Marc Acito News

Contra Costa Civic Theatre (CCCT) today announced the cast for its season-opening production, Allegiance, directed by Lily Tung Crystal, with music direction by Kenji Higashihama and choreography by Allison Paraiso.

Manoa Valley Theatre is celebrating its momentous 50th Anniversary with a play season filled with star-studded audience favorites, Broadway blockbusters and compelling dramas that herald the next half-century for the noted Off-Broadway playhouse. During its anniversary season, MVT will present a spectrum of multi- disciplinary experiences including musical comedies, historical dramas and audience participation events. New collaborations and partnerships are just two of the many features of the season. In what will be a world premiere, MVT has commissioned an original script, Shipment Day, about well-known leprosy activist Olivia Robello Breitha and Hawaii's leprosy history. It will also produce the Hawaii premiere of Allegiance, a Broadway musical about the Japanese American internment during WWII and one family's extraordinarily divisive experience.

The Hub Theatre, continues its foray into new plays that highlight our common humanity with the world premiere of The Secrets of the Universe (and other songs) by playwright Marc Acito. Secrets, the final production in The Hub's 10th season, will run from July 6-29, 2018 at the John Swayze Theatre in Fairfax, Virginia and is a Co-Production with the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia. Secrets marks The Hub's third production by Marc Acito, after audience favorite Birds of a Feather (2012 Helen Hayes Outstanding New Play winner; Outstanding Ensemble nominee), and How I Paid for College (starring Broadway's Tony Nominated Alex Brightman). The show will be directed by Hub's founding Artistic Director, Helen R. Murray, and produced by incoming Artistic Director, Matt Bassett.

FDR called the attack on Pearl Harbor "a day that will live in infamy." Equally ignominious, though, was his knee-jerk response: the decision to authorize the incarceration of 110,000 Japanese Americans in internment camps - without cause, trials, or hearings - for close to the duration of WWII. The Broadway musical ALLEGIANCE, championed by actor/activist George Takei and based on his true life experiences, attempts to shed light on that particularly ugly chapter in American history precisely at a time when a new generation of immigrants is being persecuted, detained and deported. In its New England regional premiere at SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston, that mission is only partially achieved.

Over 400 guests including current and past New York City high school students, and the performing arts professional mentors who have participated in TDF Open Doors, the theatre arts mentoring program that TDF founded in 1998 with playwright Wendy Wasserstein, will attend this year's graduation at 5:30pm on Monday, June 4 at The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College (524 West 59th Street, NYC).  

On May 20th 2018 at NYU's Skirball Center in Greenwich Village, dance lovers were treated to a non-stop evening of award presentations and riveting performances during the second annual Chita Rivera Awards. Known as the Fred and Estelle Astaire Awards from their inception in 1982 until 2017, the awards honor excellence in dance and choreography both onstage and on film.

Andy Karl and Orfeh will host the 2018 Chita Rivera Awards, taking place at NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, May 20 at 7:30pm.

The Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere of Marc Acito's touching and humorous play BIRDS OF A FEATHER, directed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. Based on one of America's most banned books, Acito's hit comedy brings to life the story of the Central Park Zoo's gay penguins to tell a truly hilarious human story. BIRDS OF A FEATHER will play April 27 - June 17, 2018 at Greenhouse Theater Center (Upstairs Main Stage), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are currently available at greenhousetheater.org, in person at the box office or by calling (773) 404-7336. 

From May 4 through June 2, 2018, SpeakEasy Stage will proudly present the East Coast Premiere of a new version of the acclaimed Broadway musical ALLEGIANCE.

The Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to conclude its 2017-18 season with the Chicago premiere of Marc Acito's touching and humorous play BIRDS OF A FEATHER, directed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. Based on one of America's most banned books, Acito's hit comedy brings to life the story of the Central Park Zoo's gay penguins to tell a truly hilarious human story. BIRDS OF A FEATHER will play April 27 - June 10, 2018 at Greenhouse Theater Center (Upstairs Main Stage), 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.

Read below for BroadwayWorld's listings of shows in Los Angeles from Monday, March 19, 2018 to Monday, March 26, 2018 including local shows, regional productions and tours. Looking for a fun, inspiring or moving night at the theatre? Click on a show below for tickets, show information, articles, videos, photos & more... Want to browse all shows in Los Angeles?

George Takei is known for his founding role as Mr. Sulu in the acclaimed television series Star Trek and as an influential social media icon. But long before that fame, Takei was born in Boyle Heights and spent his childhood in the Rohwer Incarceration Camp in Arkansas and later at Tule Lake in Northern California during World War II. His story of resilience and hope is the inspiration for ALLEGIANCE, a new Broadway musical making its Los Angeles premiere, co-produced by East West Players (EWP) and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) at JACCC's 900-seat Aratani Theatre in Los Angeles through April 1, 2018.

What made the Hot List? A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at Theatre @ Boston Court, ALLEGIANCE by East West Players at the Aratani Theatre downtown, A WALK IN THE WOODS at Actors Co-op, and JACKIE UNVEILED at The Wallis. Check out the latest buzz below and go see a show! Reviews by BWW Sr. Editor Ellen Dostal (LADCC).

Focusing on one of the most devastatingly controversial periods in history after Pearl Harbor in the early 1940s, Allegiance portrays Japanese Americans, loyal to the US, who were forced out of their homes and relocated to centers akin to concentration camps. Treated like animals with little food, water or medications, somehow through the grace of strong will many of them toughed it out. Currently on stage at JACCC in its Los Angeles premiere, Allegiance has a fairly sturdy book and some fine uplifting music, but is not without its flaws.

BroadwayWorld has an exclusive first look at East West Players (EWP) and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) production of ALLEGIANCE in Los Angeles, starring George Takei. Check out the video below!

East West Players (EWP) and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) present stage, television, and film star George Takei in the Los Angeles premiere of the Broadway musical Allegiance.

Nancy Manocherian's the cell (Artistic Director, Kira Simring) will present the Off Broadway Premiere of BASTARD JONES, a rock musical comedy based on Henry Fielding's bawdy 18th century novel, The History of Tom Jones. With book, lyrics, & direction by Marc Acito (Broadway's Allegiance) and music & lyrics by Amy Engelhardt (Grammy nominees The Bobs), performances begin June 14 at the cell. Opening is slated for Thursday, June 22.

The Greenhouse Theater Center is pleased to announce casting for the Chicago premiere of Marc Acito's touching and humorous play BIRDS OF A FEATHER, directed by Artistic Director Jacob Harvey. Based on one of America's most banned books, Acito's hit comedy brings to life the story of the Central Park Zoo's gay penguins to tell a truly hilarious human story.

China Broadway Entertainment announces its latest original global musical: Road to Heaven: The Jonathan Lee Musical. Adapted from the novel by internationally acclaimed author Li Xiuwen, the original musical will feature music by one of China's most iconic singer-songwriters Jonathan Lee.

The fourth season of New York Theatre Barn's The Choreography Lab continues on Monday, November 6, 2017 at 2pm at The Cell. The Choreography Lab is the only curated choreography platform where choreographers and writers collaborate to develop movement for new musicals during incubation.