Manhattan Theatre Club News

Arlene Shuler, New York City Center's President & CEO, today announced the appointment of Vanessa Wise as V.P. of Development, beginning May 12.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the leadership of Diane Paulus, Artistic Director and William Russo, Managing Director; presents the last production of its 2013/14 Season, THE TEMPEST, adapted and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller from the play by William Shakespeare, with magic by Teller, music by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, and movement by Matt Kent of Pilobolus.

Strawdog Theatre Company and Interim Artistic Director Hank Boland are proud to announce the final production to their 2013 - 2014 season, Jessica Dickey's Charles Ives Take Me Home, today, May 9 - June 21, direction by Keira Fromm with music direction by Strawdog Theatre Company Member Mike Przygoda and original music composition by Christopher Kriz, at Strawdog Theatre Company, 3829 N. Broadway Street.

PATTI ISSUES, the hit Off-Broadway play is set to play Miami Beach on Friday, May 9th at 8pm (presented by legendary Broadway and concert producer-director Richard Jay-Alexander in association with Edison Farrow and South Beach Cabaret) at The Cabaret South Beach (233 12th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139).

Geffen Playhouse announces that Scott Foley (Scandal, The Unit, Felicity), Eric Lange (The Bridge, Weeds), David Rasche (Speed-The-Plow Broadway, Lunch Hour), Emily Swallow (The Mentalist, Manhattan Theatre Club's Romantic Poetry), and Sarah Steele (off-Broadway: Slowgirl, The Netflix Plays) are joining Tony and Emmy winner Blythe Danner in the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies's The Country House.

The Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company presents Keen Teens, the educational theatre partnership between Off-Broadway's Keen Company and the theatrical publishing company Samuel French. The writers for the program's eighth season are Kristoffer Diaz, Halley Feiffer, and Kenny Finkle, who have been commissioned to write thirty-minute, large cast plays, which will be produced with student actors Off-Broadway.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, will present The Last Five Years, written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, from tonight, May 7 through June 1, 2014 on the Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre.

Matthew Lopez's drama THE WHIPPING MAN premiered in 2006 at the Luna Stage Company in Montclair, NJ. In 2011, it had its NY Premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club, which received rave reviews and extended four times due to consistently selling out. Now, Stages is presenting Houston with the Regional Premiere of the interesting and celebrated work.

Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce Writers Theatre's World Premiere production of Days Like Today, with music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler and book by Laura Eason, directed by Artistic Director Michael Halberstam, music direction by Doug Peck and choreography by Tommy Rapley. The production runs today, May 6-July 13, 2014 at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The press opening is May 22, 2014 at 7:30pm.

Producers, R. Erin Craig and Nick Galbraith announce a private reading of the new play, 26 Pebbles, by Eric Ulloa. Directed by Igor Goldin, the cast will feature Ann Arvia, Beth Glover, Dena Kology, Mike McGowan, Mamie Parris and Greg Roderick. The readings will be held at Manhattan Theatre Club rehearsal studios on Tuesday, May 6th and are by invitation only.

The Old Globe today announced the cast of Christopher Durang's Tony Award-winning farce Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which will include Candy Buckley as Masha, Marcia DeBonis as Sonia, Tyler Lansing Weaks as Spike, Allison Layman as Nina, Martin Moran as Vanya, and Haneefah Wood as Cassandra.

WaterTower Theatre today announced the cast for David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People, running June 6 - June 29, 2014 at the Addison Theatre Centre. The ensemble cast stars Jessica Cavanagh as Margaret, Jim Crawford as Mike, Michelle Courtney Schwartz as Jean, Pam Dougherty as Dottie, JuNene K. as Kate and David Price as Stevie.

The Theatre Museum has announced the honorees for the 2014 Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence. The mission of The Theatre Museum is to preserve, protect, and perpetuate the legacy of the theatre. It is the first and only chartered non profit museum dedicated to the history of Theatre. Since 1995 The Awards for Excellence have recognized individuals and organizations for their contribution to theater arts, education, theater history and preservation. The 2014 Theatre Museum Awards will take place on Tuesday, May 27th at 6PMat The Players Club 16 Gramercy Park, NYC.

Scenic designer, writer and professor, MARJORIE BRADLEY KELLOGG, and costume designer DEBORAH M. DRYDEN are among the 2014 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a ceremony tonight, May 2, at 6:30pm, at the Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street).

odman Theatre announces that a new production of The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman, Tony Award-winning playwright, screenwriter and author and Academy Award nominee, completes its 90th Anniversary 'Season to Celebrate.' Goodman Artistic Associate Henry Wishcamper directs the 1939 classic American Southern drama that 'could not be more timely, as the play's social skewering remains satisfyingly fresh' (Los Angeles Times). The Little Foxes is slated to appear today, May 2 - June 7, 2015 as the fourth production in the 2014/2015 Season, followed by Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, which runs June 20 - July 26, 2015.

The Wild Root Company, a brand new production endeavor committed to cultivating new works from emerging playwrights and screenwriters, will present two industry readings of Topher Payne's timely new comedy Perfect Arrangement on Thursday June 19, 2014 at 3:00 and 7:30 pm at The Creative Center at Manhattan Theatre Club. Linda Lombardi, who helmed the play's critically acclaimed, sold-out world premiere at The Source Festival in Washington, D.C. in 2013, will direct. Sean Hudock, Rocco Natale and Thatcher Stevens will produce the readings. Casting will be announced at a later date.

BroadwayWorld is sad to report that according to multiple sources, Tony Award-nominated director Nicholas Martin passed away yesterday, April 30th at the age of seventy-five.

Music, Lyrics, and Book duo Michael Roberts and Charlie Schulman reunite once again after their recent production of The Fartiste, which had a successful run Off-Broadway in 2011-12 and West End Concert following its 2006 FringeNYC Outstanding Musical Award. Their newest venture, The Goldstein Variations, after concert presentations at the JCC in Manhattan, American University, and Abingdon Theater, will be seen by supporters at The Playroom Theater in a limited, developmental presentation from May 12th through 15th, open to the general public. The Goldstein Variations will be directed by Daniel Kutner.

Broadway In Chicago has announced additional principal casting for the world premiere of AMAZING GRACE, the new musical with music and lyrics by Christopher Smith and a book by Christopher Smith and Arthur Giron, directed by Gabriel Barre (Andrew Lippas' The Wild Party) and choreographed by Tony Award winner Christopher Gattelli (Newsies).

This just in! Leslie Odom Jr. ("Smash") will join Lin-Manuel Miranda and Karen Olivo in the New York City Center Encores! Off-Center production of Jonathan Larson¹stick, tick… BOOM!, running for five performances, June 25 ­ 28. The opening show of City Center's acclaimed Encores! Off-Center series of landmark Off-Broadway musicals will be directed byOliver Butler with choreography by Camille A. Brown and music direction by Chris Fenwick. Jeanine Tesori is Encores! Off-Center Artistic Director.