Lewis Allen News

Vocalist Joey Arias is not what he appears to the uninitiated. This is not a drag performer executing pastiche, but rather an artist serious about music with the talent to offer a full-blooded show. Lifelong affinity for Billie Holiday first professionally surfaced in 1987's Recording Arias on Holiday and continued with the Off-Broadway run of Strange Fruit, an homage to the icon. Her concert Wednesday night for Lincoln Center's American Songbook series, with evocative musical arrangement by Matt Ray, brings Arias' devotion "all the way from downtown above 14th Street."

The New Yiddish Rep's crowd-pleasing world premiere of Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' in Yiddish, a surprise hit of the 2013-14 season, opens the 7th annual Origin's 1st Irish Festival in September. Presented by the Barrow Street Theatre, 27 Barrow Street, from September 4 to 21, the show's return engagement Off-Broadway completes a remarkable trans-Atlantic journey for this uniquely illuminating version of Beckett's absurdist masterwork, as it comes on the heels of its European premiere in Northern Ireland where 'Vartn Auf Godo' will open the 3rd annual Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival.

It's time to close up CSC's third annual Black Box Festival with the show that played to sold out audiences in last year's New York Fringe Festival. The Essence: A Yiddish Theatre Dim Sum is a rollicking comedy that lets audiences in on the best kept secret-Yiddish is actually cool-and it's playing November 21-24 in the Kutz Theatre of the Lackland Center. The Essence… is a fast-moving revue for people who know nothing about Yiddish and couldn't imagine attending a show with Yiddish in it. It's about the most expressive and theatrical language in the world, with scenes, sketches, songs, and oddball diversions with an irreverent introduction to all things Yiddish.

Young People's Theatre presents Louise Pitre as Miss Hannigan and Sterling Jarvis as Oliver Warbucks in its fall production of Annie (TYA), along with Jenny Weisz in the title role. Directed by Allen MacInnis, the iconic musical will be presented on the Mainstage from today, November 11 to December 19, opening on Thursday, November 14.

Leapin' Lizards! The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati opens its 89th MainStage season with a production of 'Annie JR.' at the Taft Theatre tonight, October 18-20 & 26, 2013.

Target Margin Theater (David Herskovits, Artistic Director; John Del Gaudio, Artistic Producer) culminates theirjourney into the exploration of Yiddish theater with an upcoming season of extraordinary literature from the West's great unknown culture. The themed two-year series, Beyond the Pale, includes staged productions, one-time events, concerts, installations, panel discussions, and a reading series of new translations.

Young People's Theatre presents Louise Pitre as Miss Hannigan and Sterling Jarvis as Oliver Warbucks in its fall production of Annie (TYA), along with Jenny Weisz in the title role. Directed by Allen MacInnis, the iconic musical will be presented on the Mainstage from November 11 to December 19, opening on Thursday, November 14.

Leapin' Lizards! The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati opens its 89th MainStage season with a production of "Annie JR." at the Taft Theatre October 18-20 & 26, 2013. The popular comic strip heroine takes center stage in one of the world's best-loved musicals. With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone's hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan.

Peter Van Wagner, star of this summer's DANCING ON NAILS at Theatre 80, will be this week's special guest on the popular WPKN (89.5 FM) Radio program 'State of the Arts' tomorrow (Friday) between noon and 1 PM. The interview, which was recorded before the producers announced the play's recent closing, can also be heard at www.wpkn.org.

Film & TV veteran Bryna Weiss is joining the cast of DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, for the final two performances tomorrow (Wednesday) at Theatre 80. She is replacing Lauren Klein (in the role of Luba Fogel) who had a prearranged departure after the July 24th opening to star as Linda Loman in the Denver Center Theatre Company production of Death of a Salesman, which is set to open next month.

DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, will end it's Off-Broadway run this Wednesday evening, July 31st at Theatre 80. Under the direction of Allen Lewis Rickman, the cast of DANCING ON NAILS features Peter Van Wagner (Isaac Ginsburg on HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire'), Lori Wilner (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK), Lauren Klein (LOST IN YONKERS, OTHER DESERT CITIES), Michael Lewis (THE YOUNG MAN FROM ATLANTA, 'Blue Bloods'), and Jazmyn Richardson ('Party at Micah's'). DANCING ON NAILS had its official opening on July 24th.

Paul Manuel Kane's interracial May/December romantic drama is very much a work-in-progress.

DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, celebrated its Opening Night last evening, July 24th at Theatre 80. Celebrity guests included Terence Winter (Creator of HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," Writer and Executive Producer for "The Sopranos"), Dominic Chianese (Junior Soprano on "The Sopranos"), and Jackie Hoffman (Hairspray, The Addams Family, Xanadu). Check out a look back at the evening below!

DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, is set to open tomorrow night, July 24, at 7 PM at Theatre 80, located at 80 St. Marks Place (just west of First Ave.)

DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, will play a special added preview performance tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7 PM at Theatre 80, located at 80 St. Marks Place (just west of First Ave.) The official Opening is this Wednesday, July 24th at 7 PM.

The producers of DANCING ON NAILS, currently in previews with the Opening Night set for this Wednesday, July 24th, have instituted a student rush policy. $20 student tickets are now available at the box office beginning 30 minutes before each performance with a valid student ID (cash only). DANCING ON NAILS is playing a strictly limited engagement through August 29th at Theatre 80, located at 80 St. Marks Place (just west of First Ave.)

DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, began performances July 10th, with the official Opening set for Wednesday evening, July 24th at Theatre 80, located at 80 St. Marks Place (just west of First Ave.) Check out a first look below!

DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, will begin performances tonight, July 10th, with the Opening on Wednesday, July 24th at 7pm at Theatre 80, located at 80 St. Marks Place (just west of First Ave.

DANCING ON NAILS, a new play by Paul Manuel Kane, will begin performances tomorrow (Wednesday) at 7 PM, with the official Opening on Wednesday evening, July 24th at Theatre 80, located at 80 St. Marks Place (just west of First Ave.)

Magic, mystery, laughter, and three New York premieres are the highlights of the 2013-2014 season at The Centenary Stage Company in their fourth year at the David and Carol Lackland Center. This year will feature eight diverse theatre events in the Lackland Center in addition to the New York premieres.