Julia Cho News

South Coast Repertory has announced the lineup of actors and directors who will participate in the 12th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF). Since its creation in 1998, PPF has grown into one of the most important festivals of new scripts in the United States. This year?s Festival will take place during the May 1 through May 3 weekend and will feature five staged readings and two fully-produced World Premieres on South Coast Repertory?s Segerstrom and Julianne Argryos Stages. Tickets to PPF may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

South Coast Repertory recently announced its April - July 2009 schedule.

Two Obie Award-winning theater companies -- The Play Company and Ma-Yi Theater -- will collaborate this spring to present the New York premiere of Lloyd Suh's new play AMERICAN HWANGAP, with previews to begin May 9, prior to an official press opening May 17 Off-Broadway at The Wild Project (195 East 3rd Street) in Manhattan. Trip Cullman directs an ensemble cast featuring some of the country's most accomplished Asian American actors, including James Saito (TV's 'Eli Stone' and Obie winner for DURANGO), Michi Barall (Charles Mee's QUEENS BOULEVARD), Mia Katigbak (DOGEATERS), Peter Kim (THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE), and Hoon Lee (YELLOWFACE).

Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director, Ken Novice, Interim Managing Director, Tom Ware, Producing Director) announced casting today for the upcoming production of MAURITIUS by Theresa Rebeck.

Manhattan Theatre Club is pleased to announce the lineup for its 7@7 reading series. Now in its eleventh year, this free rehearsed reading series is dedicated to the support and development of new works. The 2009 lineup features six new plays and a musical, including works by two playwrights previously produced by MTC and one MTC-commissioned playwright.

The Vineyard Theatre will welcome one of the real-life subjects depicted in its production of This Beautiful City, Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein -- well-known and recently profiled in the New York Times as founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation -- at a post-performance Q&A about the play and its subject matter, the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs, following the Sunday, March 15 matinee performance (3 p.m.) of This Beautiful City at The Vineyard Theatre. (108 East 15th Street) in New York City.

South Coast Repertory's Artistic Directors, David Emmes and Martin Benson, today announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Richard Greenberg's Our Mother's Brief Affair, about two adult siblings who reunite to tend to their elderly mother and their astonishment to learn about her long-ago love affair. Commissioned by SCR and directed by Pam MacKinnon, Our Mother's Brief Affair will run from April 3 through May 3 on the Segerstrom Stage. Low-priced previews are available from April 3 through April 9. Opening night is April 10. Press night is Saturday, April 11 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to Our Mother's Brief Affair may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director, Ken Novice, Interim Managing Director, Tom Ware, Producing Director) announced casting today for the upcoming production of MAURITIUS by Theresa Rebeck.

The Vineyard Theatre will welcome one of the real-life subjects depicted in its production of This Beautiful City, Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein -- well-known and recently profiled in the New York Times as founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation -- at a post-performance Q&A about the play and its subject matter, the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs, following the Sunday, March 15 matinee performance (3 p.m.) of This Beautiful City at The Vineyard Theatre. (108 East 15th Street) in New York City.

Rebecca Naomi Jones joins the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) on Saturday, March 7 at 3pm -- after appearing the previous night with Stew, Heidi Rodewald and other original PASSING STRANGE cast members in a one-night-only concert as part of Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series. Presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is directed Steven Cosson.

Rebecca Naomi Jones, most recently seen at The Vineyard Theatre in WIG OUT! and on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning PASSING STRANGE, is set to join the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY on Saturday, March 7 at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) where the hit play's New York premiere runs through March 15, presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group. Steven Cosson directs.

South Coast Repertory's 12th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF) will shine the spotlight on seven new plays written by America's finest writers. Since its creation in 1998, PPF has grown into one of the most important festivals of new scripts in the United States. This year's Festival will take place during the May 1 through May 3 weekend and will feature five staged readings and two fully-produced World Premieres on South Coast Repertory's Segerstrom and Julianne Argryos Stages. Tickets to PPF may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

Rebecca Naomi Jones joins the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) on Saturday, March 7 at 3pm -- after appearing the previous night with Stew, Heidi Rodewald and other original PASSING STRANGE cast members in a one-night-only concert as part of Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series. Presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is directed Steven Cosson.

BWW's conversations with 'women who run the show' commence with Angelina Fiordellisi, artistic director of the Cherry Lane Theatre.

Rebecca Naomi Jones, most recently seen at The Vineyard Theatre in WIG OUT! and on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning PASSING STRANGE, is set to join the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY on Saturday, March 7 at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) where the hit play's New York premiere runs through March 15, presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group. Steven Cosson directs.

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will present the New York premiere of The Civilians' newest work This Beautiful City, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs.

Tony Award-winners Nathan Lane and Anika Noni Rose are set to participant in The Vineyard Theatre's star-studded tribute to Tony Award-winning actress Marian Seldes and The Union Square Partnership at the theatre's annual gala on Monday, February 9th at 6 PM at The Rainbow Room (30 Rockefeller Plaza, 65th floor) in Manhattan. The Gala, which will benefit the Vineyard Theatre, one of the nation's leading theatres devoted to producing new works, will include salutations to Ms. Seldes -- who originated her role in Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize-winning play THREE TALL WOMEN in 1993 at The Vineyard -- and celebrate its theme of community spirit and neighborhood involvement by also honoring The Union Square Partnership. Nathan Lane, who will host the evening, starred opposite Ms. Seldes Off-Broadway in Terrence McNally's DEDICATION, OR THE STUFF OF DREAMS. Mr. Lane is best-known for his Tony Award-winning performances in THE PRODUCERS, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, and LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION!. Anika Noni Rose, who received an Obie Award for her work in the musical ELI'S COMIN' at The Vineyard, won a Tony Award for her performance in CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, and co-starred with Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson in the film version of 'Dreamgirls,' is set to perform.

The Vineyard Theatre -- where Marian Seldes originated her role in Edward Albee's Pulitzer Prize-winning play THREE TALL WOMEN in 1993 -- will honor the Tony Award-winning actress at the theatre's annual gala on Monday, February 9th at 6 PM at The Rainbow Room (30 Rockefeller Plaza, 65th floor) in Manhattan.

The Writers Guild of America, West and the Writers Guild of America, East today announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, radio, news, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2008 season to be honored at the upcoming 2009 Writers Guild Awards on February 7, 2009, in Los Angeles and New York.

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will present the New York premiere of The Civilians' newest work THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs. Written by Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is a provocative new play with music about the growth of the evangelical movement in Colorado Springs, created by the documentary theatre troupe The Civilians. While conducting interviews with people involved with or affected by the mega-church movement, scandal broke about New Life Church pastor Ted Haggard and shook the entire city of Colorado Springs, providing the play's creators with an unprecedented opportunity to capture an important event as it was taking place, and providing the people of Colorado Springs the opportunity to express their opinions and concerns as those events unfolded. THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is a fascinating and timely look at faith and how it affects the American landscape.