Joe Mantello News

Zoetic Stage and The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County proudly present David Sedaris' THE SANTALAND DIARIES, a side-splitting one-man play adapted for the stage by Tony Award-winning Broadway veteran Joe Mantello, December 8-23, 2011, in the intimate Carnival Studio Theater (Ziff Ballet Opera House). Starring Michael McKeever, one of South Florida's most produced and prolific artists, THE SANTALAND DIARIES is based on the outlandish, and true, chronicles of David Sedaris' unique experience during the holidays working as "Crumpet," a Christmas elf in Macy's Santaland display. This cult classic examines the desperation of unemployment, while celebrating the insanity of Christmas shopping and the ineffable 'cheer' of the holiday spirit.

Directed by David Alford, who certainly knows his way around the breakroom (what with his own experiences playing Crumpet the elf, Sedaris' velvet smock/candy can tights-wearing doppelganger), The Santaland Diaries is the perfect seasonal antidote for the countless, treacly-sweet productions of A Christmas Carol that will dominate the Nashville theatrical landscape over the coming weeks.

Producing Artistic Director Mark Cortale has announced that The Art House in Provincetown, MA will present four very special shows this holiday season - and is expanding this year to include Thanksgiving, Holly Folly and New Year's Eve weekend performances.

BroadwayWorld.com has learned that the Tony-winning star of OTHER DESERT CITIES, Stockard Channing is taking a leave from the production to undergo arthoscopic knee surgery on November 21. A production spokesperson has confirmed that her understudy, Lauren Klein, will perform the role of 'Polly' while Channing recovers. She is expected to return to the production later this week.

Wicked, the smash hit musical that recently welcomed its 4 millionth theatregoer to the Apollo Victoria Theatre, is honoured to have been named 'Best Night Out' at the prestigious Evening Standard Theatre Awards, presented tonight (20 November 2011) at a star-studded ceremony at The Savoy in London.

Michael Aronov, Jeremy Davidson, Robert Hogan, Jefferson Mays, Andrés Munar, Paul Niebanck, John Procaccino, Liv Rooth, Gabriel Ruiz, Pej Vahdat, Andrew Weems and Bernard White will be featured in the Lincoln Center Theater's upcoming production of BLOOD AND GIFTS, a new play by J.T. Rogers, to be directed by Bartlett Sher at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater (150 West 65 Street). Opening night is Monday, November 21.

Sylvester Stallone was out signing autographs when he arrived for a press conference to present the new musical ROCKY in Hamburg, Germany.

Modern-day master of musical theatre Stephen Sondheim is about to release the second book of his complete collected lyrics - covering mostly everything written in the last three decades and in this one so far - titled after a line from what may very well be his ultimate masterpiece, the Pulitzer Prize-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE - LOOK, I MADE A HAT; Collected Lyrics (1981-2011) with Attendant Comments, Amplifications, Dogmas, Harangues, Digressions, Anecdotes and Miscellany. So, today, we are going to be taking a look at a litany of the finest moments from Sondheim's post-SWEENEY TODD musicals that are highlighted in LOOK, I MADE A HAT and perhaps discover a few of the many reasons why Sondheim's musicals - whether late-period or early on- are the best of the best Broadway has to offer - now or ever. And, what an absolutely mind-blowing list it is - and what a masterpiece of a book!

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of André Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) has announced that it has extended the run indefinitely of its critically acclaimed production of OTHER DESERT CITIES, a new play by Jon Robin Baitz, directed by Joe Mantello, on Broadway at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street). Originally scheduled to run through Sunday, January 8, tickets are now on sale to OTHER DESERT CITIES through Sunday, March 25, 2012 at the Booth Theatre box office, telecharge.com or by visiting www.lct.org.

The funny thing about the truth is that it can be totally subjective and personal stories rarely involve just one person.  So, in Jon Robin Baitz's darkly comic drama, Other Desert Cities, when a depression-plagued writer tries curing the block following the success of her freshman effort with a book describing her view of her celebrity family's past tragedy, the holiday conversation crackles like a Yule log.

The company of the first North American tour of WICKED welcomes the return of Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda and Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero on Tuesday, November 15 in Cincinnati, OH.

Frank Theatre will present THE SANTALAND DIARIES, the stage adaptation of David Sedaris' hilarious account of his stint as a Christmas elf in Macy's 'SantaLand' Nov. 27-Dec. 30 at the Assembly of the Woman's Club of Minneapolis, located on Loring Park at 410 Oak Grove Street, Mpls, MN 55403. The production features Twin Cities actor Joe Leary as 'Crumpet the Elf,' with scenery by Steve Rohde, costumes by Kathy Kohl, lighting by Mike Wangen and sound by Sarah Pickett with assistance from Katharine Horowitz.

The third annual production of The Santaland Diaries is set to return to Portland Center Stage's Ellyn Bye Studio with a new Crumpet the Elf in tow, actor Jim Lichtscheidl.

Last week, the Lincoln Center Production of Jon Robin Baitz's critically acclaimed new play OTHER DESERT CITIES directed by Joe Mantello opened at the Booth Theatre. The production stars Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski. Click below to hear from the company on opening night!

A day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats will be held daily for WICKED, performing from Wednesday, November 9 through Sunday, December 4 at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of HORSEDREAMS, a new play written by and featuring award-winning and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Dael Orlandersmith. The third production of the company's 17th season, performances of HORSEDREAMS will begin Wednesday, November 9th at Rattlestick Theater (224 Waverly Place - off Seventh Avenue South, between Perry & West 11th Streets). The official opening night is set for Thursday, November 17th. The production is scheduled to run through December 11th. Gordon Edelstein directs.

Back by 'Popular' demand, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, WICKED will return to its Los Angeles home, the Pantages Theatre, for a strictly-limited engagement this holiday season running November 30, 2011 - January 29, 2012. When it first played the Pantages in 2005, it broke box office records and sold out in record time. WICKED returned two years later to begin an extended engagement that would go on to run two years, becoming one of the longest-running Broadway musicals in L.A. history.

The company of the first North American tour of WICKED welcomes the return of Katie Rose Clarke as Glinda and Kyle Dean Massey as Fiyero on Tuesday, November 15 in Cincinnati, OH.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announced today that its world premiere of Asuncion, the new comedy written by and starring Academy Award-nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), will extend its run at The Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street). Originally scheduled to close on November 27, Asuncion will now play an additional three weeks and conclude following the Sunday, December 18th performance.

This Sunday, November 6 at 12:30 p.m. WHO-TV will air a 30 minute behind-the-scenes special of WICKED, Broadway's biggest blockbuster, which flies back in to Des Moines November 9 through December 4. The special presentation reveals never-before-seen backstage footage and commentary from cast and creative team members, providing a detailed look at how the best-selling 1995 novel by author Gregory Maguire was brought to the Broadway stage and became the phenomenon it is today.