Matt Shakman News

Hulu has renewed The Great, from Tony McNamara (THE FAVOURITE), for a 10-episode, second season. The first season debuted on Hulu on Friday, May 15. 

Geffen Playhouse today announced a four-week extension for The Present, its world premiere live, virtual and interactive theatrical experience written and performed by master illusionist, storyteller and Geffen alum Helder Guimarães. Directed by Academy Award nominee Frank Marshall (Jurassic World, Indiana Jones, Goonies, Back to the Future), the initial four-week run sold out in less than one hour.  

Hulu has shared the official trailer for Hulu Original comedy series The Great. All 10 episodes of The Great will premiere May 15, only on Hulu. 

Geffen Playhouse today announced the world premiere of The Present, a live, virtual and interactive theatrical experience written and performed by master illusionist, storyteller and Geffen alum Helder Guimarães. Directed by Academy Award nominee Frank Marshall (Jurassic World, Indiana Jones, Goonies, Back to the Future), The Present marks the first full-length production to emerge from Geffen Playhouse's new Geffen Stayhouse initiative.

Center Theatre Group is expanding their Art Goes On project with L.A. Theatre Speaks, a biweekly series of live-streamed public discussions bringing together members of the local theatre community to discuss the issues and opportunities they are facing in this time of crisis.

Geffen Playhouse presents Geffen Stayhouse! They will be be sharing exclusive, original content every Wednesday from some of their Geffen alumns and favorite theater artists!

Here's the third installment of responses from various Los Angeles Theatre heads on how their individual theatre families are holding up in these crazy, safe-distancing times. As with the first two batches of responses, these are just as amazing in their acknowledged realism and uniform positivity:

Geffen Playhouse is now accepting applications for the 2020/2021 cycle of The Writers' Room playwrights group, it was announced today. Now entering its third year, the next group of playwrights chosen will begin their residency in September 2020.

Check out the official teaser for Hulu Original comedy series The Great from Oscar-nominated writer Tony McNamara. All 10 episodes of The Great will premiere May 15, only on Hulu. 

Geffen Playhouse today announced six productions that will make up the 2020/2021 season in its Gil Cates and Audrey Skirball Kenis Theaters, with two additional productions to be announced. This marks the 25TH anniversary season for Geffen Playhouse, which will launch September 8, 2020, and run through July 25, 2021.

Geffen Playhouse today announced a new artist residency with Cast Iron Entertainment, a cohort of artists including two-time Emmy Award winner Sterling K. Brown (Frozen 2, This is Us), Glenn Davis (Billions, King James), Emmy Award and Tony Award nominee Brian Tyree Henry (The Eternals, Atlanta), Tony Award nominee Jon Michael Hill (Elementary, Widows), André Holland (Selma, Jitney) and Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight, Choir Boy). This new artist residency will run for a period of one year.

Viewers of the Super Bowl got a special look at Marvel Studios' three upcoming Disney+ series: “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier,” “WandaVision” and “Loki.”

The much-anticipated series from Oscar-nominated writer Tony McNamara (THE FAVOURITE), The Great debuts on Hulu on Friday, May 15. The comedy series chronicles the genre-bending, anti-historical ride through 18th Century Russia and follows the wildly comedic rise of Catherine the Nothing to Catherine the Great.  The series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge and Sacha Shawan. 

Staged on a brilliantly creative two-setting, split-level scenic design by Dane Laffrey which includes a scene-dividing projected face on a screen on which the most extraordinary, ever-changing, light-flashing and color-changing eyes appear, this inventive retelling of a sharp, subversive fable debates how much our souls are worth when hope is hard to come by beginning when a charming Devil (Evan Jonigkeit, a black-clad, roguishly perfect scene stealer) arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. But which of the five inhabitants will agree to sell their soul to attain whatever it is they think will make them happiest?

Geffen Playhouse today announced its selection of six local writers to participate in the second cycle of The Writers' Room, a forum for engagement and collaboration between Los Angeles playwrights. The participants for 2019/2020 are Boni B. Alvarez, Chloé Hung, Inda Craig-Galván, Juan José Alfonso, Ramiz Monsef and Ruby Rae Spiegel.

This afternoon, Disney+ made its D23 Expo debut with its first-ever showcase presentation, announcing six new series in development and revealing key details about the highly anticipated streaming service to an enthusiastic audience at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim. The event showcased the sweeping array of talent with in-person and video appearances from the stars of Disney+'s slate of originals from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic and included sneak peeks, trailer premieres, and exclusive news about the service and its upcoming projects. Actress Yvette Nicole Brown, who stars in the Disney+ original film “Lady and the Tramp,” hosted the lively presentation, welcoming Kevin Mayer, chairman, Direct-to-Consumer & International, to the stage to kick off the show.

Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its West Coast premiere of Witch, written by Jen Silverman (The Roommate, Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties) and directed by Marti Lyons (How to Defend Yourself, Boticelli in the Fire). This marks the first Geffen production to launch the 2019/2020 season, the second season programmed by Artistic Director Matt Shakman.

Mysterious Circumstancesby Michael Mitnickinspired by The New Yorker article 'Mysterious Circumstances, the Strange Death of a Sherlock Holmes Fanatic' by David Granndirected by Matt ShakmanGeffen Playhouse, Gil Cates Theaterthrough July 14

A man of many voices and talents (you may not readily recognize by voice - he has so many), Alan Tudyk will be mounting the Geffen stage, undertaking dual roles in Michael Mitnick's MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. Under the direction of Geffen Playhouse artistic director Matt Shakman, previews for MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES began June 11, with an opening night set for June 19, 2019. Alan managed to find some time to get on the phone with me after a fun day of rehearsals.

Geffen Playhouse raised more than $1.3 million for the theater's education, community engagement and artistic initiatives at its 17th annual Backstage at the Geffen fundraiser held May 19, it was announced today. Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon franchise, The Color Purple, Dreamgirls) presented the Artistic Impact Award for Harry Belafonte, which was accepted by daughter Gina Belafonte on his behalf, and Jane Fonda (Grace & Frankie, Book Club, 9 to 5) presented the Distinction in Theater Award to Lily Tomlin.