Jessica Blank News

Dirt Dogs Theatre Co. announced the lineup for its 207-2018 season, featuring a contemporary comedy, a tale of redemption, and the staged adaptation of a cinematic classic.

By popular demand Steppenwolf's LookOut Series extends its rock 'n' roll production of the solo play, How To Be A Rock Critic (Based on the Writings of Lester Bangs) by award-winning theatre artists Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, starring Erik Jensen (The Walking Dead, Mr. Robot) as Lester Bangs and directed by Jessica Blank (Made in Jersey, The Namesake). Described as "a fascinating window into one of the last century's most compelling and fearless critics," (Chicago Tribune), the 80-minute production continues for three additional performances through July 29, 2017 in the 1700 Theatre, situated behind Front Bar: Coffee & Drinks (drinks permitted in the theater).

"This music is magical. My writing is stilted." So proclaims Erik Jensen as famed rock critic Lester Bangs in HOW TO BE A ROCK CRITIC, now playing as part of Steppenwolf's Lookout Series. This thought has likely crossed the mind of all art critics out there (certainly it has crossed mine), and it embodies the spirit of this 80-minute solo play as it charts Bangs's career. Jensen and co-playwright Jessica Blank (the pair are also married) give us a portrait of Bangs-who died of a drug overdose at age 33-that demonstrates the passion, creativity, and self-destructive nature that defined him. This solo play provides an overview of Bangs's trajectory and allows audiences to learn about the rock music he loved, aided by David Robbins's sound design.

New York Theatre Workshop announced today a one week extension for NYTW Usual Suspect Mfoniso Udofia's SOJOURNERS and HER PORTMANTEAU, presented in repertory and directed by NYTW Usual Suspect and former NYTW 2050 Fellow Ed Sylvanus Iskandar.

Steppenwolf's LookOut Series has announced their summer lineup, which will feature a three week run of the acclaimed solo play, How To Be A Rock Critic (Based on the Writings of Lester Bangs) by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, the award-winning writers of The Exonerated and Aftermath. The show will run July 6 - July 22 in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre (1700 N Halsted St); the press performance is Friday, July 7 at 8pm.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) has announced five productions as part of its complete 2017/18 Season.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) has announced casting for NYTW Usual Suspect Mfoniso Udofia's SOJOURNERS and HER PORTMANTEAU, presented in repertory and directed by NYTW Usual Suspect and former NYTW 2050 Fellow Ed Sylvanus Iskandar.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) announced today that the NYTW 2017 Spring Gala will celebrate partnerships with honorees Dartmouth College, whose residency partnership with NYTW spans a quarter of a century; along with longtime NYTW Usual Suspect and Tony Award-nominated Director Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, War Paint), who was an inaugural member of NYTW's 'New Directors Project' in 1984 and rose to prominence with his direction of Machinal at the Public and Rent at NYTW. The Gala will be held on Monday, May 15 at the Edison Ballroom (240 W 47th St., New York, NY 10036).

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) has announced the launch of the new 2050 Administrative Fellowship Program for aspiring theatre administrators.

Due to popular demand, New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) (Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director Jeremy Blocker) announced today a two-week extension of THE OBJECT LESSON, the third show in the 2016/17 Season.

THE OBJECT LESSON, the third production of the New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) 2016/17 Season, by NYTW Usual Suspect Geoff Sobelle (all wear bowlers), is directed by NYTW Usual Suspect David Neumann (Restless Eye), with scenic installation design by Steven Dufala. THE OBJECT LESSON opens tonight, February 9, at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th Street New York, NY 10003) for a limited run through Sunday, March 5, 2017.

THE OBJECT LESSON, the third production of the New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) 2016/17 Season, begins previews tonight, January 31, 2017, and will open on Thursday, February 9 at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th Street New York, NY 10003) for a limited run through Sunday, March 5, 2017.

The Exonerated tells the haunting stories taken from interviews as well as from the actual court transcripts and interviews of forty former death row inmates. All were eventually proven innocent and released after spending as much as twenty two years behind bars.

The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC in association with The Public Theater presents Public Forum: Letters From Detention tonight, January 26 at 7PM.

This month, the Supreme Court heard their final cases under the Obama administration. The last, Ziglar v. Abbasi, was argued on January 18 and concerns hundreds of Muslim, South Asian, and Arab men who were rounded up, detained for months, and deported in the wake of 9/11 based on their race, religion, ethnicity, and immigration status.

Tickets for THE OBJECT LESSON, the third production of the New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) 2016/17 Season, are now on sale.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) presents a benefit performance of Othello, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Gold (Fun Home), tonight, January 12, 2017, at 6:30 pm.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) presents Othello, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Gold (Fun Home). Othello will begin previews tonight, November 22, and open on Monday, December 12 at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th Street New York, NY 10003) for a limited run through Wednesday, January 18, 2017.

The Actors' Gang's Cynthia Ettinger ever so smoothly directs her very exceptional cast as they infuse life to six real-life, wrongly convicted death row survivors and the peripheral people besides them. Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen's script of THE EXONERATED vividly illustrates how these six people managed to find themselves at the crosshairs of the American criminal justice executioner.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) has announced an additional benefit performance of Othello, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Gold (Fun Home), on Thursday, January 12, 2017, at 6:30 pm. Proceeds from the evening will go to benefit NYTW's education and engagement programming across the 2016/17 season, providing thousands of students, teens, artists, and local residents access to some of the most exciting new voices and leading theatre artists of our time.