Jo Bonney News

The Open Fist Theatre Company is thrilled to present FOOTE NOTES, written by Horton Foote and directed by Scott Paulin whose previous directorial Foote offerings have been critically-acclaimed (Harrison, Texas, The Roads to Home, Getteng Frankie Married…and Afterwards). Mr. Paulin's previous collection of one-acts Harrison, TX just closed a sold-out run in New York. FOOTE NOTES, will preview on Friday, November 2, at 8pm; Saturday, November 3 at 8pm and Thursday, November 8 at 8pm and will open on Friday, November 9 at 8pm and runs through Saturday, December 15 at the Open Fist Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood.

On Friday night, Rosario Dawson hosted a special talkback with girls from the Lower East Side Girls Club, immediately following the first preview performance of Eve Ensler's Emotional Creature. Following the talkback, Dawson, Ensler and director Jo Bonney posed for photos with the six-member cast. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the event below!

Producers Carole Black and Pat Mitchell present EMOTIONAL CREATURE, the new play written by Tony Award®-winning playwright, performer, activist, and The Vagina Monologues author Eve Ensler, will get a New York premiere this fall. Directed by Obie Award-winner Jo Bonney (By the Way, Meet Vera Stark) with original music and musical direction by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder, Emotional Creature will begin previews at The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street) on Friday, October 26, 2012 with an official opening night set for Monday, November 12, 2012, direct from an acclaimed World Premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. The cast and creative team just met the press and you can check out complete photo coverage below!

"The reason I wrote Emotional Creature was to honor people like Malala Yousufzai - a fearless young activist who is an inspiration to teen girls the world over. We cannot begin this process without keeping her in our thoughts. Today's first rehearsal is dedicated to her bravery, her cause, and what I hope is her speedy recovery."

Toward the end of the second act of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage's By The Way, Meet Vera Stark, a character shouts, "It's not what's said, it's what's not said!" This could be a tagline to describe the show, which is light and funny in its first act, and far more serious in the second, when film is utilized to tell more of the life of Vera Stark and dark questions are raised and not always answered.

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, once again takes the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. By the Way, Meet Vera Stark opened at the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse on September 26, 2012. Check out photos of the stars at opening night below!

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) begins previews today for the world premiere production of Don't Go Gentle by Stephen Belber and directed by Lucie Tiberghien, who also directed Belber's play Geometry of Fire at the Rattlestick Theater.

Yale Rep (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) opens its 2012-13 season with AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ, written by Richard Montoya, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney, and directed by Shana Cooper. AMERICAN NIGHT will play now through October 13 at the University Theatre (222 York Street). Opening Night is tonight, September 27.

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, will once again take the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. Get a first look at the stars onstage below!

As the country prepares for the 2012 presidential election, Texas Performing Arts welcomes one of America's premiere artists, Laurie Anderson, performing her intimate but volatile piece, Dirtday! Anderson looks at politics, theories of evolution, families, history, and animals in this riotous and soulful collection of songs and stories. As Anderson says, "Politicians are essentially story tellers. They describe the world as it is and also as they think it should be. As a fellow story teller, it seems like a really good time to think about how words can literally create the world."

The New Group will present the first production in its 2012-2013 season, the world premiere of The Good Mother, a new play by Francine Volpe. Directed by Scott Elliott, this production features Darren Goldstein, Gretchen Mol, Alfredo Narciso, Eric Nelsen and Bill Sage. Previews begin October 29 in advance of an Official Opening Night on Thursday, November 15 at 7:00pm. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through December 22 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street / Acorn Theatre).

Yale Rep (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) opens its 2012-13 season with AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ, written by Richard Montoya, developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney, and directed by Shana Cooper. AMERICAN NIGHT will play September 21-October 13 at the University Theatre (222 York Street). Opening Night is Thursday, September 27.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that individual tickets have gone on-sale for the first show of its 2012-13 season: the world premiere of Stephen Belber's Don't Go Gentle. Performances take place at The Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) and tickets go on sale at 11AM today Thursday, August 23rd at www.mcctheater.org or by calling (212) 352-3101.

Today, August 20th, Tony Award winner and playwright, performer, feminist and activist Eve Ensler wrote an open letter on the Huffington Post's website in response to Representative Todd Akin. The Republican Senate nominee from Missouri recently stated that in a 'legitimate rape' a woman's body will block an unwanted pregnancy.

As the country prepares for the 2012 presidential election, Texas Performing Arts welcomes one of America's premiere artists, Laurie Anderson, performing her intimate but volatile piece, Dirtday! Anderson looks at politics, theories of evolution, families, history, and animals in this riotous and soulful collection of songs and stories. As Anderson says, "Politicians are essentially story tellers. They describe the world as it is and also as they think it should be. As a fellow story teller, it seems like a really good time to think about how words can literally create the world."

MCC THEATER today announced full casting for Don't Go Gentle and additional casting for Small Engine Repair, two productions in their upcoming 2012-13 season, which marks the company's 27th consecutive year producing and developing new work by today's most provocative and vibrant artists.

The New Group has announced complete casting for Francine Volpe's suspenseful drama The Good Mother. Darren Goldstein, Alfredo Narciso, Eric Nelsen and Bill Sage join Gretchen Mol (previously announced) in this world premiere directed by Scott Elliott. Previews for the play, which launches The New Group's 2012-13 season, begin October 29 in advance of an Official Opening Night on Thursday, November 15. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through December 22 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street / Acorn Theatre).

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, will once again take the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. Broadway vet and Geffen alum Merle Dandridge (Spamalot, Rent, Aida) will take on the spicy role of Anna Mae, who fakes a Brazilian accent for a slice of fame, and former leading lady of ABC's Man Up, Amanda Detmer, will portray Gloria Mitchell, the white starlet dubbed "America's little sweetie pie" and Vera's first employer. Helmed by award-winning director Jo Bonney, the West Coast premiere cast also features Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Being John Malkovich), Spencer Garrett (Iron Man 3, Air Force One) and Geffen alum Mather Zickel (Extraordinary Chambers, Rachel Getting Married).

Denver Center Theatre Company (DCTC) took home four 2012 Henry Awards during the Colorado Theatre Guild's 7thAnnual Henry Awards on Monday, July 16 at the L2 Arts and Culture Center. DCTC was represented in 14 categories with 15 nominations and was honored with two special awards.

'Emotional Creature' exemplifies the spirit and heart of Ensler's best-selling book 'I am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World, shedding light on the joys and challenges as well as the violence faced by girls across the globe. 'Emotional Creature' is a theatrically lit match that will light a fire in your heart and has the potential to spark a girl revolution.