McCarter Theatre News

McCarter Theatre will kick off its 2013-2014 season with its 3rd annual community-wide Block Party on McCarter's front lawn on Wednesday, August 21 from 5pm to 8pm. (Rain date: August 22). All are welcome!

McCarter Theatre Center has announced the appointment of Adam Immerwahr as Associate Artistic Director. Immerwahr, a longtime McCarter staff member with a thriving directorial career, will support McCarter's Artistic Director, Emily Mann, in the planning and execution of the theater's artistic programming. His duties will also include directing for McCarter Theater's main stage, cultivating new works and identifying emerging artists, having primary responsibility for the day-to-day artistic oversight of McCarter's dramatic productions, and coordinating the selection and hiring of freelance artistic personnel.

When more than 100 students from the Newtown area go back to school in the Fall, they will have some amazing tales to tell of their summer. For the last 5 weeks, a dedicated team of Broadway professionals - led by 3 of the same individuals who produced a Broadway tribute to the Newtown community in Waterbury last January - has been working with more than 100 Newtown area students in a production of Seussical the Musical. It is the first of what is to be many tangible practices in healing offered by the 12.14 Foundation (the foundation's president and founder, Newtown resident Michael Baroody, serves as Executive Producer of this production). It is comfort and healing in the true sense. As director Michael Unger works with the cast on their roles, he encourages them to look inward to develop their characters. This is what will eventually be a hallmark program of the 12.14 Foundation as it seeks to strengthen Newtown's youth through the arts. It is something that is mentioned often among these budding artists: that sense of camaraderie and strength.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Artistic Director Tony Taccone today announces the appointment of Liesl Tommy as the nonprofit's associate director. Tommy, who most recently directed Berkeley Rep's critically acclaimed production of Ruined, joins the Theatre's artistic team effective September 1. Tommy will fulfill various artistic duties including directing for Berkeley Rep's main stage; developing new work through The Ground Floor, the Center for the Creation and Development of New Work; and supporting ongoing artistic pursuits in the spirit of cultivating and producing innovative and adventurous work for the Theatre.

American Repertory Ballet, New Jersey's preeminent ballet company, voted NJ's Favorite Dance Company in the Jersey Arts People's Choice awards, is delighted to announce its 2013-2014 Season of performances around the state. Season highlights include three major productions: the premiere of Artistic Director Douglas Martin's Romeo and Juliet at State Theatre in New Brunswick, with live music played by the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Kynan Johns; ARB's 50th Annual Nutcracker Season, which will span five weekends at theaters across NJ and include a “Celebrate the Legacy” reception; and Night of Fire, a program featuring the premiere of Martin's Firebird and the company premiere of Kirk Peterson's Afternoon of a Faun, at McCarter Theatre in Princeton. The 2013-2014 season will also include brand new works by American choreographers Mary Barton, Trinette Singleton, and Kirk Peterson and revivals of works by Ann Marie DeAngelo, Patrick Corbin, and the late Gerald Arpino, Joffrey Ballet co-founder and choreographer.

Trinity Repertory Company, the State Theater of Rhode Island is proud to announce that three new company members have been added to their resident acting company roster - Mia Ellis, Rebecca Gibel and Charlie Thurston. All three performers are Brown/Trinity Rep MFA acting program graduates and no strangers to the Trinity Rep stage, having appeared in multiple productions over the past several seasons. The three join Trinity Rep's current resident acting company members: Stephen Berenson, Angela Brazil, Timothy Crowe, Mauro Hantman, Janice Duclos, Brian McEleney, Phyllis Kay, Anne Scurria, Barbara Meek, Fred Sullivan, Jr., Stephen Thorne, Rachael Warren, and Joe Wilson, Jr.

Primary Stages, in association with Ted Snowdon, launches their 29th season with the New York premiere of Harbor at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Written by Tony-nominated Chad Beguelin (Elf, The Wedding Singer) and directed by Tony-nominated director Mark Lamos (Seascape, The Rivals, The Deep Blue Sea), the production features Erin Cummings (Starz's 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand', ABC's 'Pan Am,' CBS' 'Made In Jersey'), Randy Harrison (Showtime's 'Queer As Folk', Broadway's Wicked), Alexis Molnar (world premiere of Harbor at Westport Playhouse), and Paul Anthony Stewart (Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof, The People in the Picture). The show is currently in previews, and opening night is August 6. Harbor runs through September 8. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Tony Award-winner Julie White steps into the role of 'Masha' in Christopher Durang's new comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, tonight, Tuesday, July 30. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike began performances on Tuesday, March 5 and opened on Thursday, March 14.

Oscar nominee Sigourney Weaver will give her last performance in Broadway's VANYA AND SONYA AND MASHA AND SPIKE as 'Masha' today, with Julie White stepping into the role beginning July 30.

McCarter Theatre Center has been named a 2013 Recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Citation of Excellence and a Major Arts Institution for excellence in artistic quality, programming, and public service in the arts. The Citation of the Excellence is the organization's most prestigious mark of distinction. At the Arts Council's Annual Meeting held on Tuesday, July 23, McCarter was the only theater in New Jersey to receive this honor.

London's "Summer of Love" comes to Center City in the Philly Fringe with the Philadelphia premiere of 'Traveling Light' by Philadelphia playwright Lindsay Harris Friel. The play is directed by Liam Castellan and produced by Liam's Sofa Cushion Fortress in The Skybox at The Adrienne Theater, September 6-14, 2013. Tickets are $20 ($10 preview tickets available for the 9/6 performance) and can be purchased at the door or through the FringeArts Box Office atwww.fringearts.com.

Two women test the bonds of sisterhood in a bittersweet comedy set during the Harlem Renaissance. JVO Productions in association with InterACT Theatre Company presents The Old Settler by John Henry Redwood, opening Sept. 1 at the Pico Playhouse in West Los Angeles.

American Repertory Ballet's Nutcracker production is celebrating 50 consecutive years this coming holiday season. It is one of the longest-running Nutcracker productions in the United States, and is the longest-running in New Jersey. On November 30, 2013, directly following the 4:30pm performance at McCarter Theatre, American Repertory Ballet will hold a celebratory reception at The Nassau Club in Princeton.

McCarter Theatre Center is pleased to announce its 2013-2014 roster of world-renowned artists on its 2013-14 Presenting Series. During the upcoming season, McCarter will present over 40 performances by world-class performing artists curated by Special Programming Director William W. Lockwood. Mr. Lockwood has been responsible for McCarter's special programming for over 50 years, and remains the senior arts presenter in the country. Additional performances will be added throughout the season.

Primary Stages launches their 29th season with the New York premiere of Harbor by Tony-nominated writer Chad Beguelin (Elf, The Wedding Singer). Directed by Tony-nominated director Mark Lamos (Seascape, The Rivals, The Deep Blue Sea), the production features Erin Cummings (Starz's 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand', CBS' 'Made In Jersey'), Randy Harrison (Showtime's 'Queer As Folk', Broadway's Wicked), Alexis Molnar (world premiere of Harbor at Westport Playhouse), and Paul Anthony Stewart (Broadway's Fiddler on the Roof, The People in the Picture). Harbor runs tonight, July 23 - September 8 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Opening night is August 6.

Single tickets for Center Stage's 2013-14 Season are now on sale as of today, Monday, July 22. With directors lined up and casting underway, Season 51: Theater for the Heart brings together a roster of remarkable theater artists and stunning stories-from classic masterpieces of comedy to cutting edge work by some of America's most talked-about playwrights.