Laurence Olivier News

World-renowned playwright and Tony Award nominee Ken Ludwig (Crazy for You, Lend Me a Tenor) will be hosting an interactive discussion on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, followed by a book-signing of his new book How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare at the Folger Shakespeare Library today, June 8 at 12pm.

Chris Ghaffari, in rehearsal for perhaps his biggest role, the romantic male lead in Shakespeare's pastoral comedy 'As you Like It,' unabashedly admits he is intrigued by the timeless fascination of the actor for the stage.

Today we are continuing BroadwayWorld's 2013 Tony Awards Clip Countdown with a special spotlight focused on one of the most popular and enduring musicals of all time, LES MISERABLES.

The Old Globe presents the 2013 Shakespeare Festival. Laurence Olivier Award-nominated director Ian Talbot will make his Old Globe debut with the enduring Shakespeare favorite A Midsummer Night's Dream. The 2013 Shakespeare Festival, performed in repertory in the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, runs June 2 - Sept. 29. Subscription tickets from $66 to $270. Single tickets start at $29. 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. BroadwayWorld has a first look at production photos of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM below!

The Tulsa return of Disney's THE LION KING opens tonight, Thursday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for a limited engagement of five weeks through Sunday, July 7. In Tulsa, THE LION KING will play Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday* evenings at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturday matinees at 2:00 p.m., Sunday matinees at 1:00 p.m. and Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. with additional performances on Monday, July 1 at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, July 5 at 1:00 p.m. *There will be no performances on Thursday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. "Thus far sales have been strong, but there are still great seats available" said Ed Payton, Chief Executive Officer, Celebrity Attractions. The show's six-week premiere engagement in 2006 played a sold-out run at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

Shakespeare '70 presents William Shakespeare's comedy masterpiece 'As You Like It' at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. Performances are Fridays, June 28 and July 5 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, June 29 and July 6 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, June 30 and July 7 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on June 28.

Art imitates life imitates art when Theatricum Botanicum artistic directorEllen Geer stars alongside her sister Melora Marshall, daughter Willow Geer and daughter-in-lawAbby Craden in an uproarious comedy about a family of actors. Originally written as a thinly disguised parody of the Barrymores,George S. Kaufman andEdna Ferber's winsome spoof about a thespian dynasty is the perfect vehicle for Topanga's first theatrical family. Also in the cast are "defacto" Theatricum family members Alan Blumenfeld, Tim Halligan, Aaron Hendry and Earnestine Phillips, and longtime company member Susan Angelo directs.The Royal Family opens on Saturday, June 22 at Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, the centerpiece of the company's 40th Anniversary Summer Repertory Season.

It's April 3, 1968, the night before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A thunderstorm rages outside as a mysterious visitor arrives at the Lorraine Motel, forcing Dr. King to confront his destiny and his legacy. The Mountaintop won the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award (London's version of the Tony Award) for Best New Play.

Githa Sowerby's Rutherford & Son, directed by Jonathan Miller, begins performances tonight at the St. James Theatre, running until Saturday June 29, with a press performance tomorrow, Wednesday 5 June 2013 at 7pm. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Northern Broadsides and St. James Theatre have announced that the critically acclaimed production of Githa Sowerby's Rutherford & Son, directed by Jonathan Miller, is to transfer to the newly opened St. James Theatre, playing from today 4 June to Saturday June 29, with a press performance on Wednesday 5 June 2013.

Disney's THE LION KING celebrated its second sold-out engagement in Nashville, which concluded on Sunday, June 2 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. The triumphant four-week return grossed over $5.3 million at the box office and entertained more than 73,000 patrons during 32 performances. The show's six-week premiere engagement in 2006 played a sold-out run at TPAC.

Just in time for her 42nd birthday, Broadway superstar and GLEE standout Idina Menzel is featured in a newly released clip from this year's Laurence Olivier Awards, with a stirring musical tribute to the late Marvin Hamlisch.

The Production Company's artistic directors, August Viverito, T L Kolman and Skip Pipo, proudly announce the company's return to the NoHo Arts District in residence at The Secret Rose Theatre and announce the first three productions of TheProdCo's 7th Legendary Season.

Aux Dog Theatre Nob Hill presents The Regional Premiere of Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, a new version by Brian Friel. Directed by Jessica Osbourne. Opens August 9th - September 1st, 2013. Friday & Saturday's at 8pm, Sunday's at 6pm. Advanced Purchase Tickets $18/ $16 online ($22 at door). Call (505) 254-7716. Buy your tickets today at www.auxdog.com

The National Theatre has just announced its first subscription series in more than a decade with the announcement of Broadway at the National. Boasting the pre-Broadway world premiere of If/Then, the Washington premiere of American Idiot, and the historic return of the Tony Award-winning The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, the 2013-14 season at The National Theatre includes eight productions, and runs November 2013 through June 2014.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce Golden Globe nominee Rebecca Hall will make her Broadway debut as 'Young Woman' in a new Broadway production of Machinal, by Sophie Treadwell, directed by Lyndsey Turner.

Bay Street Theatre begins the 2013 Mainstage Season with Lend Me a Tenor (May 28 - June 23). This hilarious Ken Ludwig comedy, under the direction of Don Stephenson, includes Judy Blazer, Scott Cote, Betsy DiLellio, Donna English, Nancy Johnston, Noah Plomgren, Steve Rosen and Roland Rusinek as its hilarious cast.

Terry Martin, WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director, announced this evening the Company's 2013-2014 Main Stage season at a special VIP Sneak Preview held at the Addison Theatre Centre.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) joins the Italian Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago to commemorate the Year of Italian Culture in America with the World's Stage presentation of Inner Voices, a co-production with Italy's first and best-established theater Piccolo Teatro di Milano, June 25-29, 2013 in CST's Courtyard Theater.