Margaret Edson News

The 2008 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has been awarded to Judith Thompson for her critically acclaimed play Palace of the End, marking the first time a Canadian writer has received the prestigious playwriting award's highest honor. Thompson received $20,000 and a signed and numbered print by artist Willem de Kooning at a special 30th Anniversary ceremony on Monday, March 10th at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas where Ms. Blackburn first became involved in theatre.

South Coast Repertory's third NewSCRipts reading of the 2007-08 season will be Zayd Dohrn's Reborning. Reborning is the 104th play to receive a staged reading as part of SCR's venerable play reading program. The NewSCRipts reading of Reborning will take place on February 25 at 7:30 p.m. on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Tickets are $12 each and may be purchased online at www.scr.org or by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

South Coast Repertory Artistic Directors David Emmes and Martin Benson have been named the recipients of the 2007-08 Margo Jones Medal. The prestigious award honors those who have demonstrated a significant impact, understanding and affirmation of the craft of playwriting, with a lifetime commitment to the encouragement of the living theater everywhere. The venerable duo has guided South Coast Repertory from a small touring company into one of the country's leading professional theaters, now approaching its 45th season and known world-wide for its development of new work for the stage. The Ohio State University Libraries and College of the Arts will present the award to Emmes and Benson on May 1 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California, kicking off the theater's nationally-renowned Pacific Playwrights Festival.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has announced ten finalists for the prestigious playwriting award which celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year. The awards are given annually to recognize women from around the world who have written works of outstanding quality for the English-speaking theatre.

The Roundtable Ensemble will present the world premiere of Chris Kipiniak's Save the World, a superhero-adventure play at the American Theatre of Actors. Performances will begin on Thursday, January 17, and the official opening night will be Saturday, January 19 at 8PM. Performances will run for four weeks through February 9.

MCC Theatre will not produce The Black Suits, a musical that was originally to have been the third and final show of the company's 22nd Off Broadway season.

South Coast Repertory's first NewSCRipts reading of the 2007-08 season will be John Kolvenbach's Goldfish. Commissioned by SCR, Goldfish is the 102nd play to receive a staged reading as part of its venerable play reading program. The NewSCRipts reading of Goldfish will take place on October 22 at 7:30PM on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

MCC Theater has announced that Blake West has been named the company's new Executive Director, effective immediately. West, who was previously the Director of Development at MCC, succeeds John Schultz, who left in October.

'Theater Talk's 10th Anniversary Spectacular, Encore' will be broadcast on Thirteen on Friday, December 29 at 12:30 AM

Legendary actress ELAINE STRITCH, humorist PAUL RUDNICK, MICHAEL MUSTO of The Village Voice and JEREMY McCARTER of New York Magazine join co-hosts MICHEAL RIEDEL of The New York Post and series producer SUSAN HASKINS to celebrate THEATER TALK's 10th Anniversary on Thirteen on Sunday, November 26 at 10:30 PM.

'The only thing I've ever wanted to do in my entire life is to be on Broadway' ~ Audra McDonald upon winning her fourth Tony Award and Broadway is all the better for it!

MCC Theater announced today that its 2006-07 mainstage season at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher St.) will include the 10th anniversary production of MCC's acclaimed Nixon's Nixon--reuniting playwright Russell Lees, director Jim Simpson with actors Gerry Bamman and Steve Mellor--and a world premiere by Neil LaBute, recently named MCC playwright in residence

Marisa Tomei--who won a 1987 Dramalogue Award for her performance in the original production of Alan Bowne's Beirut--took on the same role in MCC's reading of the play in a private reading on Monday, April 17th at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

The Pulitzer Prize committee has decided not to give out its prestigious Drama award this year.

Marisa Tomei will headline a reading (closed to the public) of Alan Bowne's Beirut on April 17th; she will reprise her role from the original production

MCC THEATER announced today that FELICIA FIELDS (The Color Purple), along with a special performance by members of Broadway's THE WEDDING SINGER will join the celebrity cast of 'MISCAST,' a star-studded musical revue featuring some of Broadway's biggest names singing show tunes in roles they would never, ever perform.

MCC Theater's 2005 FreshPlay Festival will run from July 27th to July 30th and will showcase the short works of young playwrights

MCC THEATER presents its 2005 Spring Gala benefit, MISCAST, a star-studded musical revue featuring some of Broadway's biggest names singing show tunes from roles they would never, ever perform, on Monday, March 14 at Roseland 239 West 52nd Street. The evening, which honors Gerald Schoenfeld, chairman of The Shubert Organization, will feature performances by Ana Gasteyer, Jackie Hoffman, Andrea Martin, Steven Pasquale, Bruce Vilanch and Tom Wopat. Scott Wittman (co-creator of Hairspray) will direct.