John Earl Jelks News

Broadway veteran Kevin Anderson leads the cast in the Los Angeles run of world premiere production of Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon. The Break of Noon, which is a co-production with MCC in New York, will feature Catherine Dent as well as Tracee Chimo and John Earl Jelks, who performed their roles in the New York portion of the run. Helmed by director Jo Bonney, The Break of Noon begins in previews on January 25, 2011 and officially opens February 2, 2011.

2010 was quite a year for Broadway with some spectacular opening nights. We'll be sharing highlights from the year in photos, videos, interviews and more throughout this final week of the year. First off is a look at some of the star and excitement filled opening night curtain calls of 2010. Photos by Walter McBride / WM Photos / Corbis

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that their world premiere production of The Break of Noon, by Neil LaBute, has been extended through December 22, 2010 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC). The production features actors Tracee Chimo, David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks and Amanda Peet, under the direction of Jo Bonney. An official opening night is set for this Monday, November 22, 2010. The Break of Noon is a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles (Gil Cates, Producing Director; Randall Arney, Artistic Director; Ken Novice, Managing Director).

Broadway veteran Kevin Anderson leads the cast in the Los Angeles run of world premiere production of Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon. The Break of Noon, which is a co-production with MCC in New York, will feature Catherine Dent as well as Tracee Chimo and John Earl Jelks, who performed their roles in the New York portion of the run. Helmed by director Jo Bonney, The Break of Noon begins in previews on January 25, 2011 and officially opens February 2, 2011.

The production features actors Tracee Chimo, David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks and Amanda Peet, under the direction of Jo Bonney. The Break of Noon is a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles (Gil Cates, Producing Director; Randall Arney, Artistic Director; Ken Novice, Managing Director). The official opening night was Monday, November 22, 2010 and BroadwayWorld.com was there!

The Break of Noon is Neil LaBute's seventh collaboration with MCC Theater as Playwright-in-Residence, following the 2009 Tony Award-nominated Best Play, Reasons to be Pretty. Renowned for his darkly-comic morality plays (The Shape of Things, In a Dark Dark House), he teams up again with longtime collaborator, director Jo Bonney (Some Girl(s), Fat Pig), for this exploration of the daunting, sometimes harrowing process of 'finding religion.' David Duchovny ('Californication,' 'The X-Files') stars as John Smith, a man who, amidst the chaos and horror of the worst office shooting in American history, sees the face of God. His modern-day revelation creates a maelstrom of disbelief among everyone he knows. A newcomer to faith, John urgently searches for a modern response to the age-old question: at what cost salvation?

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that their world premiere production of The Break of Noon, by Neil LaBute, has been extended through December 22, 2010 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC). The production features actors Tracee Chimo, David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks and Amanda Peet, under the direction of Jo Bonney. An official opening night is set for this Monday, November 22, 2010. The Break of Noon is a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles (Gil Cates, Producing Director; Randall Arney, Artistic Director; Ken Novice, Managing Director).

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that David Auburn (author of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Broadway smash Proof) will direct the third and final production of the company's 25th Anniversary Season, Side Effects by Michael Weller.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) present the world premiere of The Break of Noon by Neil LaBute starring David Duchovny, Amanda Peet, Tracee Chimo (Circle Mirror Transformation) and Tony Award-Nominee John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf). Performances began at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on October 28, 2010 and continue through December 12, 2010. An official opening night is set for Monday, November 22, 2010. The Break of Noon is a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles (Gil Cates, Producing Director; Randall Arney, Artistic Director; Ken Novice, Managing Director).

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that Tracee Chimo (Circle Mirror Transformation) and Tony Award-Nominee John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf) have joined the cast of the world premiere of The Break of Noon by Neil LaBute.

Arena Stage's inaugural season at the Mead Center for American Theater opens with three productions featuring three powerful leading ladies - E. Faye Butler in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! in the company's renovated, iconic Fichandler Stage; Phylicia Rashad in playwright Marcus Gardley's world premiere of Every Tongue Confess in the brand new 200-seat Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle; and Anna Deavere Smith in her one-woman play, Second Stage's production of Let Me Down Easy, which begins its national tour in the freshly refurbished Kreeger Theater.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that Tracee Chimo (Circle Mirror Transformation) and Tony Award-Nominee John Earl Jelks (Radio Golf) have joined the cast of the world premiere of The Break of Noon by Neil LaBute.

Leslie Kritzer, the award-winning Broadway actress who was most recently seen in the acclaimed revue Sondheim on Sondheim, will play the role of Bernadette in the Arena Stage world premiere of Marcus Gardley's every tongue confess in the new 200-seat Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle Theater.

Arena Stage's inaugural season at the Mead Center for American Theater opens with three productions featuring three powerful leading ladies - E. Faye Butler in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! in the company's renovated, iconic Fichandler Stage; Phylicia Rashad in playwright Marcus Gardley's world premiere of Every Tongue Confess in the brand new 200-seat Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle; and Anna Deavere Smith in her one-woman play, Second Stage's production of Let Me Down Easy, which begins its national tour in the freshly refurbished Kreeger Theater.

In an industry as unpredictable as show business, it is truly a unique experience to meet one of the longtime greats - a performer who has done everything from Broadway to off-Broadway, film, television, children's specials and variety circuits, who been everywhere from London to Abu Dhabi and back over the course of a nearly 45 year career. It is particularly exciting to be sitting next to this same someone, who I personally grew up watching on T.V. in shows and specials like the unforgettable 'Roots,' and who created some of the most famous roles in show business that have been copied thousands of times by professionals, amateurs and students alike, including 'Judas Iscariot' in Jesus Christ Superstar (Tony nomination), and 'Leading Player' in Pippin (Tony Award). This is a man who has made almost as much of a a name for himself on stage as he has off as an activist for diabetes awareness and arts in education, a motivational speaker, acting coach, mentor, and lecturer in black history (amongst other things) throughout the country.

Performances for The McCarter Theatre Center's world premiere of Will Power's Fetch Clay, Make Man, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff, will begin previews tonight, January 8 with an Opening Night set for Friday, January 15, 2010. The production will run through Sunday, February 14 on the Berlind stage of McCarter Theatre Center.

Rehearsals are now underway at McCarter Theatre Center for the world premiere of Will Power's new play Fetch Clay, Make Man. Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff, the production will begin previews on Friday, January 8 with an Opening Night set for Friday, January 15, 2010.

The McCarter Theater Center has announced that they will premiere a new play by Will Power (Flow, The Seven), Fetch Clay, Make Man, about boxing legend Muhammad Ali. The production, starring Ben Vereen and Evan Parke, will be directed by Jersey Boys helmer Des McAnuff and run from Janaury 8 - February 14, 2010.

Magnolia by Regina Taylor and directed by Anna D. Shapiro opened March 14 and plays to April 19 at Goodman Theater. Atlanta, 1963. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspires Atlanta's black citizens to fight passionately for their civil rights, the new mayor erects 'The Payton Wall' to restrict where they can live

Magnolia, Artistic Associate ReGina Taylor's world premiere about possibility in the face of seismic social change, takes root at the Goodman with an official opening tonight, March 23rd, Magnolia runs through April 19, 2009.