Kara Harmon News

Celebrating the life and music of Nina Simone, one of America's most iconic singers and civil rights activists, Christina Ham's provocative musical journey Nina Simone: Four Women makes its East Coast debut at Arena Stage. Set in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, in which four little girls lost their lives in 1963, Ham uses Simone's song 'Four Women' as the framework to explore the songstress' shift from artist to artist-activist.

Geva Theatre Center presents In the Heights, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Melissa Rain Anderson in the Elaine P. Wilson Stage from September 5 through October 8.

The Huntington Theatre Company presents a provocative new drama A Guide for the Homesick, by Huntington Playwriting Fellow Ken Urban and directed by Tony Award nominee Colman Domingo (Dragon King in Journey to the West and Jim in Well at the Huntington, Mr. Bones in The Scottsboro Boys on Broadway, and Victor Strand in AMC's "Fear the Walking Dead").

Geva Theatre Center presents In the Heights, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Melissa Rain Anderson in the Elaine P. Wilson Stage from September 5 through October 8.

'I think comedy is disarming. I mean literally. You let down your armor so you can laugh. And if you laugh, you're taking things in. I want people who disagree to watch this play and be able to laugh at themselves.' Mission accomplished. The new play NATIVE GARDENS by Karen Zacarias (from whom this quote comes), now playing on the Guthrie proscenium stage, accomplishes this and more. Through the lens of neighbors disagreeing about a fence, she exposes our many prejudices, fears, and defenses. Everyone in the audience can recognize themselves and the prejudices they harbor, or the ones they've faced, and laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. The two couples in the play are on opposite sides of many issues, but through this dispute they eventually come to realize that despite their differences they both want the same thing - a nice yard to live in and friendly neighbors.

Good fences make good neighbors...right? Neighborly rivalry escalates into an all-out border dispute in Karen Zacarias' newest hot-button comedy Native Gardens, which makes its D.C. debut at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater.

Trinity Rep continues its 53rd season Ghosts of the Past, Dreams of the Future with one of the most-produced plays in the country, Katori Hall's The Mountaintop, directed by Kent Gash. The Mountaintop runs through February 12, 2017.

Katori Hall's Olivier Award-winning play, The Mountaintop, kicks off 2017 at Trinity Repertory Company and continues the 53rd season, Ghosts of the Past, Dreams of the Future.

Katori Hall's Olivier Award-winning play, The Mountaintop, kicks off 2017 at Trinity Repertory Company and continues the 53rd season, Ghosts of the Past, Dreams of the Future.

Playwright Robert O'Hara provides the mood-setting intro for the West Coast premiere of his comedy BARBECUE now playing at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood through October 16. And while his very off-color language is shocking at first, I guarantee it will start you laughing and prepare you for the very realistic language used throughout the play.

Geffen Playhouse has just announced the cast for its West Coast premiere production of Barbecue, written by Obie and Helen Hayes Award winner Robert O'Hara. Tony nominee Colman Domingo directs the production starring Yvette Cason, Dale Dickey, Omar J. Dorsey, Frances Fisher, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Travis Johns, Elyse Mirto, Maya Lynne Robinson, Heather Alicia Simms and Rebecca Wisocky.

Geffen Playhouse has just announced the cast for its West Coast premiere production of Barbecue, written by Obie and Helen Hayes Award winner Robert O'Hara. Tony nominee Colman Domingo directs the production starring Yvette Cason, Dale Dickey, Omar J. Dorsey, Frances Fisher, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Travis Johns, Elyse Mirto, Maya Lynne Robinson, Heather Alicia Simms and Rebecca Wisocky.

The Alliance Theatre has announced its a final extension of the smash hit, ETHEL, written by and starring accomplished Atlanta performer Terry Burrell. ETHEL is a glimpse into the magnificent and very complicated life of the legendary stage and film star ETHEL Waters. ETHEL will close the Alliance's Hertz Stage season at the Alliance Theatre. The show was scheduled to close on April 17, and had already extended once to April 24. This is a final extension and the show MUST CLOSE on May 1, 2016.

Rehearsals are underway for Alliance Theatre's production of ETHEL, written by and starring accomplished Atlanta performer Terry Burrell. ETHEL is a glimpse into the magnificent and very complicated life of the legendary stage and film star Ethel Waters. ETHEL will close the Alliance's Hertz Stage season at the Alliance Theatre, running tonight, March 25, through April 17, 2016. Opening night is Wednesday, March 30, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Rehearsals are underway for Alliance Theatre's production of ETHEL, written by and starring accomplished Atlanta performer Terry Burrell. ETHEL is a glimpse into the magnificent and very complicated life of the legendary stage and film star Ethel Waters. ETHEL will close the Alliance's Hertz Stage season at the Alliance Theatre, running March 25 through April 17, 2016. Opening night is Wednesday, March 30, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

DOT by Colman Domingo - currently starring as Strand on AMC's FEAR THE WALKING DEAD and also in The Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award winner THE BIRTH OF A NATION by Nate Parker - officially opens tonight, February 23, at the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th St.).

Preview performances of DOT by Colman Domingo - currently starring as Strand on AMC's FEAR THE WALKING DEAD and also in The Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award winner THE BIRTH OF A NATION by Nate Parker - continue at the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th St.). Directed by multiple Tony Award winner Susan Stroman, who returns to The Vineyard for the first time since she directed the theater's acclaimed world premiere of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS, DOT opens February 23. For tickets and more information, please call the box office at (212) 353-0303 or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.

Preview performances of DOT by Colman Domingo - currently starring as Strand on AMC's FEAR THE WALKING DEAD and also in The Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award winner THE BIRTH OF A NATION by Nate Parker begin tonight, February 4, at Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15th St.).

Tickets for the NY debut of Colman Domingo's DOT at Vineyard Theatre will go on sale January 6 at Noon. Directed by multiple Tony Award winner Susan Stroman - returning to The Vineyard for the first time since she directed the theater's acclaimed world premiere of THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS - DOT begins previews February 4, 2016 prior to opening February 23. For tickets and more information, please call the box office at (212) 353-0303 or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.

I am always excited by the opportunity to see an August Wilson play. Only Actors Theatre has managed to deliver them to Louisville audiences, the most recent having been an outstanding production of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom in 2010. Now we have Seven Guitars to feast upon.