John Turturro News

A cast of Broadway veterans will converge on a small Kansas town April 13 to perform a new musical comedy by Sheldon Harnick, co-creator of "Fiddler on the Roof."

On Wednesday, April 13 at 7 p.m., a panel of esteemed Shakespearean and religious scholars and experts will examine Shylock, Shakespeare, and the Jews: Anti-Semitism in The Merchant of Venice.

Two-time Tony Award-nominated Alison Fraser has joined the cast of David Ives' new comedy, THE SCHOOL FOR LIES, from the Molière classic The Misanthrope, directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie, beginning performances Wednesday, April 13 at Classic Stage Company (136 East 13th Street) for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 22. The official press opening is Sunday, May 1 at 2 pm. The cast of THE SCHOOL FOR LIES also feature Mamie Gummer, Jenn Gambatese and Hamish Linklater, as well as Steven Boyer, Frank Harts, Rick Holmes, Hoon Lee and Matthew Maher.

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that individual tickets for William Shakespeare's tragiccomedy 'The Merchant of Venice' from the acclaimed Theatre for a New Audience, are on sale now for its Chicago debut during a limited, two-week engagement, March 15-27 2011, at the Bank of America Theatre (18 West Monroe St.).

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, continues its 44th season with DOUBLE FALSEHOOD, written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, adapted for the 18th Century stage by Lewis Theobald, and directed by Kulick.

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, continues its 44th season with DOUBLE FALSEHOOD, written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, adapted for the 18th Century stage by Lewis Theobald, and directed by Kulick.

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present David Ives' new comedy, THE SCHOOL FOR LIES, adapted from the Moli re classic The Misanthrope, directed by Tony Award winner Walter Bobbie, beginning performances Wednesday, April 13 at CSC (136 East 13th Street) for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 22

Classic Stage Company's production of Anton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS will play its last performance on Sunday, March 6 The production features Maggie Gyllenhaal (Masha), Josh Hamilton (Andre), Jessica Hecht (Olga), Marin Ireland (Natasha), Juliet Rylance (Irina) and Peter Sarsgaard (Vershinin). Also featured in the cast are Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Tuesenbach), Anson Mount (Solyony), Roberta Maxwell (Anfisa), Louis Zorich (Chebutykin), George Morfogen (Ferapont), Paul Lazar (Kulygin), Gabe Bettio (Rode) and James Patrick Nelson (Fedotik).

'The Merchant of Venice' from the acclaimed Theatre for a New Audience, stars Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham ('Amadeus,' 1984) in his riveting portrayal of Shylock, and directed by Darko Tresnjak (former Artistic Director, Old Globe). The play has been arousing for centuries with raucous and gentle comedy, tender poetry, and its struggle with mercy and justice. In this riveting update, religion, race and sexuality collide with love, family and justice and the currency of society and humanity has never been so changeable.

Last week I had the exceptional privilege of interviewing newly minted SAG and Golden Globe-winner for Best Actor In A Drama Series for his work on HBO'S BOARDWALK EMPIRE, Steve Buscemi, along with his wife, artist/choreographer Jo Andres, about their participation in the experimental music/theater space in Brooklyn, ISSUE Project Room. For those that are not aware, ISSUE Project Room is a community performance space for up-and-coming musicians, artists, performers and choreographers at 110 Livingston Street with the goal of creating a centralized space for all the arts - avant garde and otherwise. In addition to discussing their shared beginnings in the fringe theatre scene in the East Village in the eighties and the artists who inspired them, Buscemi and Andres also talk about the ultimate goals of the venue, both new and old, and the reason that now is the perfect time for a space such as this to flourish, as new artists get the opportunity to see their work produced. Further information about the venue - and how you can become a member - can be found here.

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, continues its 44th season with DOUBLE FALSEHOOD, written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, adapted for the 18th Century stage by Lewis Theobald, and directed by Kulick.

Yesterday I had the exceptional privilege of interviewing newly minted SAG and Golden Globe-winner for Best Actor In A Drama Series for his work on HBO'S BOARDWALK EMPIRE, Steve Buscemi, along with his wife, artist/choreographer Jo Andres, about their new experimental theater space in Brooklyn, the Issue Project Room. For those that are not aware, the Issue Project Room is a new theater space being developed for up-and-coming artists, performers and choreographers at 110 Livingston Street to create a centralized space for all the arts - avant garde and otherwise. In addition to discussing their shared beginnings in the fringe theatre scene in the East Village in the eighties and the artists who inspired them, Buscemi and Andres also talk about the ultimate goal of the venue and the reason that now is the perfect time for a space such as this for new artists to see their work produced. Further information about the venue - and how you can become a member - can be found here.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) has added two additional performances to the world premiere production of Rinne Groff's COMPULSION, directed by Oskar Eustis and featuring Hannah Cabell, Matte Osian and Mandy Patinkin. COMPULSION, which opens on Thursday, February 17 and must close on Sunday, March 13, has added two additional weekend performances on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the added performances are on sale now at (212) 967-7555 or www.publictheater.org.

Classic Stage Company (CSC), under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will present Tony Award winning actor Alan Cumming in a one night only staged reading of Tennessee Williams' THE NOTEBOOK OF TRIGORIN, a free adaptation of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, on Sunday evening, February 13 at 7 pm at CSC (136 East 13th Street).

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) will begin previews Tuesday, February 1 for the world premiere production of Rinne Groff's COMPULSION, directed by Oskar Eustis.

Little Angel Theatre and Reel Islington announce London's first ever puppet film festival from 25-27 March 2011. As part of the ongoing 50th birthday celebrations of Little Angel, its intimate 100 seat theatre will be transformed into a cinema for this one weekend and the films shown will appeal to all ages.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) will begin previews Tuesday, February 1 for the world premiere production of Rinne Groff's COMPULSION, directed by Oskar Eustis. The cast features Hannah Cabell, Matte Osian, and Mandy Patinkin, with puppet design and puppetry supervision by Matt Acheson. COMPULSION runs through Sunday, March 13 at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street) with an official press opening on Thursday, February 17. Tickets are on sale now.

Classic Stage Company's acclaimed new production of Anton Chekhov's THREE SISTERS sold out its entire engagement through March 6 within 24 hours of its opening this past Thursday, February 3. Directed by Austin Pendleton, the production features Maggie Gyllenhaal, Josh Hamilton, Jessica Hecht, Marin Ireland, Juliet Rylance and Peter Sarsgaard. Also featured in the cast are Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Anson Mount, Roberta Maxwell, Louis Zorich, George Morfogen, Paul Lazar, Gabriel Bettio and James Patrick Nelson.

Harold Bloom, America's leading literary critic and author of the best-seller 'Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human," will join Classic Stage Company Artistic Director Brian Kulick in a rare public appearance on Monday evening, February 7 at 7 pm at CSC (136 East 13th Street) as a special one-night-only event to benefit CSC's ongoing Shakespeare programming.

Ticketing info: General $18/Student $14 - Cash only at the door. Purchase in advance at incubatorarts.org or by calling TheaterMania at 212-352-3101. Incubator Arts Project (inside St. Mark's Church) • 131 East 10th Street (at 2nd Ave.) L to First or Third Ave; R, W to Broadway/8th St.; 6 to Astor Place; N,Q, 4, 5 to Union Sq.