Kurt Landisman News

San Francisco Playhouse begins the new year of its twelfth season with the regional premiere of Tree, by Julie Hebert and directed by Jon Tracy.

San Francisco Playhouse begins the new year of its twelfth season with the regional premiere of Tree, by Julie Hebert and directed by Jon Tracy.

San Jose Repertory Theatre presents the Bay Area premiere of the critically-acclaimed The Big Meal, by Dan LeFranc, the 2010 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award Winner. This razor sharp portrait of a modern American family runs today, May 8 through June 1, and is directed by Kirsten Brandt, San Jose Rep's Associate Artistic Director.

San Jose Repertory Theatre presents the Bay Area premiere of the critically-acclaimed The Big Meal, by Dan LeFranc, the 2010 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award Winner. This razor sharp portrait of a modern American family runs May 8 through June 1, and is directed by Kirsten Brandt, San Jose Rep's Associate Artistic Director.

Marin Theatre Company, in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, will stage August Wilson's Fences, the 1950s entry into his Century Cycle (also known as his Pittsburgh Cycle) - a decade-by-decade exploration of the black experience in 20th century America. Directed by Derrick Sanders, the Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award-winning play will feature veteran film and television actor Carl Lumbly as Troy Maxson, Steven Anthony Jones, the artistic director of Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, as Jim Bono and award-winning actor, playwright and director Margo Hall as Rose, as well as Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Eddy Ray Jackson as Cory, Adrian Roberts as Gabriel,Tyee Tilghman as Lyons and two Marin City youths - Jade Sweeney, who attends Willow Creek Academy, and Makaelah Bashir, Bayside Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy - splitting the role of Raynell. Scroll down for a first look at the stars!

Marin Theatre Company, in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, will stage August Wilson's Fences, the 1950s entry into his Century Cycle (also known as his Pittsburgh Cycle) - a decade-by-decade exploration of the black experience in 20th century America. Directed by Derrick Sanders, the Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award-winning play will feature veteran film and television actor Carl Lumbly as Troy Maxson, Steven Anthony Jones, the artistic director of Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, as Jim Bono and award-winning actor, playwright and director Margo Hall as Rose, as well as Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Eddy Ray Jackson as Cory, Adrian Roberts as Gabriel,Tyee Tilghman as Lyons and two Marin City youths - Jade Sweeney, who attends Willow Creek Academy, and Makaelah Bashir, Bayside Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy - splitting the role of Raynell. Scroll down for a first look at the stars!

Marin Theatre Company, in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, will stage August Wilson's Fences, the 1950s entry into his Century Cycle (also known as his Pittsburgh Cycle) - a decade-by-decade exploration of the black experience in 20th century America. Directed by Derrick Sanders, the Pulitzer Prize and two-time Tony Award-winning play will feature veteran film and television actor Carl Lumbly as Troy Maxson, Steven Anthony Jones, the artistic director of Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, as Jim Bono and award-winning actor, playwright and director Margo Hall as Rose, as well as Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Eddy Ray Jackson as Cory, Adrian Roberts as Gabriel, Tyee Tilghman as Lyons and two Marin City youths - Jade Sweeney, who attends Willow Creek Academy, and Makaelah Bashir, Bayside Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy - splitting the role of Raynell.

The 2013 BroadwayWorld San Francisco audience choice awards saw a fantastic number of nominations for theatres throughout Northern California this year, from Fresno's Good Company Players to Modesto's Gallo Center to Broadway Sacramento, San Jose and San Francisco. If only enough time existed for us writers to see every talented cast perform. Here are a few of my favorite productions from 2013 in a brief look back at some of the shows I was fortunate enough to witness.

Marin Theatre Company's artistic director Jasson Minadakis and managing director Michael Barker announced the company's 2013-14 season today. Featuring six productions in MTC's intimate 231-seat Boyer Theatre, the season includes the regional premiere of David Lindsay-Abaire's national sensation Good People; a revival of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play Fences;world premieres of I and You by Bay Area-based playwright Lauren Gunderson and Lasso of Truth, which MTC commissioned from Carson Kreitzer with the support of the National New Play Network; the west coast premiere of Philip Dawkins' "whimsical beyond all imagining" Failure: A Love Story; and a unique holiday production of Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol by Tom Mula. Based in Mill Valley, MTC is a 47-year old professional nonprofit theater, a destination for exhilarating performances, inspired new American plays and powerful theatrical experiences.

Voting is now underway for the San Francisco Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January.

Voting is now underway for the San Francisco Awards and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below.

The Bay Area Critics Circle Award nominations are in and Berkeley's Aurora Theatre Company, now celebrating its 20th season, garnered 33 nods for the company's 2011 productions, the most of any company in its theater tier in the Bay Area. Top honors included nominations in the Drama category with recognition going to A DELICATE BALANCE, METAMORPHOSIS, THE ECCENTRICITES OF A NIGHTINGALE, and THE SOLDIER'S TALE. Aurora Artistic Director Tom Ross received two nominations for direction, as well as a co-directing nomination with Muriel Maffre. The 33 nominations are a record number for Aurora, the most nominations received during the company's 20 seasons.

Outrageous situations lead to hilarious complications in the legendary musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opening on the Main Stage at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Friday, June 25. With previews June 23 and 24, Forum continues through July 11. Ticket prices range from $25 to $53.

Outrageous situations lead to hilarious complications in the legendary musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opening on the Main Stage at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Friday, June 25. With previews June 23 and 24, Forum continues through July 11. Ticket prices range from $25 to $53.

Outrageous situations lead to hilarious complications in the legendary musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opening on the Main Stage at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Friday, June 25. With previews June 23 and 24, Forum continues through July 11. Ticket prices range from $25 to $53.

Outrageous situations lead to hilarious complications in the legendary musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opening on the Main Stage at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Friday, June 25. With previews June 23 and 24, Forum continues through July 11. Ticket prices range from $25 to $53.

This year's Critics Circle Awards, sponsored by Actor's Equity Association, today announced is nominees for excellence in San Francisco Bay area theater. Berkeley Rep's production of American Idiot, which played in the fall of 2009, leads with 12 nominations and will open on Broadway this spring.

Arizona Theatre Company presents George Is Dead, a new comedy by acclaimed writer and director Elaine May.

Arizona Theatre Company presents George Is Dead, a new comedy by acclaimed writer and director Elaine May.

Arizona Theatre Company presents George Is Dead, a new comedy by acclaimed writer and director Elaine May.