Jackie Sibblies Drury News

'Not Afraid' by Nora Sorena Casey is a dark comedy about Bets, a young woman who is obsessed with her death metal blog. When she gets a death threat, it catalyzes a series of disturbing encounters for both her and her housemate and best friend, Hunter, a callous law student. The two women argue about heavy metal, the U.S.S.R. and taco night -- and try not to die. The play is at once funny, sad and devastating. PowerOut presents the work's world premiere October 19 to November 4 at Under St. Marks, 94 St. Marks Place. Ben Ferber directs.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Sarah Benson and Executive Director Cynthia Flowers, Soho Rep. has continually produced work by bold artists who harness the intimate power of a 73-seat black box theater to create transformative experiences. Soho Rep.'s 2014-15 season, announced today, comprises three new works that each speak to the civic power of theater through their own distinctive form.

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center at The Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY) presents PRELUDE 2014, an annual three-day festival dedicated to artists at the forefront of contemporary New York City theatre and performance.

Victory Gardens Theater presents the 2014 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Where Did We Sit on the Bus? by Brian Quijada; Lack and Lack by April Fools (Kristiana Colon & Damon Williams); Sender by Ike Holter; Slingshot by Kia Corthron; Hillary and Clinton by Lucas Hnath; For Tomorrow, Please Prepare by Paul Downs Colaizzo; and Cocked by Sarah Gubbins. The festival will take place today, July 24-27, 2014. The IGNITION festival creates a productive environment for both emerging and established playwrights to explore and develop their new work.

Victory Gardens Theater announces the complete lineup for the 2014 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Where Did We Sit on the Bus? by Brian Quijada; Lack and Lack by April Fools (Kristiana Colon & Damon Williams); Sender by Ike Holter; Slingshot by Kia Corthron; Hillary and Clinton by Lucas Hnath; For Tomorrow, Please Prepare by Paul Downs Colaizzo; and Cocked by Sarah Gubbins. The festival will take place July 24-27, 2014.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) in association with Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Renee Blinkwolt, Managing Director) just announced the upcoming world premiere of BY THE WATER, the new play by Sharyn Rothstein, directed by Hal Brooks.

Artistic Director Hal Brooks has announced that the 20th Season of the Cape Cod Theatre Project, featuring staged readings of new work by Cory Hinkle, Hamish Linklater, Seth Moore and the Lobbyists, and Alena Smith is now cast. Obie Winner and Tony Nominee Johanna Day will be joined by Girls star Michael Zegen and others.

Manhattan Theatre Club's American premiere of The Lion, the new musical written and performed by 2013 ASCAP Cole Porter Songwriting Award winner Benjamin Scheuer, and directed by Sean Daniels, runs at The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street). The five-week limited engagement for The Lion will open tonight, June 26.

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center at The Graduate Center, CUNY is pleased to announce the 2014 PRELUDE FESTIVAL. The annual festival is dedicated to artists at the forefront of contemporary New York City theatre and performance. Following the enormous success of its tenth anniversary in 2013, the eleventh annual PRELUDE festival will be curated by Chloe Bass, Jackie Sibblies Drury, Sarah Rose Leonard, Allison Lyman, and Frank Hentschker. Artists and participants of the festival will be announced in late July 2014.

Manhattan Theatre Club's American premiere of THE LION, the new musical written and performed by 2013 ASCAP Cole Porter Songwriting Award winner Benjamin Scheuer, and directed by Sean Daniels, begins performances tonight, June 10 at The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street). The five-week limited engagement for THE LION will open Thursday, June 26.

SPACE on Ryder Farm, a nonprofit artist residency program announces its 4th season. Housed on an organic farm in picturesque Brewster, NY, SPACE will host over 150 artists as they develop 75 projects.

Manhattan Theatre Club's American premiere of THE LION, the new musical written and performed by 2013 ASCAP Cole Porter Songwriting Award winner Benjamin Scheuer, and directed by Sean Daniels is now in rehearsal. The five-week limited engagement for THE LION will begin previews on Tuesday, June 10 and open Thursday, June 26 as the second production of MTC's 2013-2014 season of The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street).

Single tickets to the American premiere of THE LION, the new musical written and performed by 2013 ASCAP Cole Porter Songwriting Award winner Benjamin Scheuer, directed by Sean Daniels are available today, Friday, April 25. The five-week limited engagement for THE LION will begin previews on Tuesday, June 10 and open Thursday, June 26 as the second production of MTC's 2013-2014 season of The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street).

Soho Rep presents the world premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's An Octoroon, directed by Soho Rep. Artistic Director Sarah Benson. The production, tonight, April 23, through May 18, concludes a banner New York season for the celebrated playwright, whose Appropriate made its New York premiere February 25-April 6 at Signature Theatre.

Kenopsia Productions and Blind Pug Arts Collective have announced the run of Fault Lines: Two One Acts, a compilation of two bold and biting one act plays that explore the boundaries of familial love, and the dangers of parental protection going too far. The show begins with The Rest, is Silence by rising playwright Kelsey Jayne Hogan, and concludes with frag by Michael John Garces, Artistic Director of Cornerstone Theatre Company. Emerging director Elizabeth Schneider will direct these two complimentary, yet stylistically contrasting pieces that expose the fissures of family dysfunction.

Off-Broadway's Soho Repertory Theatre was forced to evacuate and cancel its Spring 2014 gala last night, March 31, after a support beam of the second floor balcony at the Angel Orensanz Center cracked around 7:15 p.m. According to New York Magazine, the floor began to sag on the left side of the balcony at the Lower East Side synagogue.

Victory Gardens Theater Artistic Director Chay Yew announces a call for submissions of new, challenging, and innovative plays to be a part of the 2014 IGNITION Festival of New Plays, which will take place July 21-27, 2014. The fourth IGNITION festival will create a productive environment for both emerging and established playwrights to explore and develop their new work. The deadline for submission is Thursday, May 15, 2014.

Hosted by Gretchen Mol and Tim Blake Nelson, Spring Fete, Soho Rep.'s Spring 2014 Gala, will honor Jon Dembrow, Soho Rep. Board Chair since 1999, at the Angel Orensanz Foundation on March 31. The event will feature presentations by two-time Academy award-winner Sally Field, Academy award-winner Marisa Tomei, Emmy award-winner Bobby Cannavale, comedian Richard Lewis, and Tony nominated actress Marin Ireland along with performances by three-time Grammy award-winner Steve Earle, Tony award-winner Bill Irwin, composer Todd Almond (Tempest), playwright and OBIE award-winning actress Eisa Davis (Passing Strange) and actress Amber Gray (Natasha Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812).

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Jennifer Bielstein are delighted to announce the 38th Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theatre of Louisville, running tonight, February 26-April 6, 2014. This year's Festival program will feature (in order of opening):