'This is an excellent season of plays,' Glory Kadigan, founder and curator of Planet Connections Theatre Festivity's Playwrights For A Cause, said, remarking about this year's plays and playwrights, and now, the creative team. 'I'm so proud of the activist artists involved with Planet Connections for continuing to connect with audiences in so many creative ways while drawing attention to organizations who are on the front lines of this important work.'
Below, check out an 'unplugged' rendition of 'Heaven on their Minds' from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. In this special video, filmed at The Washington National Cathedral, hear Ari McKay Wilford's acoustic version of the classic song from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's seminal musical!
Ari McKay Wilford, who plays Judas in the upcoming production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, recently recording an acoustic version of Heaven on Their Minds. The video was filmed at the Washington National Cathedral.
Today's subjects, Sherri Edelen and Thomas Adrian Simpson, are currently living their theatre lives in tech for Jesus Christ Superstar at Signature Theatre. Thomas is playing the high priest Caiaphas and Sheri, in a brilliant turn of non-traditional casting, will be playing King Herod. The production runs from May 9th to July 2nd.
The bad news first: the 2016/2017 Boston theater season is coming to a close. Now that we got that out of the way let's spin this into a positive because it doesn't mean our theater options suddenly run dry for the next few months! Right now, companies located in a Western Massachusetts region called the Berkshires are preparing to deliver full-length seasons of theater compacted into just a few months.
Below, in the second of three Unplugged Sessions from Signature Theatre, watch Natascia Diaz sing Mary Magdalene's moving torch song 'I Don't Know How to Love Him,' filmed at the Washington National Cathedral! This epic story will come to life in an immersive new staging in Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre and runs May 9 - July 2, 2017.
'Failure: A Love Story' chronicles the lives, loves and deaths of the three Fail sisters (June Carryl, Margaret Katch, and Nicole Shalhoub) and the one man with the double moniker Mortimer Mortimer (Kurt Quinn) who fell in love with each of them but not at the same time. Set against the backdrop of 1920s Chicago, this touching, whimsical tale explores the impermanence of life and the permanence of love, especially among devoted family members. The 'failure' in the title refers to poor Mortimer's inability to ever marry any of the three sisters after falling in love with them, as the untimely deaths of the three sisters happen before any marriages can take place.
Center Theatre Group's Block Party begins with the opening of the Coeurage Theatre Company production of "Failure: A Love Story" this Sunday, April 16 at 6:30 p.m. Written by Philip Dawkins and directed by Michael Matthews, "Failure: A Love Story" will run through April 23, 2017, with 11 performances only.
As previously announced, Second Stage Theatre will begin the 2017 Uptown Series with the world premiere of Chisa Hutchinson's SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER, directed by MAY ADRALES.
Signature Theatre is proud to announce full casting for Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Signature Theatre Director of New Works Joe Calarco (Gypsy, The Flick).
Casting is finalized for three local productions being presented as part of Center Theatre Group's inaugural Block Party: Celebrating Los Angeles Theatre.
The Muny announced today 21 principal cast members for its 99th season. Full company casting will be announced throughout April. The 2017 Muny season opens with Jesus Christ Superstar followed by Disney's The Little Mermaid and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The season continues with the premiere of All Shook Up! and a newly re- envisioned The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Season 99 closes with A Chorus Line and the much- anticipated Muny debut of Newsies.
Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Michele Weathers, announced today a special production of Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose, as well as three special events, during their upcoming 2017 season.
Right on the heels of their blockbuster Family Series production of A Midsummers Night's Dream Theatre Raleigh returns with The Wolf from March 23 - April 2 at the Kennedy Theatre. This engaging, approachable show promises to delight both young and adult audiences alike. The Wolf played to sold out audiences last year, so get your tickets early for this crowd pleaser. This production is geared towards ages 3 years and up.
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, announced today a reading of the new musical Butterflies, as well as two additional productions, during their upcoming 2017 season.
Theater Close-Up -- the unique collaboration between THIRTEEN and the large community of New York City area Off-Broadway and regional theaters - continues with John Strand's The Originalist, captured live on-stage at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., Monday, March 13 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN, with an encore presentation on Sunday, March 19 at 3:40 a.m. The play will also air Sunday, March 26 at 10 p.m. on WLIW21. The play, directed on the stage by Molly Smith, will be available for streaming for two weeks after the broadcast.
L to R: Edward Gero as Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Kerry Warren as Cat in The Originalist at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Credit: C. Stanley Photography.
Four-time Helen Hayes Award winner Edward Gero (Red) returned to Arena Stage as one of America's most brilliant and polarizing figures: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. When bright, liberal, Harvard Law School graduate Cat (Kerry Warren) embarks on a nerve-wracking clerkship with Justice Scalia, she discovers him to be both an infuriating sparring partner and an unexpected mentor. How will their relationship affect one of the most incendiary cases ever to reach the nation's highest court? Along the way, Cat's relationship with Scalia is complicated further by Brad (Harlan Work), an adversarial law clerk on Scalia's staff.
Gero had last appeared at Arena Stage as Mark Rothko in 'Red.' He is a four-time Helen Hayes winner and 14-time nominee. Regional credits include Mark Rothko in 'Red' at the Goodman Theatre; the title role of 'Sweeney Todd' at Signature Theatre; 'The Chosen' at Theater J; Ebenezer Scrooge in 'A Christmas Carol' and Horace Vandergelder in 'Hello, Dolly!' at Ford's Theatre; 'American Buffalo,' 'Shining City' (Helen Hayes nomination) and 'Skylight' (Helen Hayes Award) at Studio Theatre; and 'The Matchmaker' at Center Stage. In 30 seasons with the Shakespeare Theatre Company, he's played 70 roles, including Helen Hayes-winning turns in 'Henry IV,' 'Richard II' and 'Macbeth.' In New York, he's appeared at South Street Theatre and Classic Stage.
Author John Strand is a resident playwright with Arena Stage through the American Voices New Play Institute. His previous work at Arena Stage includes 'The Miser,' an adaptation of the Moliere play set in Reagan-era America; 'Lovers and Executioners,' winner of the Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding New Play; and Tom Walker, also commissioned by Arena Stage. His recent work includes the book and lyrics for 'Hat! A Vaudeville,' a new musical with a score by composer Dennis McCarthy (South Coast Repertory); 'Lincolnesque,' a dark comedy about politics and madness in D.C. (The Old Globe, dir. by Joe Calarco); and 'Lorenzaccio,' his adaptation of Alfred de Musset's 1834 French classic (Shakespeare Theatre Company, dir. by Michael Kahn).
Of the Arena Stage production, The New York Times wrote, '... The meat of the play draws a portrait of the private man in accordance with the public record: rigid in his views, deeply moralistic and unafraid to express his florid contempt for those benighted souls who see things from any perspective other than his own. Also: He's funny.'
DC Theatre Scene opined, 'Arena and director Molly Smith have given this fine work a good, rigorous production ... Edward Gero is a continuing wonder ...'
Theater Close-Up on THIRTEEN has most recently featured Rasheeda Speaking from The New Group, Fashions for Men from Mint Theater, Wiesenthal filmed at the Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row, Repairing a Nation from Crossroads Theatre Company in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Incident at Vichy from Signature Theatre Company, The Woodsman recorded at New World Stages, Buried Child from The New Group, and Buyer & Cellar from Westport Country Playhouse.
THIRTEEN is using its unrivaled expertise in producing national PBS arts programming - which began with such classic series as Theater in America, part of the award-winning series Great Performances and special limited series such as Stage on Screen -- to provide New Yorkers with unparalleled access to great Off-Broadway and regional offerings.
The Originalist is a production of Stage17, and was directed for television by Diana Basmajian.
For Theater Close-Up, Mitch Owgang is producer; Bill O'Donnell is series producer; and David Horn is executive producer. Executive-in-charge for WNET is Neal Shapiro.
Major support for this presentation of Theater Close-Up is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation, and Bernard and Irene Schwartz.
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About WNET
WNET is America's flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21. WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (KidsThirteen, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, Charlie Rose and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET's groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history game. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender, First Person, and an intergenerational look at tech and pop culture, The Chatterbox with Kevin and Grandma Lill. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport.
About Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Director Edgar Dobie, is a national center dedicated to American voices and artists. Arena Stage produces plays of all that is passionate, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit, and presents diverse and ground-breaking work from some of the best artists around the country. Arena Stage is committed to commissioning and developing new plays and impacts the lives of over 10,000 students annually through its work in community engagement. Now in its seventh decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of more than 300,000. Arenastage.org
For media only: Photos and press releases can be accessed here:
http://www.thirteen.org/13pressroom/press-release/theater-close-originalist/
Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, announced today that Michele Weathers will assume the role of Managing Director of Barrington Stage Company beginning March 13, 2017.
