Manhattan Theatre Club News

This week's New York Times In Performance video features Telly Leung and Jennifer Lim in a scene from THE WORLD OF EXTREME HAPPINESS

Producer Eva Price has announced that Benjamin Scheuer, writer and performer of the gripping, highly acclaimed autobiographical solo show The Lion, has been awarded the 2015 ASCAP Foundation Jamie deRoy & friends Songwriting Award. He will receive a grant of $1,250, which will be presented on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at The Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

The Broadway League has awarded the coveted New York Education Grants to the Broadway productions of Constellations, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and The King and I. Each production received a $5,000 grant towards its 2015 educational and engagement initiatives. The grants aid the growth and development of theatre education in the city in an effort to encourage Broadway productions to create more opportunities for young people.

The Old Globe is delighted to welcome one of the true geniuses of the American theatre, Tony Award winner Mary Zimmerman, who makes her long-awaited San Diego directing debut with an enchanting theatrical spectacle with live music and sumptuous visuals, The White Snake, continuing the Globe's 80th Anniversary festivities as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration. The Southern California Premiere of The White Snake, written and directed by Zimmerman, will run tonight, March 21 through April 26 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

Yale Repertory Theatre announces its 2015-16 Season, which will include three world premieres and two classics.

Ars Nova has announced the lineup for Bridget Everett Gets F*cked by Ars Nova, a one-night-only blow-out concert celebrating everyone's favorite badass b*tch, alt-cabaret priestess and Ars Nova All Star, Bridget Everett. In addition to Everett herself, the benefit concert, directed by Scott Wittman (Hairspray, Rock Bottom), will feature tributes, roasts and send-up performances from Grammy and Tony Award-winner Patti LuPone and actor, comedian and Emmy-nominee Billy Eichner. Comedians, drag queens and entertainers aplenty round out the lineup, including Jim Andralis, DJ Jonjon Battles, Justin Vivian Bond, John Early, Cole Escola, Dan Finnerty, Murray Hill, Champagne Jerry, DJ Sammy Jo, Larry Krone, Erin Markey, Molly Pope, Marc Shaiman, Sweetie, The Tender Moments (Matt Ray, Mike Jackson, Carmine Covelli and Adam 'Ad-Rock' Horovitz), Chris Tyler, Varsity Interpretive Dance Squad (VIDS); plus a few fun surprises.

The Public Theater announced additional casting today for the 2015 Free Shakespeare in the Park season, beginning Wednesday, May 27 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This summer will feature Shakespeare's late romances with THE TEMPEST, directed by Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, and CYMBELINE, directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan. Jesse Tyler Ferguson will return to the Park this summer as Trinculo in THE TEMPEST, along with Hamish Linklater and Lily Rabe teaming up again with Daniel Sullivan on CYMBELINE to play Posthumus Leonatus/Cloten and Imogen, respectively.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) 2014-15 Season continues with the romantic comedy 'Out of the City,' written by Leslie Ayvazian and directed by Christian Parker. This charming new play by an Outer Circle Critics Award-winning playwright makes its regional premiere with this production. Full of laughter and themes of rejuvenation, 'Out of the City,' is the perfect play to guide New England audiences out of a harsh winter and into spring.

Rochester will have a front row seat at the 2015 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) this July, thanks to a new musical written by Rochesterians Deborah Haber and Casey Filiaci: Moses Man: A Musical Journey of Survival.

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) just announced two productions for Manhattan Theatre Club's upcoming 2015-2016 theatrical season. MTC's Off-Broadway season at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street) will feature the American premiere of Incognito by Nick Payne, directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes and Important Hats of the Twentieth Century, the world premiere comedy by Nick Jones, directed by Moritz Von Stuelpnagel.

On April 18, 2015 at 9:30PM, vocalist, songwriter and actress Bridget Barkan shines a light on the community of strangers that inspires her music and art with her new alt-cabaret variety show Dear Stranger, I Love You at Joe's Pub at The Public (425 Lafayette, NYC).

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad will join Event Chair and Arena Stage Board member Shawna Watley (Senior Policy Advisor with Holland & Knight) as the Honorary Chair for The Blood Quilt World Premiere Celebration on Thursday, May 7, 2015. The new play by Katori Hall (The Mountaintop, Our Lady of Kibeho) is directed by Kamilah Forbes and runs April 24-June 7, 2015 in the Kreeger Theater.

Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago, has announced the cast and design team for its Chicago premiere of Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews, a smart, savage comedy about the holy and holier-than-thou, which closes Wit's 2014-15 season April 24-June 7, 2015.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents the World Premiere production of Five Presidents. Broadway and television veterans Mark Jacoby, Martin L'Herault, Steve Sheridan, Jeff Steitzer, and Brit Whittle, along with Rep Associate Artist Reese Madigan, make up the cast of Five Presidents from Emmy Award-winning writer Rick Cleveland (The West Wing, House of Cards, Mad Men, and Six Feet Under). Directed by Milwaukee Rep Artistic Director Mark Clements, the production opens tonight, March 13, 2015 and runs through April 5, 2015.

Rehearsals begin today, Tuesday, March 10, for Manhattan Theatre Club's presentation of Steppenwolf Theatre Company's production of Airline Highway, the new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist Lisa D'Amour (Detroit), directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello (Casa Valentina, Take Me Out).

The Board of Directors of Little Lake Theatre Company (www.littlelake.org) together with its Search Committee, announces that Roxy MtJoy will step into the role of Artistic Director, while Bob Rak, long-time Little Lake actor and Board member, will assume the role of Managing Director. The new management team will replace Sunny Disney Fitchett as Artistic Director and Robert Fitchett as Managing Director as they transition into their previously announced retirement on June 1, 2015. Both MtJoy and Rak will work alongside the Fitchetts to make the June transition a seamless one.

Bailiwick Chicago will conclude its 2014-15 season with the Chicago premiere of the intense off-Broadway rock musical MURDER BALLAD, conceived by and with book and lyrics by Julia Jordan, music and lyrics by Juliana Nash, directed and choreographed by James Beaudry with musical direction by Nicholas Davio. MURDER BALLAD will play April 2 - May 9, 2015 at the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

The Ovation Award-winning IAMA THEATRE COMPANY is thrilled to present the World Premiere of A DOG'S HOUSE, written by Micah Schraft and directed by Trip Cullman. A DOG'S HOUSE will preview on Friday, March 27 at 8pm and will open on Saturday, March 28 and run through Sunday, April 26 at the Elephant Theatre, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd. (one block west of Vine) in Hollywood.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced final casting for the upcoming World Premiere production of Five Presidents. Broadway and television veterans Mark Jacoby, Martin L'Herault, Steve Sheridan, Jeff Steitzer, and Brit Whittle, along with Rep Associate Artist Reese Madigan, make up the cast of Five Presidents from Emmy Award-winning writer Rick Cleveland (The West Wing, House of Cards, Mad Men, and Six Feet Under).

Off-Broadway's award-winning Irish Repertory Theatre (Charlotte Moore, Artistic Director and Ciaran O'Reilly, Producing Director) proudly announces the fourth production of its 27th theatre season, the New York premiere of Nate Rufus Edelman's THE BELLE OF BELFAST, directed by Claudia Weill. THE BELLE OF BELFAST was developed as part of the Irish Rep's Reading Series in 2013. THE BELLE OF BELFAST will begin previews on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. The production is scheduled to run through Sunday, June 7, 2015. The Opening Night is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, 2015.