John Dryden News

The Dryden Ensemble presents 'Queen Christina Goes to Rome,' a dramatic retelling of the story of the unconventional Swedish queen on Saturday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury, Pennsylvania, and on Sunday, January 20 at 3:00 p.m. at Miller Chapel, located on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary, 64 Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey. General admission tickets are $25 per concert and student tickets are free with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at drydenensemble.org or at the door.

Behold the year of the woman: 1665. Folger Theatre continues its 2018/19 season of characters who "shake the world" with Nell Gwynn, the Olivier Award-winning 2016 comedy from London about one of the first women to perform on the English stage.

The Dryden Ensemble presents 'Queen Christina Goes to Rome,' a dramatic retelling of the story of the unconventional Swedish queen on Saturday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury, Pennsylvania, and on Sunday, January 20 at 3:00 p.m. at Miller Chapel, located on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary, 64 Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey.

Pilgrim Festival Chorus (PFC), one of the region's principal non-profit community choruses, invites singers to open auditions at two Welcome Nights on Monday, January 14 and Monday, January 21, at 6:30 pm.  Music Directors William B. Richter and Elizabeth Chapman Reilly greet interested singers at Faith Community Church (formerly United Methodist Church), 29 Carver Road, Plymouth, to answer questions about PFC and audition attendees for vocal placement. Rehearsals for the spring season begin at 7 pm immediately following auditions.

Director Syd Mannion and his team have encapsulated the essence of what this story is about and this is the crucial success of this production. The characters are sensationally played; they are charismatic, exquisitely presented in delicious period costume and the story is supported with a craftily constructed set.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces the cast for the North American premiere of Jessica Swale's exuberant new comedy Nell Gwynn, September 20-November 4, 2018. The music- and dance-filled play took London audiences by storm when it debuted at Shakespeare's Globe, followed by a celebrated run on the West End. Director of the original London production, Christopher Luscombe, helms the new Chicago Shakespeare production. Star of Broadway and the West End Scarlett Strallen appears as Nell; Chicago leading actor Timothy Edward Kane performs the role of King Charles II.

The State Opera of South Australia's 2019 season boasts the most powerful and impressive program in recent times thanks to a new artistic and executive leadership for the company.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces the cast for the North American premiere of Jessica Swale's exuberant new comedy Nell Gwynn, September 20-November 4, 2018. The music- and dance-filled play took London audiences by storm when it debuted at Shakespeare's Globe, followed by a celebrated run on the West End. Director of the original London production, Christopher Luscombe, helms the new Chicago Shakespeare production. Star of Broadway and the West End Scarlett Strallen appears as Nell; Chicago leading actor Timothy Edward Kane performs the role of King Charles II.

The Dryden Ensemble will present a Bach Cantata Fest on Saturday, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury, Pennsylvania, and on Sunday, October 21 at 3:00 p.m. at Miller Chapel, located on the campus of Princeton Theological Seminary, 64 Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents the North American premiere of Jessica Swale's exuberant new comedy Nell Gwynn, September 20-November 4, 2018. The music- and dance-filled play took London audiences by storm when it debuted at Shakespeare's Globe, followed by a celebrated run on the West End. Director of the original London production, Christopher Luscombe, helms the new Chicago Shakespeare production. Star of Broadway and the West End Scarlett Strallen appears as Nell; Chicago leading actor Timothy Edward Kane performs the role of King Charles II.

Brilliantly bawdy and incredibly clever, Jessica Swale's Laurence Olivier Award winning comedy (2016) NELL GWYNN is presented by Deborah Jones (Director) and New Theatre in a wonderfully presented expression of this surprisingly true story. 

The Dryden Ensemble announces its upcoming season, including an autumn benefit, a three-concert series and organ recital at Miller Chapel on the Theological Seminary campus, 64 Mercer Street, Princeton, New Jersey, and three concerts at Trinity Episcopal Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury, Pennsylvania. General admission tickets are $25 per concert and student tickets are free with a valid ID.

The Semi-opera of King Arthur by Henry Purcell and John Dryden in a new edition by Ewald Palmetshofer opens at the Big Stage. September 13, 2018.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces the cast for the North American premiere of Jessica Swale's exuberant new comedy Nell Gwynn, September 20-November 4, 2018. The music- and dance-filled play took London audiences by storm when it debuted at Shakespeare's Globe, followed by a celebrated run on the West End. Director of the original London production, Christopher Luscombe, helms the new Chicago Shakespeare production. Star of Broadway and the West End Scarlett Strallen appears as Nell; Chicago leading actor Timothy Edward Kane performs the role of King Charles II.

A retitled production of John Dryden's 1675 play Aureng-zebe, The Captive Queen continues the Globe's winter season and acts as a swansong for Northern Broadsides' Barrie Rutter. The artistic director takes the role of the Emperor and also directs for the company for the final time. A rarely performed play, this project has been in the works for some time and is something of a labour of love for Rutter and his company.

Shakespeare's Globe has just announced that Barrie Rutter will play the role of The Emperor in his forthcoming production of The Captive Queen, a Shakespeare's Globe and Northern Broadsides co-production in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

Shakespeare's Globe has announced that Michelle Terry will be its Artistic Director from April 2018.

One of the prominent names in Indian theatre, Nadir Khan has been actively involved with the theatre since 1998 as director, actor, producer, sound and light technician and stage manager.

For theatre lovers in our area, we always look forward to what our theatre companies have in store for us in their upcoming seasons. We look to see if there are any trends that stand out to us as audience members. We also see growth in many companies with each new season of shows. Anyone that's been following DC theatre for a while will notice how things have changed in the last twenty or thirty years. One of the biggest examples of this would be the clean up and revitalization of 14th Street, which had direct implications for Studio Theatre and Source.