Kathleen Geldard News

Signature Theatre once again mounts a World Premiere musical with success. You'll have a rockin' good time.

Last season, Signature Theatre brought the comedy Art to the stage. Now, the Tony Award-winning Theatre is home to the Washington premiere of another comedy from the incisive mind of Yasmina Reza, as God of Carnage begins performances on April 10th, and runs through June 24th. Directed by Helen Hayes award-winner Joe Calarco (Urinetown, Assassins, and Side Show at Signature), God of Carnage is described as 'a scathing dark comedy that gleefully flouts the perception of human 'civility.'

The story of the controversial 'Mad Monk,' Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which is making its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Check out performance highlighs below!

The story of the controversial 'Mad Monk,' Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which makes its world premiere at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star John Lescault (Signature's Art and The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as the infamous and enigmatic Rasputin, Natascia Diaz (Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, and Savage in Limbo at MetroStage), Doug Kreeger (Signature's The Visit), Amy McWilliams (Signature's The Witches of Eastwick and Urinetown), and Tracy Lynn Olivera (Les Misérables and Merrily We Roll Along at Signature). Erin Driscoll, Stephen Gregory Smith, Rachel Zampelli, Russell Sunday, Kevin McAllister, and Christopher Mueller round out the cast for this world premiere event. Brother Russia will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from March 6, 2012 through April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale. Check out production shots below!

The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) Awards recognize the extraordinary wealth of talent in the Boston theatre community, and this year's nominations have just been announced. IRNE Reviewers include among others David Brooks Andrews, Sheila Barth, Jules Becker, Kay Bourne, Beverly Creasey, Shirley Esthimer, Richard Fahey, Guy Giampapa, Norm Gross, Nancy Grossman, Bryce Lambert, Beatrice Lee, Kilian Melloy and Larry Stark.

The story of the controversial "Mad Monk," Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin is now the subject of the new rock musical Brother Russia, which makes its world premiere at the Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre. The new musical features Music by Dana Rowe and Book and Lyrics by John Dempsey - the award-winning creators behind The Fix (1998) and The Witches of Eastwick (2007). Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star John Lescault (Signature's Art and The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as the infamous and enigmatic Rasputin, Natascia Diaz (Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, and Savage in Limbo at MetroStage), Doug Kreeger (Signature's The Visit), Amy McWilliams (Signature's The Witches of Eastwick and Urinetown), and Tracy Lynn Olivera (Les Miserables and Merrily We Roll Along at Signature). Erin Driscoll, Stephen Gregory Smith, Rachel Zampelli, Russell Sunday, Kevin McAllister, and Christopher Mueller round out the cast for this world premiere event. Brother Russia will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from March 6, 2012 through April 15, 2012. Tickets are now on sale.

Signature Theatre today announced that the run of Hairspray will be extended for one week, through February 5th.

An elite university. A not-to-be-missed party. A startling accusation. Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Really Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo, one of the country's most promising new voices. Directed by Signature's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner, this contemporary drama pushes the edges and embraces the harsh realities of the "Me" generation. When the party of the year ends in the regret of a lifetime, one person will stop at nothing to salvage a future that is suddenly slipping away - and it is now every man for himself.

Signature Theatre will present the world premiere of Really Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo.

Signature Theatre today announced that the run of Hairspray will be extended for one week, through February 5th.

An elite university. A not-to-be-missed party. A startling accusation. Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre presents the world premiere of Really Really by Paul Downs Colaizzo, one of the country's most promising new voices. Directed by Signature's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner, this contemporary drama pushes the edges and embraces the harsh realities of the "Me" generation. When the party of the year ends in the regret of a lifetime, one person will stop at nothing to salvage a future that is suddenly slipping away - and it is now every man for himself.

It's time to let your hair down and dance the night away! The 1960's are coming back to Washington as the Broadway sensation Hairspray will begin performances at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre on November 21st - just in time for the holidays. Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star national radio host Robert Aubry Davis (WETA's 'Around Town' and Sirius/XM Radio), making his musical theater stage debut in the iconic role of Edna Turnblad. The impressive cast of DC favorites is headlined by Carolyn Cole (Tracy Turnblad), Nova Y. Payton (Motormouth Mable), Sherri L. Edelen (Velma Von Tussle), PatRick Thomas Cragin (Link Larkin), and Harry A. Winter (Wilbur Turnblad). Hairspray will play at Signature's MAX Theatre through January 29, 2012. Check out highlights from the show below!

What a way for Signature Theatre to end 2011...you just can't stop the beat!

A 1970s resale shop in Chicago is the setting for award-winning playwright David Mamet's 'American Buffalo,' now at Baltimore's Center Stage.

November has over 60 more openings in the professional, community, universities, and children's theaters in the DC/MD/VA area. A week has already passed in November and over 20 new productions have opened. To read reviews of these shows, go to Maryland Theatre Guide, where I am the Editor and a columnist. A recent back surgery kept me from posting this earlier, so we have some catching up to do.

It's time to let your hair down and dance the night away! The 1960's are coming back to Washington as the Broadway sensation Hairspray will begin performances at the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre on November 21st - just in time for the holidays. Directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, the production will star national radio host Robert Aubry Davis (WETA's 'Around Town' and Sirius/XM Radio), making his musical theater stage debut in the iconic role of Edna Turnblad. The impressive cast of DC favorites is headlined by Carolyn Cole (Tracy Turnblad), Nova Y. Payton (Motormouth Mable), Sherri L. Edelen (Velma Von Tussle), Patrick Thomas Cragin (Link Larkin), and Harry A. Winter (Wilbur Turnblad). Hairspray will play at Signature's MAX Theatre from November 21, 2011 through January 29, 2012. Tickets are now on sale.

Two Word Premiere Musicals in Rotating Repertory

Signature Theatre's 22nd season kicks off by making musical theatre history with its American Musical Voices Project: Next Generation 'World Premiere Repertory Series' - the first time in the history of the American theatre that two world premiere musicals will be presented in rotating repertory, in full production. The eight-week series, beginning previews on August 23rd, will produce The Hollow (book by Hunter Foster; music and lyrics by Matt Conner), to be directed by Signature Theatre's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner; and The Boy Detective Fails (book by Joe Meno; music and lyrics by Adam Gwon), directed by Signature Theatre Artistic Associate Joe Calarco. Both musicals have been commissioned by Signature Theatre as part of its groundbreaking American Musical Voices Project: The Next Generation.

Shaw classic ends run Sunday, June 19, 2011 and the Everyman season.

A simple white canvas. A 200,000 franc price tag. The real cost? A 15-year long friendship. Virginia's Tony Award®-winning Signature Theatre presents Yasmine Reza's (God of Carnage) scathing dark comedy Art. Translated by Christopher Hampton, Reza's play examines the pressures friends place on one another and asks the question - are you who you think you are or are you who your friends want you to be? Signature Theatre's Resident Director Matt Gardiner will direct the award-winning play. Produced worldwide and performed in over thirty languages, Art won the 1998 Tony Award® for Best Play and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy.