Mark Twain News

'Who would have thought that a young boy from Weymouth would become part of such a large family of vagabonds,' remarked Hal Holbrook about the actors and industry professionals that gathered to honor him at the 15th annual TONY Award party in Los Angeles. 'Not all of us have been lucky enough to make a steady income from this profession we love so much. It's nice to know an organization such as the Actors Fund exists to watch our backs, while we concentrate on using our craft to make the world a richer place to live,' added Holbrook just after friend and colleague, Sean Penn, presented the accomplished thespian with the Julie Harris Award. Penn, who directed Holbrook in 'Into The Wild,' said 'Hal always got it in the first take, but you wanted him to do it again, just so you could watch him work.'

On Sunday, June 12, BroadwayWorld.com brought you special and exclusive coverage throughout the night of the 65th Annual Tony Awards, airing on CBS live from the Beacon Theatre in New York City, including backstage videos, photos, speech transcriptions, winners stories, blogs and all the latest from the after parties. The night's big winner was The Book of Mormon, which took home nine prizes, including Best Musical. War Horse and Anything Goes were also evening standouts.

From July 15-23, the Independent Drama Society will celebrate the end of its three-year tenure with THE GOOD DOCTOR, directed by Marketing Director Christine Toohey. This Neil Simon comedy, inspired by the short stories of Anton Chekhov, will be the final production of this young company.

Charles J. Bright, 74, a co-founder of American Players Theatre in Spring Green, WI and one of the standard bearers of the classical theatre movement in America, died May 17, 2011 of complications following an 18 month battle with bladder cancer at his home in Great Meadow, NJ, according to classical theatre actor Randall Duk Kim and stage director Anne Occhiogrosso, Bright's life partners of four decades.

Asher Lev is a young Hassidic artist torn between his observant Jewish community and his need to create. His artistic genius threatens his relationship with his parents and community and weighs heavily on his conscience.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presents GETTING MARRIED Monday, June 20 7pm @THE PLAYERS 16 Gramercy Park South (20th St. east of Park Av)

This season's theme of 'family' is kicked off with the Bard's triumphant family history, Henry V, adapted and directed by Ronald Mangravite, running August 26 - September 11, 2011. Henry V, the final play about the reigning family crown, chronicles King Henry V's war with France over land and titles. As part of the National New Play Network's Continued Life for New Plays Fund and in conjunction with Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival in Kentucky and Actor's Express Theatre in Atlanta, New Theatre presents the rolling World Premiere of Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them by recent Yale Playwrighting graduate A. Rey Pamatmat and directed by THE NEW's Artistic Director, Ricky J. Martinez, running October 14 - 30, 2011.

The Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts announced the details of its exciting 2011-2012 Season today. The RHCPA follows up its highly successful second season with a lineup guaranteed to provide something for every taste.

Play Dead, the Off-Broadway comic thriller co-written and directed by Teller (of Penn & Teller) and co-written & performed by Todd Robbins is now playing an open-ended run at The Player's Theater. The recipient of a 2011 Drama Desk nomination for Unique Theatrical Experience, the show also features Geri Berman, Charlotte Pines, Drea Lorraine and Don Meehan. BroadwayWorld was recently invited into Robbins' lair backstage at Play Dead. Click below for the tour...if you dare.

Travel down the mighty Mississippi with Huckleberry Finn and company in BIG RIVER at the Roxy Regional Theatre, beginning Friday, May 20, at 6pm.

This season's theme of 'family' is kicked off with the Bard's triumphant family history, Henry V, adapted and directed by Ronald Mangravite, running August 26 - September 11, 2011. Henry V, the final play about the reigning family crown, chronicles King Henry V's war with France over land and titles. As part of the National New Play Network's Continued Life for New Plays Fund and in conjunction with Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival in Kentucky and Actor's Express Theatre in Atlanta, New Theatre presents the rolling World Premiere of Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them by recent Yale Playwrighting graduate A. Rey Pamatmat and directed by THE NEW's Artistic Director, Ricky J. Martinez, running October 14 - 30, 2011.

Asher Lev is a young Hassidic artist torn between his observant Jewish community and his need to create. His artistic genius threatens his relationship with his parents and community and weighs heavily on his conscience.

Play Dead, the new Off-Broadway comic thriller co-written and directed by Teller (of Penn & Teller) and co-written & performed by Todd Robbins announces a new performance schedule effective immediately. As a result, there will be no performances Tuesday, May 17 and Wednesday May 18. The new schedule is as follows: Thursdays at 8PM, Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 7PM and 10PM, and Sundays at 3PM and 7PM.

Play Dead, the new Off-Broadway comic thriller co-written and directed by Teller (of Penn & Teller) and co-written & performed by Todd Robbins announces a new performance scheudle effective immediately.

Creators of theater for young people in the Netherlands are recognized worldwide for being particularly daring, artistic and challenging. To introduce New York audiences to some of the Dutch companies creating this acclaimed work, The New Victory Theater will kick off the second half of its 2011-12 Season with Zoem! New Dutch Theater. The program, which includes four U.S. premieres all performed in English, will run from January 6 through January 29, 2012.

'I sometimes think women'll go so far that the great battle of the future will be between the sexes for supremacy!' exclaims Dr. Remington in Rachel Crothers' 1920 Broadway hit "He and She."

Since 1998, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has been awarded to some of the biggest names in entertainment: Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Neil Simon, and George Carlin, to name a few. This year, the Kennedy Center will present the 14th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor to Will Ferrell on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at 7 p.m. The award, named to honor one of America's-and the world's-greatest humorists, will feature a lineup of the biggest names in comedy.

Next season the Geffen Playhouse is introducing Angelenos to acclaimed new works - including the previously announced Red Hot Patriot: The Kick Ass Wit of Molly Ivins featuring Kathleen Turner, Pulitzer Prize nominee The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity by Kristoffer Diaz and Tony Award nominee Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts - as well as introducing the theater community at large to three world premieres - including a stage adaptation of The Exorcist by Edgar Award winner John Pielmeier (Agnes of God), The Jacksonian, a new work by Pulitzer Prize winner Beth Henley, and Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie, the playwriting debut of actor Alan Alda. In addition to the acclaimed playwrights represented this season, the Geffen Playhouse is welcoming internationally lauded directors to helm these works including Tony Award winners John Doyle and Robert Falls.

Travel down the mighty Mississippi with Huckleberry Finn and company in BIG RIVER at the Roxy Regional Theatre, beginning Friday, May 20, at 6pm.

Eric Rosen has announced his selections for Kansas City Repertory Theatre's 2011-12 season, his fourth as the theatre's artistic director.