Luna Stage News

Luna Stage announces the final production of the 2008-2009 season - the World Premiere of Not God, a play in verse by Marc J. Straus. Previews are April 16-23, with the opening performances on April 24 and 25. The production runs through May 17, 2009.

Homosexuality was once considered a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). This began to change in 1972, when a gay psychiatrist donned a mask to conceal his identify and addressed the APA?s annual meeting, arguing for his colleagues to understand.

The Walnut Street Theatre?s 2008-2009 Independence Studio on 3 season continues with Honor and the River, Anton Dudley?s powerful coming of age story about deep rivers and deeper emotions. Directed by Thomas Reing, Honor and the River starts on February 24, opens on February 26 and closes March 15.

Passage Theatre Company, Trenton's premiere professional theater company, will present a nw play workshop staged-reading of Blood: A Comedy by David White for three performances on February 19, 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. at Trenton's historic Mill Hill Playhouse (Front and Montgomery Streets). Tickets are $12.

Passage Theatre Company, Trenton's premiere professional theater company, will present a nw play workshop staged-reading of Blood: A Comedy by David White for three performances on February 19, 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. at Trenton's historic Mill Hill Playhouse (Front and Montgomery Streets). Tickets are $12.

The Walnut Street Theatre?s 2008-2009 Independence Studio on 3 season continues with Honor and the River, Anton Dudley?s powerful coming of age story about deep rivers and deeper emotions. Directed by Thomas Reing, Honor and the River starts on February 24, opens on February 26 and closes March 15.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) has announced the 10 members of the 2009 Emerging Writers Group, the second season of an annual program that targets playwrights at the earliest stages of their careers and nurtures their artistic growth by providing necessary resources and support. The 10 writers were selected from more than 400 applicants. The 2009 Emerging Writers are J. Julian Christopher, D.S.A. Deen, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Bridget Kelso, Mona Mansour, Vickie Ramirez, Jordan Seavey, Alena Smith, Kevin Christopher Snipes, and Lauren Yee.

Luna Stage is planning its own special brand of Valentine?s Day magic. Artistic Director, Jane Mandel and her husband, actor Frankie R. Faison, are going to share the stage with each other on Saturday, February 14th. for a one-time only performance ? a staged reading of A.R. Gurney?s Love Letters.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jon Steingart and Jenny Wiener Steingart, Executive Producers) proudly announces its 2009 Play Group and Artists-in-Residence. Play Group is Ars Nova's vibrant and eclectic group of emerging writers who gather twice a month at Ars Nova to share new work and get peer feedback. The group offers members the chance to develop their plays with peer support, form collaborative relationships and build a strong sense of community within Ars Nova.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is pleased to announce the winning selections of the 2008 TRU Voices New Musicals Series. In a series that is unique because it develops new producers as well as new musicals, two works were chosen from submissions by emerging or established producers, as well as writers. The works will be read on Mondays, December 8 and 15, 2008 at 7:30pm at the Players Theatre, located at 115 MacDougal Street, NYC.

TIGER Theatricals www.tigertheatricals.com and The Bravitas Group are producing a FREE weekend of New Play Readings at LUNA STAGE.

Luna Stage presents its annual Fall New Moon Play Reading Series on November 15th and 16th 2008. Following the success of last year's festival format, the series will once again take place over one weekend, with two play readings on Nov. 15th - at 3PM and 8PM and two on Nov. 16th - at 3PM and 7:30PM.

Sesame Street favorites Gordon and Elmo are coming to Montclair High School Auditorium in Montclair, NJ on Saturday November 15th at 11 A.M. for a performance to benefit Luna Stage. Stars Roscoe Orman and Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash are again lending their support to Luna Stage, a New Jersey cultural institution.

TIGER Theatricals www.tigertheatricals.com and The Bravitas Group are producing a FREE weekend of New Play Readings at LUNA STAGE.

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is pleased to announce the opener of its new Family Series DAISY IN DISGUISE, an original musical for children and families performed by adults with music by SIMON GRAY and book and lyrics by STACIE LENTS and direction by DAVID HILDER featuring ANGIE PEREZ, ROSS HEWIT, NORMAN PAYNE, STEPHANIE TORNS, BETHANY JAMES, and REBECCA LIEB WALSH.

VITAL THEATRE COMPANY is pleased to announce the opener of its new Family Series DAISY IN DISGUISE, an original musical for children and families performed by adults with music by SIMON GRAY and book and lyrics by STACIE LENTS and direction by DAVID HILDER featuring ANGIE PEREZ, ROSS HEWIT, NORMAN PAYNE, STEPHANIE TORNS, BETHANY JAMES, and REBECCA LIEB WALSH.

The award-winning VITAL THEATRE COMPANY, is pleased to announce that its 2008-2009 Family Programing will include 4 original musicals for children and families, performed by adults, 'DAISY IN DISGUISE,' 'THE KLEZMER NUTCRACKER,' 'THE PRINCESS OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE,' and 'THE FROG AND THE WITCH.' Public performances run Saturdays and Sundays at 11:00am and 1:00pm, October 11, 2008 through April 26, 2009.

Tonight, September 30th the first performance of the national Frost/Nixon tour will begin in Des Moines, IA The 2007 Tony Award® -nominated new play by Peter Morgan, the award-winning author of The Last King of Scotland and The Queen, will run at the Des Moines Civic Center through October 5th.

Luna Stage begins its 16th theatrical season with the World Premiere of Fair and Decent by Thomas H. Diggs, to be directed by Luna Stage Artistic Director, Jane Mandel. Fair and Decent, a political comedy/drama, is set in 1980 at the dawn of the Reagan presidency. It begins in a Washington think tank as the insiders there excitedly prepare to influence the new administration. The play's historical context revolves around the effort to do away with the Fairness Doctrine, an FCC policy requiring holders of broadcast licenses to present contrasting viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance.

Luna Stage's 2008-2009 season, its 16th year of producing provocative theatre in Montclair, includes three world premieres of new works - Fair and Decent by Thomas H. Diggs, After Adam by Christina Ham and Not God by Marc J. Straus, as well as a revival of the off-beat holiday favorite The Santaland Diaries by David Sedaris and two New Moon Reading Series of new plays in development.