John Drew News

There’s no doubt that the COVID pandemic has resulted in the loss of countless lives, caused numerous businesses to collapse and brought enormous tension to those who were forced to live in tight quarters for many months. It also presented enormous problems for those in the performing arts.

Today's Theater Stories features the Ethel Barrymore Theatre! Learn about Ethel Barrymore herself, shows to have graced the theatre's stage, including An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, Chaplin, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Band's Visit, The Inheritance, and many more!

The production, which will premiere on Guild Hall's YouTube channel on Sunday, March 28 at 7:30pm EST, is directed by Bob Balaban and features a multi-award-winning cast including Jessica Hecht, Marc Kudisch, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Ben Shenkman, and Harris Yulin.

Austin Pendleton will be starring in a staged reading of James Joyce: A Short Night's Odyssey From No to Yes presented by Guild Hall.

In response to the growing need for in-home entertainment during this challenging time, segments from the November 2018 encore engagement of Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter have been released on YouTube.

Earn Rockstar Status at Guild Hall of East Hampton!  Bid to win two premium seat tickets to every single performance in the historic John Drew Theater at Guild Hall for the entire 2020 Summer Season!

Bay Street Theater and Guild Hall, in association with Jamie Cesa and Bel Chiasso Entertainment present a free concert staged reading of The Romeo & Juliet Project, a new musical, featuring the music of Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, with book by Bradley Bredeweg. This FREE community event will be held in Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor, NY on August 16 and 17 at 7 pm and is the latest installment of Bay Street's ongoing Under the Stars Community Outreach Program. The performance is directed by Scott Schwartz, Bay Street Theater's Artistic Director.

Today, The Allman Betts Band released their highly anticipated debut album Down To The River (BMG).  The Allman Betts Band recorded their debut album November of 2018 in Muscle Shoals, AL at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and produced by Grammy Award winning Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, John Prine and Elvis Presley). 

On June 14th at Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY, Andromeda's Sisters presents short plays by women headlining Blythe Danner, Laura Gomez and Catherine Curtin (Orange is the New Black), Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Tamara Tunie (Law & Order) and Ellen Marie Dolan (As The World Turns) among others from playwrights Joy Behar, Lucy Boyle, Julia Jordan, Anna Ziegler, Liana Sonenclar, Margo Hammond and Suzanne Bradbeer.

The New Jersey Department of State, New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, City of Trenton, and the Ernie Kovacs estate will host The Ernie Kovacs Centennial: 1919 -2019 at the State Museum Auditorium in Trenton on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.

Today, The Allman Betts Band released the first track “All Night” from their debut album Down To The River (BMG).  

Immerse yourself in the wild and indomitable female spirit with the Third Annual Andromeda's Sisters Gala to benefit the dance theater company The Neo-Political Cowgirls. The compelling three-day journey includes play readings, a private estate fundraiser and an interactive creativity workshop on June 14th 22nd and 23rd which can be enjoyed collectively or individually. The brain child of Kate Mueth who is the founder of the 501 ( c ) 3 company Neo-Political Cowgirls, Andromeda's Sisters is an arts and advocacy forum to create more work for women in theater and to increase the female voice in the narrative of our society's stories. Mueth brings her vibrant, unconventional, mind-expanding magic to the event. This is not your typical write-a-check and have a cocktail fundraiser. Guests will be treated to talented voices of the theater, advocacy, and legal world to expand their horizons and network with fascinating women. This is the uniquely fertile soil where community, arts and advocacy merge to grow both roots and blossoms. And men are most welcome to join in the fun.

In honor of Stonewall's 50th Anniversary and the Wizard of Oz' 80th Anniversary, Not in Kansas Productions presents the world premiere of a new play by Randall David Cook; directed by 2x Tony-nominee, Joey McKneely; and featuring Jamison Stern: Toto Talks!

In honor of Stonewall's 50th Anniversary and the Wizard of Oz' 80th Anniversary, Not in Kansas Productions presents the world premiere of a new play by Randall David Cook; directed by 2x Tony-nominee, Joey McKneely; and featuring Jamison Stern: Toto Talks!

In honor of Stonewall's 50th Anniversary and the Wizard of Oz' 80th Anniversary, Not in Kansas Productions presents the world premiere of a new play by Randall David Cook; directed by 2x Tony-nominee, Joey McKneely; and featuring Jamison Stern: Toto Talks!

In honor of Stonewall's 50th Anniversary and the Wizard of Oz' 80th Anniversary, Not in Kansas Productions presents the world premiere of a new play by Randall David Cook; directed by 2x Tony-nominee, Joey McKneely; and featuring Jamison Stern: Toto Talks!

Cleveland Play House (CPH) brings to life Lynn Nottage's complex story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Rust Belt drama Sweat.  Set in Reading, PA, this relevant story offers audience members suspense through its intricate portrayal of characters battling to survive in a city crippled by economic stagnation. CPH Artistic Director Laura Kepley will direct. Previews begin on October 13th, with press opening on October 19th at the Outcalt Theatre in Playhouse Square. This production is sponsored by Great Lakes Brewing Company.

Tony Award-winning director Richard Maltby, Jr. will be directing a limited engagement run of LOVE, LINDA, the stunning, one-woman tour de force musical and theatrical adventure starring acclaimed vocalist and musical theater actress Stevie Holland October 17th - November 10th at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72nd Street. The production features a book by Stevie Holland with Gary William Friedman and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. www.lovelindathemusical.com 

Jennifer Jewell presents 'Raison d'etre: an Evening of Pirandello,' adapted from selected works by Nobel Prize Laureate for Literature and Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and writer Luigi Pirandello. 'Raison d'etre: an Evening of Pirandello,' explores the complexity and depth of Pirandello's work by taking his seminal play, 'Six Characters in Search of an Author' and infusing it with characters and themes from two of his notable one-act plays, 'Chee Chee' and 'The Man with the Flower In His Mouth.' 

Award winning Jamaican actress Dianne Dixon will appear onstage at The Public Theater for the first time in a staged reading of Canadian playwright Trey Anthony's family drama How Black Mothers Say I Love You, under the direction of Tony Award winner Kenny Leon.