Lucille Lortel News

On May 11, Becky Ann Baker (GOOD PEOPLE, "Freaks and Geeks"), Dylan Baker (GOD OF CARNAGE, "Kings"), Christopher Abbott ("Martha Marcy May Marlene," HBO's Girls and 2011 Broadway revival of HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES) took part in the "bake off" portion of Page 73 Productions' Spring Benefit at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan. Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) hosted. Check out photos from the event below!

FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the play by Mark St. Germain, will celebrate its 700th New York performance this Friday, May 18th at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

Downton Abbey meets Broadway! BWW can report that Dan Stevens, star of the Golden Globe-winning series "Downton Abbey," will play the role of "Morris Townsend" opposite Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain (Catherine Sloper) and Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner David Strathairn (Dr. Austin Sloper) in the Tony Award-winning play The Heiress. Written by Ruth Goetz & Augustus Goetz, The Heiress will be directed by Tony Award nominated playwright and director Moises Kaufman. Performances will begin October 2012 at a theatre to be announced.

The Ensemble Studio Theatre honors two of its most distinguished members, the acclaimed actress Lois Smith and two-time Board chair G.H. 'Denny' Denniston, Jr with its 2012 Distinguished Member Award at a "Fun-Raiser" benefit celebration this evening, May 14.

Tonight, May 14, 2012, the League of Professional Theatre Women presents The Legacy Project, a celebration of Pioneering Women Producers, at the Martin E. Segal Theatre, The Graduate Center at the City University of New York (365 Fifth Avenue). Scheduled for the day after Mother's Day, this event will be an all-day tribute to the foremothers of the American stage.

Looking for a quick roundup of this week's events in the theatre world? Look no further - here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK: FOLLIES travels to LA, Sumissions Only wraps Season 2, Drama Desk Nominees celebrate, and so much more!

Becky Ann Baker (GOOD PEOPLE, "Freaks and Geeks") and Dylan Baker (GOD OF CARNAGE, "Kings") will join previously announced Christopher Abbott ("Martha Marcy May Marlene," HBO's Girls and 2011 Broadway revival of HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES) for the "bake off" portion of Page 73 Productions' Spring Benefit on Friday, May 11 at 7:00pm at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan. Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) will host.

The Ensemble Studio Theatre will honor two of its most distinguished members, the acclaimed actress Lois Smith and two-time Board chair G.H. 'Denny' Denniston, Jr with its 2012 Distinguished Member Award at a "Fun-Raiser" benefit celebration Monday evening, May 14.

Last night, May 9, VOCA PEOPLE (www.VocaPeopleNYC.com), the hit musical, welcomed "Police Academy" star and "the man of 10,000 sound effects" Michael Winslow as he joins the VOCA PEOPLE for four select performances through May 20 at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street). Mr. Winslow will perform with VOCA PEOPLE again May 13 at 5:30pm, May 14 at 8pm, May 16 at 7pm and May 17 at 7pm. Winslow blasts into this out-of-this-world musical, which combines vocal sounds, a-cappella singing, comedy and the art of beat box. See photos of Michael Winslow in VOCA PEOPLE below!

Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) is set to host the 2012 Page 73 Spring Benefit on tonight, May 11 at 7:00pm at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Page 73's Executive Directors Liz Jones and Asher Richelli.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd previously announced the cast and creative team for the Alley Theatre's new production of Theresa Rebeck's WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST, part of the Alley Theatre's New Play Initiative. WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST runs on the Alley Theatre's Neuhaus Stage tonight, May 11 through June 12, 2012.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, actor and Tony Award-winning creator and composer-lyricist of Broadway's In the Heights, will join Arturo O'Farrill's GRAMMY Award-winning ensemble, The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, for its 10th Anniversary season celebration, 'Música Nueva 5: Big Band Poetry Jam & Beyond.'

Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) will host the 2012 Page 73 Productions Spring Benefit on Friday, May 11 at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan.

Lucas Papaelias, of Broadway's ONCE is set to join the line up of the previously announced 17th annual LOWER EAST SIDE (LES) FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS. Papaelias is also known as LPfunK and is an actor/guitarist/composer who was nominated for a Drama Desk Award (Best Original Music in a Play) for his work in Adam Rapp's "Essential Self-Defense" at Playwrights Horizons. Most recently, he co-wrote the rock musical PYRAMIDICA: Songs of Freedom, which takes place live in a pyramid scheme company's "free" orientation, and was presented at the Vineyard Arts Project's New Writers / New Plays Festival. He also conceived of, and composed, the rock opera ITHACA: a Perpetual Shredfest, the story of a Lower East Side rock band performing their final concert, which had presentations at Joe's Pub and ARS Nova.

Beck Center for the Arts presents the regional premiere of the award-winning rock musical, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, May 25 through July 1, 2012 in the Studio Theater. Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 7 p.m. Sundays. There are no Sunday matinee performances for this production. Tickets are now on sale.

Founded in 2001 by Steven Cosson, The Civilians has created twelve original works that have been produced Off Broadway and in over 40 cities nationally and internationally, at theaters such as The Public Theater, Center Theatre Group, La Jolla Playhouse, A.R.T., HBO's US Comedy Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival, London's Soho Theatre, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Fringe First Award, 2006).

The Broadway at Birdland concert series presents "Here Goes Nothing," an evening of songs by Drama Desk-nominated lyricist Jack Lechner, on Monday, June 25 at 7pm. Guest performers will include Jill Abramovitz, Desmond Dutcher, Jeannine Frumess, Jose Llana, Lucas Steele, and Karen Ziemba. The music director will be Boko Suzuki.