Michael Benjamin Washington News

Monk Parrots announce casting for their New York premiere of Gabriel Jason Dean's (Princeton Hodder Fellow, Dramatist's Guild Fellowship, Broadway Blacklist) critically acclaimed play TERMINUS, directed by Lucie Tiberghien (The Other Thing, Don't Go Gentle, Soldier X, Hoodoo Love, The Pavilion). TERMINUS runs from February 17 - March 10, 2018 in a limited engagement at NEXT DOOR at NYTW, located at 83 East 4th Street between Bowery and 2nd Avenue in New York City. Previews begin February 17 for a February 20 opening.

Producers Ryan Murphy and David Stone have announced that Charlie Carver ('The Leftovers,' 'Teen Wolf') will complete the cast of the 50th Anniversary production of Mart Crowley's groundbreaking play, The Boys in the Band. Carver will play the role of Cowboy.

Ryan Murphy and David Stone will present the Broadway debut of Mart Crowley's groundbreaking comic drama, THE BOYS IN THE BAND, for a strictly limited 15-week Broadway engagement at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45th Street), April 30 August 12, 2018. This 50th Anniversary production will be directed by two-time Tony Award winner JOE MANTELLO.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre continues its 2015-16 season and its commitment to the creation of unforgettable new plays with the WORLD PREMIERE of Blueprints to Freedom: An Ode to Bayard Rustin, written by and starring Michael Benjamin Washington and directed by the critically acclaimed Lucie Tiberghien. This story is more than relevant. It's riveting. Those who stand up for equality in 2015 are following in the footsteps of Bayard Rustin, the lesser known but powerfully influential civil rights leader who orchestrated the March on Washington and stepped forward himself as an openly gay man at a time when few had the courage to do so. In this ode, an exiled Rustin masterminds 'a tribute to the ancestors' 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This exciting production begins tonight, Oct. 16 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 15 at KC Rep's Copaken Stage in the Power & Light District in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Kansas City Repertory Theatre continues its 2015-16 season and its commitment to the creation of unforgettable new plays with the WORLD PREMIERE of Blueprints to Freedom: An Ode to Bayard Rustin, written by and starring Michael Benjamin Washington and directed by the critically acclaimed Lucie Tiberghien. This story is more than relevant. It's riveting. Those who stand up for equality in 2015 are following in the footsteps of Bayard Rustin, the lesser known but powerfully influential civil rights leader who orchestrated the March on Washington and stepped forward himself as an openly gay man at a time when few had the courage to do so. In this ode, an exiled Rustin masterminds 'a tribute to the ancestors' 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This exciting production begins Friday, Oct. 16 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 15 at KC Rep's Copaken Stage in the Power & Light District in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

La Jolla Playhouse and Kansas City Repertory Theatre is presenting the world-premiere production of Blueprints to Freedom: An Ode to Bayard Rustin, by Michael Benjamin Washington, directed by Lucie Tiberghien (Blood and Gifts). Tiberghien replaced Phylicia Rashad, who had to depart the project due to scheduling conflicts. Check out photos from the production below!

La Jolla Playhouse and Kansas City Repertory Theatre announce the cast and creative team for its world-premiere production of Blueprints to Freedom: An Ode to Bayard Rustin, by Michael Benjamin Washington, directed by Lucie Tiberghien (Blood and Gifts).

Kansas City Repertory Theatre concludes its 50th anniversary season with a developmental production of Stillwater, a new rock musical staged by the Rep's Artistic Director Eric Rosen. Stillwater is an angst-filled love letter to a generation rebounding from the economic and cultural shocks of the last ten years.

Due to the incredible demand for subscriptions to the 2015/2016 season, La Jolla Playhouse announces a week-long extension for its first two season productions: Come from Away, a world-premiere musical written and composed by David Hein and Irene Sankoff, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, as well as for Up Here, a world-premiere musical comedy directed by Alex Timbers (Playhouse's Peter and the Starcatchers), featuring book, music and lyrics by the husband-and-wife team of Robert Lopez (The Book of Mormon, Avenue Q) and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, who took home the Academy and Grammy Awards for Best Song with their mega-hit "Let It Go" from the Disney animated film Frozen. Come from Away will now run May 29 - July 5 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre, and Up Here will now run July 28 - September 6 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Eric Rosen, Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre has announced KC Rep's 2015-16 season, a diverse mix of cutting edge world premieres and re-imagined American classics. "With four world premieres balanced with three innovative stagings of American classics, it's among the most ambitious seasons the Rep has yet produced," Rosen said. "I'm particularly proud of a season that balances a collection of artists whose work is at the forefront of the American theater with stories that are powerful, moving, and deeply meaningful for our city and region."

La Jolla Playhouse is pleased to bring back its acclaimed new play development initiative, the DNA New Work Series, a two-week run of workshops and readings of new works, taking place February 16 - March 1, 2015.

La Jolla Playhouse announces five shows for its 2015/2016 season, featuring all new works, including the world-premiere musical Come from Away, featuring book, music and lyrics by acclaimed Canadian husband-and-wife team Irene Sankoff and David Hein, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley; the world premiere of Indecent, co-created by director Rebecca Taichman (Playhouse's Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Milk Like Sugar), and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel (How I Learned to Drive), co-produced with Yale Repertory Theatre; and Blueprints to Freedom: An Ode to Bayard Rustin, by Michael Benjamin Washington (Memphis, The Wiz), directed by The Cosby Show's Phylicia Rashad, which had its first workshop during the Playhouse's 2014 DNA New Work Series.

La Jolla Playhouse will bring back its acclaimed new play development initiative, the DNA New Work Series, a two-week run of workshops and readings of new works, taking place February 17 - March 2, 2014.

While not perfect, this week's episode of GLEE finally goes in a new direction that points to a promising future for the series. Though still inconsistent in tone and unbalanced in attention to the cast as an ensemble, GLEE is finally beginning to find a 'Home.'

La Jolla Playhouse extends its warmest welcome to Michael Benjamin Washington, who appeared in Playhouse productions of The Wiz and Memphis.In his one-man show, Washington portrays five different characters as they explore the new America with a newly-elected president. An invite-only reading of Letters to Barack: A New American Play is taking place on Monday, February 9, 2009 at 7:30 pm in the Seuss 1 rehearsal room at La Jolla Playhouse.

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the initial lineup of cast and creatives for the upcoming musical 'Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll' slated for August 19th through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll began previews on August 19th at La Jolla Playhouse and will run through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. Memphis is the first production directed by Christopher Ashley at La Jolla Playhouse since becoming Artistic Director. Rehearsals begin July 8th.

La Jolla Playhouse announced today the initial lineup of cast and creatives for the upcoming musical 'Memphis - The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll' slated for August 19th through September 28th in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

La Jolla Playhouse has announced a two-week extension of Des McAnuff's re-imagination of the Tony Award-winning classic, The Wiz

The eagerly anticipated La Jolla Playhouse reimagining of The Wiz began previews on September 26th and opens on October 11th