Keith Skretch News

NEW YORK, September 30, 2014 - The New York Dance and Performance Awards (The Bessies), NYC's premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, announced today the host of the anniversary ceremony that is to be held at the legendary Apollo Theater. Broadway playwright, actress and 1993 Bessie awardee Lisa Kron will host the 30th Annual Bessie Awards. Produced in partnership with Dance/NYC, the awards will take place October 20, 7:30 p.m. Nominees will arrive starting 6:00 p.m. for Red Carpet press interviews and photo opportunities.

Playwrights' Arena, in association with Greenway Arts Alliance at Greenway Court Theatre, presents the World Premiere of PAINTING IN RED by Luis Alfaro, opening Saturday, October 18, 2014. Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, the production will star Elisa Bocanegra, Cristina Frias, Joe Hernandez-Kolski, Justin Huen, Jayme Lake, West Liang and Rodney To.

Five theater artists will be honored by the Henry Hewes Design Awards Committee during the presentation of its 2014 Awards in a luncheon ceremony scheduled for October 6. Bob Crowley (The Glass Menagerie), Linda Cho (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), Justin Townsend (Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play) and G. Lucas Crane and Keith Skretch (This Was the End) will be honored with 2014 Henry Hewes Design Awards. Three of the five are receiving his or her first Henry Hewes Design Award. Bob Crowley was previously honored in 2007 for his work with Scott Pask on The Coast of Utopia. For the 2014 honors, 91 theater artists were nominated for outstanding artistry in 59 productions presented during the 2013-2014 New York theater season. (A complete list of 2014 nominees follows this awards announcement.)

The New York Dance and Performance Awards (The Bessies), NYC's premier dance awards honoring outstanding creative work in the field, celebrates a milestone 30th anniversary this year. Today, the 36 nominees for the 2013-14 season were announced at a press conference by members of The Bessies Selection Committee. The nominations (listed below) were selected by an independent committee of 40 dance industry professionals. Produced in partnership with Dance/NYC, Bessie Award categories include Outstanding Performer, Outstanding Production, Outstanding Visual Design, Outstanding Music Composition or Sound Design and Outstanding Revival.

Adapted from two Anton Chekhov short stories, Man in a Case and About Love, MAN IN A CASE is a pair of haunting love stories - one of an officious, anti-social man and his involvement with an extroverted woman. The second, a tale of moral ambiguity in which the protagonist forgoes his love for a married woman. Though seemingly different, both are tales of fear trumping the pursuit of life's most promising possibilities, with Baryshnikov playing the two very different leading men.

Fusing theater, dance, music, and video, ArtsEmerson's MAN IN A CASE is an unusual entertainment, something that has to be seen to be appreciated. At the least, it is an example of thinking outside of the box and an opportunity to see one of the world's greatest dancers onstage; at best, it is an opportunity to see that one of the world's greatest dancers has many more tricks up his tights and that his fluid movements have not abandoned him. You can take the dancer out of the ballet, but you cannot take the ballet out of the dancer. Even in a straight play, the man still has all the right moves.

The Chocolate Factory is pleased to present the world premiere of Catlett's This Was The End, a performance in which four actors in their sixties and seventies attempt each night to get to the end of Uncle Vanya-in a last ditch effort to alter the outcome. In Chekhov's play, Vanya asks, 'What if I live to be 60?' This Was The End performs an answer. It uses the play to pose questions about how memory functions in the formation of the future. The cast features veteran downtown luminaries Black-Eyed Susan (Ridiculous Theater & John Jesurun) as Sonya, Paul Zimet (Living Theater & Talking Band) as Vanya, Jim Himelsbach (OBIE for The Foundry's Talk) as Astrov and Rae C Wright (OBIE for Sustained Excellence with The New York Street Theatre Caravan) as Yelena.

The Chocolate Factory is pleased to present the world premiere of Catlett's This Was The End, a performance in which four actors in their sixties and seventies attempt each night to get to the end of Uncle Vanya-in a last ditch effort to alter the outcome. In Chekhov's play, Vanya asks, 'What if I live to be 60?' This Was The End performs an answer. It uses the play to pose questions about how memory functions in the formation of the future. The cast features veteran downtown luminaries Black-Eyed Susan (Ridiculous Theater & John Jesurun) as Sonya, Paul Zimet (Living Theater & Talking Band) as Vanya, Jim Himelsbach (OBIE for The Foundry's Talk) as Astrov and Rae C Wright (OBIE for Sustained Excellence with The New York Street Theatre Caravan) as Yelena.

Dominating the nominations in the musical category is the current Broadway sensation 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder,' which made its world premiere in February 2013 at San Diego's The Old Globe (a co-production with Hartford Stage). The musical racked up 11 nominations, including nods for New Musical, its versatile star Jefferson Mays (a UC San Diego alumnus) and its director Darko Tresnjak (former co-artistic director and Shakespeare Festival director at The Old Globe).

DOUBLE INDEMNITY, adapted by David Pichette and R. Hamilton Wright and based on the Book by James M. Cain, is directed by John Gould Rubin and runs now through September 1, 2013, at The Old Globe's Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre at the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The Old Globe today announced that the San Diego Premiere of the crime classic Double Indemnity will receive an additional week of performances and will now run through Sept. 1. The production begins previews on July 27 and was originally set to close on Aug. 25. Opening night is Aug. 1. Double Indemnity is adapted by David Pichette and R. Hamilton Wright from the book by James M. Cain and is directed by John Gould Rubin. Tickets for the extension week are currently available to subscribers only and will go on sale to the public on Friday, July 26 at 12 noon. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

The Old Globe presents DOUBLE INDEMNITY, Adapted by David Pichette and R. Hamilton Wright, Based on the Book by James M. Cain, Directed by John Gould Rubin, July 27 - Aug. 25, 2013 at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Ticket prices start at $29. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below.

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the San Diego Premiere of the crime classic Double Indemnity, adapted by David Pichette and R. Hamilton Wright from the novel by James M. Cain. Directed by John Gould Rubin, Double Indemnity will run July 27 - August 25, 2013 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run July 27 - July 31. Opening night is Thursday, Aug. 1 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Spoleto Festival USA announced today its complete 2009 program that will see 120 performing arts performances take place in Charleston during the 17-day season, May 22 - June 7. Tickets for the 2009 Spoleto Festival USA are on sale now.

Columbia Stages presents THE FRANKENSTEIN PROJECT, a modern re-examination of MARY SHELLEY's classic novel Frankenstein, newly conceived and directed for the stage by Matt Torney, running May 16th - 21st, 2009, at the Schapiro Theatre (615 W. 115th Street, located west of Broadway).

Columbia Stages presents THE FRANKENSTEIN PROJECT, a modern re-examination of MARY SHELLEY's classic novel Frankenstein, newly conceived and directed for the stage by Matt Torney, running May 16th - 21st, 2009, at the Schapiro Theatre (615 W. 115th Street, located west of Broadway).

LIBERTY CITY will make its Miami premiere on the crest of its New York success where Thompson was nominated for Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Solo Performance. Variety, the 'bible' of show business, welcomed LIBERTY CITY as an 'exceptional performance with scorching insight on how history both frees and chains us at the same time.'

Spoleto Festival USA announced today its complete 2009 program that will see 120 performing arts performances take place in Charleston during the 17-day season, May 22 - June 7. Tickets for the 2009 Spoleto Festival USA are on sale now.