Lorraine Hansberry News

SUPERIOR DONUTS, the fresh-baked tale of friendship and redemption in a Chicago donut dispensary, makes its regional premiere at TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theater of Silicon Valley

San Francisco's Brava Theater and African-American Shakespeare Company open their respective seasons with a collaborative production, the US Premiere of IPH... by playwright Colin Teevan. Dylan Russell helms this edgy, lyrical adaptation of Euripides' Greek tragedy Iphigenia at Aulis, featuring acclaimed actor and incoming African-American Shakespeare Artistic Director L. Peter Callender, Bay Area favorite C. Kelly Wright, and up-and-coming talent Traci Tolmaire.

Aurora Theatre Company opens its 19th season with Alice Childress' vibrant, humorous, and heartbreaking look at racism through the lens of the theater, TROUBLE IN MIND. Robin Stanton (Speech & Debate, Betrayed, Permanent Collection) directs this play about race, identity, and opportunity, featuring Bay Area favorite Margo Hall in her Aurora Theatre Company debut, along with Tim Kniffin, Rhonnie Washington, Elizabeth Carter, Michael Ray Wisely, Earll Kingston, Patrick Russell, Jon Gentry, and Melissa Quine. TROUBLE IN MIND plays August 20 through September 26 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($34-55) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents its 6th annual First Look Repertory of New Work-three developmental productions of new plays presented in rotating repertory playing October 27 - November 14, 2010 in Steppenwolf's Merle Reskin Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted St. The 2010 festival will also include three free readings by emerging playwrights presented November 5-7, 2010. Tickets for all productions are currently on-sale.

The production of DAMN YANKEES playing at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport (LI), New York is a solid one. There are fine performances, inventive staging, colorful costumes and a jaunty score. However something very magical takes place half way through the second act: it is at this point that Broadway veteran André De Shields, who plays Mr. Applegate, sits in a chair, crosses his legs and launches into the song 'Those Were The Good Old Days'. It is the moment when the show is elevated into something extremely grand and memorable.

Producers Proteus Spann and Pro2Play Productions are pleased to announce the Washington-area premiere of the award-winning new gospel musical comedy Sanctified. Written by Javon Johnson, with original music by Rollo A. Dilworth, and directed by Derrick Sanders, Sanctified will play the historic Lincoln Theatre for a limited engagement, October 21 through November 14. Casting will be announced next month.

Juilliard's Drama Division announced the complete schedule for its 2010-2011 season of fully-staged productions featuring students in their fourth and final year of acting training at Juilliard. This season's plays include Lorraine Hansberry's A RAISIN IN THE SUN, directed by Jade King Carroll, October 20-24; David Auburn's PROOF, directed by Harris Yulin, November 11-15; and Chekhov's THE SEAGULL, directed by Richard Feldman, December 9-13.

The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s classical theater ensemble, continues ClassicsFest 2010 with an invigorating 'summer splash' of actor-initiated workshops, readings, and special events. Audiences can choose from a veritable smorgasbord of the classics between July 6 and August 15 at the company's interim home, Deaf West Theatre in the NoHo Arts District. All readings and workshops are $10.

Starting July 6th at the Provincetown Theater, producer Robert Driemeyer, in association with Jim A. Landé, is proud to present David Parr's provocative new play SLAP&TICKLE. The production will be directed by Obie Award winner David Drake, whose critically acclaimed mounting of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic OUR TOWN enjoyed a extended run at the Provincetown Theater this spring.

The Antaeus Company, Los Angeles's classical theater ensemble, will open ClassicsFest 2010 with King Lear, its first full production of a Shakespeare play. Bart DeLorenzo will direct King Lear with renowned scholar, actor, and Antaeus founding artistic director Dakin Matthews and Broadway veteran/three-time Tony nominee Harry Groener heading two fully double-cast ensembles. Two gala openings, one with each cast, will take place on Saturday, June 26 at 8 pm and Sunday, June 27 at 4 pm, with performances continuing through August 8 at Antaeus' interim home, Deaf West Theatre in the NoHo Arts District. Low-priced previews will begin June 12.

ANTAEUS, LA's classical theater ensemble presents ClassicsFest 2010: Week #5: August 3 - August 7. Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry & The Capulets and The Montagues by Lope de Vega

August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin. There was once a time that these were the names to roll easily off of the tongue when considering the contemporary African-American playwright.

August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes. These were the names that easily rolled off of the tongue when you thought of the African-American playwright. However, now in the Tyler Perry generation, you struggle to find African-americans who have knowledge of those playwrights let alone more recent ones such as Lynn Nottage and Anna Deavere- Smith. Fortunately, the times are a-changing.

The Hansberry Project, with support from ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, announces its first new play commission. Keith Josef Adkins, a New York-based playwright, was awarded the commission, underwritten by Gian-Carlo and Eulalie Scanduzzi as the sixth play commissioned by ACT through the New Works for the American Stage program.

Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, proudly announced today the second annual Word(s)PLAY!, a forum designed to develop new plays by African American playwrights.

The Hansberry Project, with support from ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, announces its first new play commission. Keith Josef Adkins, a New York-based playwright, was awarded the commission, underwritten by Gian-Carlo and Eulalie Scanduzzi as the sixth play commissioned by ACT through the New Works for the American Stage program.

ANTAEUS, LA's classical theater ensemble presents ClassicsFest 2010: Week #5: August 3 - August 7. Les Blancs by Lorraine Hansberry & The Capulets and The Montagues by Lope de Vega

Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents its 6th annual First Look Repertory of New Work-three developmental productions of new plays presented in rotating repertory playing October 27 - November 14, 2010 in Steppenwolf's Merle Reskin Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted St. The 2010 festival will also include three free readings by emerging playwrights presented November 5-7, 2010. Tickets for all productions are currently on-sale.

Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, proudly announced today the second annual Word(s)PLAY!, a forum designed to develop new plays by African American playwrights.

Aurora Theatre Company opens its 19th season with Alice Childress' vibrant, humorous, and heartbreaking look at racism through the lens of the theater, TROUBLE IN MIND. Robin Stanton (Speech & Debate, Betrayed, Permanent Collection) directs this play about race, identity, and opportunity, featuring Bay Area favorite Margo Hall in her Aurora Theatre Company debut, along with Tim Kniffin, Rhonnie Washington, Elizabeth Carter, Michael Ray Wisely, Earll Kingston, Patrick Russell, Jon Gentry, and Melissa Quine. TROUBLE IN MIND plays August 20 through September 26 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($34-55) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.