John Pielmeier News

The Exorcist opened last night, July 11, in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse and runs through August, 12, 2012, starring Brooke Shields, Richard Chamberlain, David Wilson Barnes, Emily Yetter, and more. Check out the opening night party in the photos below!

The Geffen Playhouse's world premiere stage adaptation of The Exorcist features Brooke Shields and Richard Chamberlain in the iconic roles of Chris MacNeil and Father Merrin, respectively, as well as Broadway actor David Wilson Barnes as the troubled young priest Father Damien Karras, Tony Award nominee Harry Groener takes on the role of Chris' charismatic director Burke Dennings and UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television graduate Emily Yetter plays the young Regan MacNeil. The world premiere cast also includes Stephen Bogardus, Manoel Felciano, Tom Nelis and Roslyn Ruff. The play is written by John Pielmeier adapted from the novel by William Peter Blatty, and is directed by John Doyle. The Exorcist just began previews and opens in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse on July 11, 2012 and runs through August, 12, 2012. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

Producers Ben Sprecher and Sonia Friedman may bring their production of THE EXCORCIST, adapted from the 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty by John Pielmeier, to the John Golden Theatre on Broadway this fall, according to the New York Post.

Clayton Phillips makes his directorial debut at the Miami Beach Stage Door Theatre, leading a cast of accomplished actors in what promises to be a riveting production. Currently the Production Manager for Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Clayton has also directed local Florida productions of Music Man, Hairspray and Chicago for Lake Worth Playhouse and The Outgoing Tide for Arts Garage in Delray Beach. He is the recipient of the New Hampshire Theatre Award for Best Director for his production of John Pielmeier's Slow Dance With A Hot Pick-Up and was Harold Prince's assistant for the Broadway and touring productions of Kiss of the Spider Woman, Candide and Parade.

The Geffen Playhouse's world premiere stage adaptation of The Exorcist showcases an award-winning design team - including world-renowned creative consultant Teller and internationally acclaimed spiritual composer Sir John Tavener - to bring playwright John Pielmeier's script and Tony Award winning director John Doyle's vision to life on stage. The team also includes Tony Award winning scenic/costume designer Scott Pask, lighting designer Jane Cox and sound designer Dan Moses Schreir. Working with Doyle, the design team will be tasked with creating a theatrical experience that engages the senses in a way that is unique to live performance.

The summer months will not only usher in perfect beach weather for Los Angeles (and surrounding enclaves), but they will also offer up some entertaining theatrical offerings--some exclusive only to the Southland! Browse through our Top 5 Big Summer Picks below, plus a few more shows worth checking out.

Clayton Phillips makes his directorial debut at the Miami Beach Stage Door Theatre, leading a cast of accomplished actors in what promises to be a riveting production. Currently the Production Manager for Maltz Jupiter Theatre, Clayton has also directed local Florida productions of Music Man, Hairspray and Chicago for Lake Worth Playhouse and The Outgoing Tide for Arts Garage in Delray Beach. He is the recipient of the New Hampshire Theatre Award for Best Director for his production of John Pielmeier's Slow Dance With A Hot Pick-Up and was Harold Prince's assistant for the Broadway and touring productions of Kiss of the Spider Woman, Candide and Parade.

In addition to an accomplished cast, the Geffen Playhouse's world premiere stage adaptation of The Exorcist showcases an award-winning design team - including world-renowned creative consultant Teller and internationally acclaimed spiritual composer Sir John Tavener - to bring playwright John Pielmeier's script and Tony Award winning director John Doyle's vision to life on stage. The team also includes Tony Award winning scenic/costume designer Scott Pask, lighting designer Jane Cox and sound designer Dan Moses Schreir. Working with Doyle, the design team will be tasked with creating a theatrical experience that engages the senses in a way that is unique to live performance.

Earlier this month, it was announced that stage and screen stars Brooke Shields and Richard Chamberlain will take on the iconic roles of Chris MacNeil and Father Merrin in playwright John Pielmeier's world premiere of The Exorcist at the Geffen Playhouse. Helmed by acclaimed director John Doyle, who won a Tony Award for his striking reimagining of Sweeney Todd, this stage adaptation of William Peter Blatty's famous 1971 novel transforms the unsettling battles of good versus evil, faith versus fact and ego versus ethos into a theatrical experience. This brings us to last week's poll: what other classic horror film would you like to see turned into a stage production? Your response was The Shinging (38%) and The Silence of the Lambs (25%).

It was announced yesterday that stage and screen stars Brooke Shields and Richard Chamberlain will take on the iconic roles of Chris MacNeil and Father Merrin in playwright John Pielmeier's world premiere of The Exorcist at the Geffen Playhouse. Helmed by acclaimed director John Doyle, who won a Tony Award for his striking reimagining of Sweeney Todd, this stage adaptation of William Peter Blatty's famous 1971 novel transforms the unsettling battles of good versus evil, faith versus fact and ego versus ethos into a theatrical experience. This got us thinking, what other horror film would you like to see turned into a stage production?

Stage and screen stars Brooke Shields and Richard Chamberlain will take on the iconic roles of Chris MacNeil and Father Merrin in playwright John Pielmeier's world premiere of The Exorcist at the Geffen Playhouse. Helmed by acclaimed director John Doyle, who won a Tony Award for his striking reimagining of Sweeney Todd, this stage adaptation of William Peter Blatty's famous 1971 novel transforms the unsettling battles of good versus evil, faith versus fact and ego versus ethos into a uniquely theatrical experience as sophisticated as it is suspenseful.

Spotlighters Theatre presents AGNES OF GOD through Mar 18, 2012. WIll performances on Fri & Sat at 8pm and Sun at 2pm. The drama AGNES OF GOD is written by John Pielmeier, directed by Allan Herlinger and stage managed by Amanda Bennett.

Spotlighters Theatre will present AGNES OF GOD for Feb 24 - Mar 18, 2012. WIll performances on Fri & Sat at 8pm and Sun at 2pm. The drama AGNES OF GOD is written by John Pielmeier, directed by Allan Herlinger and stage managed by Amanda Bennett.

Spotlighters Theatre has announced their upcoming production of AGNES OF GOD for Feb 24 - Mar 18, 2012. WIll performances on Fri & Sat at 8pm and Sun at 2pm. The drama AGNES OF GOD is written by John Pielmeier, directed by Allan Herlinger and stage managed by Amanda Bennett.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Roy Miller and Executive Producer Timothy Laczynski, continues its 2011 season with I Do! I Do!, the Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt musical based on The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director and Surflight alum Roy Miller and Executive Producer Timothy Laczynski, present A.R. Gurney's Love Letters for six performances only from July 14 through 17.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director and Surflight alum Roy Miller and Executive Producer Timothy Laczynski, present A.R. Gurney's Love Letters for six performances only from July 14 through 17.

Surflight Theatre, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director and Surflight alum Roy Miller and Executive Producer Timothy Laczynski, present A.R. Gurney's Love Letters for six performances only from July 14 through 17.

The West Coast premiere of Good People by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire will open at the Geffen Playhouse in April of 2011 as part of the theater's 11/12 season. The 2010 Tony Award nominee for Best Play joins the following previously announced productions in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse: Pulitzer Prize nominee The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz, Tony Award nominee Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts, Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins featuring Kathleen Turner and the world premiere of The Exorcist by Edgar Award winner John Pielmeier.

World Without End, the sequel to Ken Follett's groundbreaking masterpiece, The Pillars of the Earth, has been optioned by TANDEM COMMUNICATIONS to be made into a television series. Ridley Scott and Tony Scott's Scott Free will be producing this worldwide bestseller together with Tandem. The Pillars of the Earth writer John Pielmeier is back to adapt World Without End for a possible eight-hour series. Starz is co-funding the writing portion with Tandem and is in first position to be the U.S. home for the new project, as it is for Pillars. According to published reports, the miniseries will feature stage veterans Ben Chaplin, Peter Firth, Cynthia Nixon, and Charlotte Riley. Also set to join them are Miranda Richardson and Tom Weston-Jones.