The Acting Company will present a benefit staged reading of Stage Door by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman at 7 pm on Monday, March 18 at the Ailey Studios Joan Weill Center for Dance, 405 West 55th Street (Ninth Avenue). The performance, starring Kristine Nielsen (Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Merwin Goldsmith (Grand Hotel, Me and My Gal), Heidi Armbruster (Disgraced, Time Stands Still), Zoe Winters (4,000 Miles, Gossip Girl) will be followed by a reception with the cast and director, Irene Lewis, former Artistic Director of Baltimore's Centerstage. A dozen Acting Company Alumni Members-Beth Bartley, Kaliswa Brewster, Georgia Cohen, Susan Finch, Adam Green, Julie Jesneck, Jonathan Kaplan (Tony nom. Falsettos), Lisa McCormick, Kevin Orton, Kathleen Wise, Bjorn Dupaty, Ray Virta-will also perform. Tickets @ $35 and $60 (Patron) are available from 212-258-3111.
Still on the Road-a documentary following twelve actors as they tour across America during The Acting Company's 37th season (2008-09)-premieres on greater New York PBS stations beginning Sunday, February 3 on Channel 13 at 1pm. Additional presentations are scheduled for Sunday, February 10 at 11pm on Long Island's WLIW and on Thursday, March 7 at 9 pm on New Jersey's NJTV. As independent filmmaker Sara Wolkowitz tags along, the actors spend seven months on a bus bringing theater to communities across the country that have little or no access to live performance. They experience the challenges of touring, develop the ability to adjust to all types of theaters and diverse audiences, teach students new ways to look at Shakespeare and cap the tour with praise from Charles Isherwood of The New York Times. Through conversations with Acting Company alums Kevin Kline, Rainn Wilson and Harriet Harris we learn that, with the exception of video games and Wi-Fi on the bus, not much has changed - and that is just as it should be. The documentary was coproduced by F. Richards Ford, III and Group One Productions.
The Acting Company and the Guthrie Theater present a national tour of Shakespeare's As You Like It running from January through April 2013. Rehearsing in New York, performances began at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis on January 13 and will run through February 4 before leaving on a cross country tour to 29 cities in 22 states. It will play at New York's famed New Victory Theater March 1-10. Dan Rothenberg, Artistic Director of Philadelphia's Pig Iron Theatre has directed Shakespeare's lushly lighthearted comedy. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.
The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball was held on December 3, 2012 at Capitale, and James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, accepted the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater. Earl Weiner, Board Chairman of both The Acting Company and the Theater Development Fund (TDF) received the Warburg Humanitarian Award for his outstanding philanthropic endeavor and leadership. Check out photos from the event below!
At The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball tonight, December 3, 2012 at Capitale, James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, will accept the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater.
At The Acting Company's 40th Anniversary Ruby Ball on Monday, December 3, 2012 at Capitale, James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director of the Signature Theatre and the Richard Rodgers Director of Juilliard's Drama Division, will accept the John Houseman Award recognizing his profound commitment to the development of American actors and an audience for the theater. Earl Weiner, Board Chairman of both The Acting Company and the Theater Development Fund (TDF) will receive the Warburg Humanitarian Award for his outstanding philanthropic endeavor and leadership. According to Barbara Fleischman, Gala Chair, Harriet Harris(Thoroughly Modern Millie, upcoming in Cinderella) and Dr. Kate Levin, Commissioner of New York City's Department of Cultural Affairs, will present the awards; Jim Dale will host, Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow, upcoming in Giant) will perform and tributes will be offered by Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, Rainn Wilson, Dana Ivey, Hamish Linklater, Joe Dowling, Director of The Guthrie and Michael Kahn, Artistic Director of Washington's Shakespeare Theater. Four hundred guests complete an industry-filled audience of producers, directors, entertainers and other notables including The Honorable Thomas Kean, record producer Clive Davis,director/choreographer Susan Stroman, TV personality Pia Lindstrom, Juilliard President Joseph Polisi, composerMary Rodgers Guettel and The Broadway League's Charlotte St. Martin. Tickets from 212-258-3111.
BroadwayWorld.com, the largest theatre site on the Internet, is excited to announce a new feature to its comprehensive regional coverage - the Featured Regional Theater of the Week! Each week, BWW will introduce its readers to a regional theater located in one of our (over 130!) coverage cities. By exploring these different venues, their history and showcasing the production seasons, BWW continues its commitment to expand our presence in communities and cities across the United States. This Week's Featured Regional Theater: The Acting Company in NYC
The UNLV Performing Arts Center welcomes The Acting Company in a very special performance of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at 7 p.m. tonight, October 21 in Artemus Ham Concert Hall. Founded by the legendary John Houseman and Margot Harley, The Acting Company has won an Obie, L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards and a Tony.
The UNLV Performing Arts Center welcomes The Acting Company in a very special performance of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 21 in Artemus Ham Concert Hall. Founded by the legendary John Houseman and Margot Harley, The Acting Company has won an Obie, L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards and a Tony.
Margot Harley, co-founder and Producer of The Acting Company has announced the appointment of Ian Belknap to the position of Artistic Director. "We're a Company of young actors - founded forty years ago with the young Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, David Schramm and David Ogden Stiers right out of Juilliard - and it is appropriate that we begin our next 40 years with a vibrant young talent as our artistic leader," said Ms. Harley, who moves from Producing Artistic Director to Producer. John Houseman, Alan Schneider, Jack O'Brien, Michael Kahn, Gerry Gutierrez, Zelda Fichandler, Ms. Harley and now Mr. Belknap complete the list of impressive talents to serve as Artistic Director of The Acting Company founded in 1972 and oft-considered the leading nationally touring repertory theater in the country.
Yesterday, June 26, Kevin Kline and Dianne Wiest performed 'I take your hand in mine ... the love letters of Anton Chekhov to Olga Knipper', a play by Carol Rocamora, in a staged reading benefiting The Acting Company at The Kaye Playhouse. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the intimate curtain call and brings you photo coverage below.
Kevin Kline and Dianne Wiest will perform I take your hand in mine ... the love letters of Anton Chekhov to Olga Knipper, a play by Carol Rocamora, in a staged reading benefiting The Acting Company on Monday, June 25, 7pm at The Kaye Playhouse, East 68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues. Tickets at brownpapertickets.com or 1-800-838-3006. Benefit tickets, including cast dinner, from 212-258-3111.
The Acting Company and the Guthrie Theater are bringing their national touring production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to New York for a limited two-week run, April 9-22, at the Baruch Performing Arts Center. Rob Melrose, Artistic Director of San Francisco's Cutting Ball Theater has directed what is considered one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. Michael Sexton, Artistic Director of The Shakespeare Society will host a talkback following the April 17th performance. Tickets for all performances are available from 866-811-4111 or www.theatermania.com.
Olivier Award-winning director Maria Aitken (39 Steps) will direct John Glover (Death of a Salesman), Marthe Keller (Judgment at Nuremberg) and Lisa Banes (Present Laughter) in a staged reading of Noel Coward's A Song at Twilight on Monday, April 16 at 7 pm at the Mainstage Theater (Playwrights Horizons). The performance, sponsored by the Noel Coward Foundation, is presented in conjunction with The Noel Coward-New York Festival 2012. A reception with the cast and director will be held following the performance. Ms. Aitken serves on the Artists Advisory Board of The Acting Company; Ms. Banes is an Alumna of the Company. Tickets @ $35 are available from 212-258-3111.
Last night, March 13, The Acting Company of New York presented the special event PATTI'S TURN!, a tribute to Patti LuPone, at the Kaye Playhouse. The all-star event saluted the career of one of Broadway's finest actresses and musical theater performers as evidenced by her two Tony Awards and legions of fans.
BroadwayWorld was there for the big event and brings you full photo coverage below!
The Guthrie Theater and The Acting Company have reunited to present Julius Caesar, a contemporary spin on Shakespeare's conspiratorial political tragedy. Now in its fourth year, this burgeoning partnership between the Guthrie and The Acting Company is a productive training ground that showcases the talents of up-and-coming actors. Directed by Rob Melrose, this production of Julius Caesar boasts an intentionally contemporary look and feel and features graduates of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater B.F.A. Actor Training Program, A Guthrie Experience for Actors in Training and alumni of The Acting Company.
Patti LuPone will be celebrated in an all-star evening of song and memories on Monday, March 12. The Acting Company will salute a founding member and board director with the help of two other founding members, Kevin Kline and David Schramm, joined by Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Harvey Fierstein, Zoe Caldwell, Laura Benanti, Boyd Gaines, Michael Urie, Melissa Errico, Howard McGillin, Steven Pasquale, Anthony Dean Griffey, Manoel Feliciano, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Tickets range from $75 to $175 from http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/226559 or at The Kaye Playhouse Box Office 212-772-4448. Benefit tickets, which include dinner with Patti LuPone and the cast, are available from 212-258-3111.
The Acting Company will present a benefit staged reading of Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer at 7 pm on Monday, February 13 at the Mainstage Theater (Playwrights Horizons). The performance, starring Dana Ivey (The Help, Importance of Being Earnest), Rebecca Brooksher (The Good Wife), Betsy Aidem (Dreams of Flying Dreams of Falling), Chad Hoeppner (Come Back Little Sheba, Butley) Neal Huff (When I Come to Die, The Little Dog Laughed) and Pamela Nyberg (Doubt tour) will be followed by a reception with the cast and director, Jodie Markell (The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond). Ms. Ivey serves on the Board of The Acting Company; Chad Hoeppner and Pamela Nyberg are both Acting Company Alumni Members. Tickets @ $35 are available from 212-258-3111.
