Fresh off its world-premiere run in Minneapolis, where Star Tribune declared "Akeelah and the Bee triumphs," Children's Theatre Company's new production about an 11-year-old spelling prodigy comes to Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. The show is adapted for the stage by veteran playwright Cheryl L. West (Arena's Pullman Porter Blues, Jar the Floor), who partners with celebrated director Charles Randolph-Wright (director of Broadway's Motown and an inaugural resident playwright with Arena Stage, where he premiered his play Love in Afghanistan). Akeelah and the Bee runs November 13-December 27, 2015 in the Kreeger Theater.
Watching the news can make one feel discouraged and hopeless about the state of the world, with increasing violence around the world and in our own neighborhoods. At Pillsbury House Theatre, they're trying to make some sense of it and provide a bit of hope by preaching THE GOSPEL OF LOVINGKINDESS, a new play by Marcus Gardley. It's beautifully and poetically written, full of life and humor that balances out the devastation and death of the situation. It's heavy, and not easy to watch at times, but so worthwhile and necessary. THE GOSPEL OF LOVINGKINDESS is one of those plays that is about so much more than theater.
I don't know if you've noticed, but there's something exciting going on in downtown St. Paul. In what's usually regarded as the sleepier of the Twin Cities, Park Square Theatre has recently opened a second stage in the Historic Hamm Building on lovely 7th Place. This extra space has allowed them to do some great things in the last few months, including producing regional premieres, partnering with local theater companies (look for shows by Sandbox Theatre, Theatre Pro Rata, and Girl Friday Productions this spring and summer), an increased focus on diversity, and continuing their commitment to students. They currently have three fantastic shows playing on the two stages, including student matinees of an effectively condensed ROMEO AND JULIET. But for us grown-ups, the two stages offer two very different but both excellent choices: the bittersweet comedy SHOOTING STAR on the Proscenium Stage, and the emotional drama THE OTHER PLACE on the new Boss Stage. Read on to make your choice, but hurry, both shows close on April 19.
Midway through its first season producing on two stages, Park Square Theatre shows no sign of slowing down with its 2015-2016 theatre season. In addition to a range of area and regional premieres, the company is commissioning two brand new works - one for each stage - from Joel Sass (Great Expectations) and Christina Ham and Regina Marie Williams (Nina Simone: Four Women). The line-up also includes the first Midwest licensed production of an ingenious miniature musical that will delight mystery lovers, two family-friendly holiday treats, and new productions by two of Park Square's Theatres in Residence, Sandbox Theatre and Theatre Pro Rata. The season will conclude with a flash of mature flesh as nine leading actresses bare all in Calendar Girls by Tom Firth.
Goodman Theatre, in collaboration with Chicago's various off-Loop theaters and Northwestern University, unveils partial programming in its spring 2015 citywide "August Wilson Celebration" -- an extensive retrospective of the late playwright's life, artistry and influence on American culture. The seven-week Celebration takes place in March and April 2015 on dual landmark occasions: the 70th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright's birth and the 10th anniversary of his death.
With Sexy Laundry opening tonight, the entire cast roster for the theatre's biggest season is almost complete. Nearly 300 Minnesota artists - including actors, directors, designers and technical operators - will mount 18 productions on two stages. The season lineup confirms Park Square's commitment to the work of women writers like Amy Herzog, Michele Riml and Alice Walker. The casting emphasizes Park Square as a home for local artists of color, from returning favorites like James A. Williams, T. Mychael Rambo and Regina Williams to dozens of debuts like Dominique Wooten, Kurt Kwan and Sarah Ochs.
In recognition of the 20 year anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, actor/writer Jay O. Sanders' play Unexplored Interior, directed by James Glossman, received an unprecedented presentation on Sunday, May 11 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage (www.mjhnyc.org). This first of its kind, technological and creative partnership with Google+, allowed the play to be seen in NYC and at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center (www.kigaligenocidememorial.org) in Rwanda. Scroll down for photos!
Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company (Kenny Leon, Co-Founding Artistic Director) have announced that Ashley Herbert from Boston has won first place at the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition held on Monday, May 5th at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). Robert Upton from Chicago was the runner-up, and an honorable mention went to Atiauna Grant from Atlanta. Denzel Washington surprised the audience with a special appearance during the awards ceremony, and greeted all of the contestants afterwards. The event, which was free and open to the public, featured high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, Portland and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright. Scroll down for photos from the competition!
Just last night, High school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and Seattle perform monologues by the legendary American playwright August Wilson as a part of the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition. Emceed by Kenny Leon (True Colors Theatre Co-Founding Artistic Director), the event was judged by Pauletta Washington, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Cromer, James A. Williams and Narda E. Alcorn, with a special performance from the upcoming Broadway Tupac Shakur musical Holler If Ya Hear Me including cast members Saul Williams, Christopher Jackson, and Ben Thompson.
Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company present 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition tonight, May 5th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright.
In recognition of the 20 year anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, actor/writer Jay O. Sanders' play Unexplored Interior, directed by James Glossman, will receive and an unprecedented reading on Sunday, May 11 at 12 Noon at the Museum of Jewish Heritage (www.mjhnyc.org).
Jujamcyn Theaters and True Colors Theatre Company have announced the judges for the 6th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition on Monday, May 5th at 7:00 p.m. at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street). The event, which is free and open to the public, features high school students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh and Seattle performing monologues by the late, legendary American playwright.
The Guthrie Theater today announced it will welcome the return of Carlyle Brown & Company with Abe Lincoln and Uncle Tom in the White House, a new play which imagines a meeting between two icons in life and literature - President Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Beecher Stowe's fictional character Uncle Tom. Written and directed by Carlyle Brown (Are You Now or Have You Ever Been...), this original piece will play from March 21-April 6, 2014 in the Dowling Studio. Single tickets start at $18 and are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE, 612.225.6244 (Group Sales) and online at www.guthrietheater.org.
Park Square Theatre will shake the rafters and raise the roof off its 348-seat proscenium theatre next year with one of its largest musicals ever, featuring the largest all-African-American cast in its history. The Twin Cities first local production of the blockbuster musical The Color Purple will take to the company's proscenium stage in January 2015 under the leadership of director/choreographer Lewis Whitlock III. Made famous by Oprah Winfrey, the musical tells the intimate story of one woman's soaring triumph over oppression and abuse.
Park Square Theatre announces a 2013-2014 Season composed entirely of area, regional and world premieres - opening with David Lindsay-Abaire's dark comedy Good People and closing with the first ever stage depiction of Nero Wolfe, the famously eccentric detective genius created by best-selling author Rex Stout. The talent bringing these stories to life includes bold-faced names and theatre favorites, including the Minnesota stage debut of James Denton of Desperate Housewives fame, the return of Emmy-nominee Linda Kelsey playing Mary Todd Lincoln and the Park Square directing debuts of Joe Chvala and Amy Rummenie.
Actor/director and noted August Wilson interpreter Ruben Santiago-Hudson directs a revival staging of Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning THE PIANO LESSON 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 last week.
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.
