Meredith McDonough News

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, launches its 43rd season with the world premiere of UPRIGHT GRAND, a play with live music by acclaimed playwright Laura Schellhardt (Auctioning the Ainsleys). A hit at last year's New Works Festival, this tender and intelligent portrait of the complex relationship between a father and daughter will be helmed by TheatreWorks New Works Director Meredith McDonough. Dan Hiatt will star as aging songwriter "Pops," with Renata Friedman as "Kiddo" and Brett Ryback as "The Accompanist." UPRIGHT GRAND plays tonight, July 11 - August 10, 2011 (press opening July 14) at TheatreWorks at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. For tickets ($24-$73) and information the public may call (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT) announced today the eight musicals selected to be part of the 24th Annual Festival of New Musicals at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, launches its 43rd season with the world premiere of UPRIGHT GRAND, a play with live music by acclaimed playwright Laura Schellhardt (Auctioning the Ainsleys). A hit at last year's New Works Festival, this tender and intelligent portrait of the complex relationship between a father and daughter will be helmed by TheatreWorks New Works Director Meredith McDonough. Dan Hiatt will star as aging songwriter "Pops," with Renata Friedman as "Kiddo" and Brett Ryback as "The Accompanist." UPRIGHT GRAND plays July 11 - August 10, 2011 (press opening July 14) at TheatreWorks at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. For tickets ($24-$73) and information the public may call (650) 463-1960 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Jennifer Bielstein today announced that award-winning playwright and director Adam Rapp will direct Sam Shepard's True West in Actors Theatre's 2012-13 Season.True West will run in the Bingham Theatre aspart of the Brown-Forman Series, November 13-December 9, 2012. Press opening is slated for November 16, 2012.

Today, Actors Theatre of Louisville's Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Jennifer Bielstein announce the appointment of Meredith McDonough as the Theatre's Associate Artistic Director.

As the 15th Annual Pacific Playwrights Festival draws near, South Coast Repertory announces the directors for this years' staged readings. They include Evan Cabnet (Warrior Class), Matt Shakman (You Are Here), Meredith McDonough (I And You), Casey Stangl (The Few) and Anne Kauffman (Smokefall).

TheatreWorks of Silicon Valley presents the West Coast Premiere of the off-beat comedy NOW CIRCA THEN by Carly Mensch, story editor for TV's popular series Weeds. Told with spunk and candor, the play follows the romance between two historical re-enactors in New York City, and what happens when past and present intertwine. NOW CIRCA THEN will be helmed by New Works Director Meredith McDonough and plays March 7 - April 1, 2012 at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto (1305 Middlefield Road). For information or to order tickets ($19-$69) call (650) 463-1960 or visit theatreworks.org Check out the production photos below!

American Blues Theater (ABT), Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, continues its 2011-2012 season with a return engagement of the critically acclaimed 'It's a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!' directed by Marty Higginbotham, in the Victory Gardens' Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Nov. 18 - Dec. 31. Pink Previews are Nov. 18 - 20. Press opening is Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. For more information visit americanbluestheater.com.

American Blues Theater (ABT), Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, continues its 2011-2012 season with a return engagement of the critically acclaimed 'It's a Wonderful Life: Live at the Biograph!' directed by Marty Higginbotham, in the Victory Gardens' Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue, Nov. 18 - Dec. 31. Pink Previews are Nov. 18 - 20. Press opening is Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. For more information visit americanbluestheater.com.

American Blues Theater (ABT), Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, proudly kicks off its 2011-2012 season honoring the American worker with Clifford Odets' classic one-act play 'Waiting for Lefty' directed by Kimberly Senior Sept. 2 - Oct. 2.

American Blues Theater (ABT), Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, proudly kicks off its 2011-2012 season honoring the American worker with Clifford Odets' classic one-act play 'Waiting for Lefty' directed by Kimberly Senior Sept. 2 - Oct. 2.

The Playwrights Foundation's 34th annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF), a festival celebrating the development of new work which is performed script in hand, is taking place July 22-31 at Thick House in San Francisco.

American Blues Theater (ABT), Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, proudly kicks off its 2011-2012 season honoring the American worker with Clifford Odets' classic one-act play 'Waiting for Lefty' directed by Kimberly Senior Sept. 2 - Oct. 2.

The Playwrights Foundation's 34th annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF), a festival celebrating the development of new work which is performed script in hand, is taking place July 22-31 at Thick House in San Francisco.

The Playwrights Foundation's 34th annual Bay Area Playwrights Festival (BAPF), a festival celebrating the development of new work which is performed script in hand, is taking place July 22-31 at Thick House in San Francisco.

Making its regional premiere with TheaterWorks Silicon Valley [title of show] is a fresh, funny and fabulous production about - what else - two guys writing a show about writing a show - on deadline.