Lee Blessing News

Two sisters separated by the Holocaust reunite in the aftermath of World War II in Barbara Lebow's powerful and profoundly moving A Shayna Maidel. ICT artistic director Shashin Desai directs Liza de Weerd, Larry Eisenberg, Laura Howard, Charles Pasternak, Julia Silverman and Erin Anne Williams in a four-week run June 11 through July 3 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Low-priced previews begin June 8.

This year, the beloved Berenstain Bears may be coming to a theatre near you. Presented by Matt Murphy Productions, The Berenstain Bears in Family Matters, the Musical is touring throughout the east coast this spring, including a performance on May 11th for New York City school students at The Town Hall in Manhattan's theatre district.

Tony Award winner Michele Pawk is set to star in the upcoming production of THE BLONDE, THE BRUNETTE, AND THE VENGEFUL REDHEAD, opening at Pittsburgh's City Theatre on May 8th. The production will see Pawk take on seven different roles in the one-woman show by Robert Hewett.

This year, the beloved Berenstain Bears may be coming to a theatre near you. Presented by Matt Murphy Productions, The Berenstain Bears in Family Matters, the Musical is touring throughout the east coast this spring, including a performance on May 11th for New York City school students at The Town Hall in Manhattan's theatre district.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes the New Jersey Repertory Company, by special arrangement with Pat Addiss and Vasi Laurence, to AMERICAS OFF BROADWAY with the New York premiere of THE HOUSEWIVES OF MANNHEIM, written by Alan Brody and directed by SuzAnne Barabas. THE HOUSEWIVES OF MANNHEIM begins previews on Thursday, May 6 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 6. Press Opening is Friday, May 14 at 8:15 PM.

Two powerful, international hit productions offering perspectives on the current Middle Eastern conflicts are making their way to the U.S. with the Shakespeare Theatre Company as their first stop.

After several attempts to stage this steamy Strindberg classic in venues throughout San Diego, Stone Soup Theatre's Miss Julie has finally found a home. Thanks to a unique collaboration with North Coast Repertory Theatre, the production will be staged and presented to audiences as a companion piece to NCR's production of Ghosts, by Henrik Ibsen.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee announced on May 3 that the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center will receive the 2010 Regional Theatre Tony Award, which is presented on the recommendation of the American Theatre Critics' Association. The award will be formally bestowed at the 64th Annual Tony Awards ceremony on June 13th. The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®, which are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing will air live on CBS on June 13th (8-11 p.m. ET).

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) concludes its celebratory 25th Anniversary Season with a special celebrity benefit stage reading performance of Godfather IV written by Emmy Award-winner Tom Fontana ('St. Elsewhere,' 'OZ'), with original music by Stephen Elkins.

Ground Up Theatre Co. Presents GAME OVER World Premiere 6/4-7/18

After several attempts to stage this steamy Strindberg classic in venues throughout San Diego, Stone Soup Theatre's Miss Julie has finally found a home. Thanks to a unique collaboration with North Coast Repertory Theatre, the production will be staged and presented to audiences as a companion piece to NCR's production of Ghosts, by Henrik Ibsen.

The Dayton Theatre Guild presents Independence by Lee Blessing, the fifth show of the 2009 - 2010 season. Performances begin Friday, April 9 and run through Sunday, April 25, 2009. It is directed by Fran Pesch and produced by Deirdre Root.

Several Broadway stars are set for the upcoming Primary Stages Concert series, including Charles Busch, Mario Cantone, Penny Fuller, Julie Halston, Jamie deRoy, Gregg Edelman, and Karen Mason. The performances will take place in April and May over a one week span that will take place at the 59E59 Theatre.

The Fountain Theatre will close the first production of its 20th Anniversary Season, the West Coast premiere of Ifa Bayeza's daring, folk and gospel-infused The Ballad of Emmett Till, on April 25th. Shirley Jo Finney (Yellowman) directed Bernard K. Addison, Rico E. Anderson, Lorenz Arnell, Adenrele Ojo and Karen Malina White in the five-week run.

As talented as Nate Eppler is as an actor (and he's got the reviews to prove that he is, indeed, just that), it may be his writing talents that will ensure his place in theatre history (and he has a growing file of reviews to prove that, as well). Of course, only time will tell on that score, but for now Nate Eppler is keeping busy, adding to the opus of work to be delivered from his imaginative brain.

PREMIERES (Paulette Haupt, Artistic Director/Producer), in association with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), presents the special 4-week presentation of Inner Voices: Solo Musicals, with the premieres of two new one-act solo musicals: Mosaic with Book & Lyrics by Cheri Steinkellner and Music & Lyrics by Georgia Stitt, featuring Heidi Blickenstaff as Ruth, and Whida Peru: Resurrection Tangle with Book & Lyrics by David Simpatico and Music by Josh Schmidt, featuring Judith Blazer as Whida Peru.

Performance Network Theatre, Blackbird Theatre, Tipping Point Theatre and Williamston Theatre announce joint General auditions for their 2010-2011 seasons running September through August. Auditions will be held at Performance Network Theatre in Ann Arbor, MI.

Lee Blessing's WHEN WE GO UPON THE SEA, a new drama that imagines George W. Bush on the eve of his trial for war crimes, added to the Americas Off Broadway line up at 59E59 Theaters

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) concludes its celebratory 25th Anniversary Season with a special celebrity benefit stage reading performance of Godfather IV written by Emmy Award-winner Tom Fontana ('St. Elsewhere,' 'OZ'), with original music by Stephen Elkins.

PREMIERES (Paulette Haupt, Artistic Director/Producer), in association with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), presents the special 4-week presentation of Inner Voices: Solo Musicals, with the premieres of two new one-act solo musicals: Mosaic with Book & Lyrics by Cheri Steinkellner and Music & Lyrics by Georgia Stitt, featuring Heidi Blickenstaff as Ruth, and Whida Peru: Resurrection Tangle with Book & Lyrics by David Simpatico and Music by Josh Schmidt, featuring Judith Blazer as Whida Peru.