McDonald News

This December, Park Avenue Armory will round out its 2019 season with the world premiere of a new adaptation of ?-dön von Horváth's 1937 play Judgment Day, an ambitious work that explores morality, responsibility, and the guilt of a small-town's train stationmaster and his community. The adaptation, commissioned by the Armory and penned by Obie Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Christopher Shinn, is staged by famed British theater director Richard Jones, who returns to the Armory to helm this gripping moral parable following his critically acclaimed, eight-time Drama Deska?"nominated production of The Hairy Ape  at the Armory in 2017. With much of the narrative centered around an ill-fated train depot, Judgment Day and its vast set will take on special resonance in the 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Halla?"reminiscent of the great nineteenth century train sheds of Europe, with its vaulted ceiling and raw industrial design. The production runs December 5, 2019 through January 11, 2020. Casting will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Noorda Center for the Performing Arts at Utah Valley University today announced the full New York-based creative team for the pre-Broadway production of new musical a?oeFly More Than You Fall.a?? The poignant contemporary fantasy about a teenager dealing with her mother's diagnosis will be presented from Sept. 12 to 28, 2019 in advance of its intended Broadway bow. Tickets are currently on sale at www.uvu.universitytickets.com.   

Playing on Air's Fall 2019 podcast season will begin this weekend with a special re-release of Jesse Eisenberg's short play A LITTLE PART OF ALL OF US, starring the playwright and Justin Bartha (The Hangover trilogy, a?oeThe Good Fighta??). The season will also feature Sean Carvajal (King Lear) and Bobby Moreno (a?oeHomelanda??) in 3:59AM: A DRAG RACE FOR TWO ACTORS by Marco Ramirez, as well as a live recording of Jacquelyn Reingold's 2B OR NOT 2B with William Jackson Harper (a?oeThe Good Place,a?? Midsommar) and Jenn Harris (a?oeGaybya??). 

The Players announces its next Pipe Night, honoring Tony Award-nominated composer and writer Joe Iconis (Be More Chill). A favorite Players tradition that has celebrated significant cultural figures for over a century, the Pipe Night for Mr. Iconis will be held on Monday, September 9th starting at 6:30 pm at The Players, located at 16 Gramercy Park South. 

Today, Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley announced casting for the next iteration of their critically-acclaimed CONCERT FOR AMERICA, an evening leveraging the power of music and performance to support vulnerable people in crisis. 

With Labor Day 2019 just behind us, famed rock photographer Jay Blakesberg announces the release of his latest photographic endeavor, JERRY GARCIA: Secret Space of Dreams – a fine art, hardcover photography book of Jerry Garcia, beginning from the middle of his career with the Grateful Dead and covering the last third of his life.

The show radiates of creativity and enjoyment. With a highly talented international cast pf performers, good use of front projection and an eclectic song-list that also includes some lesser beautiful lesser known songs in the mix.

Courtney Barnett has today announced a very special run of intimate shows. This will be her first ever solo tour of the USA.

Union County Performing Arts Center presents tribute band Peace of Woodstock on Saturday, September 21st at 8:00 p.m.

The League of Professional Theatre Women (Shellen Lubin and Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been championing women in the professional theatre for over three decades, will launch their 37th season of programming, events, and advocacy, with a special event on Wednesday, September 25 at Theaterlab (357 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10018). Pre-reception networking will begin at 6:30pm. The event will officially kick-off at 7pm, followed by post-reception networking from 9pm-9:30pm.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at George Mason University presents its 14th ARTS by George! benefit Saturday, September 28, 2019. The philanthropic event headlined by Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award winner Audra McDonald raises support for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, computer game design, film, arts management, as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, the Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason series. Information and ticket/sponsorship packages are available at artsbygeorge.gmu.edu.

September brings some of music's most iconic female performers including Motown stars Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Lady of Soul Oleta Adams and '80s icon Jody Watley. Local artists include the Honolulu Jazz Quartet, Henry Kapono presenting his Artist 2 Artist Concert Series featuring Blayne Asing, Elijah Sky and Mike Lewis's 2nd Annual Tribute to the Great City of New York. The Blue Note Comedy Series continues with comedian Esther Ku and '90s Alternative super group 10,000 Maniacs makes their Blue Note debut. We're celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Eddie Ortiz & Son Caribe and Yvette Moore presents a tribute to Gloria Estefan. Stef Mariani's invites you to her album release celebration of 'Highway of Love' and local favorites Good Foot Hawaii! take the stage. The Hawaii News Now Jazz Legends Series continues with Keiko Matsui and Lightnin' Larry Dupio presents an eclectic night of traditional and original Big Island blues. Willie K returns, electric blues guitar powerhouse Robben Ford takes the stage and the month rounds out with singer-songwriter Jon McLaughlin.

Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati presents a one-night only experience with sensational Broadway host Seth Rudetsky a?" he will be leading a masterclass with 10 local artists with opportunity to view the class as an audience member, followed by 2 performances of his one-man show Deconstructing Broadway.

Theatre for a New Audience today announced that due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, Michael Shannon and Paul Sparks will not be able to participate in the 2020 production of Waiting for Godot.

The Philadelphia Orchestra launches its 120th season on Wednesday, September 18, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Artswith a special Opening Night Concert and Gala, featuring a performance by award-winning singer and actor Audra McDonald. Led by Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the Fabulous Philadelphians officially kick off the 2019a?"20 season with a celebratory program featuring selections by Gershwin, Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and more. Acclaimed soprano Adela Zaharia will make her Philadelphia Orchestra debut, performing an aria from Verdi's La traviata. The concert will also include audience participation in the first Philadelphia Orchestra performance of Pauline Oliveros's a?oeTuning Meditation,a?? from Four Mediations for Orchestra.

WaterTower Theatre will round out its 2019-2020 season with a special limited-engagement, concert-style production of the inspiring 1960s musical Golden Boy. Adapted from the 1930s drama by Clifford Odets, and featuring a book by Odets and William Gibson, Golden Boy tells the story of Joe Wellington, a young black man trying to rise from the Harlem ghetto as a prizefighter. Wellington, originated on Broadway in 1964 by the iconic Sammy Davis, Jr., is enticed by the boxing world's promise of fame and fortune, but he makes one critical mistake: falling for his manager's white girlfriend, Lorna.

LitFest is ramping up to bring the world's best nonfiction presenters to its 2019 Festival, happening October 17-27 in downtown Edmonton. 

The Broadway Advocacy Coalitiona?? (BAC) announces its second quarterly Community Gathering, to be held on Monday, September 9th, 2019 at 7:00pm in the lobby of the Pershing Square Signature Center.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona will present the 2019 Heart of the House Awards to longtime radio personality Marty Manning, who recently retired after 50 years in broadcasting, and Thunderbirds Charities, a consistent and longtime supporter and advocate for Ronald McDonald House Charities and the families it serves, at A McNight to Remember Around the World in 80 Days Gala on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn Resort.

Good Morning America host Lara Spencer is at the center of a controversy revolving around her laughing at Prince George (aged 6), the future King of England, for taking ballet classes.