Long Wharf Theatre News

An accomplished musical theatre supporting player takes on the title role in CSC's production of Brecht's classic drama.

Signal Ensemble Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of The Consultant by Heidi Schreck and directed by Signal Ensemble Theater Co-Artistic Director Ronan Marra at Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave., January 21 - February 20, 2016.  After 13 seasons of  presenting, The Consultant marks the final production for Signal Ensemble Theatre. There will be one preview Thursday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. Opening/Press night is Friday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. Regular performances are Thursday - Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. (No performance Sunday, Feb. 7) Ticket prices are $23 for single tickets, $15 for industry/students/seniors/groups and $12 for previews. Tickets may be purchased by calling 773.698.7389 or by visiting www.signalensemble.com.  NOTE: There is no Sunday, February 7 performance and there will be an industry Night performance Monday, Feb. 8 at 7:30pm.

The gulf between what's said and what isn't is at the heart of the sweet and whimsical comedy The Language Archive by Julia Cho, next up at Bristol Riverside Theatre on January 26-February 14.  Directed by Adam Immerwahr, the ensemble cast features Keith Baker, Irungu Mutu, Jo Twiss, Tiffany Villarin, and Julianna Zinkel.

Philadelphia Theatre Company will present the gripping and timely play Exit Strategy by "Chicagoan of the Year" Ike Holter January 29-February 28.  Directed by Kip Fagan, the production features an ensemble cast with Michael Cullen, Aime Donna Kelly, Rey Lucas, Deidre Madigan, Christina Nieves, Brandon Pierce, and Ray Spahn. Exit Strategy is the first of several new American plays and presentations at PTC in 2016 which also includes an evening of excerpts from Anna Deavere Smith's new work, Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education, the Philadelphia premiere of Sex With Strangers by Laura Eason, and the East Coast premiere of Hillary and Clinton by Lucas Hnath.

As a new year begins, Connecticut's professional theater scene offers many exciting viewing opportunities including premieres of new shows as well as some old some old favorites. What shows am I most looking forward to? Here are some tops picks for 2016:

Noted theatrical producer and manager Erik Orton is taking the helm as Guest Artistic Director, overseeing the 2016 season. The announcement was made today by Peter Murray, president of the Board of Trustees for The Cape Cod Center for the Arts, operator of the Cape Playhouse.

The Vineyard Theatre today announced that their 2016 Gala will honor Vineyard Board President and award-winning actress Kathleen Chalfant and New York theatrical press agent Sam Rudy. The annual Gala Fundraiser will take place on Monday, March 14, 2016, beginning at 6:30pm, at Edison Ballroom (240 West 47th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue).

Long Wharf Theatre will host its first SING YOUR STORY songwriting competition on Monday, January 25, 2016 at 730 pm on the Main Stage.

A struggle between a family's enduring legacy and its chance for a brighter future takes center stage in The Piano Lesson: one of the most critically-acclaimed productions in August Wilson's landmark ten-play American Century Cycle. 

Long Wharf Theatre will now conclude its 2015-16 season with the musical My Paris. My Paris will replace Shining City on the schedule and run from May 4-29, 2016 on the Claire Tow Stage in the C.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, is pleased to announce the launch of the Audience (R)Evolution Cohort Grants. Funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Cohort Grants will provide amounts of $25,000, $75,000, and $200,000 to allow teams of three or more not-for-profit organizations to design and implement audience-engagement and community-development strategies together.

Asolo Rep continues its 2015-16 season with quintessential American playwright Eugene O'Neill's sentimental comedy AH, WILDERNESS!, directed by Greg Leaming, associate artistic director of Asolo Rep and the director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. The Tony Award, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner's sole comedy previews on Wednesday, January 20 and Thursday, January 21 at 8pm, opens Friday, January 22 at 8pm and runs in rotating repertory through Sunday, April 10 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts. 

A reviewer pointed out extreme similarities between the TheatreWorks production and one directed by Darko Tresnjak.

Squeals of delight and blood-curdling screams of fright will fill the Allen Theatre as Cleveland Play House's (CPH) Centennial Season continues with a humorous and heartfelt production of Little Shop of Horrors. Hearkening back to its very first productions in 1915 that featured sophisticated marionettes, CPH is bringing the cheeky and blood-thirsty plant Audrey II to life in a production that will be every vocal coach's dream - and every hemophobic's worst nightmare!

Long Wharf Theatre presents, in conjunction with Eva Price, THE LION, written and performed by Benjamin Scheuer, directed by Sean Daniels, from January 6 through February 7, 2016. The play will take place on Stage II. Tickets are $25-$85. The press opening will take place on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 7:30 pm.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of THE METROMANIACS by supremely clever playwright David Ives (All in the Timing, Time Flies). This uproarious new 'translaptation' of a classic French farce, Alexis Piron's La Metromanie, will be directed by one of America's most renowned stage directors, Michael Kahn, presented in association with Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Signal Ensemble Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of The Consultant by Heidi Schreck and directed by Signal Ensemble Theater Co-Artistic Director Ronan Marra at Signal Ensemble Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave., January 21 - February 20, 2016. After 13 seasons of presenting, The Consultant marks the final production for Signal Ensemble Theatre. There will be one preview Thursday, Jan. 21 at 8 p.m. Opening/Press night is Friday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. Regular performances are Thursday - Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. (No performance Sunday, Feb. 7) Ticket prices are $23 for single tickets, $15 for industry/students/seniors/groups and $12 for previews. Tickets may be purchased by calling 773.698.7389 or by visiting www.signalensemble.com. NOTE: There is no Sunday, February 7 performance and there will be an industry Night performance Monday, Feb. 8 at 7:30pm.

Anthony Giardina's Off-Broadway smash hit THE CITY OF CONVERSATION, about a Georgetown political hostess, makes its Washington, D.C. debut at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Following his direction of the 2014 world premiere at Lincoln Center Theater, Tony Award winner Doug Hughes returns to direct this political drama spanning three decades, from Carter's presidency through the Reagan era and ending with Obama's inauguration. THE CITY OF CONVERSATION runs January 29-March 6, 2016 in the Fichandler Stage.

A theatre critic's review points out similarities to an earlier production's staging and design.

Long Wharf Theatre presents the Fiasco Theater production of MEASURE FOR MEASURE by William Shakespeare, directed by Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld, running now through December 20, 2015. The production runs on the Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre, opening tonight, December 2. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!