Lisa Gay News

Usdan Center For the Creative and Performing Arts (www.usdan.com), now entering its 43nd season and once again declared a 'Best Of' class or camp for 2010 by TimeOutNY/Kids, will open its series of Festival Concerts, private on-site educational performances for its students, on Monday June 28 at the Center's 200-acre woodland campus. In addition to these concerts, special workshops and master classes will be offered by visiting guest artists throughout the summer.

Usdan Center For the Performing Arts, the nationally renowned summer arts day camp which has introduced the arts to more than 50,000 young people, announces that Maurice Brandon Curry, a director/choreographer/educator, and former Director of the Joffrey Ballet School, will become Chairperson of the Usdan Center Dance Department beginning in the summer of 2010.

Usdan Center For the Creative and Performing Arts, the renowned summer arts day camp whose alumni include Natalie Portman, Mariah Carey, Seth Rudetsky, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Jordan Leeds and jazz singer Jane Monheit, announces three new members of its Board of Directors: Playwright Michele Lowe, whose Smell Of the Kill and String Of Pearls were produced on Broadway, and whose newest work, the Iraq-set Inana just opened at the Denver Center Theatre (her Map Of Heaven will premiere there during the 2010-2011 season); Lesley Friedman Rosenthal, Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Lincoln Center For the Performing Arts; and James R. Wacht, President of Sierra Realty Corporation.

Sam Waterston, star of TV's 'Law and Order' and countless film and stage appearances, returns to the Long Wharf Theatre stage in the 2009-10 world premiere of Athol Fugard's play Have You Seen Us?, directed by Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein.

The Classical Theatre of Harlem, a not-for-profit theatre dedicated to producing theatre that truly reflects the diversity of ideas and racial tapestry that is New York City, will hold a party celebrating their 10th Anniversary Season.

The Classical Theatre of Harlem, a not-for-profit theatre dedicated to producing theatre that truly reflects the diversity of ideas and racial tapestry that is New York City, will hold a party celebrating their 10th Anniversary Season.

THE LEAGUE OF OFF-BROADWAY THEATRES AND PRODUCERS today announced the nominations for THE 23rd ANNUAL LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT OFF-BROADWAY, which will be presented on Monday, May 5th at the Union Square Theatre (100 East 17th Street).

The Emelin Theatre, a non-profit performing arts center in Mamaroneck, NY, today announced that Giuseppe Tornatore, director of Cinema Paradiso, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and Academy Award-nominated Director John Sayles will screen their latest movies at the Emelin and answer questions from the audience. Tornatore will screen The Unknown Woman on Wednesday, December 5 at 7:30 PM, and Sayles will screen Honeydripper on December 13 at 8:15 PM.

Theatre for a New Audience today announces that Christine Baranski, who was to play Cleopatra in the theatre's upcoming production of Antony and Cleopatra, has had to withdraw from the production due to conflicts with her winter schedule.

'Voices of Broadway,'on July 16, with cast members of The Producers, Avenue Q, Chicago, Les Miserables and Seussical, are among the featured performers at Usdan Center's Festival Concerts series -- educational performances for students at the nationally acclaimed summer arts camp.

Eve Ensler, the author of the international phenomenon THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, plans to explore and expose even more -- in her new play THE GOOD BODY. Ms. Ensler will be making her Los Angeles stage debut when THE GOOD BODY plays a limited 16 performance engagement at the Wadsworth Theatre January 31 to February 12, 2006.

Phylicia Rashad will once again play 285 year-old Aunt Ester in Gem of the Ocean when the August Wilson play runs at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ from October 11th through October 30th

The Audiences of Tomorrow festival concert series at the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts in Long Island will run from June 27th to August 12th, with performers from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Producers and Wicked featured in the line-up

In the conclusion of BWW's series on groundbreaking women in theater, Rashad sounds off on many subjects...but not her history-making Tony triumph last season.