Lanford Wilson News

Emmy Award nominee Kevin Bacon will sit down for a live chat with the Los Angeles Times' TheEnvelope.com. The actor will participate in the chat today, August 14 at 3 p.m. PDT / 6 p.m. EDT.

Performance Network Theatre announces that tickets are now on sale for its '09-10 season opener, THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE AND THE VENGEFUL REDHEAD. Actress Suzi Regan begins rehearsal for Robert Hewett's twisty one-woman show this week, directed by the Network's Artistic Director, David Wolber.

Producers Angelo Fraboni and Daryl Roth have announced that the New York premiere of Vigil, written by Morris Panych and directed by Stephen DiMenna, will begin performances Sunday, September 20, at 3pm at the DR2 Theatre, 103 East 15 Street, east of Union Square. The opening is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29 at 7pm.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:45pm.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES will feature Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol and will begin preview performances on Thursday, July 2. Opening night is Thursday, July 16 at 6:30pm

TOSOS (Doric Wilson, Mark Finley and Barry Childs), in association with The Present Company, presents the New York premiere of AND SOPHIE COMES TOO -- Meryl Cohn's new play about three very different Jewish sisters and their sometimes-too-loving mom Sophie, in a contemporary comedy, with both heart and brains -- as part of the 13th Annual New York International Fringe Festival, with five performances only between August 15-29 at The Cherry Pit Theater (155 Bank Street). Mark Finley directs.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents the first new Broadway production of Bye Bye Birdie, after a 48 year absence, as the inaugural production of the new Henry Miller's Theatre (124 West 43rd Street) beginning Thursday, September 10th, 2009 with an official opening on Thursday, October 15th, 2009. This will be a limited engagement through January 10th, 2010.

For its fifth Season, OAT Co. Artistic Director, Susanna Burney has come up with the theme: ?Past is Prologue,? in an ongoing effort to define and explore the American identity through the lens of great American theater. ?What we?ve done in the past, makes us who we are today,? observes Burney, ?but how will it effect us? Will it swamp us? Or will we make a change for the better??

From Sag Harbor to Southampton, Bay Street Theatre is lighting up TWO stages with theatre, chats with local luminaries, music and more! With its hit American Premiere production of DINNER, playing now through August 2nd on the Sag Harbor stage, and MOTHERHOOD OUT LOUD, a new developmental piece which premieres this week at the new Bay Street @ The Parrish location, there is truly something for everyone.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) has announced that Laura Benanti, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Michael Cerveris, Maria Dizzia, Thomas Jay Ryan, Wendy Rich Stetson, and Chandler Williams will be featured in its upcoming production of IN THE NEXT ROOM or the vibrator play, a new play by Sarah Ruhl, to be directed by Les Waters.

TOSOS (Doric Wilson, Mark Finley and Barry Childs), in association with The Present Company, presents the New York premiere of AND SOPHIE COMES TOO -- Meryl Cohn's new play about three very different Jewish sisters and their sometimes-too-loving mom Sophie, in a contemporary comedy, with both heart and brains -- as part of the 13th Annual New York International Fringe Festival, with five performances only between August 15-29 at The Cherry Pit Theater (155 Bank Street). Mark Finley directs.

The Dramatists Guild of America have announced the winners of their annual awards, which will be distributed at an awards ceremony Monday, November 2, 2009, at The Players Club in New York.

If you've ever wondered about all the incredible artistic people that live in our area, Bay Street Theatre's new 'Own Town' series is the place to be on Thursday afternoons at 4pm. Each week, Bay Street's Artistic Director Murphy Davis chats with some of the most interesting people who live and work in our area, from artists and authors to playwrights and producers.

Women's Project, the 32-year-old non-profit theater dedicated to producing plays written and directed by women, will increase main stage production next season by 50%. The theater's board of directors authorized Julie Crosby, producing artistic director, to increase main stage productions from two to three at the company's Julia Miles Theater on West 55th Street.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) concludes its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES features Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol.

The range of 20th Century American theater is remarkable, and for its 15th theatrical season Arlington's American Century Theater (TACT) has selected four rarely seen masterpieces and a World Premiere that span more than 50 years and countless human experiences, dilemmas, and emotions.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES will feature Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol and will begin preview performances on Thursday, July 2. Opening night is Thursday, July 16 at 6:30pm

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, the world premiere of a three part theatrical event by the late Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Horton Foote, will feature a company of 22 actors under the direction of Michael Wilson. The exciting, sweeping work will be co-produced in the 2009-2010 season by Hartford Stage (Michael Wilson, Artistic Director; Michael Stotts, Managing Director) and Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director).

While other institutions are jacking up prices to match the wallets of tourists and visitors alike, Bay Street Theatre is continuing to offer less expensive programming so that all may enjoy some summer fun. The week ahead includes free music and a free Salon Night, as well as a $20 ticket for experiencing a Live Radio Broadcast or a chat with ?floral designers to the stars.'

Performance Network Theatre announces casting for its season opener, The Blonde, the Brunette, and the Vengeful Redhead. Michigan actor/director Suzi Regan will take on all seven roles in Robert Hewett's The Blonde, the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead, the one-woman tour de force that will kick off Performance Network's 2009/2010 season.