Graham Smith News

The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival will present its 35th MainStage season production of Romeo and Juliet at the High Point Theatre Sept. 9-30.

There are some Shakespeare shows that are not quite as bulletproof as others. If the pacing isn't there or the casting or both then they can run into an uphill battle. Such was the case with Seattle Shakespeare Company's current production of "As You Like It". While having some lovely moments and definitely picking itself up in Act Two, it suffered from some uneven casting and pacing that left the show just so so.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director George Mount stages his first mainstage production-As You Like It-since being appointed to lead the organization last December. Shakespeare's romantic comedy of wandering and wooing in the woods features 15 actors with original music by Sarah McGuinn, playing now through June 24. Check out photos from the production below!

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company has announced a call for submissions for its eighth season of the Global Age Project (GAP) festival of new works. The company will choose four new plays to be presented as staged readings with professional directors and actors during the GAP festival in February of 2013; the festival will coincide with the company's fully-staged World Premiere of Anthony Clarvoe's OUR PRACTICAL HEAVEN, directed by Allen McKelvey, the third Aurora main stage production to develop from the GAP. Each of the four finalists will receive a $1,000 award and their work will be considered for further development and production during Aurora Theatre Company's regular season; out of town artists will receive travel and accommodation expenses. The submission period opens today, May 22; deadline for play submission is July 31, 2012. Finalists will be announced in early December 2012.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company has announced a call for submissions for its eighth season of the Global Age Project (GAP) festival of new works. The company will choose four new plays to be presented as staged readings with professional directors and actors during the GAP festival in February of 2013; the festival will coincide with the company's fully-staged World Premiere of Anthony Clarvoe's OUR PRACTICAL HEAVEN, directed by Allen McKelvey, the third Aurora main stage production to develop from the GAP. Each of the four finalists will receive a $1,000 award and their work will be considered for further development and production during Aurora Theatre Company's regular season; out of town artists will receive travel and accommodation expenses. The submission period opens May 22; deadline for play submission is July 31, 2012. Finalists will be announced in early December 2012.

Festival Stage of Winston-Salem concludes its second season of resident professional theatre with the new office-based farce Hatchetman, which runs tonight, May 11 through May 27 at Hanesbrands Theatre (209 N. Spruce Street, Winston-Salem).

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director George Mount stages his first mainstage production-As You Like It-since being appointed to lead the organization last December. Shakespeare's romantic comedy of wandering and wooing in the woods features 15 actors with original music by Sarah McGuinn, playing May 30-June 24.

Festival Stage of Winston-Salem will conclude its second season of resident professional theatre with the new office-based farce Hatchetman, which runs May 11-27 at Hanesbrands Theatre (209 N. Spruce Street, Winston-Salem).

People's Light & Theatre presents Donald Margulies' Shipwrecked! An Entertainment-The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself), running March 22 - April 15, 2012 on the Steinbright Stage. Jackson Phippin directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355. For tickets call 610.644.3500 or visit PeoplesLight.org. Shipwrecked! is part of the PNC Arts Alive Family Discovery Series.

As we move toward the middle of April, I trust you will want to attend at least a couple of productions at one or more of the various live performance and theatre venues that are here on the Central Coast of California for your entertainment pleasure!

People's Light & Theatre presents Donald Margulies' Shipwrecked! An Entertainment-The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself), running March 22 - April 15, 2012 on the Steinbright Stage. Jackson Phippin directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355. For tickets call 610.644.3500 or visit PeoplesLight.org. Shipwrecked! is part of the PNC Arts Alive Family Discovery Series.

People's Light & Theatre presents Donald Margulies' Shipwrecked! An Entertainment-The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself), running March 22 - April 15, 2012 on the Steinbright Stage. Jackson Phippin directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355. For tickets call 610.644.3500 or visit PeoplesLight.org. Shipwrecked! is part of the PNC Arts Alive Family Discovery Series.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company, along with GAP Producer M. Graham Smith and GAP Associate Producer Deborah Taylor, announces the four plays chosen as finalists by a committee of local directors for the seventh annual Global Age Project (GAP), the company's new works initiative that promotes the creation of forward-looking theater: The Hummingbirds by Garret Jon Groenveld; In a Word by Lauren Yee; Rasheeda Speaking by Joel Drake Johnson; and Ashes, Ashes by Kevin Christopher Snipes.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the second installation of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series, Tennessee Williams' CAMINO REAL.

People's Light & Theatre presents The Return of Don Quixote, by Kira Obolensky, freely adapted from Cervantes' Don Quixote of La Mancha. It closes October 16, 2011 on the Main Stage.

Cape Rep Theatre present the World Premiere of Maura Hanlon's Good Bye Mary Rose. Hanlon will also direct. Performances will end on October 16.

People's Light & Theatre presents The Return of Don Quixote, by Kira Obolensky, freely adapted from Cervantes' Don Quixote of La Mancha.

Cape Rep Theatre will continue its 26th Season on September 15 with the World Premiere of Maura Hanlon's Good Bye Mary Rose. Hanlon will also direct. Performances will continue through October 16. Performances take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. No performance on September 18. There will be an additional performance on Wednesday, October 5 at 7pm. Tickets are currently available as part of a 3 and 4 play subscriptions. Individual tickets are also on sale. Tickets are $25. Bookings and information are available by calling the box office at 508.896.1888 or visiting www.caperep.org

People's Light & Theatre presents The Return of Don Quixote, by Kira Obolensky, freely adapted from Cervantes' Don Quixote of La Mancha.

Cape Rep Theatre will continue its 26th Season on September 15 with the World Premiere of Maura Hanlon's Good Bye Mary Rose. Hanlon will also direct. Performances will continue through October 16. Performances take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. No performance on September 18. There will be an additional performance on Wednesday, October 5 at 7pm. Tickets are currently available as part of a 3 and 4 play subscriptions. Individual tickets are also on sale. Tickets are $25. Bookings and information are available by calling the box office at 508.896.1888 or visiting www.caperep.org