Lee Blessing News

Actors Theatre of Louisville is about to open its 33rd Humana Festival of New American Plays (March 1 - April 11) made possible by the Humana Foundation Inc. Past Humana Festival plays have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes or receive regional theatre productions across the country and off-Broadway. Actors Theatre has been a major force in revitalizing American playwriting for the past 30 years in its presentation of the renowned Humana Festival.

Theater News from Broadway and the Baltimore/Washington Area

Circle Theatre, a professional, contemporary regional theatre company in Sundance Square, is proud to announce the line-up for their 2009 season. Unveiling a new look and new productions in 2009, Circle will produce a full season, with previews for the first show beginning on March 19, 2009. Shows this season include: ART, Hail Mary!, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Incorruptible and Lone Star Christmas Carol. Circle Theatre also hosts a resident emerging theatre company, FireStarter Productions, which will present Tapas, April 16 through 19.

Stone Soup presents Lee Blessing's Eleemosynary, an evocative play about love, personal identity and the importance of family. The story is about an eccentric Grandmother--played by Artistic director, founder, Maureen Miko--a brilliant but alienated mother and a precocious spelling bee champion granddaughter. Praised by Variety Magazine and produced to glowing audience response in productions throughout the country, Eleemosynary takes us on a journey of humor and discovery. It touches on themes we can all relate to about challenged families and the need to be loved for who we really are. At the same time offers a quirky and fresh perspective on the challenges of everyday relationships.

Award-winning playwright Melanie Marnich's fantastical, quirky play 'Quake' - about a young woman who travels cross-country to find the love of her life, with an astrophysicist/serial killer and other bizarre twists thrown in - will be presented at the Arts Bank Theater of The University of the Arts February 26 - 28.

Paul Adams, Artistic Director and Derek Jamison, Associate Artistic Director, present Emerging Artists Theatre's world premiere of THE CHISELERS by Mark Finley at TADA Theatre, beginning February 26, featuring Marie Wallace in the role of 'Beverley.' The production is directed by EAT member Melissa Attebery.

Paul Adams, Artistic Director and Derek Jamison, Associate Artistic Director, present Emerging Artists Theatre's world premiere of THE CHISELERS by Mark Finley at TADA Theatre, beginning February 26, featuring Marie Wallace in the role of 'Beverley.' The production is directed by EAT member Melissa Attebery. She's a famous ice sculptress and scion of the Sacramento Carstairs dynasty and everyone wants to know what really happened the night Margo Carstairs' husband was stabbed to death in a meat locker. Mark Finley's sequined, big-haired, padded shouldered comedy points fingers and names names!

rimary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) presents the Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere. Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies began performances January 27, 2009 for a limited run through Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Opening night is today, Sunday, February 8, 2009.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced its upcoming 25th anniversary season of new works offering a 3-play series celebrating female playwrights. The 2009-2010 Season will see the world premiere of A Lifetime Burning by Cusi Cram, and the New York premieres of Happy Now? by Lucinda Coxon, and Night Watcher by Charlayne Woodard at Primary Stages at59E59 Theaters (59 East 59 th Street). In a statement, Casey Childs, Founder & Executive producer, said, 'Primary Stages hasalways had a commitment to playwrights and we have been lucky to help nurture andenjoy the success of many extraordinary women writers. We are thrilled to premiere these new works by these three playwrights as a way to celebrate our 25th Anniversary.

Paul Adams, Artistic Director and Derek Jamison, Associate Artistic Director, present Emerging Artists Theatre's world premiere of THE CHISELERS by Mark Finley at TADA Theatre, beginning February 26, featuring Marie Wallace in the role of 'Beverley.' The production is directed by EAT member Melissa Attebery.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) presents the Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere. Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies began performances January 27, 2009 for a limited run through Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Opening night is Sunday, February 8, 2009.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues the second half of their 24th season with its special Pay What You Can ticket offer (a policy instituted earlier this season and offered by Primary Stages only) that will be available for the first two preview performances of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere. Mr. Margulies returns to Primary Stages where his play The Model Apartment won an Obie Award for Playwriting.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced complete casting for the New York premiere of Shipwrecked!

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues the second half of their 24th season with Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere. Mr. Margulies returns to Primary Stages where his play The Model Apartment won an Obie Award for Playwriting.

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, a world premiere production of nine plays by Horton Foote that have been newly adapted by the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning playwright into a three-part theatrical event, will be co-produced in the 2009-2010 season by Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) and Hartford Stage (Michael Wilson, Artistic Director; Michael Stotts, Managing Director). The productions will be directed by Michael Wilson and performed at Hartford Stage from August 27, 2009 to October 17, 2009 and at Signature Theatre Company, from October 29, 2009 to April 11, 2010. Each part of the three part cycle will be staged individually as well as in repertory and one-day marathons. Audiences may choose to see the individual parts or the entire trilogy. THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE encompasses nine newly adapted plays by Mr. Foote, together for the first time. Mr. Foote, 92, is actively adapting each of the full-length plays, some previously produced and others never before seen, into one epic cycle.

Darren Lee Cole Theatricals is proud to present the Award Winning Krapp, 39 written and performed my Michael Laurence, directed by George Demas. Krapp, 39 will begin performances on Tuesday January 13, opening on Wednesday, January 21 through March 15 at the SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street). Tickets are $29-$39 and can be purchased at 212-691-1555 or visit www.sohoplayhouse.com / www.krapp39.com

Stone Soup presents Lee Blessing's Eleemosynary, an evocative play about love, personal identity and the importance of family. The story is about an eccentric Grandmother--played by Artistic director, founder, Maureen Miko--a brilliant but alienated mother and a precocious spelling bee champion granddaughter. Praised by Variety Magazine and produced to glowing audience response in productions throughout the country, Eleemosynary takes us on a journey of humor and discovery. It touches on themes we can all relate to about challenged families and the need to be loved for who we really are. At the same time offers a quirky and fresh perspective on the challenges of everyday relationships.

Darren Lee Cole Theatricals presents the Award Winning Krapp, 39 written and performed my Michael Laurence, directed by George Demas. Krapp, 39 will begin performances on Tuesday January 13, opening on Thursday, January 22 through March 15 at the SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street). Tickets are $29-$39 and can be purchased at 212-691-1555 or visit www.sohoplayhouse.com or www.krapp39.com.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues the second half of their 24th season with its special Pay What You Can ticket offer (a policy instituted earlier this season and offered by Primary Stages only) that will be available for the first two preview performances of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere. Mr. Margulies returns to Primary Stages where his play The Model Apartment won an Obie Award for Playwriting.

Darren Lee Cole Theatricals is proud to present the Award Winning Krapp, 39 written and performed my Michael Laurence, directed by George Demas. Krapp, 39 will begin performances on Tuesday January 13, opening on Wednesday, January 21 through March 15 at the SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street). Tickets are $29-$39 and can be purchased at 212-691-1555 or visit www.sohoplayhouse.com / www.krapp39.com