Joe A. Callaway News

Charles Newell, Artistic Director of Court Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, is the 2013 recipient of The Zelda Fichandler Award, an award to recognize an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through imaginative, brave work in theatre. The $5,000 award, given by Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation, heralds both accomplishment to date and promise for the future, and lauds deep commitment to a community.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), announces that Artistic Director Charles Newell of Court Theatre is the recipient of the 2013 Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes an outstanding director or choreographer who is transforming the regional arts landscape through singular creativity and artistry in theatre. The award heralds accomplishment to date and promise for the future, artistic vision, and deep commitment to a region outside of New York. It carries an unrestricted grant of $5000 to the individual recipient. The award will be presented to Mr. Newell on Monday, November 4, 2013 at a reception at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF) proudly reveals this season's Joe A. Callaway Award winners for Direction and Choreography from more than 200 eligible productions in the 2012 - 2013 New York City theatre season. This year's awards will be presented to Ruben Santiago-Hudson for his direction of The Piano Lesson produced by Signature Theatre and Marlo Hunter for her choreography of Unlock'd produced by Prospect Theater Company. The winners join previous Joe A. Callaway Award Winners including Susan Stroman (1991), Harold Prince (1993), Julie Taymor (1996), Jack O'Brien (2001), Bartlett Sher (2002), Daniel Sullivan (2004), John Tiffany (2012) and Steven Hoggett (2012).

La Jolla Playhouse announces a fifth production for its 2013/14 season: the world premiere of The Tallest Tree, a new play with music written and performed by Daniel Beaty (Emergency, Through the Night), directed by Moises Kaufman (I Am My Own Wife, The Laramie Project). A co-production with Kansas City Repertory Theatre, The Tallest Tree will run in The Playhouse's Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre tonight, October 9 - November 3, 2013. The piece is produced in association with Tectonic Theater Project.

The timeless classic of deliberation and consequence, TWELVE ANGRY MEN by Reginald Rose, opens tonight, September 21 at 8:00 p.m. at the John W. Engeman Theatre and runs through November 3, 2013.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre presents Natural Affection by William Inge, the first production of the company's 21st Season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Jenn Thompson, performances begin at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) tonight, September 17, 2013. Opening night is set for Thursday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Performances will continue through October 26, 2013.

'Humor Abuse,' the hilarious and heartfelt story of growing up in a circus, created by Lorenzo Pisoni and Erica Schmidt, directed by Schmidt and featuring a tour de force performance by Pisoni, will be presented at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, today, September 17 through November 3, 2013. The opening is set for September 21. Get a first look at Pisoni onstage below!

Announcing the cast and creative team for the timeless classic of deliberation and consequence, TWELVE ANGRY MEN by Reginald Rose. Previews begin on Thursday, September 19 at 8:00 p.m. with the official opening on Saturday, September 21 at 8:00 p.m. and running through November 3, 2013.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for Natural Affection by William Inge, the first production of the company's 21st Season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Jenn Thompson, performances begin at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. Opening night is set for Thursday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Performances will continue through October 26, 2013.

Sideshow Theatre Company, in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, will open its 2013-14 season with the Chicago premiere of 9 CIRCLES by Bill Cain, directed by Marti Lyons, playing tonight, August 29 - October 6, 2013 at The DCASE Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St. in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at www.sideshowtheatre.org. The press opening is Thursday, September 5 at 7:30 pm.

West Side Story, one of the greatest love stories of all time, opens on the Ogunquit Playhouse stage September 4 through September 28. This all new production of the timeless classic, helmed by Broadway veteran director BT McNicholl, mesmerizes audiences of all ages from the first note to the final breath. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway's finest and features beloved American musical theatre classics including "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere." With a set designed exclusively for the Ogunquit Playhouse by Michael Schweikardt, an extraordinary cast and an iconic score soaring throughout, theatre goers will fall in love with West Side Story all over again.

Sideshow Theatre Company, in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, will open its 2013-14 season with the Chicago premiere of 9 CIRCLES by Bill Cain, directed by Marti Lyons, playing August 29 - October 6, 2013 at The DCASE Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St. in Chicago.

Producers Daryl Roth and Eva Price announced today that Sebastian Arcelus, Fred Dalton Thompson (in his Broadway debut), and John Douglas Thompson will star in the new Broadway courtroom drama A Time to Kill, Tony Award-winning playwright Rupert Holmes' stage adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel. This new Broadway play holds the distinction of being the first-ever John Grisham property to be adapted for the stage. A Time to Kill is set to open on Broadway on October 20, 2013 at the John Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street). Previews begin September 28th. Ethan McSweeny will direct. The remainder of the high-powered ensemble cast of 13 will be announced shortly. For more information, visit www.ATimeToKillOnBroadway.com.

Berkshire Playwrights Lab will present a staged reading of Michael Brady's Titles, directed by Giovanna Sardelli, on Wednesday, July 24 at 7:30pm at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center (14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, Mass.). There is no charge for admission, however, Berkshire Playwrights Lab suggests a $10.00 donation to help offset its programming costs. For reservations, call 413.528.0100 or visit the Mahaiwe box office in person.

Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to announce its full 2013/14 Season, beginning this fall with the Chicago premiere of Bill Cain's spellbinding drama 9 CIRCLES directed by Marti Lyons. This winter, Sideshow begins its residency at Victory Gardens Theater with the Chicago premiere of Roland Schimmelpfennig's THE GOLDEN DRAGON, translated by David Tushingham and directed by Artistic Director Jonathan L. Green and Marti Lyons. Sideshow's critically acclaimed 2012 production of Schimmelpfennig's Idomeneus earned the company a Jeff Award for Best Ensemble. Sideshow's 2013/14 Season concludes next spring with the world premiere drama TYRANT by Artistic Associate Kathleen Akerley. For tickets and additional information, visit www.sideshowtheatre.org.

Direct from its sold-out World Premiere at Barrington Stage Company, Dr. Ruth, All The Way will be directed by Julianne Boyd co-founder and Artistic Director of Barrington Stage Company (BSC). TheaterWorks' production will be a revised version of BSC's production starring stage, film and television actress Debra Jo Rupp (Kitty Forman on That 70's Show). Dr. Ruth, All the Way will run May 31st through July 7th, 2013.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre has announced its 2013/2014 Season, which will include two treasures from iconic American playwrights. The critically-acclaimed and Drama Desk nominated Off-Broadway company 'dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit,' will present the family drama Natural Affection by William Inge and the comedy Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang, Off-Broadway at The Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Theatre Row. Neither play has been seen in NYC since their original productions.

The 2013 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) AND Forte Musical Theatre Guild present Crossing Swords a world premiere musical comedy by Joe Slabe, nominated for five Betty Mitchell Awards and three Calgary Critics' Awards. NYMF veteran Igor Goldin directs a cast of five including Linda Balgord (Bway: The Pirate Queen, CATS, La Cage, Gypsy standby for Patti Lupone; Nat. Tour: Sunset Boulevard), Ali Gordon (Regional: Fiddler on the Roof, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown), Steven Hauck (Bway: Irena's Vow), Lyle Colby Mackston (Papermill: 25th Annual...Spelling Bee), and Marrick Smith(New York: Love's Labour's Lost). Crossing Swords is being staged at The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street (bet. 9th & 10th Avenues) in NYC for five performances from Monday, July 22 through Sunday, July 28, 2013.

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director TriStan Wilson, presents the world premiere production of Muckrakers, a new play by Zayd Dohrn, directed by Giovanna Sardelli (BSC's The North Pool and Lord of the Flies). Muckrakers begins previews tonight, June 13, opens Wednesday, June 19 and will run through Saturday, July 6 at the St. Germain Stage, at the Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield.

Sailor hijinks, the danger of war, and the passion of young love are all joined together by Rogers & Hammerstein's sensational score in one of the most powerful musicals of all time, SOUTH PACIFIC. The musical runs now through July 14, 2013 at the John W. Engeman Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!