John Skelley News

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey continues its exciting 2019 Season with William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet.' Directed by Ian Belknap, the show will be on the Madison stage from October 16 to November 17. Broadwayworld NJ had the opportunity to interview Belknap about his career and the upcoming show.

Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender announced today the cast for the exclusive U.S. West Coast production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in San Francisco, currently in rehearsals and beginning preview performances at the Curran Theater on Wednesday, October 23, 2019.

The Acting Company (Founded by John Houseman and Margot Harley; Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) announced today complete casting for the first reading in the 23rd John McDonald Salon Reading Series, Lillian Hellman's acclaimed drama Watch on the Rhine. The reading will take place on Monday, March 18 at 7 PM at the Mainstage Theater at Playwrights Horizons (416 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY). Tickets are available now online at www.theactingcompany.org.

The Acting Company announced today initial casting for the first reading in the 23rd John McDonald Salon Reading Series, Lillian Hellman's acclaimed drama Watch on the Rhine.

The Acting Company (Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) honored director and artistic leader Bill Rauch and the married civic leaders Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel and Ambassador Carl Spielvogel- individuals whose exemplary work aligns with the artistic and educational ideals of the storied repertory company that produces nationally recognized theater productions and arts education programs-at the Company's 2018 Fall Gala, on November 12. Held at the historic Metropolitan Club (One East 60th Street), the event raised nearly $400,000 and brought together awards, live entertainment, silent and live auctions, dinner, and cocktails in celebration of theater and its contribution to American society. Tony Award-winner and The Acting Company alumna Harriet Harris hosted, with performances by Joanna A. Jones (Hamilton) and Tatiana Wechsler, featuring Russ Kaplan's Broadway Jazz. 

Over 100,000 tickets at all price points will be released on today at 11:00 AM ET for the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the fully renovated Lyric Theatre (214 West 43rd Street, New York, NY). This further block of tickets is for performances through June 9, 2019 at all price points starting from $40.

Over 100,000 tickets at all price points will be released on Thursday, September 27, 2018 at 11:00 AM ET for the Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. More details will be announced soon

The Tony and Olivier Award-winning Best Play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has set a new Broadway record for weekly ticket sales for a play, reporting a gross of $2,277,446 for the week ending June 17, 2018. This passes the high mark set by the two-part play in previews the week ending April 8, 2018 ($2,138,859) and the previous top grossing play, All The Way, which peaked at $1,623,495 in 2014.

The Acting Company presented its one-night-only benefit reading of The Night of the Iguana, Tennessee Williams' feverishly poetic 1961 drama, at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues), on Monday, June 11.

The Acting Company (Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) presents William Shakespeare's beloved comedy, Twelfth Night, directed by Tony nominee Maria Aitken (The 39 Steps) with a dynamic cast of The Acting Company alumni and ensemble members of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players (REP). When her ship is wrecked, Viola washes ashore in the unfamiliar land of Illyria and embarks on a journey to find her lost brother. Brimming with music, love and longing, Shakespeare's enchanting play transports audiences to a world of comedic mayhem, mistaken identity and unrequited passion. This co-production with the Resident Ensemble Players comes to Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Pl, Brooklyn), May 10-27.

Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players present Shakespeare's enchanting comedy Twelfth Night, April 19 through May 6 in the Roselle Center for the Arts, Newark, DE.

The Acting Company (Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) presents William Shakespeare's beloved comedy, Twelfth Night, directed by Tony nominee Maria Aitken (The 39 Steps) with a dynamic cast of The Acting Company alumni and ensemble members of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players (REP). When her ship is wrecked, Viola washes ashore in the unfamiliar land of Illyria and embarks on a journey to find her lost brother. Brimming with music, love and longing, Shakespeare's enchanting play transports audiences to a world of comedic mayhem, mistaken identity and unrequited passion. This co-production with the Resident Ensemble Players comes to Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Pl, Brooklyn), May 10-27.

The Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition continues to spotlight the best emerging playwrights with a full production for the competition winner and staged readings for four competition finalists.  Sheltered, the 14th competition winner, is the story of one American couple's harrowing decision to rescue 50 Jewish children from Europe during WWII.  Sheltered is written by Alix Sobler who recently earned her MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University. During the Alliance's season-long renovation, Sheltered will be staged at Actor's Express, March 1 - 25, 2018. 

InProximity Theatre Company today announced full casting for the first annual Project W Theatre Festival, a multi-day free play reading event June 6 - 10, 2017 featuring new plays written, directed and produced by women. Cherry Lane Theatre's Studio, located at 38 Commerce Street, will serve as the exclusive venue for all readings.  

The Great White Way comes to The Cape Playhouse this summer as TONY award winners and stars from Wicked, Mamma Mia, Veep, Les Miserables and Modern Family take the stage in a season of Tony, Olivier, and Drama Desk Award-winning shows.

The Great White Way comes to The Cape Playhouse this summer as TONY award winners and stars from Wicked, Mamma Mia, Veep, Les Miserables and Modern Family take the stage in a season of Tony, Olivier, and Drama Desk Award-winning shows.

Westport Country Playhouse will present a Script in Hand playreading of the romantic comedy "Lunch Hour" by Jean Kerr, on Monday, April 24, at 7 p.m.  The reading will be directed by Anne Keefe, Playhouse associate artist and curator of the playreading series. Tickets are $20 each. 

Anglo-Kuwaiti writer-director Sulayman Al Bassam's new play PETROL STATION is as of-the-moment as it gets. Drawn from politics, literature, and myth, it features Muslim characters and is densely packed with urgent themes: justice for migrant workers, autonomy for women, cyclical violence. Epic set and lighting design (Eric Soyer) conjure a windswept desert in an imagined borderland torn by civil war, a dramatic backdrop that enhances the actors' delivery of poetic lines. 

The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's joyous, time-honored celebration of the true meaning of the holidays, a tradition enjoyed by multiple generations of Cincinnatians each year, returns for its 26th season as U.S. Bank presents Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL. The beloved, iconic story will be performed Nov. 23 through Dec. 31 in the Playhouse's Robert S. Marx Theatre.

Tennessee Williams has a knack for making me want to quote lines from his shows. These are the kinds of plays I can't wait to talk about for days after, and the current Denver Center Theatre Company's first-ever production of The Glass Menagerie exceeded each one of my expectations.