John Gassner News

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers and commentators for media covering New York theatre announced today its award winners for the 2011-12 season in 24 categories.

Becky Ann Baker (GOOD PEOPLE, "Freaks and Geeks") and Dylan Baker (GOD OF CARNAGE, "Kings") will join previously announced Christopher Abbott ("Martha Marcy May Marlene," HBO's Girls and 2011 Broadway revival of HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES) for the "bake off" portion of Page 73 Productions' Spring Benefit on Friday, May 11 at 7:00pm at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan. Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) will host.

The Chicago Commercial Collective today announced the return of the Chicago and Broadway hit drama, A Steady Rain, with its original cast and crew to the Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave.

Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) is set to host the 2012 Page 73 Spring Benefit on tonight, May 11 at 7:00pm at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Page 73's Executive Directors Liz Jones and Asher Richelli.

SpeakEasy Stage presents the Boston Premiere of the hit Broadway musical comedy XANADU. This acclaimed show will be the company's 100th production and opens tonight, May 11.

Five years to the day after opening its doors to Detroit audiences, The Ringwald Theatre begins a four-week exclusive run of the holy comedy, The Divine Sister. Written by Charles Busch, author of the past Ringwald hits Die! Mommie! Die! and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, this outrageous comedy pays homage to Hollywood's most memorable nun movies and stars Ringwald's favorite "lady," Joe Bailey, and local radio personality Lisa Jesswein!

Vineyard Theatre will present its 5th annual Paula Vogel Playwriting Award to emerging playwright Erika Sheffer, author of the play RUSSIAN TRANSPORT, it has been announced by Vineyard Theatre's Artistic Director Douglas Aibel and Co-Artistic Director Sarah Stern.

id Theater returns to McCall, Idaho for the 12th Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, June 11-23, sponsored by the Alpine Playhouse. Playwrights, actors and directors from around the country will travel to McCall and, working with local artists and students, develop ten new plays that will be presented to the public free of charge. Since 2001, the Conference has developed more than 100 new plays by some of the most exciting voices in American Theater.

Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) is set to host the 2012 Page 73 Spring Benefit on Friday, May 11 at 7:00pm at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Page 73's Executive Directors Liz Jones and Asher Richelli.

Happy Medium Theatre, Inc. (HMT) will present The American Plan, written by Richard Greenberg and directed by Melanie Garber from June 8th - 16th, 2012 at the Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02118.

Beginning May 11, SpeakEasy Stage presents the Boston Premiere of the hit Broadway musical comedy XANADU. This acclaimed show will be the company's 100th production and opens May 11.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in 'When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments),' for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments), for one night only tonight, April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They are joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong provides lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

Some highlights from closed productions that have been receiving award nominations for the 2011-12 season.

James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory in 'When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments),' for one night only, Sunday April 29th (7:30pm) at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. They will be joined by a thirteen-piece band (Michael Rafter, Music Director), playing new orchestrations by Tony Award winner Jonathan Tunick. Larry Moss directs, with musical staging by Joshua Bergasse ("Smash"). Carolyn Wong will provide lighting design, with sound design by Leon Rothenberg and projection design by Telegraphicmedia.

Nominations Talley for 3 or more: 9 - Nice Work If You Can Get It; 7 - Newsies, Once; 5 - Follies, Death of a Salesman, Evita, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark; 4 - One Man, Two Guvnors, Porgy and Bess, Tribes; 3 - The Best Man, Bonnie & Clyde, Death Takes a Holiday, The Lyons, Queen of the Mist, Sons of the Prophet;

Five years to the day after opening its doors to Detroit audiences, The Ringwald Theatre begins a four-week exclusive run of the holy comedy, The Divine Sister. Written by Charles Busch, author of the past Ringwald hits Die! Mommie! Die! and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, this outrageous comedy pays homage to Hollywood's most memorable nun movies and stars Ringwald's favorite "lady," Joe Bailey, and local radio personality Lisa Jesswein!

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston presents the Boston premiere of Jon Marans' Off-Broadway hit THE TEMPERAMENTALS, a chronicle of the love story between Harry Hay and Rudi Gernreich, founders of the Mattachine Society in 1950s Los Angeles. Director Jeremy Johnson's vision employs techniques of film noir to take the audience on a temperamental journey for a view of the grassroots effort that began to change the world, nearly two decades prior to the Stonewall Riots.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre's 30th Anniversary season comes to a close with Joyce Van Dyke's story of the Armenian genocide in Deported / a dream play, presented in association with Suffolk University.

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) will present the Florida premiere of Geoffrey Nauffts' contemporary drama Next Fall in FST's Keating Theatre (1241 N. Palm Avenue) on Wednesday, January 25 at 8:00pm.