Lydia R. Diamond News

Roundabout Theatre Company will soon present the world-premiere of Toni Stone, written by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon. Toni Stone will be led by April Matthis, with Eric Berryman (Elzie), Harvy Blanks (Alberga), Phillip James Brannon (King Tut), Daniel J. Bryant(Spec), Jonathan Burke (Stretch), Toney Goins (Jimmy), Kenn E. Head (Millie), Ezra Knight (Woody).

Roundabout Theatre Company will soon present the world-premiere of Toni Stone, written by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon. Toni Stone will be led by April Matthis, with Eric Berryman (Elzie), Harvy Blanks (Alberga), Phillip James Brannon (King Tut), Daniel J. Bryant (Spec), Jonathan Burke (Stretch), Toney Goins (Jimmy), Kenn E. Head (Millie), Ezra Knight (Woody).

Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein today announced the appointment of Travis LeMont Ballenger as Associate Artistic Director. The Globe will have two people in this key position, as Ballenger joins Associate Artistic Director Justin Waldman, who has been at the Globe since 2011. Ballenger and Waldman will report jointly to Edelstein. Ballenger will assume his artistic duties at The Old Globe on May 1.

Sideshow sensation Saartjie Baartman, ("The Hottentot Venus"), and the professor writing her story are the subjects of "Voyeurs de Venus," Lydia R. Diamond's bold and often humorous drama about power, race, relationships and publishing.

Americans talk about racial and cultural identity as if walking on eggshells. As with so many hot button issues in the 21stcentury, we have become polarized on these topics because it is easier to lean completely into a position rather than explore the gray territory of nuance and contradiction. In her play Smart People, Lydia R. Diamond is intent on having a conversation that, if it doesn't entirely resist cliche and stereotype, at least uses them as devices to trigger a messier, more complex dialogue.

Huntington Theatre Company Artistic Director Peter DuBois and Managing Director Michael Maso announce the lineup of their 2019-2020 season, featuring three world premieres, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, a classic Tony Award-winning comedy by one of the world's most celebrated playwrights, and two adaptations of powerful literary works. 

For the next three weeks until April 14th, you can catch Detroit native Lydia R. Diamond's play Stick Fly at Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester Hills. Having played on Broadway from November 2011 to February 2012, Stick Fly comes to Detroit with a talented cast, fascinating production design, and intriguing direction choices courtesy of Washington College professor Benjamin Sterling Cannon.

Artistic Director Tony Prince and Producing Director Richard McGrew are excited to open the third production of the The Liminal Playhouse's fourth season, "Smart People" by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Tony Prince.

The Huntington Theatre Company's 2019 Breaking Ground festival of new plays will be held April 12 - 14, 2019 at the Huntington's home for new work, the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. The festival is a vital part of the Huntington's new play development efforts and highlights the work of locally-based Huntington Playwriting Fellows and national writers in partnership with the Huntington. Over the last decade, Breaking Ground plays have gone on to appear at the Huntington as well as theatres in Boston, across the country, and internationally. 

Artistic Director Tony Prince and Producing Director Richard McGrew has announced the 2019 - 2020 season of The Liminal Playhouse, again consisting of four Louisville premieres.

Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison's first novel comes to life at the Wells Theatre. The Bluest Eye, directed by Khanisha Foster, follows the story of young Pecola in 1940's Ohio who is pregnant at her father's hands. She is taken in by a loving family and cared for by brilliant and kind sisters, Frieda and Claudia. The character-driven play, both poetic and daringly funny, illuminates the destructive powers of racism and class dynamics while exploring the power of community through exquisite storytelling. The Bluest Eye is produced in collaboration with Norfolk State University Theatre Company.

Writers Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce the company's 2019/20 six play season, opening with Into the Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, and directed by Gary Griffin in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre. The season will continue with The Niceties, written by Eleanor Burgess and directed by Marti Lyons; Lydia R. Diamond's Stick Fly, directed by Ron OJ Parson; and Mementos Mori, created by Manual Cinema. A new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, adapted by Sandra Delgado and Michael Halberstam and directed by Lavina Jadhwani, will open the season in the Gillian Theatre, followed by Anna Ziegler's The Last Match, directed by Keira Fromm.

Arena Stage Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie announce the 2019/20 lineup for the company's 70th season.

Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison's first novel comes to life at the Wells Theatre. The Bluest Eye, directed by Khanisha Foster, follows the story of young Pecola in 1940's Ohio who is pregnant at her father's hands. She is taken in by a loving family and cared for by brilliant and kind sisters, Frieda and Claudia. The character-driven play, both poetic and daringly funny, illuminates the destructive powers of racism and class dynamics while exploring the power of community through exquisite storytelling. The Bluest Eye is produced in collaboration with Norfolk State University Theatre Company.

Roundabout Theatre Company has just announced that April Matthis will lead the world-premiere of TONI STONE replacing formerly announced star Uzo Aduba who has departed the production for scheduling reasons.

American Conservatory Theatre's new season includes Caryl Churchill's acclaimed play, TOP GIRLS; the world premiere of Kate Attwell's TESTMATCH; Obie Award-winning playwright Will Eno's latest work, WAKEY, WAKEY; Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's shocking and scalpel-sharp dark comedy, GLORIA; Lydia R. Diamond's unforgettable baseball play, TONI STONE; the cult classic, Richard O'Brien's THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW; and Qui Nguyen's raucously funny and deeply moving sequel to Vietgone, POOR YELLA REDNECKS

Meadow Brook Theatre is pleased to welcome guest director Benjamin Sterling Cannon to helm the story of the affluent, African-American LeVay family. The LeVays are gathering at their Martha's Vineyard home for the weekend, and brothers Kent and Flip have each brought their respective ladies home to meet the parents for the first time. As the two newcomers butt heads over issues of race and privilege, long-standing tensions bubble under the surface and reach a boiling point when secrets are revealed.    

Roundabout Theatre Company will welcome back Emmy, Golden Globe & SAG Award winner and Oscar & Tony Award nominee Alec Baldwin, and Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Anne Heche in a one-night-only reunion benefit reading of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's comedy Twentieth Century, reuniting the original stars of Roundabout's 2004 revival with director Walter Bobbie.

Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison's first novel comes to life at the Wells Theatre. The Bluest Eye, directed by Khanisha Foster, follows the story of young Pecola in 1940's Ohio who is pregnant at her father's hands. She is taken in by a loving family and cared for by brilliant and kind sisters, Frieda and Claudia. The character-driven play, both poetic and daringly funny, illuminates the destructive powers of racism and class dynamics while exploring the power of community through exquisite storytelling. The Bluest Eye is produced in collaboration with Norfolk State University Theatre Company.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) includes Virginia Stage Company as one of the recipients of its first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019. The announcement includes three of the agency's funding categories: Art Works and Challenge America to support projects by nonprofit organizations, and Creative Writing Fellowships. Through these grants, the NEA supports local economies and preserves American heritage while embracing new forms of creative expression.