John Wells News

Center Repertory Company has appointed Matt M. Morrow as its new Artistic Director following a nationwide search.

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY (Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director) in partnership with the Jewish Plays Project (David Winitsky, Artistic Director), have announced a one-night only reading presentation of 2021 National Jewish Playwriting Contest Winner, WHO BY FIRE, written by Talisa Friedman and directed by legendary casting director John Levey.  

Diversionary Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for its San Diego-premiere of Head Over Heels, a musical based upon “The Arcadia” by Sir Philip Sidney, with songs by the iconic 80's all-girl rock band, The Go-Go's. 

MGM+ has announced a 10-episode series order for Emperor of Ocean Park, a thrilling, suspenseful take on author and law professor Stephen L. Carter’s best-selling novel, from executive producer/writer Sherman Payne (Charm City Kings, Shameless), John Wells Productions (JWP), and Warner Bros. Television.

The Drama League has launched its digital archive of the 2022-2023 International Directors Summit, which united eight world-class directors from around the globe for a series of conversations about the changing nature of their work.

Lisa Clair Group, in association with Immediate Medium and in collaboration with New Georges, will present Willa’s Authentic Self, a musical, monstrous, and maximalist re-imagining of the ancient Jewish Golem myth.

After an inclusive nationwide search led by ALJP Consulting and a dedicated group of board, staff, and affiliated artists, Off-Broadway's Rattlestick Theater has named Will Davis, a director, choreographer, and producer of new work as Artistic Director. Davis will succeed Daniella Topol, who served as Artistic Director since 2016.

Ivo Van Hove is working with John Wells on a new television series taking place in a ruthless music conservatory. The series will be written by Matthew-Lee Erlbach, inspired by his experience training in the cutthroat environment at one of the top music conservatories in the country. 

Loud Fridge Theatre Group started off its 2023 theatrical year with an excellent and thoughtfully nuanced look at a sexual assault on a college campus.  RIPPED from Loud Fridge Theatre Group is playing through February 5th at OnStage Playhouse.

Interview with RIPPED directors Kate Rose Reynolds and John Wells III, about working together as joint directors, and why this play is more topical than ever as it explores from multiple angles an incident of a female college freshman who believes she was sexually assaulted. 

Co-authored by Conor Duffy and Jake Broder, Max & Willy’s Last Laugh is based on the true story of entertainers Max Ehrlich and Willy Rosen, who for 18 months performed the funniest cabaret in Europe to ensure their safety at the Westerbork Transit Camp during World War II.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 19th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld San Diego Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The latest standings as of Monday, December 12th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld San Diego Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

The Oak Park Festival Theatre, Oak Park's premiere Equity theatre and the oldest professional classical theatre in the Midwest, has announced that Peter G. Andersen will be joining the company as its new Artistic Director in January 2023. Andersen takes the artistic helm after a nationwide search and will set the stage for the thousands of annual attendees who look to Oak Park Festival Theatre not just for summer Shakespeare in the park but also for new interpretations of classic works year-round. 

The latest standings as of Monday, December 5th, have been released for the 2022 BroadwayWorld San Diego Awards! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers get to vote for their favorites.

Diversionary Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for its production of The Mystery of Irma Vep by Charles Ludlam, co-directed by Diversionary Executive Artistic Director Matt M. Morrow and Allison Spratt Pearce. The Mystery of Irma Vep will run December 1 - December 24 at Diversionary Theatre in University Heights. 

Teatro San Diego brought its second live theatre performance to stage this past weekend with THE WIZ.  The ambitious musical featured a talented cast with impressive vocals and showcased the vision and promise of this burgeoning theatre company.   

Chadae Nichol will helm the production as director.

Diversionary Theatre has announced its 2022/2023 season: the legacy revival The Mystery of Irma Vep (December 2022), by Charles Ludlam and directed by Matt M. Morrow; the American Premiere of The High Table (February/March 2023), by Temi Wilkey, directed by Bibi Mama; and more.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, has announced the participants in the seventh round of its Rising Leaders of Color (RLC) Program.