Gerry Goodstein News

The theater season hardly takes a break in Connecticut during the summer and we have some great shows coming up.

Starting June 6th WorkShop Theater Company presents the World Premiere of Daniel Damiano's The Golden Year. Kathy Gail MacGowan directs. The cast features Ellen Barry*(McCarter Theatre, Syracuse Stage, BoarsHead Theatre: "Best Leading Actress", Wit), Gerry Goodstein* (Interchange, "Law and Order") and Joseph Franchini* (2012 Drama Desk nominee: Best Actor, The Navigator). (*Member of Actors Equity)

Director Paul Mullins has teased together a terrific cast (the ensemble at 45+ is huge) starring comedian Kevin Meaney as Edna Turnblad, Tina Fabrique (Ella) as Motormouth Mabel and Lena Mary Amato as Tracy, reprising this role for the fifth time.

There will be more Finks at the Ensemble Studio Theatre because Artistic Director William Carden has extended the widely-acclaimed production through Sunday, May 5 at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street. Finks opened Saturday, April 6.

Six children whose parents were on the blacklist of the 1950s will gather for a panel discussion after today's April 14, 5:00pm performance of Finks, playwright Joe Gilford's fictionalized account of his parents, Jack Gilford and MAdeline Lee Gilford, and their real life experience of the blacklist, at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street.

Six children whose parents were on the blacklist of the 1950s will gather for a panel discussion after the Sunday, April 14, 5:00pm performance of Finks, playwright Joe Gilford's fictionalized account of his parents, Jack Gilford and Madeline Lee Gilford, and their real life experience of the blacklist, at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street.

Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire has made a name for himself as an author who takes those uncomfortable situations and artfully puts them up on stage with heart and humor. Whether dealing with the loss of a child or the loss of memory his crisp dialogue always conveys sincere emotion and a discomfort that's riveting. His recent "Good People" currently playing at the Seattle Rep is no exception. And in addition to Lindsay-Abaire's fantastic script, Director David Saint and the Rep have assembled a superb cast and crafted a truly engaging power struggle between two old friends.

Maggie Siff plays Beatrice and Jonathan Cake Benedick in Theatre for a New Audience's new production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Arin Arbus, opened on February 17 at The Duke on 42nd Street, 229 West 42nd Street. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Paper Mill theater teacher Mickey McNany first remembers Anne Hathaway as a bright, ambitious 10-year-old who was eager to make her mark on the stage. The 30-year teaching veteran spoke exclusively to BWW about the student she calls 'larger than life,' and even shared some rare footage of the actress from the earliest days of her career!

Hathaway appeared in the 2002 Encores! production of Carnival, and you can check out a photo of her in action below!

The 50th Anniversary season of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey concludes with the rarely performed comedic gem Trelawny of the Wells by renowned Victorian playwright Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. Performances began December 5th and continue through December 30th at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast onstage in the photos below!

What stands out about this production is the really terrific fight choreography by Greg Webster. Steel clashes and extended sword battles rage in some of the most thrilling, realistic looking onstage battles you'll ever see. One battle breathtakingly stops, only to resume after intermission.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present Intimate Apparel, from October 25 through November 4, as the first show in its Studio Works Series in the Studio Theatre on the University of Connecticut, Storrs campus.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Man Of La Mancha for their 50th anniversary season.

Woodie King Jr's New Federal Theatre, in association with Castillo Theatre, will present Sowa's Red Gravy by Diane Richards at Castillo Theatre (543 West 42nd Street, between 10th and 11th Avenues.). Performances begin tomorrow, October 18th with Opening Night set for Sunday, October 28th. Performances continue through November 18th only. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon's point of view, returns to Cleveland for three performances only. The production will be at the PlayhouseSquare's Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, on Friday, October 12 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 13 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon's point of view, returns to Cleveland for three performances only. The production will be at the PlayhouseSquare's Ohio Theatre, 1511 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, on Friday, October 12 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 13 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Bullying, gun control and abortion rights are just a few issues that get a town hall hearing in the regional premiere of Theresa Rebeck's O BEAUTIFUL at CT Rep. What sets this one apart from other political plays is that some of the founding fathers themselves and other historic figures stop by to weigh in on some of today's hottest topics.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the regional premiere of Theresa Rebeck's new play O Beautiful, October 4 - 14 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, Storrs. For tickets and information, call 860-486-2113 and visit www.crt.uconn.edu. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey launches the Fall portion of its 50th Anniversary Season with the critically acclaimed stage adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist by British playwright, author, and director, Neil Bartlett.