Gene Saks News

On Monday, September 14, 2009, Five-time Tony Award winner Angela Lansbury will host a memorial for friends and family of Tony and Emmy Award-winning entertainment icon Beatrice Arthur at Broadway's Majestic Theatre (247 W. 44th St.).

The Ali Forney Center has announced its plan to name a residence for LGBT youth in honor of Bea Arthur. AFC will formally announced the honor at Arthur's September 14 memorial service. The event will take place at Broadway's Majestic Theater.

Cabaret at the Castle (www.magiccastle.com) has chosen Grammy-nominated recording artist, television and Broadway star, Ilene Graff (www.ilenegraff.com), to appear in celebration of 100th anniversary of the structure known today as the Magic Castle. Accompanied by her Musical Director-husband Ben Lanzarone, Graff performs songs from Broadway, the movies and the pop world with completely unique interpretations and arrangements. From Harold Arlen to the Beatles, the Bergmans to Sondheim, you've never heard these songs sung the way Ilene does. Graff's career started on Broadway, performing in Promises, Promises, the original production of Grease (Sandy), and in the original cast of Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart's I Love My Wife, creating the role of Cleo. Feeling honored that he tailored it to her specific talents, Ilene reprises ?her very own Cy Coleman song,? Love Revolution in her show, as well as pieces from Grease, Porgy and Bess, Gypsy and many others. The event is set to take place at The Inner Circle at the Magic Castle on Monday, Sept. 14th, 2009 and Tuesday, Sept. 15th, 2009 - Doors 7pm - Show 8pm.

The date for Bea Arthur?s memorial has finally been set. The show will take place at the Majestic Theater in New York on Monday, September 14, 2009 at 1pm. The afternoon will be hosted by Bea?s Bosom Buddy, Angela Lansbury who will be joined by Bea?s close friends, both professional and personal, as well as family.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

The Broadway community mourns the loss of Bea Arthur, who died on Saturday at age 86. The marquees of Broadway theatres in New York will be dimmed in her memory on Tuesday, April 28th, at exactly 8:00pm for one minute.

Tony Winner Dan Fogler premiered his directing debut at the Tribeca Film Festival last week. The movie, Hysterical Psycho, is a spoof of cabin in the woods movies, made with his theater group, Stage 13.

George Street Playhouse has announced full casting for New Year's Eve a world premiere from the pen of ARTHUR LAURENTS. George Street Playhouse Artistic Director DAVID SAINT will direct a starry cast comprised of WALTER BELENKY, KEITH CARRADINE, PETER FRECHETTE, MARLO THOMAS and NATASHA GREGSON WAGNER. New Year's Eve marks the ninth collaboration between Saint and Laurents at the New Brunswick Playhouse, and the return engagement of Ms. Thomas, who starred in Elaine May's Roger is Dead last season.

The New York Times is reporting that Laurie Metcalf, who won three Emmys on ABC's 'Roseanne' and most recently appeared on Broadway in David Mamet's 'November,' has signed on to star as the matriarch Kate Jerome in the upcoming Broadway revivals of Neil Simon's autobiographical plays 'Brighton Beach Memoirs' and 'Broadway Bound,' the producer Emanuel Azenberg announced Wednesday.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Friday, March 27, 2009.

George Street Playhouse has announced full casting for New Year's Eve a world premiere from the pen of ARTHUR LAURENTS. George Street Playhouse Artistic Director DAVID SAINT will direct a starry cast comprised of WALTER BELENKY, KEITH CARRADINE, PETER FRECHETTE, MARLO THOMAS and NATASHA GREGSON WAGNER. New Year's Eve marks the ninth collaboration between Saint and Laurents at the New Brunswick Playhouse, and the return engagement of Ms. Thomas, who starred in Elaine May's Roger is Dead last season.

Three one-acts of recent vintage by the Tony and Oscar-nominated Murray Schisgal will be presented by the Drama Desk Award-winning National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene in a unique evening celebrating the Jewish experience through the richly evocative prism of the Yiddish language.

A casting search is underway for the role of ?Eugene Jerome? in the upcoming revival of Neil Simon?s award-winning play BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS, coming to Broadway this fall at a theatre to be announced.

Press notes announced 'Look out America, Gilligan's Island The Musical is docking at a desert island near you and the hilarity found in America's most cherished sitcom is in full effect in this larger than life stage musical. Bringing back all those well known and beloved characters from one of the most popular television shows of all time, this lovable musical comedy is sure to please the generations of audiences that the television show first inspired'. The first stop for the tour is the Lycian Centre for the Performing Arts in Sugar Loaf, NY on February 21st and 22nd.

Three one-acts of recent vintage by the Tony and Oscar-nominated Murray Schisgal will be presented by the Drama Desk Award-winning National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene in a unique evening celebrating the Jewish experience through the richly evocative prism of the Yiddish language.

Opening Doors Theatre Company announces the first two productions in their 3rd season of Closing Notice productions for 2009: FADE OUT, FADE IN (1964) - First ever NYC revival! Music by Jule Styne Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green Directed by Suzanne Adams Choreographed by Christine Schwalenberg Stage Manager: Billie Di Stefano Musical Direction by Jessica Stewart. Cast - Sarah Cooney, Hector Coris, Brian DeCaluwe*, Sarah Lilley, Jean McCormick*, Patrick John Moran*, Michael Vitaly Sazonov*, Lawrence Street* (Broadway's Urinetown), Rob Ventre*, Lexi Windsor*

South Coast Repertory today announced the cast and creative team for Michael Frayn's ingenious comedic masterpiece, Noises Off. Directed by Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award winner Art Manke, Noises Off will run from Feb. 6 through March 8 on the Segerstrom Stage. Low-priced previews are available from Feb. 6 through Feb. 12. Opening night is Feb. 13. Press night is Saturday, Feb. 14 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to Noises Off may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office. Noises Off follows the on-and off-stage antics of an inept acting troupe as they stumble from bumbling dress rehearsal to disastrous closing night. Everything that can go wrong does, as actors desperately try to hang on to their lines, their performances and the furniture. Add a slippery plate of sardines and many slamming doors, and you have the most hilarious backstage farce ever written. Art Manke received his fifth Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for directing SCR's West Coast premiere of Bach at Leipzig in 2006. Other work with SCR includes last season's Taking Steps, the world premiere musical version of The Wind in the Willows and choreography for numerous productions. Elsewhere in Southern California, Manke has directed The Constant Wife, Private Lives and the American premiere of Noel Coward's Star Quality for Pasadena Playhouse and the world premiere of The Ice-Breaker at Laguna Playhouse. Manke was a co-founder and artistic director (1991-2001) of A Noise Within where he directed the works of Shakespeare, Moli?re, Wilde, Coward and Sophocles. Other credits include work with Denver Center Theatre Company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Old Globe Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, American Players Theatre, among others. The cast features Nancy Bell (Belinda Blair), Bill Brochtrup (Garry Lejeune), Kandis Chappell (Dotty Otley), Winslow Corbett (Poppy Norton-Taylor), Kaleo Griffith (Lloyd Dallas), Brian Hostenske (Tim Allgood), Timothy Landfield (Frederick Fellows), Jennifer Lyon (Brooke Ashton) and Nick Ullett (Selsdon Mowbray). The creative team for Noises Off includes John Iacvelli (Set Design), Angela Balogh Calin (Costume Design), York Kennedy (Lighting Design), Vincent Olivieri (Sound Design), Ken Merckx (Movement Consultant), David Newell (Dialect Coach), Linda Sullivan Baity (Dramaturg) and Jamie Tucker (Stage Manager). Dee and Larry Higby are the Honorary Producers of Noises Off. OC Metro is the Media Partner. Associated events taking place during the run of Noises Off include: POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Wednesday, Feb. 18 & Tuesday, Feb. 24 Discuss the play with members of the Noises Off cast during free post-show discussions led by South Coast Repertory's literary team after the 7:30 p.m. performances on Feb. 18 and Feb. 24. INSIDE THE SEASON: Noises Off Saturday, Feb. 21, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. $12 Inside the Season is a series of interactive classes that provide a comprehensive inside look at the theatrical production process. Each two-hour class is led by School and Community Programs Director Linda Sullivan Baity and features creative personnel from South Coast Repertory's current production. Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (714) 708-5555. (Tickets to Noises Off are sold separately.) TICKETS to Noises Off can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances begin on Feb. 6 and continue through March 8. Ticket prices range from $20 to $64. Low-priced preview performances are available from Feb. 6 to Feb. 12. Performance times: Previews: Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 8, Tuesday, Feb. 10 and Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, Feb. 12 at 8:00pm. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.; and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, educators, seniors and groups of 15 or more. There will be a 'Pay-What-You-Will' performance on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m. ($10 Minimum) and an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m.

Broadway in Concert! at The Canyon, an all new Wednesday night series of intimate concerts headlined by the best of Broadway musical theatre stars and Nightclub artists will debut January 7, 2009 at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA, it was announced today by Canyon Club Managing Partner Lance Sterling and Producer Michael Sterling of Michael Sterling & Associates in Los Angeles.

George Street Playhouse begins 2009 with its production of Donald Marguiles' Sight Unseen. When first presented in 1992, the play won the OBIE Award for Best New American Play, was nominated for a Drama Desk, and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. George Street Playhouse Artistic Director will helm the production, slated to run at the New Brunswick theatre January2020 - February 15, 2009. Matthew Arkin, last seen at GSP in their production of Theresa Rebeck's The Scene, leads an ensemble including Heidi Armbruster, Christopher Curry and Kathleen McNenny.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with 'I Love My Wife' with book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, December 2 to 14 at the Brentwood Theatre. Lea Thompson and Patrick Cassidy join Vicki Lewis and Jason Alexander. 'I Love My Wife' will be directed by Larry Moss with choreography by Lee Martino and music direction by Michael Skloff.