Lucille Lortel News

Long Wharf Theatre concludes its 2012-13 season with Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park, by Bruce Norris, and directed by Associate Artistic Director Eric Ting. The play will take place on The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Mainstage from May 8, 2013 through June 2, 2013.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced the first two productions of its 2013-14 Main Stage Season: the Broadway premiere of The Snow Geese by MCC alum Sharr White, which is a co-production with Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC); and the New York premiere of John Pollono's Small Engine Repair, which had previously been scheduled for the MCC 2012-13 Season. An announcement regarding the remaining productions of the MCC Theater 2013-14 Main Stage Season is forthcoming.

Jonathan Lynn will direct the American premiere of Yes, Prime Minister, co-written by Lynn and Antony Jay, one of the most successful London West End plays in a decade, at the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse, opening Wednesday, June 12 (previews begin June 4.) The award-winning British comedy of political power and intrigue has played three sold-out London West End seasons with rave reviews as well as international tours (currently New Zealand and Australia).

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today that acclaimed Tony Award-winning director John Doyle will join the company for its 2013/2014 season as an Associate Director. Doyle, who directed and designed the company's current highly-acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical PASSION, will develop his own projects for CSC, contribute leadership for CSC's new Musical Theatre Initiative (for which PASSION was the launch production) and consult with Artistic Director Brian Kulick over season planning and other creative aspects of CSC's artistic programming.

On April 12, 2013, The New York Pops continues its 30th season with an evening celebrating the 65th birthday of Stephen Schwartz and the 10th anniversary of his hit musical Wicked with The Wizard and I: The Musical Journey of Stephen Schwartz. Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke will lead the orchestra as they perform highlights from some of the composer-lyricist's most beloved works. The concert features Tony Award nominee Jeremy Jordan (Newsies), Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis (The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess), Drama Desk Award nominee Julia Murney (The Wild Party), Tony Award nominee Jennifer Laura Thompson (Urinetown), and Judith Clurman's Essential Voices USA.

The Old Globe will open its 2013-14 Season with The Last Goodbye, a new musical that marries Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and the incendiary songs of the legendary singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. Conceived and adapted by Michael Kimmel, the rock musical is directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers (Peter and the Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson). Choreography is by Sonya Tayeh ("So You Think You Can Dance"), and orchestrations, music direction and arrangements are by Kris Kukul. The complete creative team and casting, as well as the remainder of the Globe's new season, will be announced at a later date. The Last Goodbye will run on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, Sept. 20 - Nov. 3, 2013. Preview performances run Sept. 20 - Oct. 5. Opening night is Sunday, Oct. 6. Tickets are currently available by subscription only. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Paul Robeson, Romeo, Juliet, and Ebenezer are just a few of the names - real and fictional - of the dynamic characters audiences will see at Kansas City Repertory Theatre during its 2013-14 season.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Producer; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) and MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) will co-produce the world premiere of THE SNOW GEESE, a new play by Sharr White, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan, starring Tony and Emmy Award winner Mary-Louise Parker.

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.

Red Bull Theater will present 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), for a strictly limited engagement beginning tonight, April 10th and continuing 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.

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.