Joe Orton News

Westport Country Playhouse will host a "2016 Season Kick-off Block Party," on Saturday, April 9, 4 to 7 p.m., offering a fun, party-like atmosphere with food trucks, activities, prizes, special ticket offers, and a look at the Playhouse's "backstage experience." Admission is free and open to the public. 

With only two months before the curtain goes up on Westport Country Playhouse's 2016 Season, single tickets will go on sale, beginning Tuesday, March 1, and will be offered at a 25% discount for that day only.  The limited, 24-hour offer cannot be combined with other discounts.  Single tickets may be purchased by phone at 203-227-4177 and in person at 25 Powers Court, Westport, between 12 and 6 p.m.; or online at westportplayhouse.org between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m.

Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) has announced that a major new production of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, King Lear, will embark on a UK tour to nine regional venues from April to July in association with the Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton. 

The University of Washington School of Drama, under the leadership of Executive Director Todd London, is proud to announce its 75th Anniversary Season. This historic season will celebrate, honor, and build upon the School of Drama's deep connections to Seattle's theatre community and serve as a bridge between the School's rich history and its future.

John Lahr, long-time drama critic for The New Yorker and winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award for his acclaimed biography Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh, will talk about his newest book, JOY RIDE: Show People and Their Shows (W. W. Norton: September 21, 2015), a collection of some of his most popular and engaging New Yorker pieces, which puts the plays on Mr. Lahr's watch in the context of the lives of the artists who created them. Lahr will speak tonight, October 7, at 7:00pm at Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place.

LOOT, a 1965 satirical farce -- a bizarre, dark parody of an English drawing room comedy -- by British enfant terrible Joe Orton, is a difficult production. Desert Rose Playhouse, in Rancho Mirage, California, pulls it off. Excellent acting and directing result in a great deal of hilarity.

John Lahr, long-time drama critic for The New Yorker and winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award for his acclaimed biography Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh, returns to Theatre for a New Audience for a talk about his new book, JOY RIDE: Show People and Their Shows, with one of its subjects: MacArthur Fellow and two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee Sarah Ruhl (The Clean House, In The Next Room). Mr. Lahr and Ms. Ruhl will speak on Wednesday, October 7, at 7:00pm at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place. 

Gary Naylor sees a comedy set in the unlikely environment of Central Baghdad, as the war of 2003 gets underway and Saddam begins his long journey to his awful demise.

John Lahr, long-time drama critic for The New Yorker and winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award for his acclaimed biography Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh, will talk about his newest book, JOY RIDE: Show People and Their Shows (W. W. Norton: September 21, 2015), a collection of some of his most popular and engaging New Yorker pieces, which puts the plays on Mr. Lahr's watch in the context of the lives of the artists who created them. Lahr will speak on Wednesday, October 7, at 7:00pm at Polonsky Shakespeare Center, 262 Ashland Place. 

As one of the busiest touring theatre companies in the UK, it is a rare treat to hear from London Classic Theatre's Artistic Director Michael Cabot in the midst of their Anniversary season. BWW:UK talks to Cabot about the company's progression over the years and some of his personal highlights along the way.

The Man Who Had All the Luck is Arthur Miller's rarely performed first produced play. Searchingly philosophical and vehemently political, it intimates much that will take centre stage in his better- known work for decades to come. This revival in Miller's centenary year will be the second production from renowned theatre company End of Moving Walkway, whose critically acclaimed Oh, the Humanity and Other Good Intentions was nominated for a What's On Stage Award and two Off West End Awards. The play runs tonight, September 2nd, through September 26th, 2015. Press Night: September 4th, 2015, 7pm.

Aurora Theatre Company opens its 24th season with the Bay Area Premiere of award-winning playwright Marisa Wegrzyn's (Hickorydickory, The Butcher of Baraboo) MUD BLUE SKY.

Westport Country Playhouse announces its 2016 season, featuring two Tony Award-winning plays in repertory, an Off-Broadway hit, a new thriller by a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, a witty comedy by Joe Orton, and a reimagined musical by Lerner and Loewe.  The works will be staged next year from May through October. Under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos, 2016 will mark the Connecticut professional theater's 86th season.  2016 season subscriptions are now on sale.

Lucky Chick has been selected to be part of the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC). Written by and starring Felicity Seidel, the solo show is a comedic story of how a young girl got swept up into a crazy drug and sex-fueled world alongside her older boyfriend, Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead.

Fringe first timer is bringing his new, no holds barred adaptation of a best selling American autobiography to the Edinburgh stage.

Lucky Chick has been selected to be part of the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC). Written by and starring Felicity Seidel, the solo show is a comedic story of how a young girl got swept up into a crazy drug and sex-fueled world alongside her older boyfriend, Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead.

Aurora Theatre Company opens its 24th season with the Bay Area Premiere of award-winning playwright Marisa Wegrzyn's (Hickorydickory, The Butcher of Baraboo) MUD BLUE SKY.

VITAMIN Q, a revue comprised of musical numbers by Eric Lane Barnes, now appearing at Desert Rose Playhouse, is hilariously funny and appropriate for gay-friendly audiences from teenagers on up.

SUICIDE NOTES: In Their Own Words is a gripping one hour play that uses real suicide notes and performed by four actors in the vein of The Vagina Monologues and Love Letters. Stan Zimmerman, a TV and film veteran and award winning theatre writer/director, returns to Hollywood Fringe Festival for his three straight year. But this time, he departs from his usual comedy ventures to create this unique theatrical piece after loosing a close friend to suicide three years ago.

The University of Washington School of Drama, under the leadership of Executive Director Todd London, is proud to announce its 75th Anniversary Season. This historic season will celebrate, honor, and build upon the School of Drama's deep connections to Seattle's theatre community and serve as a bridge between the School's rich history and its future.