Hilary Bettis News

The League of Professional Theatre Women (Kelli Lynn Harrison and Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been leading the gender parity conversation and championing women in the professional theatre for over 35 years, will present the 2019 Theatre Women Awards at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012) on Monday, March 25 at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm). For more information on the 2019 Theatre Women Awards, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.theatrewomen.org. 

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting Award, the oldest and largest prize awarded to women playwrights.

ALLOND[R]A by Gina Femia, the recipient of the 2018 Leah Ryan Prize for Emerging Women Writers, will have a public reading, directed by Elena Araoz on Monday January 28, 2019, 7pm, at New Ohio Theatre

The Alley Theatre's Education and Engagement Department (ECE) announces the continuation of El Zocalo with the hiring of its first full-time Manager of Community Partnerships, Benito Vasquez. This full-time position is a permanent and integral member of the Alley's ECE team. It has been a vision of the department, and the Alley as a whole, to create a position that can delve wholeheartedly into Latinx initiatives with a mission to enrich our community by bringing resources to local, regional, national, and even international, artists to serve Houston's growing Latinx community. The El Zocalo initiative was launched city-wide last year with a touring production and a comprehensive array of engagement activities.

The Sol Project (Jacob G. Padron, Artistic Director), the national theater initiative dedicated to amplifying Latinx voices and building a body of work for the new American theater, is proud to announce that founding member and artistic producer David Mendizabal will become the Associate Artistic Director, beginning immediately. Rebecca Martinez and Julian Ramirez will also join the company as members of the artistic collective.

New year, new Kilroys! For the past five years The Kilroys, an LA-based collective of playwrights/producers continuing the fight to achieve gender balance in the American theater, have been advocating for equal representation on our American stages, and have released an annual list of under-produced plays by women, trans, and non-binary writers. Despite some measurable progress, we still have a long way to go before we strike that balance. So, as we approach 2019, we are beyond thrilled to introduce a fresh new gang of fearless badass leaders. These women will seize our reins and continue the fight for equality, creating random acts of disruption along the way, while the OG Kilroys will serve as an advisory board supporting the current class. 

Miami New Drama, the groundbreaking company transforming Miami's theaterscene, co-founded by artistic director Michel Hausmann, will continue as the residentcompany at Miami Beach's historic Colony Theatre for five more years. The renewed commitment from the City of Miami Beach will maintain the company at the Lincoln Road theater until 2023.

Dutch Kills Theater (In Quietness, The Sister, The Providence of Neighboring Bodies) will present the World Premiere of SELKIE by Krista Knight (Hissifit, Primal Play). Directed by Matt Dickson (Disco Pigs, We The People), performances run through December 22 at The Wild Project.

The 2019 Writer's Guild Awards nominations have been unveiled. The 2019 Writers Guild Awards will be handed out Sunday, Feb. 17, at the Beverly Hilton. See the full list of nominees below!

Jacob G. Padron, 38, has been named the new Artistic Director of Long Wharf Theatre and will begin his role February 1, 2019.

The Alley Theatre announces the line-up for the 2019 Alley All New Festival, January 18 - January 27, 2019. The fourth annual Festival will feature a world premiere production, readings and workshop performances of five new plays, as well as an Early Draft Preview of a new musical. Festival playwrights include Robert Askins, Hilary Bettis, Glen Berger, Chisa Hutchinson, Claire Kiechel, Don Nguyen, and Lawrence Wright. Special packages are available for the final weekend of the Festival and include prime seating at all presentations, exclusive artist access, and meals between performances. Packages can be booked now at alleytheatre.org/allnew or by calling the Box Office at 713-220-5700. Advance reservations for individual events are recommended and can be made on November 26 at alleytheatre.org. All readings and workshop performances are free and open to the public.

On Saturday, November 17th, Barefoot Theatre Company celebrates the third annual Vassallo Awards with a Fall Gala beginning at 8pm at the SVA THEATRE in NYC on 333 W 23rd Street in Manhattan. 

Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF invites patrons to the center of the creative process at PlayFest presented by Harriett's Charitable Trust (PlayFest 2018) from November 2 - 4 and 10 - 11, 2018.

2018 California Repertory Company begins its 2018-2019 season with The Ghosts of Lote Bravo by Hilary Bettis.  The play centers on a mother and daughter who struggle to survive in violent Ciudad Juarez. Guided by La Santa Muerte, Juanda sees her daughter Raquel in a new light, ultimately learning about Raquel's hidden hopes, dreams, and courage. It is a gritty and emotional new work exposing the raw underbelly of The United States' relationship with Mexico and shows the human carnage left in NAFTA's wake.

California Repertory Company (Cal Rep) announces its 30th Anniversary season which celebrates 3 decades of risk-taking theater by showcasing the work of local artists and bringing a range of World, West Coast and Southern California Premieres to Long Beach. 

Orlando Shakes in partnership with UCF invites patrons to the center of the creative process at PlayFest presented by Harriett's Charitable Trust (PlayFest 2018) from November 2 - 4 and 10 - 11, 2018. The two weekend festival features seven readings of new plays in development. Tickets to individual PlayFest readings ($10) will be available to the general public on Wednesday, September 26 at 12:00 PM and may be purchased online at orlandoshakes.org, by phone at (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street). PlayFest Passes ($56) and PlayFest VIP Passes ($100) are on sale now and may be purchased by phone or in person.

Two River Theater announces the lineup for its 8th annual Crossing Borders (Cruzando Fronteras) festival of Latinx play readings and celebration of work by Latinx theater artists. The festival will take place August 2-5 and will include free readings of new plays, live music, and conversations with artists. 

Project Y Theatre Company presents the World Premiere of TRUTH/DARE by Emmy nominee Tori Keenan-Zelt. The play, which was selected for Kilroy's Long List in 2014, will be directed by Andrew William Smith. Previews begin May 30 at IRT Theatre in the West Village, with opening slated for Saturday, June 2.

Closing its inaugural season at the Colony Theatre with completely sold out runs of new works, Queen of Basel and The Album , artistic director Michel Hausmann announces Miami New Drama's upcoming program of four plays that highlight pivotal historical periods and communities in Miami. Committed to producing new work that is reflective and inspired by the Magic City, these four productions include three world premieres commissioned by Miami New Drama, including the highly anticipated collaboration with Billy Corben on Cocaine Cowboys.

Project Y Theatre Company presents World Premiere of WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, a #MeToo play by Lia Romeo. Directed by Allison Benko, performances run through June 25 at IRT Theatre in the West Village.