McCarter Theatre News

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will launch the Fall portion of its 50th Anniversary Season with the critically acclaimed stage adaptation of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist by British playwright, author, and director, Neil Bartlett. The production begins on September 12, with several discounted Preview performances, and continues through Oct. 7 at The Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage - the intimate F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre.

The Jeff Awards Committee announced 197 nominations in 34 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions, which opened between August 1, 2011, and July 31, 2012. The Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 118 Equity productions offered by 55 producing organizations. From these openings, 96 productions were 'Jeff Recommended,' which made them eligible for award nominations.

The Jeff Awards Committee today announced 197 nominations in 34 categories for Chicago Equity theatrical productions, which opened between August 1, 2011, and July 31, 2012. The Jeff Awards judges attended opening nights of 118 Equity productions offered by 55 producing organizations. From these openings, 96 productions were 'Jeff Recommended,' which made them eligible for award nominations.

Playwrights Theatre's Creative Arts Academy fall classes for kids, teens and adults will begin at the end of September. The Kids and Teen classes will be held at Madison High School, 170 Ridgedale Ave Madison, NJ. The Adult class will be held at Playwrights Theatre Administrative Offices, 28 Walnut Street, Madison.

Court Theatre kicks off its 2012-13 season with August Wilson's Jitney directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson.Jitney is the fourth play in Wilson's Century Cycle to be produced at Court Theatre under Parson's direction. The production will runSeptember 6 - October 14, 2012 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. The press opening will be Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Lookingglass Theatre Company will open its 25th Anniversary Season with Metamorphoses, based on the Myths of Ovid, written and directed by Lookingglass Ensemble Member Mary Zimmerman. The show will play September 19 - September 28, 2012. The return of Lookingglass' seminal production, coinciding with the 10th Anniversary of the Broadway run, will open at Lookingglass in the fall of 2012 and will then move to Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage.

Grease kicks off the second blockbuster Broadway musical series, Sept. 12 - Oct. 7, 2012 at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora.

The Madison Recreation Department and Playwrights Theatre present Showstoppers. The production (appropriate for all ages) will have two performances: August 10 and 11 at 7:30pm. The production will be directed by Kasey Colligan and Brian Lang.

Broadway star Robert Cuccioli, best known for his Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle winning and Tony-nominated performance as the star of Jekyll and Hyde, takes on another dual role in his long-anticipated return to Broadway: Norman Osborn / The Green Goblin in Broadway's SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark. Cuccioli just played his first performance last night, August 7, 2012 at the Foxwoods Theatre, and BroadwayWorld was there for all of the festivities. Check out photos from Cuccioli's first curtain call and the after party below!

THE OJAI PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE (OPC), one of the most prestigious and acclaimed new play development programs in the United States, will celebrate its 15th Anniversary Season with a stellar program of playwrights, new play workshops, special performance events and guest artists during its Summer New Works Festival from tonight, August 8-August 12, 2012 in Ojai.

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and Howard & Janet Kagan announced today that THE ANARCHIST, a new play written and directed by DAVID MAMET starring PATTI LuPONE and DEBRA WINGER, previously announced to be presented at the Lyceum Theatre, will now be presented on Broadway at the newly refurbished Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street). All persons who purchased tickets prior to the venue change will be contacted by Telecharge.

Broadway star Robert Cuccioli took a few moments during a rehearsal for The Actor's Fund benefit concert of CHESS to talk with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge about prepping to play the 'Green Goblin' in SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK. Watch the video below to see Cuccioli's thoughts on getting into character and donning the green suit!

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) convened 1,000 theatre practitioners from around the world at its 22nd National Conference June 21-23 in Boston. This year's conference was the culmination of TCG's 50th anniversary and the beginning of TCG's year-round conference and online community, Conference 2.0. The conference theme of Model the Movement invited attendees to transform their field into a movement for the digital age by better sharing, measuring and adapting models of making theatre. Executive Director Teresa Eyring also publically shared for the first time TCG's new vision statement.

Independent theatre non-company [ad hoc theatre project] re-ignites for the 2012 Philadelphia Fringe Festival with a devised piece built off the backbone of William Shakespeare's Othello, set in the back room of a local whiskey go-go bar. Othello, Desdemona, & Iago Walk Into A Bar runs September 8th-23rd every day at 6pm (weekdays during happy hour) at the Trestle Inn on 11th & Callowhill.

he American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) has announced additional casting information for David Adjmi's new play, Marie Antoinette, directed by Rebecca Taichman, with choreography by Karole Armitage, in a co-production with Yale Repertory Theatre. Marie Antoinette begins previews on Saturday, September 1, and runs through Saturday, September 29, with press opening on Friday, September 7 at 7:30pm.

Stage and screen star Sanaa Lathan (A Raisin in the Sun, Contagion) returns to the title role in Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage's By the Way, Meet Vera Stark for its West Coast premiere at the Geffen Playhouse. Lathan, who originated the character of Vera Stark in the critically acclaimed New York run, will once again take the stage as the 1930's era maid turned movie star, reunited with original cast member Kimberly Hebert Gregory (Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer) reprising her role as fellow aspiring African American actress Lottie. Broadway vet and Geffen alum Merle Dandridge (Spamalot, Rent, Aida) will take on the spicy role of Anna Mae, who fakes a Brazilian accent for a slice of fame, and former leading lady of ABC's Man Up, Amanda Detmer, will portray Gloria Mitchell, the white starlet dubbed "America's little sweetie pie" and Vera's first employer. Helmed by award-winning director Jo Bonney, the West Coast premiere cast also features Kevin Carroll (Paid in Full, Being John Malkovich), Spencer Garrett (Iron Man 3, Air Force One) and Geffen alum Mather Zickel (Extraordinary Chambers, Rachel Getting Married).

THE OJAI PLAYWRIGHTS CONFERENCE (OPC), one of the most prestigious and acclaimed new play development programs in the United States, will celebrate its 15th Anniversary Season with a stellar program of playwrights, new play workshops, special performance events and guest artists during its Summer New Works Festival from August 8-12, 2012 in Ojai.

Opera New Jersey and the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra present the Fourth Annual Midsummer Celebration, sponsored by William and Judith Scheide, at the Richardson Auditorium in Princeton tonight, July 26, at 8 p.m. The program, featuring opera excerpts from Wagner, Verdi and Boito, celebrates Opera New Jersey's 10th anniversary season.