Kathryn Joosten News

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts (August: Osage County) is heralded for sprinkling a very gritty situation with crisply funny dialogue and peppering it all with an unexpected twist or two. Prepare to be moved, entertained, exhilarated and maybe a little frightened with his West coast premiere of Superior Donuts now @ the Geffen Playhouse. Like a fine confection, the play is diligently prepared, ardently packaged, and turns out, in every way, superior.

An all new SPIDER-MAN spoof will debut at the Blank Theatre Company's 19th Annual Young Playwrights Festival, titled SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE LIGHTS. The show, which is one of twelve productions that will be featured at the four week event, is the brainchild of 17-year old Adam Brodheim from New York City.

Gary Cole and Edi Gathegi lead the cast of Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts' Superior Donuts at the Geffen Playhouse. Cole and Gathegi are joined by a formidable ensemble cast who take on the eclectic personalities of the Chicago neighborhood in which the play is set. The full cast includes Mary Beth Fisher, whose stage credits include Extremities and Boy Gets Girl, Kathryn Joosten, best known for her characters on television's Desperate Housewives and The West Wing as well as Brian Abraham, Ron Bottitta, Paul Dillon, Damon Gupton and Matt McTighe. For complete cast biographies, please view the following pages.

'Flashback' - Lynette fights back when her mother, Stella (Polly Bergen), tries to force the Scavos to pose for a family portrait with her obnoxious new husband, Frank (Larry Hagman). Meanwhile, Susan is presented with a kidney donation from an unlikely source, Gaby refuses to confront her past while undergoing therapy to discover what's causing her underlying obsession with her doll, Bree continues to keep the existence of Keith's son a secret from him, and Mike reaches out to biological son Zach to see if he was involved in adopted father Paul's shooting, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Flashback' - Lynette fights back when her mother, Stella (Polly Bergen), tries to force the Scavos to pose for a family portrait with her obnoxious new husband, Frank (Larry Hagman). Meanwhile, Susan is presented with a kidney donation from an unlikely source, Gaby refuses to confront her past while undergoing therapy to discover what's causing her underlying obsession with her doll, Bree continues to keep the existence of Keith's son a secret from him, and Mike reaches out to biological son Zach to see if he was involved in adopted father Paul's shooting, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'You Must Meet My Wife' - After Renee begins spending a lot of time with Tom, an angry Lynette feels she's trying to sabotage their marriage; Bree fires Keith (Brian Austin Green) without warning when she suddenly finds herself falling for him; Susan is wracked with guilt about lying to Mike about her new, risque side job; Gabrielle rushes to the hospital after learning that Bree accidentally hit Juanita with the car; and Paul introduces the women of Wisteria Lane to his new wife, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, JANUARY 23 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD 10/3/10)

The Blank Theatre Company's Young Playwrights Festival is now seeking submissions nationwide from playwrights 19 years of age and younger. Submission deadline is March 15, 2011. Winning plays will be presented by professional actors and directors from June 2-26, 2011 at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, CA.

'You Must Meet My Wife' - After Renee begins spending a lot of time with Tom, an angry Lynette feels she's trying to sabotage their marriage; Bree fires Keith (Brian Austin Green) without warning when she suddenly finds herself falling for him; Susan is wracked with guilt about lying to Mike about her new, risque side job; Gabrielle rushes to the hospital after learning that Bree accidentally hit Juanita with the car; and Paul introduces the women of Wisteria Lane to his new wife, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, JANUARY 23 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD 10/3/10)

'Where Do I Belong' - While Susan continues to undergo dialysis, she is stunned when her flighty mother, Sophie (Lesley Ann Warren), along with her Aunt Claire (Valerie Harper), pays a visit but won't agree to get tested to see if she would be a potential kidney donor candidate. Meanwhile, not knowing where biological daughter Grace is causes Gaby to turn her feelings of loss into an obsession; Lynette exacts revenge on Tom after she learns about his past with Renee, and Bree tries to befriend a friendless Beth Young, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, JANUARY 9 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Assassins' - Susan's life hangs in the balance after being trampled by the rioting mob on Wisteria Lane; the fate of Paul Young is revealed following the aftermath of the riot, but who shot him?; Keith moves in with Bree but is shocked when Orson pays a surprise visit; Gaby finds it difficult to purge all traces of Grace from her life in order to repair her relationship with Juanita; and Renee wrestles with telling Lynette the truth about her past with Tom, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, JANUARY 2 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Where Do I Belong' - While Susan continues to undergo dialysis, she is stunned when her flighty mother, Sophie (Lesley Ann Warren), along with her Aunt Claire (Valerie Harper), pays a visit but won't agree to get tested to see if she would be a potential kidney donor candidate. Meanwhile, not knowing where biological daughter Grace is causes Gaby to turn her feelings of loss into an obsession; Lynette exacts revenge on Tom after she learns about his past with Renee, and Bree tries to befriend a friendless Beth Young, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, JANUARY 9 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Assassins' - Susan's life hangs in the balance after being trampled by the rioting mob on Wisteria Lane; the fate of Paul Young is revealed following the aftermath of the riot, but who shot him?; Keith moves in with Bree but is shocked when Orson pays a surprise visit; Gaby finds it difficult to purge all traces of Grace from her life in order to repair her relationship with Juanita; and Renee wrestles with telling Lynette the truth about her past with Tom, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, JANUARY 2 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Down the Block There's a Riot' - Paul's nefarious plan for Wisteria Lane is put into full effect, Juanita discovers Gaby's secret, Bree invites Keith to move in with her, and Tom is confronted about his past indiscretion with Renee, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Down the Block There's a Riot' - Paul's nefarious plan for Wisteria Lane is put into full effect, Juanita discovers Gaby's secret, Bree invites Keith to move in with her, and Tom is confronted about his past indiscretion with Renee, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Down the Block There's a Riot' - Paul's nefarious plan for Wisteria Lane is put into full effect, Juanita discovers Gaby's secret, Bree invites Keith to move in with her, and Tom is confronted about his past indiscretion with Renee, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Pleasant Little Kingdom' - Gabrielle desperately tries to figure out a way to keep Grace in her life; Keith plans a very special dinner with Bree; Tom is angry at Lynette for not disclosing his special attributes to the other ladies; Renee tells Susan a deep, dark secret; and Paul's plan for Wisteria Lane is revealed, on ABC's 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Remember Paul?' - The residents of Wisteria Lane are stunned to discover that Paul Young is out of prison and back in the neighborhood with an enigmatic new wife and seemingly dark motives. Meanwhile, while Paul is renting Susan's home, she, Mike and MJ are living in an apartment on limited funds. But Susan sees a glimmer of hope in getting her life back on the Lane when she's offered an unorthodox job by her apartment manager, Maxine (Lainie Kazan); Lynette's rich and successful college friend, Renee (Vanessa Williams), pays an unexpected visit to the Scavo household; Gabrielle and Carlos find themselves keeping secrets from one another; and Bree, newly single and needing a fresh start after selling her business, finds herself tempted by Keith (Brian Austin Green) -- the handsome, young handyman she's hired to update her house -- on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD 9/26/10)

'Down the Block There's a Riot' - Paul's nefarious plan for Wisteria Lane is put into full effect, Juanita discovers Gaby's secret, Bree invites Keith to move in with her, and Tom is confronted about his past indiscretion with Renee, on 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

'Pleasant Little Kingdom' - Gabrielle desperately tries to figure out a way to keep Grace in her life; Keith plans a very special dinner with Bree; Tom is angry at Lynette for not disclosing his special attributes to the other ladies; Renee tells Susan a deep, dark secret; and Paul's plan for Wisteria Lane is revealed, on ABC's 'Desperate Housewives,' SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5 (9:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.