Jay Russell News

First things first; there is no hot air ballooning in Mark Brown's stage adaptation of Jules Verne's Around The World In 80 Days, just in case your only familiarity with the plot comes from Michael Todd's not exactly faithful 1956 movie version. (For that matter, there aren't any martial arts fight scenes either, in case you only saw the Jackie Chan remake.) But if Verne's hero did dabble in a bit of ballooning, I'm sure Brown and director Michael Evan Haney would have found some clever way to depict it in this lively and entertaining little production that's landed at the Irish Repertory Theatre in association with Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

The eighth episode of the showbiz-themed web series 'The Battery's Down,' which chronicles the life of a young performer in New York City, will feature Tony Award winner John Gallagher, Jr. (Spring Awakening, Rabbit Hole), Deidre Goodwin (A Chorus Line, 30 Rock), Eric Roediger (Spelling Bee), Jay Russell (Around The World In 80 Days), Emily Walton (Saved), Matthew Nardozzi (Inherit The Wind), and Tyler Maynard (The Little Mermaid, Altar Boyz) who is reprising the role of Pepe.

The Irish Repertory Theatre in association with The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will present AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. This high-spirited, fast-moving and highly imaginative show, by Mark Brown from the novel by Jules Verne, begins previews July 11th, opens July 20th and continues through September 7th at the Irish Repertory Theatre.

The Irish Repertory Theatre in association with The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will present AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS. This high-spirited, fast-moving and highly imaginative show, by Mark Brown from the novel by Jules Verne, begins previews July 11th, opens July 20th and continues through September 7th at the Irish Repertory Theatre.

The Summer Play Festival has announced casting and schedules for the second week of its fourth annual event at Theatre Row

Robert Prosky and Helen Carey will star in Michael Frayn's farce Noises Off, presented by Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage from December 15th through January 28th in the Kreeger Theater

New World Stages will host two staged readings of Why This Night, a new comedy by Stephen Joseph, with direction by Alan Souza, on Monday, August 28th at 7pm and Tuesday, August 29th