Jean Cocteau News

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce Writers Theatre's World Premiere production of Days Like Today, with music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler and book by Laura Eason, directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, music direction by Doug Peck and choreography by Tommy Rapley. The production runs May 6-July 13, 2014 at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The press opening is May 22, 2014 at 7:30pm.

Born 1989 in Pärnu and currently based in Tallinn, Liis Koger has graduated from Pärnu Sütevaka High School Of Humanistics, and studied Psychology and Theology at University of Tartu, graduating there in 2013 with a BA degree in Painting, Fine Arts. Liis Koger has been accepted to study for her MA in Visual Communication at London's Royal College of Art 2014/15. Painting and poetry are connected in many ways. If one looks at poets/artists like Jean Cocteau, Max Jacob, William Blake or Pablo Picasso, it becomes clear that being a poet adds an extra, often somewhat esoteric dimension to other artistic expressions the poet might choose. Kogers's paintings are distinguished by a high level of lyricism and introspection. The classic abstract Nordic painterly tradition of artists such as Per Kirkeby is given a contemporary and mature interpretation. Since 2010, Liis Koger has exhibited widely, enjoyed solo and group shows in Estonia, Italy, UK, USA and Switzerland. Her work is present in private collections in Estonia, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Norway. Works in public spaces include Riigikogu, The Parliament Of Estonia, Toompea, Tallinn, Estonia and the Institute Of Mathematical Statistics, Tartu, Estonia. About SomoS: A continuation of former art space Kunstraum Richard Sorge, non-profit art space SomoS' mission is to create an international open platform for innovative arts, exhibitions, performances, research, workshops, education and creative cooperation, as well as offering artist in residence opportunities. Venue: SomoS Art House Kottbusser Damm 95 1st floor 10967 Berlin Phone: +49 01723118431 http://www.somos-arts.org https://www.facebook.com/somosberlin

King Lear's fate is sealed in Shakespeare's play: to be tragically reunited with the one daughter he loves. But what would be the fate of his faithful Fool? That question lies at the heart of 'The Fool's Lear,' a new play by Randy Neale, which will have its New York premiere May 5 to 25 as a featured production of Phoenix Theatre Ensemble's Tenth Anniversary Spring Rep season at The Wild Project 195 E. 3rd Street (at Ave. B). This new, funny, poignant comedic drama follows the journey of the Fool and his King as they ply a path along side Shakespeare's great tragedy, exploring hilarious and harrowing byways between its scenes. Grant Neale directs and plays The Fool and Craig Smith plays The King in a play which South Carolina critics called a delight and a must-see comic drama.

Como cada día 27 de marzo, gracias a la iniciativa del Instituto Internacional de Teatro (ITI), se hará un reconocimiento al arte Teatral. Brett Bailey, dramaturgo sudafricano, el encargado del mensaje de esta edición 2014.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre and home of the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute (ITI-US), has released Brett Bailey and Diane Rodriguez's World Theatre Day 2014 messages. Each year, a renowned theatre artist of world stature is invited by ITI Worldwide in Paris to craft the International Message, which is then translated into more than 20 languages to mark the global occasion. This year, TCG has renewed their tradition of asking a noted U.S. artist to also reflect on the themes of World Theatre Day.

Julesworks presents edition twenty-four of Santa Fe's Monthly Variety Show, The Julesworks Follies, on Monday, March 31st at 7 pm. Julesworks continues to stage their show at the newly reopened Jean Cocteau Cinema at 418 Montezuma, their current home.

The critically-acclaimed KINGS OF THE DANCE makes its UK debut at the London Coliseum, today 19th - Saturday 22nd March 2014, showcasing the phenomenal artistry, style and power of its celebrated male dancers.

The Adelaide Festival had many excellent productions to offer but, for me, this was the stand out performance for this year.

For DIRECTOR'S CHOICE, the fourth program of Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2013-2014 season, Artistic Director Peter Boal selects from his roster of acquisitions and increases them by one: The captivating mixed-bill program will feature a much-anticipated world premiere by Alejandro Cerrudo, resident choreographer of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. The program also reprises audience favorites TAKE FIVE...More or Less, Broadway-darling Susan Stroman's sunny slice of jazz-infused Dave Brubeck fun; and Susan Marshall's distinctive aerial duet, Kiss. Rounding out the lineup is Molissa Fenley's State of Darkness, a tour-de-force solo performance set to Stravinsky's riot-inducing The Rite of Spring. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE runs for seven performances only, today, March 14 through 23 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts announces its 2014 summer opera productions.

TALHOTBLOND opens tonight, March 7th and runs at 8pm todays and Saturdays, and 2pm on Sundays through April 26, 2014. Ruskin Group Theatre is located at 3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tickets are $25 ($20 for students, seniors, and guild members) and can be purchased in advance by calling (310) 397-3244. For more information please visit www.ruskingrouptheatre.com. Free parking is available at the theater.

Ripe Time, the Brooklyn-based company led by Rachel Dickstein, has garnered acclaim for creating physically charged, visually powerful adaptations of classic and contemporary stories by authors raging from Edith Wharton to Jhumpa Lahiri. Conceived, written and directed by Dickstein, the play The World is Round epitomizes the company's work, creating from Gertrude Stein's book a fable (for grownups and mature children) full of original, live music by Heather Christian and aerial movement choreographed by Nicki Miller. Ripe Time's first new show since its celebrated Mrs. Dalloway adaptation Septimus and Clarissa (2011), The World is Round makes its world premiere April 17 - 30 at BAM Fisher (Fishman Space, 321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn).

Bookworks and the Albuquerque Public Library Foundation are collaborating on a new literary series, a Word with Writers, which will feature writers in conversation with one another. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Albuquerque Public Library Foundation.

For DIRECTOR'S CHOICE, the fourth program of Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2013-2014 season, Artistic Director Peter Boal selects from his roster of acquisitions and increases them by one: The captivating mixed-bill program will feature a much-anticipated world premiere by Alejandro Cerrudo, resident choreographer of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. The program also reprises audience favorites TAKE FIVE…More or Less, Broadway-darling Susan Stroman's sunny slice of jazz-infused Dave Brubeck fun; and Susan Marshall's distinctive aerial duet, Kiss. Rounding out the lineup is Molissa Fenley's State of Darkness, a tour-de-force solo performance set to Stravinsky's riot-inducing The Rite of Spring. DIRECTOR'S CHOICE runs for seven performances only, March 14 through 23 at Seattle Center's Marion Oliver McCaw Hall. Tickets start at just $28 and may be purchased by calling the PNB Box Office at 206.441.2424, online at PNB.org, or in person at the PNB Box Office, 301 Mercer Street.

Theatre francais de Toronto will present Quebec screen and stage legends Louise Marleau and Albert Millaire in Cher menteur (Dear Liar: A Comedy of Letters) by Jerome Kilty. Translated into French by the famed poet Jean Cocteau and directed by Millaire himself, the Toronto premiere of this epistolary comedy opens at the Berkeley Street Theatre today, February 19 and runs to March 1. There will be English surtitles.

TALHOTBLOND opens March 7th and runs at 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2pm on Sundays through April 26, 2014. Ruskin Group Theatre is located at 3000 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Tickets are $25 ($20 for students, seniors, and guild members) and can be purchased in advance by calling (310) 397-3244. For more information please visit www.ruskingrouptheatre.com. Free parking is available at the theater.

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston presents DEATH OF A SALESMAN, running tonight, February 14 - March 15, 2014. The play, by Arthur Miller, will be directed by Spiro Veloudos.

Theatre francais de Toronto will present Quebec screen and stage legends Louise Marleau and Albert Millaire in Cher menteur (Dear Liar: A Comedy of Letters) by Jerome Kilty. Translated into French by the famed poet Jean Cocteau and directed by Millaire himself, the Toronto premiere of this epistolary comedy opens at the Berkeley Street Theatre on February 19 and runs to March 1. There will be English surtitles.

Breaking Glass Pictures and Shoreline Entertainment are pleased to announce today's February 7th North American theatrical release of 7 Boxes, the debut film from the directing team of Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori. The film had its world premiere at the International Film Festival of San Sebastian to audience and critical acclaim and broke box office records in its native Paraguay. An official selection of the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, Indiewire hailed the Paraguayan action-thriller as 'The Fast and the Furious with wheelbarrows.'