Melinda Lopez News

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces casting for First Look 2015, a program dedicated to new play development, today, August 11, through August 16, 2015 in the Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). First Look 2015 features six staged readings, providing an early look at works-in-progress from some of the most dynamic playwrights in the field. The mission of First Look is to develop new plays for future production at Steppenwolf and other theaters across the country.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company announces casting for First Look 2015, a program dedicated to new play development, August 11 - 16, 2015 in the Upstairs Theatre (1650 N Halsted St). First Look 2015 features six staged readings, providing an early look at works-in-progress from some of the most dynamic playwrights in the field. The mission of First Look is to develop new plays for future production at Steppenwolf and other theaters across the country.

Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera gets its NY premiere as it kicks-off the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) this July. Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera has a concept, book and lyrics by Elizabeth Searle, music by Michael Teoli, and will be directed by David Alpert (If/ Then), with musical direction by Henry Aronson (Rock of Ages), and choreography by Marc Kimelman (A Bronx Tale). Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera will play at the PTC Performing Space (555 West 42nd St.) from tonight, July 9, through July 16, 2015.

Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera gets its NY premiere as it kicks-off the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) this July. Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera has a concept, book and lyrics by Elizabeth Searle, music by Michael Teoli, and will be directed by David Alpert (If/ Then), with musical direction by Henry Aronson (Rock of Ages), and choreography by Marc Kimelman (A Bronx Tale). Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera will play at the PTC Performing Space (555 West 42nd St.) from July 9 - July 16, 2015.

Boston Center for the Arts and Company One Theatre announce the BCA PlayLab Closing Celebration on Sunday, June 21 at 5PM at the Boston Center for the Arts, Plaza Theatre. This event is free and open to the public.

Mixed Blood Theatre has inhabited the historic firehouse on the West Bank for 40 years and is celebrating its anniversary with the first phase of a major venue renovation, a revitalized commitment to its West Bank community, and an ambitious season of new work!

The American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training, presents the last two productions of its season, William Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Anya Safir, and Paula Vogel's Desdemona: A Play About a Handkerchief, directed by Melia Bensussen.

Acorn Productions, a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing and developing the Southern Maine community of performing artists, announces the final schedule of performances for this year's fourteenth edition of the annual Maine Playwrights Festival (MPF), which takes place from May 13 to 17 at the St. Lawrence Arts Center in Portland. This year's MPF is co-directed by MPF Founder Michael Levine and Daniel Burson, former Education and Literary Director at Portland Stage Company, and features three guest directors as well as a residency by Boston-based playwright Melinda Lopez. The festival also includes the fifth installment of the 24-Hour Portland Theater Project, in which six plays are written, rehearsed and performed in the span of twenty-four hours. Tickets for the MPF range from $10 to $15, and a complete performance schedule, as well as more information about the plays and on-line ticket ordering, is available on Acorn's website at www.acorn-productions.org.

On the heals of its hit musical production Titanic, Griffin Theatre Company continues its 2014-15 season with Lanford Wilson's acclaimed drama BALM IN GILEAD directed by ensemble member Jonathan Berry and featuring an ensemble cast of 27 actors and musicians. BALM IN GILEAD will play tonight, March 14 - April 19, 2015 at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

Acorn Productions, producers of the annual Maine Playwrights Festival (MPF), announces that they have received a grant from the Maine Theater Fund to support a residency in Portland by Boston-based playwright Melinda Lopez.

Boston Center for American Performance (BCAP) and Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) today announce their co-production of the comedy Uncle Jack, a Boston University New Play Initiative play written by Michael Hammond.

On the heals of its hit musical production Titanic, Griffin Theatre Company continues its 2014-15 season with Lanford Wilson's acclaimed drama BALM IN GILEAD directed by ensemble member Jonathan Berry and featuring an ensemble cast of 27 actors and musicians. BALM IN GILEAD will play March 14 - April 19, 2015 at The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago.

Steep Theatre will present the Midwest Premiere of Irish playwright Ross Dungan's The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle. Steep Artistic Associate and Jeff Award-winning director Jonathan Berry returns to Steep to direct Dungan's heart-warming and magical exploration of lives lived without regret. Steep and Berry have racked up an impressive string of Midwest premieres, including last year's If There is I Haven't Found It Yet and past hits The Knowledge, Moment and Festen. The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle opens at Steep Theatre on Thursday, January 22.

Obie Award winner Melia Bensussen (Luck of the Irish, Circle Mirror Transformation) returns to the Huntington Theatre Company to direct Awake and Sing!, Clifford Odets' stirring American classic about a working-class Jewish family striving for a better future. Performances at the Avenue of the Arts / BU Theatre begin tonight, November 7 and continue through Sunday, December 7, 2014.

Obie Award winner Melia Bensussen (Luck of the Irish, Circle Mirror Transformation) returns to the Huntington Theatre Company to direct Awake and Sing!, Clifford Odets' stirring American classic about a working-class Jewish family striving for a better future. Performances at the Avenue of the Arts / BU Theatre begin Friday, November 7 and continue through Sunday, December 7, 2014.

Huntington Theatre Company Managing Director Michael Maso will receive the 2014 Hyde Square Task Force Inspiring Leader Award, to be presented on Wednesday, November 5 at the organization's Annual Making Change Happen Breakfast. The award is presented annually to an experienced and successful leader in the community who embodies the values of Hyde Square Task Force. Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) has been working for more than two decades to develop the skills of youth and their families so they are empowered to enhance their own lives and build a strong and vibrant urban community.

Two hundred and fifty guests including former Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino joined Huntington Theatre Company Chairman Carol G. Deane, President Mitchell J. Roberts, Managing Director Michael Maso, and Artistic Director Peter DuBois, as well as Boston Center for the Arts Chairman Philip W. Lovejoy and Executive Director Veronique Le Melle on Monday, September 29 for a ribbon-cutting, rededication, and celebration in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts. Bank of America was the presenting sponsor of the event. Scroll down for photos and video!

The Huntington Theatre Company's annual Summer Workshop is underway and will culminate in public readings of four new plays this weekend, July 19 and 20, 2014.

Huntington Theatre Company announces its 2014-2016 cohort of Huntington Playwriting Fellows: Mia Chung, John J King, Sam Marks, and Nina Louise Morrison. This artistically diverse group of writers begin their two-year residency in September. Past Huntington Playwriting Fellows include Ronan Noone (The Atheist, Brendan, and the upcoming The Second Girl), Lydia R. Diamond (Smart People, Stick Fly), Melinda Lopez (Becoming Cuba, Sonia Flew), Kirsten Greenidge (Luck of the Irish), Ryan Landry (Ryan Landry's "M"), and Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro (Before I Leave You) to name a few.

The Huntington Theatre Company's annual Summer Workshop is underway and will culminate in public readings of four new plays on July 19 and 20, 2014. The retreat allows selected members of the Huntington Playwriting Fellows program two weeks to participate in an artist-driven intensive, developing new plays. The workshop and public readings will take place in the South End at the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street, Boston.