Laurette Taylor News

Beautiful Soup's previously announced festival of plays by Steven Carl McCasland has announced the newest members of their repertory company.

Following critically acclaimed workshop presentations, the plays of Steven Carl McCasland will return to NYC in a month-long festival celebrating the young playwright. Together with The Clarion Theatre, they'll present six plays beginning on May 6th, 2015, with a company of actors performing in repertory. All of the plays focus on historical figures, including Laurette Taylor, Billie Holiday, Tennessee Williams, Gertrude Stein, Lillian Hellman and more.

American Conservatory Theater, in association with The Commonwealth Club of Northern California, will present John Lahr in Conversation with Carey Perloff on the occasion of the release of his newest biography, "TENNESSEE WILLIAMS: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh" on Monday, October 6 at 7 p.m. at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco).

As a result of one man's interest and dedication to the proper telling of actress Laurette Taylor's magnificent story, New York is now fortunate enough to own a piece of the treasure that is Steven Carl MccCasland's What Was Lost. Written and directed by McCasland and hereby added to the list of successful and praise-worthy Beautiful Soup Theater productions, which include a recent production of Liliom and the critically acclaimed Little Wars, What Was Lost is a complete surprise to both those familiar with the story of stage actress Laurette Taylor, and to those who have yet to understand the fortitude one woman can possess in the depths of her nearly shattered heart. It is truly one of my best experiences at the Dorothy Strelsin Theater.

Beautiful Soup Theater's Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day is an unconventional, almost chilling ode to Holiday that is careful not to emphasize and dwell upon the singer's musical accolades and success; in fact, it does little to promote her career and the person as seen through the eyes of her adoring public. This production, written and directed by the incredibly talented Steven Carl McCasland (who also founded Beautiful Soup and serves as the group's Artistic Director), wades in the realm of storytelling without the fantastical twist that people always enjoy adding to make their lives seem more interesting - to add drama where drama may sometimes be due.

Steven Carl McCasland is a rising voice in the world of theatre. After their acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, Beautiful Soup presents the last two works in McCasland's trilogy. The plays examine the lives of historical women in the arts. Beginning on August 27th, Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day and What Was Lost, an examination of Laurette Taylor's preparation for The Glass Menagerie, will open at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre. Scroll down for a first look at WHAT WAS LOST onstage!

Steven Carl McCasland is a rising voice in the world of theatre. After their acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, Beautiful Soup presents the last two works in McCasland's trilogy. The plays examine the lives of historical women in the arts. Beginning tonight, August 27th, Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day and What Was Lost, an examination of Laurette Taylor's preparation for The Glass Menagerie, will open at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre.

Beautiful Soup has announced that Bettina Coley will replace the previously announced Carol Sims as Billie Holiday's mother, Sadie Fagan, in SHADES OF BLUE: THE DECLINE AND FALL OF LADY DAY... The play marks Denson's Beautiful Soup debut, in which she'll appear opposite her husband Ron Denson, who plays Holiday's final husband Louis McKay.

Steven Carl McCasland is a rising voice in the world of theatre. After their acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, Beautiful Soup presents the last two works in McCasland's trilogy. The plays examine the lives of historical women in the arts. Beginning on August 27th, Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day and What Was Lost, an examination of Laurette Taylor's preparation for The Glass Menagerie, will open at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal!

Steven Carl McCasland is a rising voice in the world of theatre. After their acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, Beautiful Soup presents the last two works in McCasland's trilogy. The plays examine the lives of historical women in the arts. Beginning on August 27th, Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day and What Was Lost, an examination of Laurette Taylor's preparation for The Glass Menagerie, will open at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre.

Beautiful Soup Theater will offer discounted marathon ticketing for both plays in their repertory program later this month. Audiences can save $6 and see both plays for $30 on marathon days: Saturday, August 30th, Wednesday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 7th. Simply select the 'See Both Plays' option at http://beautifulsoup.showclix.com.

Arbender Robinson (Broadway's Les Miserables, Beautiful and The Book of Mormon) and nightlife personality Witti Repartee join Beautiful Soup Theater for an evening of stories and songs. Celebrating the music and life of Billie Holiday, whose life inspired Steven Carl McCasland's Shades Of Blue: The Decline & Fall Of Lady Day, this concert evening will benefit Beautiful Soup's World Premiere Production of that play. The previously announced Shades Of Blue... will run in repertory with McCasland's What Was Lost, a study of Laurette Taylor and Tennessee Williams at The Dorothy Strelsin Theatre beginning August 27th.

The Playwrights Foundation's 37th Annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF) will take place today, July 18-27, 2014 at the Thick House Theater in San Francisco.

Beautiful Soup has announced that Kristen Gehling will replace the previously announced Francesca MacAaron as legendary stage and star screen Tallulah Bankhead in SHADES OF BLUE: THE DECLINE AND FALL OF LADY DAY... Gehling will also appear in repertory as famed director Margo Jones in WHAT WAS LOST.

Visitors at the famed Ogunquit Playhouse can now get a behind the scene tour of this historic theater. See what the actors see from the backstage area and beyond.

After Beautiful Soup Theater's acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, they proudly presents the last two works in Steven Carl McCasland's trilogy examining women in the arts. Complete casting for both plays has been announced.

After Beautiful Soup Theater's acclaimed and sold-out production of Little Wars in April, they'll present the last two works in Steven Carl McCasland's trilogy examining women in the arts.

The Playwrights Foundation's 37th Annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF) will take place July 18-27, 2014 at the Thick House Theater in San Francisco.

Due to scheduling conflicts with its original cast, Beautiful Soup will postpone the return engagement of Steven Carl McCasland's Little Wars. Replacing it in repertory with the previously announced Shades of Blue: The Decline and Fall of Lady Day, What Was Lost is a new play by McCasland chronicling Laurette Taylor's rehearsal process for the original production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.