Harvy Blanks News

Yale Repertory Theatre presents the world premiere of FAMILIAR by Danai Gurira, directed by Rebecca Taichman, tonight, January 30-February 21 at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street). Opening Night is Thursday, February 5.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE presents the world premiere of FAMILIAR by Danai Gurira, directed by Rebecca Taichman, tonight, January 30-February 21 at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street). Opening Night is Thursday, February 5.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE presents the world premiere of FAMILIAR by Danai Gurira, directed by Rebecca Taichman, January 30-February 21 at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street). Opening Night is Thursday, February 5.

Four emerging playwrights of color will unveil exciting new works when Rising Circle Theater Collective presents PlayRISE, a reading series of new plays. The collection of new drafts is a culmination of INKtank 2014, a 12-week playwright lab, moderated this season by Migdalia Cruz and Deepa Purohit.

Four emerging playwrights of color will unveil exciting new works when Rising Circle Theater Collective presents PlayRISE, a reading series of new plays. The collection of new drafts is a culmination of INKtank 2014, a 12-week playwright lab, moderated this season by Migdalia Cruz and Deepa Purohit.

Tony-Nominated Director Randal Myler and multi-talented Music Director Dan Wheetman return to Lone Tree Arts Center (LTAC) to create a new vision for Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn after setting the bar high with Hank Williams: Lost Highway last spring and John Denver Holiday Concert in 2012. Returning to the roots of Mark Twain's classic American folktale, this production of Big River focuses on the talent and voices of the cast as they each become storytellers.

On Monday, March 17, 2014 The Legendary Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. will unveil the 2014 new works Monday series, NEC'S MONDAY NIGHT READING SERIES AT THE PERSHING SQUARE SIGNATURE CENTER. NEC will hold readings beginning Monday, March 17, 2014. All readings will start at 7:00 pm on The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. A VIP Reception will immediately follow each reading. The series will feature 4 exceptional plays written by celebrated playwrights. None have been produced for New York audiences. Tickets are on sale now; $20.00 for each Monday night, $30.00 per night with reception. The series may be purchased at a discounted rate through Ticket Central. For ticket information and series package rates, visit www.ticketcentral.com or call 212-279-4200 (Daily 12noon-8pm).

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom by August Wilson runs now through October 20, 2013 at Portland Stage. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

'Blues are a way of understanding,' Ma Rainey tells her band in the second act of August Wilson's 1984 play set in a 1920s recording studio in Jim Crow era Chicago. And, indeed, Wilson uses music as a means of making sense of the African-American experience in a world scarred by racism and violence. The Portland Stage's new production, which opens its 2013-2014 season, is a tautly directed, intensely acted interpretation of Wilson's meditation on what it is like to be black in a white man's world. The play, which uses the a quasi-musical blues structure of long, seemingly improvised solos interspersed with short rhythmic exchanges of dialogue, builds slowly and tensely to its chilling climax. Along the way, it penetrates the recesses of the musicians' hearts, their troubled pasts and their tenuous presents. And it examines the high cost of 'making it' in white America, where, for all their artistic talent and success, these determined entertainers remain faceless and invisible. Delivering Wilson's prose with an engaging blend of humor and pathos, the Portland Stage Company's cast scales the poetic heights of the playwright's genius.

Actor/director and noted August Wilson interpreter Ruben Santiago-Hudson directs a revival staging of Wilson's JITNEY tonight as part of a live webcast series presenting the ten 20th century cycle plays by the two-time Pulitzer-winner, following successful presentations of Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM and FENCES last month as well as JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE and THE PIANO LESSON so far this month.

While 'Lee Daniels' The Butler' is generating Oscar buzz for its chronicle of several decades of African- American political life, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson masterfully documented a full century of the African-American experience in the 10 plays the make up the American Century Cycle. These works, nine of which have been staged on Broadway with stars including Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Charles Dutton, among many others, showed the suffering, joys, and triumphs of African-Americans through searing, poetic and personal stories of everyday people in Pittsburgh, PA.

While 'Lee Daniels' The Butler' is generating Oscar buzz for its chronicle of several decades of African- American political life, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson masterfully documented a full century of the African-American experience in the 10 plays the make up the American Century Cycle. These works, nine of which have been staged on Broadway with stars including Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Charles Dutton, among many others, showed the suffering, joys, and triumphs of African-Americans through searing, poetic and personal stories of everyday people in Pittsburgh, PA.

The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC and WQXR, the state-of-the-art venue of the nation's most listened-to news/talk and classical public radio stations, will make history this fall when it creates, for the first time, exclusive recordings of all 10 of August Wilson's American Century Cycle Plays.

Ebony Repertory Theatre, now in its fifth year, has announced the return of their production of FRATERNITY by internationally acclaimed, award-winning playwright/screenwriter Jeff Stetson (Keep the Faith and And the Men Shall Also Gather). Director Henry Miller (James Baldwin's The Amen Corner) leads the creative team. The riveting award-winning political drama FRATERNITY began performances last night and runs through June 2, 2013 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center (4718 W. Washington Blvd.) in Los Angeles.

Two River Theater Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, previously announced updated information about its 2013 season. August Wilson's Two Trains Running and Noel Coward's Present Laughter will switch positions in the previously announced lineup; there are no other changes to the run dates, including opening nights.

Two River Theater Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, continues its 2012-2013 Season with August Wilson's Two Trains Running, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. A one-week extension has been added to the run prior to the start of performances, which will begin in Two River's Rechnitz Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, on Saturday, February 2 and continue through Sunday, March 3. The new press opening is Friday, February 15 at 8pm. Tickets are available from 732.345.1400 or www.trtc.org. This production is sponsored by a grant from the Blanche & Irving Laurie Foundation. The lead production sponsor is Wells Fargo and the co-sponsors are Brookdale Community College and NJ Transit.

Two River Theater Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, announces updated information about its 2013 season. August Wilson's Two Trains Running and Noel Coward's Present Laughter will switch positions in the previously announced lineup; there are no other changes to the run dates, including opening nights.

Ebony Repertory Theatre (ERT - Founder/Producer Wren T. Brown), now in its fifth year, announced today the full casting and creative team for the Los Angeles Premiere of FRATERNITY by internationally acclaimed, award-winning playwright/screenwriter Jeff Stetson (Keep the Faith and And the Men Shall Also Gather).

Denver Center Theatre Company is set to present one of Colorado's most sought-after holiday productions, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, by Charles Dickens, adapted by Richard Hellesen, playing the Stage Theater November 25-December 24.

I must say this version feels more like A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MUSICAL! So I thoroughly enjoyed it, of course!