Long Wharf Theatre News

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full cast for the New York premiere of the new musical The Tin Pan Alley Rag, written by Mark Saltzman, with Music & Lyrics by Irving Berlin & Scott Joplin, directed by Stafford Arima.

Today, the Tony Award-winning Berkeley Repertory Theatre announced the seventh play selected for its upcoming season: the West Coast premiere of Coming Home by Athol Fugard completes a bold slate that already features four world premieres, a West Coast premiere from Tony Kushner, and a holiday show starring the grandchild of Charlie Chaplin.

Ensemble Studio Theatre (William Carden, Artistic Director, Paul Alexander Slee, Executive Director) will present Marathon 2009, E.S.T.?s 31st annual festival of new one-act plays, at E.S.T. (549 West 52nd Street). Performances begin Friday, May 22nd, and continue through Saturday, June 27th.

A Nervous Smile is the final, most powerful play by John Belluso, a wonderful playwright with a disability who passed away tragically more than two years ago, on the cusp of a promising career. In the play, the wealthy parents of a girl severely disabled with cerebral palsy are strained to the breaking point by the burden of caring for their daughter.

The Cleveland Play House Artistic Director Michael Bloom announces the world premiere production of Thornton Wilder's novel Heaven's My Destination, adapted by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing. The play is the centerpiece of the fourth annual FusionFest, a multidisciplinary performing arts festival.

Sundance Institute today announced the five projects chosen for the 2009 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab to be held July 7 -22 at the Sundance Resort in Utah. Under the stewardship of Sundance Institute Theatre Program's Artistic Director Philip Himberg, the projects and participants selected for this year's residency are: Diagram of a Paper Airplane (Carlos Murillo); An Iliad (Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson); The Lily's Revenge (Taylor Mac); Ngwino Ubeho (Come and Be Alive) (Odile Gakire Gatire); and Palomino (David Cale).

National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) held its Annual Chairman's Awards Gala and benefit on Monday, April 20 at New York's Cipriani's Pegasus (30 Rockefeller Plaza). This year, NCTF Chairman James S. Turley, Chairman & CEO of Ernst & Young, honored Jane Fonda (returning to Broadway this season in 33 Variations), producer John Breglio (the recent revival of A Chorus Line) and USA TODAY. Accepting the award on behalf of the USA TODAY was be Ed. Cassidy. All net proceeds of the event will be distributed as the NCTF/John Breglio Fund for New American Theatre.

National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) will held its Annual Chairman's Awards Gala and benefit on Monday, April 20 at New York's Cipriani's Pegasus (30 Rockefeller Plaza). This year, NCTF Chairman James S. Turley, Chairman & CEO of Ernst & Young, honored Jane Fonda (returning to Broadway this season in 33 Variations), producer John Breglio (the recent revival of A Chorus Line) and USA TODAY. Accepting the award on behalf of the USA TODAY was be Ed. Cassidy. All net proceeds of the event will be distributed as the NCTF/John Breglio Fund for New American Theatre.

April is the cruelest - and most hilarious - month at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, when Les Waters lets loose with another shocking script from Martin McDonagh. In 2007, the Obie Award-winning director scored a direct hit with his extended run of The Pillowman; since then, the Academy Award-winning author released his first feature film, In Bruges. Now Berkeley Rep reenlists these seasoned artists for another vicious comedy: The Lieutenant of Inishmore. Staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this edgy farce begins previews on April 17, opens April 22, and closes May 17. BART and Wells Fargo serve as season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre, and the executive producers for this show are Marjorie Randolph, Betty and Jack Schafer, and Philip and Shirley Schild.

April is the cruelest - and most hilarious - month at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, when Les Waters lets loose with another shocking script from Martin McDonagh. In 2007, the Obie Award-winning director scored a direct hit with his extended run of The Pillowman; since then, the Academy Award-winning author released his first feature film, In Bruges.

Atlantic Theater Company announces complete casting for the world premiere of Leslie Ayvazian's new comedy MAKE ME, directed by Atlantic Associate Artistic Director Christian Parker. Broadway veterans Anthony Arkin (I'm Not Rappaport); Candy Buckley (After The Fall); Jessica Hecht (Julius Caesar); J.R. Horne (The Crucible); Richard Masur (Democracy) and Ellen Parker (The Heidi Chronicles) will star in Atlantic's final production of its 2008-2009 season, beginning previews at Atlantic Stage 2 on May 19 and opening May 31. Playwright and screenwriter Ayvazian's hit Off-Broadway play Nine Armenians won the Kennedy Center's Roger L. Stevens Award, the John Gassner Outer Critics Award and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) will hold its Annual Chairman's Awards Gala and benefit on Monday, April 20 at New York's Cipriani's Pegasus (30 Rockefeller Plaza). This year, NCTF Chairman James S. Turley, Chairman & CEO of Ernst & Young, will honor Jane Fonda (returning to Broadway this season in 33 Variations), producer John Breglio (the recent revival of A Chorus Line) and USA TODAY.

Theater Breaking Through Barriers will present the New York Premiere of John Belluso's, A Nervous Smile, on Friday, April 17, 2009 at 8PM at the Kirk Theatre, Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd St. The official opening will be on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 8PM. Ike Schambelan directs.

The Broadway company of CHICAGO is pleased to announce details for the next three installments of 'Talkback Tuesdays,' the unique new series offering post-show discussions and audience Q&A sessions with members of the Broadway company of the record-breaking hit musical.

South Coast Repertory has announced the lineup of actors and directors who will participate in the 12th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF). Since its creation in 1998, PPF has grown into one of the most important festivals of new scripts in the United States. This year?s Festival will take place during the May 1 through May 3 weekend and will feature five staged readings and two fully-produced World Premieres on South Coast Repertory?s Segerstrom and Julianne Argryos Stages. Tickets to PPF may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

March 2, 2009 Los Angeles - The Off-Broadway hit ?Back to Bacharach and David? will have a short 23 performance engagement at The Music Box @ Fonda April 15 to May 17 (opening April 19).

George Street Playhouse has announced full casting for New Year's Eve a world premiere from the pen of ARTHUR LAURENTS. George Street Playhouse Artistic Director DAVID SAINT will direct a starry cast comprised of WALTER BELENKY, KEITH CARRADINE, PETER FRECHETTE, MARLO THOMAS and NATASHA GREGSON WAGNER. New Year's Eve marks the ninth collaboration between Saint and Laurents at the New Brunswick Playhouse, and the return engagement of Ms. Thomas, who starred in Elaine May's Roger is Dead last season.

The Tony Award-winning Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will open its 2009-10 season with the New York premiere A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by Colman Domingo (PASSING STRANGE), set to begin previews in September.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open in early October.

National Corporate Theatre Fund (NCTF) will hold its Annual Chairman's Awards Gala and benefit on Monday, April 20 at New York's Cipriani's Pegasus (30 Rockefeller Plaza). This year, NCTF Chairman James S. Turley, Chairman & CEO of Ernst & Young, will honor Jane Fonda (returning to Broadway this season in 33 Variations), producer John Breglio (the recent revival of A Chorus Line) and USA TODAY.