Lincoln Center Theater News

Lincoln Center Theater has announced that Genevieve Angelson, Shalita Grant, Billy Magnussen, Kristine Nielsen, David Hyde Pierce and Sigourney Weaver will be featured in the New York premiere of VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, a new play by Christopher Durang, to be directed by Nicholas Martin, beginning performances Thursday, October 25 and opening Monday, November 12 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

Since 2006 The Tony Randall Theatrical Fund has distributed over $1Million to more than 50 companies. This year the Fund has announced that it will award general operating support grants to nine exceptional theater companies with a proven track record of artistic excellence and ambitious, mission-driven theater-making. Special consideration this year was given to companies committed to the development of new audiences and the production of relevant work with a social conscience.

According to the New York Times, Broadway favorite Nathan Lane will be heading back to Broadway in Douglas Carter Beane's The Nance, a new play about a performer who played the role of the nance in burlesque shows in the early 20th century. Lincoln Center Theater is looking to bring the show to Broadway in spring 2013, with Jack O'Brien attached to direct.

The Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3 production of SLOWGIRL, a new play by Greg Pierce, directed by Anne Kauffman, has extended its limited engagement run through Sunday, July 29 at the Claire Tow Theater (150 West 65 Street). The world premiere production, which features Željko Ivanek and Sarah Steele, began performances Monday, June 4, opened to critical acclaim on Monday, June 18 and was originally scheduled through Sunday. July 15. This is the first production to be presented by LCT3 in its new home on the roof of Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont Theater.

Written to honor the walking wounded following the war brought on by 9/11, Christopher Shinn's Dying City makes its Sacramento premiere at Capital Stage under the direction of the company's Producing Director, Jonathan Williams and featuring the outstanding cast of Chad Deverman and Lyndsy Kail. The final production of Capital Stage's seventh season, and its first season in its new midtown location, will open on Saturday, July 21, 2012 with a limited four-week run closing on August 12, 2012.

The Jewish Plays Project, LABA and Highbrow are co-producers of SIX by Zohar Tirosh-Polk, a fully staged work featured in OPEN: The New Jewish Theater Residency at the 14th Street Y (344 East 14th Street). SIX will perform tonight, June 23rd at 8:00 pm, June 24th at 3 pm and June 25th at 7 pm. Tickets are free by reservation at www.jewishplaysproject.org/tickets.

The Latino spirit is alive in New Harlem Arts Theatre's upcoming production of 'Sweet Charity,' directed by Julio Agustin, to be presented July 26 to August 19 at CCNY's Aaron Davis Hall, 135th Street and Convent Ave. The characters of the classic sixties musical will be re-envisioned to reflect the changing roles of Latinos in our society while the traditional music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon will be preserved. The 1966 Broadway tuner was originally conceived, staged and choreographed by Bob Fosse. Director Julio Agustin has tapped choreographer Lainie Munro for the job of nestling his radical new concept into Fosse's formative jazz dances.

Producer Jordan Roth announced today that 2011 Olivier Award nominee Sarah Goldberg will join the cast of the 2012 Tony Award-winning "Best Play," Clybourne Park, in the roles of "Betsy" and "Lindsey." Annie Parisse will play her final performance on Sunday, July 15th with Goldberg succeeding the role on Tuesday, July 17th.

The Jewish Plays Project, LABA and Highbrow are co-producers of SIX by Zohar Tirosh-Polk, a fully staged work featured in OPEN: The New Jewish Theater Residency at the 14th Street Y (344 East 14th Street). SIX will perform on June 23rd at 8:00 pm, June 24th at 3 pm and June 25th at 7 pm. Tickets are free by reservation at www.jewishplaysproject.org/tickets.

Broadway In Chicago has announced that tickets for the National Theatre's epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony Awards including Best Play, will go on sale to the public today, June 20, 2012, at 10 a.m. WAR HORSE will come to Chicago this December for a limited three-week engagement from Dec. 18, 2012 - Jan. 5, 2013 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 W. Randolph St.).

Westport Country Playhouse stages the National Book Award-winning memoir, "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion, now through June 30, featuring noted actress Maureen Anderman as Didion. Directed by Nicholas Martin, the play is based on the author's actual experience rebuilding her life during the year after her spouse's death and her capacity to emerge strengthened from even the most shattering of life's trials. Watch the video below for behind-the-scenes interviews with Artistic Director Mark Lamos, Director Nicholas Martin and actor Maureen Anderman!

he Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust today announced that the Fifth Annual Steinberg Playwright "Mimi" Awards will be presented on Monday, October 29, 2012. The Mimi Awards promote theater as a vital part of our culture by nurturing American playwrights and encouraging the development and production of new American plays. The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust will present the 2012 Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award at this year's ceremony, which will be held at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York City. The Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award is presented biennially to honor and encourage the artistic excellence and achievement of an American playwright whose body of work has made significant contributions to the American theater. The recipient of the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award will receive a cash award of $200,000. The Steinberg Playwright Awards and the Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Awards are presented in alternate years. Past recipients are: · Lisa D'Amour and Melissa James Gibson, Steinberg Playwright Award, 2011 · Lynn Nottage, Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, 2010 · David Adjmi, Tarell Alvin McCraney and Bruce Norris, Steinberg Playwright Awards, 2009 · Tony Kushner, Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, 2008 These playwrights were each presented with a monetary award along with "The Mimi," a statuette designed by Tony Award-nominated scenic designer and architect David Rockwell. The Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award honors the artistic achievement of a playwright whose work has made a significant impact on American theater. The Steinberg Playwright Award is awarded to playwrights who exhibit exceptional talent and tremendous promise in earlier stages of their careers. In 2008, the Board of Directors of The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust established an Advisory Committee of prominent theater professionals responsible for establishing the criteria for the Steinberg Playwright Awards, as well as the nomination and selection processes. The 2012 Advisory Committee is comprised of continuing members; Susan Booth, Artistic Director of the Alliance Theater; Jeremy Cohen, Producing Artistic Director, The Playwrights' Center; Todd London, Artistic Director of New Dramatists; and Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director, Manhattan Theater Club. Additionally, this year there are three new members; Kwame Kwei-Armah, Artistic Director, CENTERSTAGE; Bill Rauch, Artistic Director, Oregon Shakespeare Festival; and Neil Pepe, Artistic Director, Atlantic Theater Company. The members of the Board of Directors of The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust are Carole A. Krumland, James D. Steinberg, Michael A. Steinberg, Seth M. Weingarten and William D. Zabel. About The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust: The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust was created by Harold Steinberg in 1986 in the names of himself and his late wife Miriam. The Trust's primary mission is to support and promote the American theater as a vital part of our culture by nurturing American playwrights, encouraging the development and production of new American plays, and by providing significant support to theater companies across the country. Since its inception, the Trust has given in excess of $65 million to more than one hundred not-for-profit theater organizations. These gifts have funded countless productions, as well as the commissioning of playwrights, playwriting programs and arts-in-education outreach programs for thousands of children in an effort to create and educated new generations of theatergoers. The Trust also collaborated with the American Theater Critics Association to create and fund the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award. The award is presented annually during the Humana Festival of New American Plays at Actors Theater of Louisville. Recent winners of this award include Craig Lucas, Lynn Nottage, Lee Blessing and Nilo Cruz.

The Ogunquit Playhouse is set to open Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, on stage June 20 - July 15. This all-new production is based on the 2008 Tony Award winning Lincoln Center Theatre production.

Now we can confirm that the recent Tony-winner will be departing the show on June 30th, and taking over the role will be Matt Saldivar, most recently seen on Broadway in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. Christian Borle to Depart PETER... 6/30; Matthew Saldivar to Takeover

The LCT3 production of Slowgirl, a new play by Greg Pierce, directed by Anne Kauffman and featuring Željko Ivanek and Sarah Steele, makes its world premiere tonight, June 18, as the first production to be presented by LCT3 in its new home, The Claire Tow Theater, on the roof of Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont Theater (150 West 65 Street). Slowgirl will run for six weeks only through Sunday, July 15. All tickets are $20.

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the West Coast Premiere of Divine Rivalry by Michael Kramer with D. S. Moynihan.

Tickets for Bob Boyett and the National Theatre of Great Britain's epic WAR HORSE, winner of five 2011 Tony® Awards including Best Play, will go on public sale this Sunday, June 17th at 10AM. WAR HORSE will play a limited 2 week engagement at the Boston Opera House from October 10 - October 21, 2012 and is part of the Lexus Broadway In Boston Series.

Obie Award winning director Austin Pendleton is now joined by playwright Marcy Lafferty for talkbacks for Mississippi Mud Productions reprise of her stunning play, VIVIEN LEIGH: THE LAST PRESS CONFERENCE, in New York, NY, July 6, 7, & 9, 2012 at the Alexander Technique Center For Performance And Development, 330 West 38th Street, Suite 805.