John Guare News

The advocacy organization grants awards for Master American Dramatist, American Playwright in Mid-Career and Emerging American Playwright.

The world premiere of THE WILDNESS: SKY-PONY'S ROCK FAIRY TALE, with text by Obie Award winner Kyle Jarrow and Lauren Worsham and songs by Kyle Jarrow, opens tonight, February 29, 2016. Presented by Ars Nova in collaboration with The Play Company, a limited Off-Broadway engagement is slated through March 19.

After suffering a major loss while on a cross-country bike trip, a young man, Leo, seeks solace from his feisty grandmother, Vera, in her Greenwich Village apartment. Over the course of a single month, these unlikely roommates infuriate, bewilder and ultimately reach each other. Vera and Leo use their anti-heroic, sometimes annoying attributes in sparring with each other.  4000 Miles looks at how two outsiders find their way in today's world.

The Public Theater presents the new musical SOUTHERN COMFORT that tells the true story of a group of transgender friends living life on their own terms in the back hills of rural Georgia. SOUTHERN COMFORT begins previews tonight, February 23 and will run through Sunday, March 27 in The Public's Anspacher Theater, with an official press opening on Monday, March 7. 

JoAnn Montemurro, co-Artistic Director of Raven Theatre, has announced casting for the company's upcoming production of THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES by John Guare. The play will run on the company's East Stage from April 20 through June 18, 2016 under Montemurro's direction.

The world premiere of THE WILDNESS: SKY-PONY'S ROCK FAIRY TALE, with text by Obie Award winner Kyle Jarrow and Lauren Worsham and songs by Kyle Jarrow, presented by Ars Nova in collaboration with The Play Company, plays a limited Off-Broadway engagement, tonight, February 16, through March 19, with an official opening night on Monday, February 29, 2016.

After a winter hiatus American Repertory Theater of WNY resumes the 2015-16 season with a presentation of the 1966  pioneering work by John Guare, The House of Blue Leaves. Under the directorial eye of ART/WNY alumni, Drew McCabe (The Crucible and Dead English), the work centers on one man's desire to rise above his mundane life by becoming a successful songwriter only to see this dream remain elusive because of the eccentric circumstances surrounding the life he leads. Robert Ernie Insana will return to the ART/WNY stage as the befuddled 'Artie Shaughnessy' in this compelling American play. The House of Blue Leaves opens on March 10th and runs until April 2nd in ART/WNY's new location, 330 Amherst Street, Buffalo (next to the Sportsman Tavern). All show-times are 8 pm, Thursday through Saturday.

Happy Birthday Stockard Channing! In 1971, she made her Broadway debut in Two Gentlemen of Verona - The Musical, working with playwright John Guare. She also appeared on Broadway in 1973 in a supporting role in No Hard Feelings. In 1978, at the age of 33, she took on the role of high school teenager Betty Rizzo in the hit musical Grease. Additional Broadway credits include: They're Playing Our Song, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, The House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation, Woman in Mind, Four Baboons Adoring the Sun, and The Lion in Winter. She is currently starrign on Broadway in Other Desert Cities at the Booth Theatre.

Aidan Quinn (Michael Collins, Practical Magic, Legends of the Fall, Broadway's A Streetcar Named Desire, and currently appearing in CBS' Elementary) joins Patrick Breen (Madam Secretary, The Normal Heart), Julia Murney (Wicked, The Wild Party), Valorie Curry (The Following, Twilight, American Pastoral), Sam Underwood (Dexter, Homeland, The Following) and Fundamental Theater Project in celebration of their honorary patron, Sir Peter Shaffer (Equus, Amadeus, Royal Hunt of the Sun) and in support of their mission of fostering emerging voices in the theater.

The 1966 Caffe Cino production starred a teenage Bernadette Peters in her first major New York role.

The Off-Off Broadway pioneer directed young Bernadette Peters in two of her first New York starring roles.

Happy Birthday, John Guare! He is best known as the author of The House of Blue Leaves, Six Degrees of Separation, and Landscape of the Body. Guare has also been involved with musical theatre. His libretto with Mel Shapiro for the musical Two Gentlemen of Verona was a success when it premiered in 1971 and was revived in 2005 at the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park. It won the two men the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical. He wrote the songs for Landscape of the Body. In 1999, he revised the book of the Cole Porter musical comedy, Kiss Me, Kate for its Broadway revival. He also wrote the book for the Broadway musical Sweet Smell of Success.

The American Repertory Theater of WNY, in association with the Sportsman Americana Music Foundation and Buffalo NY's Sportsman Tavern owner Dwane Hall, will be operating out of a new performance space located in Buffalo's Black Rock neighborhood on 330 Amherst Street (next to the Sportsman Tavern). The flexible black-box 50 seat performance space will retain much of American Repertory Theater of WNY's boutique theater intimacy reputation and, in addition to the remaining 2015-16 season and beyond, will serve as a forum for events including community educational programs, dramatic arts performances, music, film screenings and poetry. The 330 Amherst Street production space will see its first production as American Repertory Theater of WNY presents John Guare's pioneering work The House of Blue Leaves on March 10th and runs until April 10th. 

Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray (American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, playing at the Fabulous Fox Theatre March 15 - 27.

Atlantic Theater Company has announced complete casting for the world premiere of Academy Award nominee and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kenneth Lonergan's latest play Hold On To Me Darling, directed by Atlantic Artistic Director Neil Pepe.

Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray(American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, starting tomorrow,Wednesday, January 27 at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced 10 Finalists for its prestigious playwriting award, the oldest and largest prize awarded to women playwrights.

Signature Theatre has just announced Supplemental Programming for the upcoming productions of OLD HATS and ANGEL REAPERS. Scroll down for information about talkbacks, book club and more!

?Atlantic Theater Company has to announced the world premiere production of George Brant's play with music, Marie and Rosetta, directed by Atlantic artistic director Neil Pepe, as part of its 2016-2017 season in the fall.

BroadwayWorld is excited to report the full cast for the world premiere of THE WILDNESS: SKY-PONY'S ROCK FAIRY TALE, with text by Obie Award winner Kyle Jarrow and Lauren Worsham and songs by Kyle Jarrow.