George Orwell News

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues its 25th Anniversary Season at The Otto M. Budig Theater with "1984", a new adaptation of George Orwell's classic novel by Robert Icke and Duncan MacMillan. "1984" runs October 12 - November 3, and is directed by Producing Artistic Director Brian Isaac Phillips and features Resident Ensemble Members Justin McCombs and Sara Clark. This regional debut production will feature a revolutionary multimedia design by Brave Berlin, the Founding Creative Directors of Blink and LumenoCity, of light and sound that will create an immersive Orwellian theatrical experience!  This production is generously sponsored by The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, JR./U.S. Bank Foundation.

Steppenwolf for Young Adults (SYA) announced today it will produce We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as South West Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915 by Jackie Sibblies Drury as the second production in the 2018/19 season. SYA Artistic Director Hallie Gordon co-directs with Gabrielle Randle. SYA's 2018/19 Season explores the question, "When you feel lost, how do you find your way?"

The Actors' Gang will begin performances for the 2018 Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families production of Much Ado About Avengers beginning Saturday, August 4th, continuing a 12-year tradition of free theater in Media Park. Based on William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" and inspired by the characters of Marvel's The Avengers, this 45 minute, all?ages production will run every Saturday and Sunday of August at 11am, through August 26th.

Full casting was announced today for City Lit's season opener, George Bernard Shaw's comedy ARMS AND THE MAN. Set during the 1885 Serbo-Bulgarian war, it satirizes the folly of armed conflict. City Lit's production will be directed by Brian Pastor, Artistic Director of Promethean Theatre Ensemble and director of City Lit's fall 2017 production of J.B.  

Adelaide and London based theatre producer GWB Entertainment has opened the iconic musical production of The King and I to rave reviews and critical acclaim at the world-renowned London Palladium in the West End.

Devon, 1984. Under constant pressure to be straight and act "masculine", a 14-year-old lad feels his life is more like George Orwell's "1984". School bullies… Teenage heartache… Suicidal self-hatred… An accidental first orgasm… Trying to tape the weekly Top 40 from the radio without the DJ talking over the songs… Dancing defiantly to your Walkman…

12 Peers Theater will start their 2018 Main Stage Season with Building the Wall by Robert Schenkkan. The Pittsburgh Premiere is directed by Ricardo Vila-Roger and features Tom Kolos and Lauren A. Bethea. Building the Wall examines hatred, fear, and institutional racism in an imagined 2019 in a post-Trump America and runs May 24 - June 10, 2018.

Composer Trevor Bachman kicks off the U.S. national tour of FARMED: A Live Podcast Album on May 11th at Joe's Pub. Described by the NY Times as 'musically and vocally rich' and noted for his 'soulful vocals', Bachman combines live interview with heart-pounding beats, electric harmonies, and an earth-shaking choir of voices. Sourcing interviews from audiences in cities around the country, FARMED, originally inspired by George Orwell's Animal Farm, bridges distant communities through conversation and song. All concerts are live studio events, and recorded for podcast.

12 Peers Theater will start their 2018 Main Stage Season with Building the Wall by Robert Schenkkan. The Pittsburgh Premiere is directed by Ricardo Vila-Roger and features Tom Kolos and Lauren A. Bethea. Building the Wall examines hatred, fear, and institutional racism in an imagined 2019 in a post-Trump America and runs May 24 - June 10, 2018.

If you've never read George Orwell's 1984, the seminal classic examining a world that's fallen under the rule of the nameless Party and their omnipotent leader Big Brother, stop what you're doing and read it now. Or you can just see Scena Theatre's new production playing at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. The show takes a while to amp up but the thrilling climax is performed with such vigor and authenticity that the true dangers of Orwell's devised society come to fruition.

City Lit's 2018-19 season to span four centuries with comedies and dramas considering timeless themes

The Actors' Gang presents Angels, Devils and Other Things, an evening of eleven original short plays written and directed by The Actors' Gang ensemble that begins previews on Thursday, May 17, has its world premiere on Saturday, May 19 and runs through Saturday, June 16, 2018.

What would happen if our current president ... stayed that way!?

Majestic Repertory Theatre concludes their second season in the Las Vegas Arts District with a fresh adaptation by Ian Wooldridge of George Orwell's stunning novella ANIMAL FARM.

I would watch a Ravi Jain directed production of the phone book. ANIMAL FARM, presented by Soulpepper, is an adaption of George Orwell's famous novel by Canadian playwright Anthony MacMahon. Jain and MacMahon design a campy, satirical world for the farm animals, using humour as a reel to hook the audience into deeper discussions about humanity and society. It's persuasive, troubling, and honestly funny.

Boston Children's Theatre finishes off its 2017-2018 season with George Orwell's 1984. Literature on stage has been the theme for BCT's productions this past year. BCT opened its season with the New England premiere of Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium, then brought The Velveteen Rabbit to life during the holidays. Now Boston Children's Theatre's pre-professional training program for teens, New England Theatreworks, is presenting Orwell's classic. Ironically, this classic appears to be as timely as ever.

The Actors' Gang has announced an extension of "The New Colossus" due to strong ticket sales. The production will now continue through May 12 at The Actors' Gang Theater. Directed by Tim Robbins and written The Actors' Gang ensemble and The Actors' Gang's Artistic Director, Tim Robbins. The world premiere of The New Colossus began previews on February 8 and opened on February 17, 2018. Six new performances have been added on Saturday nights at 8:00pm - April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, and closing night, May 12.

Majestic Repertory Theatre presents the Vegas Premiere of David Adjmi's high-style dramady MARIE ANTOINETTE.

The true selling point of this production is not so much a reimmersion in Orwell's masterpiece as a reminder, if we needed reminding, of the collective nausea that overtakes us in one of those periodic moments when totalitarian assaults on truth, justice and human dignity are winning.