraced by the entire community as an important contribution to the often contentious debate surrounding the Atlantic Yards development.

Betsy Morgan, who recently performed the role of Ariel in Broadway's The Little Mermaid, will joins the cast of the Off Broadway revival of The Fantasticks as Luisa tonight Monday, December 22, 2008. She replaces Margaret Anne Florence, who played her final performance on Wednesday, December 17.