Lucille Lortel News

Full casting has been announced for the Orange County engagement of FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation. Joining Jillian Mueller as Alex and Matthew Hydzik as Nick are Katie Webber as Tess, Kelly Felthous as Gloria, DeQuina Moore as Kiki, Jo Ann Cunningham as Hannah, David R. Gordon as Jimmy, Matthew Henerson as Harry and Christian Whelan in the role of C.C.

The Award-Winning Epic Theatre Ensemble, now in their 12th year presents William Shakespeare's RICHARD III: Born With Teeth, part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national program of the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The production, directed by Ron Russell, begins previews Off-Broadway on Tuesday, April 16th and opens Saturday, April 20th at 8:00 PM at the Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street). The play will run through May 4th.

Red Bull Theater (Jesse Berger, Artistic Director) today announced that Derek Smith would join the cast for the American Premiere of a new adaptation of August Strindberg's The Dance of Death by Mike Poulton (Tony Award Nominee for Best Play for Fortune's Fool), directed by Joseph Hardy (Tony Award winner for Best Director for Child's Play). This strictly limited engagement begins Wednesday April 10th and continues through May 4th only, at the Lucille Lortel Theater (121 Christopher Street, between Bleecker and Hudson Streets). Opening Night is set for Thursday April 18th. Hardy directs a company that features Daniel Davis, Laila Robins, and Derek Smith.

MURDER BALLAD, the new musical that enjoyed an acclaimed, sold-out engagement at Manhattan Theatre Club's The Studio at Stage II, will transfer to the Union Square Theatre (100 East 17th Street) this spring for a strictly limited nine week engagement, featuring three of the critically acclaimed cast members from the MTC run of the musical: John Ellison Conlee, Rebecca Naomi Jones, and Will Swenson. They will be joined by Caissie Levy who will play the role of 'Sara.'

Lincoln Center Theater presents an LCT3 Special Event of Mr. Joy, a 90-minute one-man show written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Sheryl Kaller. The workshop production will be performed tonight, April 9, April 12-15, and April 17-21 at 7:00 pm at the Claire Tow Theater (150 West 65 Street).

Vocalists and a pianist are announced for Lyrics & Lyricists Downtown, the L&L series at 92YTribeca. On Monday, April 15, this one-night-only event features a conversation with Tony Award-nominated lyricist composer and librettist Michael John LaChiusa. As one of today's most innovative, prolific and honored artists, LaChiusa's credits include Giant (which recently garnered a Lucille Lortel Award nomination as "Outstanding Musical,") Queen of the Mist, See What I Wanna See and Marie Christine. Joining him as moderator is five-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, who has starred in several of his works and included his songs on her CDs Way Back To Paradise and Happy Songs. The conversation - touching on LaChiusa's significant works and his songwriting process - is punctuated by songs with vocalists Natalie Cortez and Mary Testa and pianist Chris Fenwick.

Don't miss this 54 Below debut tonight, April 7th at 7pm. Described as equal parts James Taylor and Stephen Sondheim, Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen's songs have been performed everywhere from East Village rock clubs, to Off-Broadway theaters, to Sesame Street.

The Improvisational Repertory Theatre Ensemble returns for another season of on-the-spot laughs, including The Groovy Gang Adventures and its 2013 Improvisational Acting Workshop Series.

What would you do if one day you could no longer use the letter Z? Then Q? Then E? Goodspeed Musicals, the first two-time Tony Award-winning theatre in the country, announced today that the compelling new musical L M N O P -a tale about a town thrown into chaos after that very scenario becomes a reality -will round out their three-show season at The Norma Terris Theatre.

Gallery Players and New Players Theater will present the Columbus premiere of Matthew Lopez' THE WHIPPING MAN, a recent off-Broadway success that was extended four times when it ran in New York, won Obie, Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Awards, and was the third most produced play in the country last year, according to American Theatre Magazine.

Gallery Players and New Players Theater will present the Columbus premiere of Matthew Lopez' THE WHIPPING MAN, a recent off-Broadway success that was extended four times when it ran in New York, won Obie, Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk Awards, and was the third most produced play in the country last year, according to American Theatre Magazine.

New York City Center goes Off-Broadway this summer with the launch of Encores! Off-Center, a new series featuring seminal Off-Broadway musicals filtered through the lens of today's most innovative artists. In keeping with City Center's founding mission to make the arts accessible to all, the majority of tickets will be $25.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present a new production of Bertolt Brecht's THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE featuring Christopher Lloyd (Azdak), directed by Brian Kulick (who directed Brecht's Galileo last season), and featuring new music by Tony Award-winning singer/songwriter Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening). THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE will begin performances Friday, May 3 at CSC (136 East 13th Street) for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 9. The official opening is Thursday, May 30. Tickets are now on sale.

Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) will produce the world-premiere of the musical THE LANDING this fall, with music by the Tony Award-winning composer John Kander and book and lyrics by Greg Pierce, kicking off the company's 2013-14 season, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, The Vineyard's Artistic Director, and Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director.

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 14 categories and two additional special awards for the 2013 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00pm EST, and hosted by acclaimed stage and screen actors Aasif Mandvi and Maura Tierney. This year's event will once again benefit The Actors Fund.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announced today three musicals to be developed at the 2013 National Music Theater Conference.

Lincoln Center Theater previously announced that Betsy Aidem, Blair Brown, Michael Cerveris, Anthony Cochrane, Lauren Culpepper, Alvin Epstein, Kathryn Erbe, John Glover, Jennifer B. Grace, Katie Kreisler, Stephen Kunken, Haviland Morris, Dale Place, John Procaccino, Gareth Saxe and Alan Schmuckler would be featured in the 18-member cast of its world premiere production of NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS, a new play by Richard Nelson. The play, which was commissioned by Lincoln Center Theater, will be directed by David Cromer and will begin performances tonight, April 4 at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. Opening night is Monday, May 6.

Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) closes its 2012-2013 season with the eagerly anticipated Arizona premiere of Bruce Norris' multi-award-winning, provocative new comedy, "Clybourne Park." Performances will be held at The Herberger Theater Center in downtown Phoenix May 2 through May 19, 2013. ATC season sponsors are I. Michael and Beth Kasser. Phoenix production sponsor is Zazu Pannee Park Regent.