Leslie Lee News

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) will celebrate Douglas Turner Ward, founder of the Negro Ensemble Company, with their 2009 Annual Gala on Monday, March 30th at Espace (635 West 42nd Street). Cocktails will begin at 6:30pm with dinner at 7:30 PM and performance/tribute to follow. The evening will be hosted by Phylicia Rashad and Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Individual ticket prices range from $600-$1,200 with table prices ranging from $6,000-$25,000.

Signature Theatre Company celebrated the Opening Night performance of Charles Fuller's ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN on Tuesday March 24th, the play is the final production of Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). BroadwayWorld's cameras were there to celebrate to opening of the production!

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, written by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson, opens tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, written by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson, will begin previews tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce that artists from Signature's 2008-2009 Season celebrating the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will participate in a special program, In Conversation: Signature Theatre Company, at Macy's Herald Square and Brooklyn stores. Macy's is hosting a month-long series of activities and special events for Black History Month, showcasing black culture through theatrical, art, song, prose and cuisine presentations. The events are free and open to the public.

The Book of Lambert opened on February 14 and continues through March 1, 2009 in a limited engagement at the historic La MaMa e.t.c. as part of their Black History Month celebration.

La MaMa e.t.c. proudly presents the World Premiere of The Book of Lambert, written by Tony Award nominated and Obie/Audelco Award winning playwright Leslie Lee. The play, directed by Cyndy A. Marion, features Lucille Lortel and Obie Award winning actor Arthur French, who recently performed on Broadway in Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate. The Book of Lambert runs from February 13th to March 1st, 2009 in a limited engagement at the historic La MaMa e.t.c. as part of their Black History Month celebration. Lambert previews on February 13th and officially opens on February 14th, Valentines Day.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce that artists from Signature's 2008-2009 Season celebrating the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will participate in a special program, In Conversation: Signature Theatre Company, at Macy's Herald Square and Brooklyn stores. Macy's is hosting a month-long series of activities and special events for Black History Month, showcasing black culture through theatrical, art, song, prose and cuisine presentations. The events are free and open to the public.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce that artists from Signature's 2008-2009 Season celebrating the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) will participate in a special program, In Conversation: Signature Theatre Company, at Macy's Herald Square and Brooklyn stores. Macy's is hosting a month-long series of activities and special events for Black History Month, showcasing black culture through theatrical, art, song, prose and cuisine presentations. The events are free and open to the public.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN, by Charles Fuller and directed by Stephen McKinley Henderson. ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN is the final production of Signature's 2008-09 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for a staged reading of DAY OF ABSENCE, written and directed by Douglas Turner Ward. The staged reading, which is by invitation only, is part of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic works of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). DAY OF ABSENCE is the landmark 1965 play that launched the founding of the NEC.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for a staged reading of DAY OF ABSENCE, written and directed by Douglas Turner Ward. The staged reading, which is by invitation only, is part of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic works of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). DAY OF ABSENCE is the landmark 1965 play that launched the founding of the NEC.

La MaMa e.t.c. proudly presents the World Premiere of The Book of Lambert, written by Tony Award nominated and Obie Award winning playwright Leslie Lee. The play, directed by Cyndy A. Marion, features Lucille Lortel and Obie Award winning actor Arthur French, who recently performed on Broadway in Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate. The Book of Lambert runs from February 13th to March 1st, 2009 in a limited engagement at the historic La MaMa e.t.c. as part of their Black History Month celebration. Lambert previews on February 13th and officially opens on February 14th, Valentines Day. Founded by the venerable Ellen Stewart, La MaMa e.t.c. is located at 74A East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue & Bowery in NYC. Performances take place in the First Floor Theatre and run Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm with an added performance on Wed 2/18 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $18 for adults and $13 for students and seniors and can be purchased by calling 212-475-7710 or visiting www.LaMaMa.org. The Book of Lambert depicts the lives of six lost souls hiding from society in the subterranean depths of an abandoned NYC subway tunnel. Their leader is Lambert, an African-American man who has been hurt - possibly beyond repair - by his former love, a beautiful Caucasian woman. A bright but disillusioned ex-college professor, Lambert begins writing a prophetic book on life. In an effort to guide and re-focus this wayward flock, Lambert unleashes his own identity issues while coming face to face with the demons of his past. The Book of Lambert is a telling story of how our histories can haunt us, and how we may or may not recover from them.

Emmy Award winner Glynn Turman (The Wire), Tony nominee Rocky Carroll (Navy NCIS) and John Cothran, Jr. (Black Snake Moan) are set to head the cast when L.A. Theatre Works presents Ceremonies in Dark Old Men by Academy Award nominee Lonne Elder, III. Five performances take place January 14-18 at the Skirball Cultural Center, where they will be recorded to air on LATW's nationally syndicated, weekly radio theater series, The Play's The Thing.

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) will end their production of HOME today, Sunday, January 11th. HOME, by Samm-Art Williams and directed by Ron OJ Parson, is the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). The show began performances on November 11th and opened December 7th at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of HOME ends its limited run on Sunday, January 11th. The production, originally scheduled to close on Sunday, January 4th, was extended one week by popular demand. HOME, by Samm-Art Williams and directed by Ron OJ Parson, is the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). The show began performances on November 11th and opened December 7th at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

Signature Theatre Company continues its celebration of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) with special presentations of three more plays from the historic NEC repertoire. Curated by NEC Founder Douglas Turner Ward, Signature Associate Artist Ruben Santiago-Hudson and the Signature Theatre Company staff, these plays will be read on stage at the Peter Norton Space (555 West 42nd Street) on select evenings throughout the season. These classic works give greater insight into the history of this vital and groundbreaking company.

Emmy Award winner Glynn Turman (The Wire), Tony nominee Rocky Carroll (Navy NCIS) and John Cothran, Jr. (Black Snake Moan) are set to head the cast when L.A. Theatre Works presents Ceremonies in Dark Old Men by Academy Award nominee Lonne Elder, III. Five performances take place January 14-18 at the Skirball Cultural Center, where they will be recorded to air on LATW's nationally syndicated, weekly radio theater series, The Play's The Thing.

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) announced today that their production of HOME has been extended by popular demand for one week, from Sunday, January 4th to Sunday, January 11th. HOME, by Samm-Art Williams and directed by Ron OJ Parson, is the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). The show began performances on November 11th and opened December 7th at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).