John Gould Rubin News

Master ballet teacher Suzana Stankovic is the owner of Wild Heart Performing Arts Studio in Astoria, NY. She is an internationally-known dancer, choreographer, actor and director whose stage and studio work has been spotlighted within New York Post, Dance Teacher, QNS and more.

RANDY WRITES A NOVEL opened Off-Broadway on Monday, April 23 at Theatre Row. The critically acclaimed show played to a sold-out house and runs until June 9.

Lilac Gallery New York presents Motivational Expressionism an exhibition of new works by Michael Ricigliano. A dynamic collection of abstract expressionistic paintings exploring storytelling on unique surfaces such as ceramic and marble, paired with inspirational quotes of bestselling author and motivational speaker Steve Maraboli.

After the success of the first edition of the Italian Playwrights Project (IPP, 2015/16) and a special evening dedicated to the work of Stefano Massini (Teatro Piccolo, Milan) IPP, once again the Segal Center will collaborate with Valeria Orani and Umanism NY (www.unmanism.com). The initiative will bring some of the brightest, innovative, and most engaging playwrights from Italy to New York to develop their pieces through translation into English and public readings of the work. The Italian Playwrights Project plays an important role in introducing contemporary writing from Italy to the US. The project restarted an artistic dialogue between the two countries which has been sporadic over the last 30 years.

Lilac Gallery New York presents Motivational Expressionism an exhibition of new works by Michael Ricigliano. A dynamic collection of abstract expressionistic paintings exploring storytelling on unique surfaces such as ceramic and marble, paired with inspirational quotes of bestselling author and motivational speaker Steve Maraboli.

TURN ME LOOSE explores the influential life of 1960s comic genius Dick Gregory, the first Black stand-up to make white audiences laugh at the absurdity of bigotry. The play reveals how the power of activism enticed Gregory from one of the most successful show business careers of the postwar era into a life of sacrifice and danger alongside Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers and other Civil Rights leaders. And I can tell you, when Joe Morton describes the tragic murder of Evans, his anger and tears seem to flow from his soul.

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) announces the second extension of the West Coast premiere of the Off-Broadway hit Turn Me Loose - a comedic drama by Gretchen Law, produced by John Legend and Mike Jackson, about the life of trailblazing comedian and civil rights activist Dick Gregory who passed away in August at the age of 84. The first performance of the limited engagement begins tonight and now runs Thursdays through Sundays until November 19.

House of Yes & The Love Show present Gl'Amour!, an evening of opulence, feathers, rhinestones, romance, champagne, showgirls and showboys!

Dorset Theatre Festival capstones its 40th Anniversary Season with the Regional Revival of American Buffalo by David Mamet. American Buffalo, under the direction of John Gould Rubin (Artistic Director of The Private Theater), runs for a limited engagement of 11 performances between August 24 - September 2, 2017. All performances take place at the Dorset Playhouse, 104 Cheney Road, Dorset.

Eccentric Theater Company (producer of ZAMBONI, the sold-out hit from NYC Fringe 2016 and Fringe Encore Series) will produce a developmental workshop production of Georgette Kelly's f**k la vie d'artiste, fresh off a reading in the 2017 Source Festival in Washington, D.C.

ECCENTRIC THEATER COMPANY (producer of ZAMBONI, the sold-out hit from NYC Fringe 2016 and Fringe Encore Series) will produce a developmental workshop production of Georgette Kelly's f**k la vie d'artiste, fresh off a reading in the 2017 Source Festival in Washington, D.C. f**k la vie d'artiste features NAYIB FELIX (I and You, The Next State Theater), HANNAH KARPENKO (The Wondrous Strange, 40th Humana Festival), and MOUNA R'MIKI (Benghazi Bergen-Belsen, La Mama ETC).

Eccentric Theater Company (producer of ZAMBONI, the sold-out hit from NYC Fringe 2016 and Fringe Encore Series) will produce a developmental workshop production of Georgette Kelly's f**k la vie d'artiste, fresh off a reading in the 2017 Source Festival in Washington, D.C.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis) announced today the 2017/18 season, which features 250 performances delivering groundbreaking produced and presented works in dance, music and theater from locally, nationally and internationally renowned artists and companies.

Dorset Theatre Festival recently announced its 40th Anniversary Season, featuring the regional revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo (August 24 - September 2), directed by John Gould Rubin.

As a way to celebrate International Women's Day this year, I attended the World Premiere of Ngozi Anyanwu's new play GOOD GRIEF at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre. The production is directed by Patricia McGregor, with Anyanwu performing as the lead character, Nkechi. This is the first of Anyanwu's plays to receive a full professional production with great techniical credits including an impressive movable set designed by Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, costumes designed by Karen Perry, lighting designed by Pablo Santiago, with sound design by Adam Phalen. The cast features, in alphabetical order, Dayo Ade, Wade Allain-Marcus, Ngozi Anyanwu, Marcus Henderson, Omoze Idehenre, Carla Renata and Mark Jude Sullivan.

Dorset Theatre Festival is proud to announce its 40th Anniversary Season, featuring the World Premiere of Theresa Rebeck's Downstairs (June 22 - July 8), directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt; the Regional Premiere of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery by Ken Ludwig (July 13 - 29), directed by Jen Wineman; the Regional Premiere of The Legend of Georgia McBride by Matthew Lopez (August 3 - 19), directed by Stephen Brackett; and the Regional Revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo (August 24 - September 2), directed by John Gould Rubin.

Three finalists have been selected for Center Theatre Group's 2017 Richard E. Sherwood Award: Jenny Foldenauer, Pablo Santiago and Keith Skretch. Center Theatre Group recognizes and celebrates this year's finalists for their exceptional contributions to the Los Angeles theatre landscape and their work as innovative and adventurous artists.

Shoptalk: Queering Theater, a co-presentation of Vertigo Theater Company and BRIC, is slated for Monday, October 3, 2016 at 7:30pm. Featuring guest panelists: Adam Bock, Will Davis, Donnetta Lavinia Grays, and Carmelita Tropicana.

July 11, 7 PM, as part of their nationally renowned New Play Readings, Dorset Theatre Festival presents director, writer, and translator, Royston Coppenger's exciting re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen's classic play- A Doll's House. Developed by acclaimed director John Gould Rubin, Coppenger and Rubin have found new resonance for our times in the play that astonished its audiences when first produced. Dorset Theatre Festival is excited to be able to support the art of translation, with this stunning new adaptation destined to please and entertain audiences for years to come.

An all-new THEATER TALK features its annual TONY Wrap-Up, with journalists Jesse Green (New York Magazine), Michael Musto (Out.com) and Patrick Pacheco (Los Angeles Times); an AndrewAndrew report from the TONY Red Carpet; and a discussion about Turn Me Loose: A Play About Comic Genius Dick Gregory, now Off-Broadway.