Jesse L. Martin News

On Wednesday, June 6, stage and screen star Jesse L. Martin visited the Foxwoods Theatre to check out SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK. Check out photos of Martin and cast member Luther Creek below!

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Patrick Willingham) announced today that Shakespeare in the Park alumni Raul Esparza, Jesse L. Martin, Jerry Stiller, Christopher Walken, Sam Waterston and Jeffrey Wright will join Kevin Kline as Romeo and Meryl Streep as Juliet in a one-night-only benefit reading of ROMEO AND JULIET on Monday, June 18-- the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

The Contradictions of Fair Hope, the directorial debut of S. Epatha Merkerson and Rockell Metcalf, is a powerful portrait of one of the nation's last surviving benevolent societies-a self-help group formed after Emancipation to help freed slaves take care of the sick, feed the hungry and bury the dead.

Kevin Kline and Dianne Wiest will perform I take your hand in mine ... the love letters of Anton Chekhov to Olga Knipper, a play by Carol Rocamora, in a staged reading benefiting The Acting Company on Monday, June 25, 7pm at The Kaye Playhouse, East 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues. Tickets at brownpapertickets.com or 1-800-838-3006. Benefit tickets, including cast dinner, from 212-258-3111.

The limited engagement will be at The Way Off Broadway Theatre in the Willowtree Plaza off the Golden Mile (Route 40 West) in Frederick, Maryland with performances Thursday evening, May 24, Friday, evening May 25, and Saturday evening, May 26, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and must be purchased with cash or check. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the theatre's Box Office or calling (301) 662-6600.

Tonight, April 16th, Our Time - a non-profit organization that has been helping children who stutter for over a decade - holds its 10th Annual Benefit Gala, Tackling Our Fears, Defending Our Dreams, celebrating the bravery and achievements of young people who stutter as well as those who inspire their success.

The Acting Company and the Guthrie Theater are bringing their national touring production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to New York for a limited two-week run, April 9-22, at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. Rob Melrose, Artistic Director of San Francisco's Cutting Ball Theater has directed what is considered one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. Michael Sexton, Artistic Director of The Shakespeare Society will host a talkback following the April 17th performance. Tickets for all performances are available from 866-811-4111 or www.theatermania.com.

Olivier Award-winning director Maria Aitken (39 Steps) will direct John Glover (Death of a Salesman), Marthe Keller (Judgment at Nuremberg) and Lisa Banes (Present Laughter) in a staged reading of Noel Coward's A Song at Twilight on Monday, April 16 at 7 pm at the Mainstage Theater (Playwrights Horizons). The performance, sponsored by the Noel Coward Foundation, is presented in conjunction with The Noel Coward-New York Festival 2012. A reception with the cast and director will be held following the performance. Ms. Aitken serves on the Artists Advisory Board of The Acting Company; Ms. Banes is an Alumna of the Company. Tickets @ $35 are available from 212-258-3111.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey and William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) will tonight present the company's highly anticipated annual gala. Complimenting the glittering, previously announced Miscast will be Josh Gad ("Modern Family," The Book of Mormon), Norm Lewis (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess), Jan Maxwell (Follies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Rory O'Malley (The Book of Mormon), Constantine Maroulis ("American Idol," Rock of Ages), and Nicole Parker ("Mad TV," a Miscast favorite returning for her 4th time). The event will be held Monday, March 26, 2012 at The Hammerstein Ballroom (311 West 34th Street).

On April 16th, Our Time - a non-profit organization that has been helping children who stutter for over a decade - will hold its 10th Annual Benefit Gala, Tackling Our Fears, Defending Our Dreams, celebrating the bravery and achievements of young people who stutter as well as those who inspire their success.

MCC THEATER has announced fabulous additions to their all-star line-up for the company's highly anticipated annual gala. Complimenting the glittering, previously announced Miscast will be Josh Gad ("Modern Family," The Book of Mormon), Norm Lewis (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess), Jan Maxwell (Follies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Rory O'Malley (The Book of Mormon) and Nicole Parker ("Mad TV," a Miscast favorite returning for her 4th time). The event will be held Monday, March 26, 2012 at The Hammerstein Ballroom (311 West 34th Street).

The Acting Company of New York will present the special event PATTI'S TURN!, a tribute to Patti LuPone, at 7pm tonight at the Kaye Playhouse.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: Jesus is back on Broadway, Raul Esparza feels the spirit, Norm Lewis sings for the Public, and so much more!

The Public Theater hosted the Public Sings! benefit last night, March 5. The evening featured David Byrne, Alan Cumming, Montego Glover, Gabriel Kahane, Ethan Lipton, Kelli O'Hara, Jesse L. Martin, Benjamin Walker, Jessica Phillips and more at Joe's Pub. Check out a few production shots from the event below!

The Public Theater hosted the Public Sings! benefit last night, March 6. The evening featured Tituss Burgess, John Ellison Conlee, Lili Cooper, Matt Doyle, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Greg Hildreth, Eli James, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Justin Levine, Norm Lewis, Betsy Morgan, Jessica Phillips, Bobby Steggert, and Katie Thompson and more at Joe's Pub. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photo coverage below!

The Public Theater announced the return of PUBLIC SINGS! tonight March 5, 2012, an unforgettable evening that celebrates the rich history of musicals produced by The Public Theater, including HAIR, A Chorus Line, and Caroline, or Change, as well as new musicals in development like February House premiering at The Public this May. This intimate evening at Joe's Pub will welcome to the stage many popular Public Theater and Joe's Pub artists, including Laura Benanti, David Byrne, Raul Esparza, Jesse L. Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Steven Pasquale, as well as offer a sneak peak at upcoming musicals. PUBLIC SINGS! tickets can be purchased by calling the Development Office at (212) 539-8554.

The Public Theater announced today that Tituss Burgess, John Ellison Conlee, Lili Cooper, Matt Doyle, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Greg Hildreth, Eli James, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Justin Levine, Norm Lewis, Betsy Morgan, Jessica Phillips, Bobby Steggert, and Katie Thompson will join the star-studded PUBLIC SINGS! benefit on Monday, March 5 at Joe's Pub. A limited number of $250 tickets for the performance only are available now by calling (212) 539-8554.

The Guthrie Theater and The Acting Company have reunited to present Julius Caesar, a contemporary spin on Shakespeare's conspiratorial political tragedy. Now in its fourth year, this burgeoning partnership between the Guthrie and The Acting Company is a productive training ground that showcases the talents of up-and-coming actors. Directed by Rob Melrose, this production of Julius Caesar boasts an intentionally contemporary look and feel and features graduates of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater B.F.A. Actor Training Program, A Guthrie Experience for Actors in Training and alumni of The Acting Company.

Patti LuPone will be celebrated in an all-star evening of song and memories on Monday, March 12. The Acting Company will salute a founding member and board director with the help of two other founding members, Kevin Kline and David Schramm, joined by Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Harvey Fierstein, Zoe Caldwell, Laura Benanti, Boyd Gaines, Michael Urie, Melissa Errico, Howard McGillin, Steven Pasquale, Anthony Dean Griffey, Manoel Feliciano, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Tickets range from $75 to $175 from http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/226559 or at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office 212-772-4448. Benefit tickets, which include dinner with Patti LuPone and the cast, are available from 212-258-3111.

The Acting Company will present a benefit staged reading of Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer at 7 pm on Monday, February 13 at the Mainstage Theater (Playwrights Horizons). The performance, starring Dana Ivey (The Help, Importance of Being Earnest), Rebecca Brooksher (The Good Wife), Betsy Aidem (Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling), Chad Hoeppner (Come Back Little Sheba, Butley) Neal Huff (When I Come to Die, The Little Dog Laughed) and Pamela Nyberg (Doubt tour) will be followed by a reception with the cast and director, Jodie Markell (The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond). Ms. Ivey serves on the Board of The Acting Company; Chad Hoeppner and Pamela Nyberg are both Acting Company Alumni Members. Tickets @ $35 are available from 212-258-3111.