Michael Mayer News

Following the triumphant final Broadway performance on Sunday, April 24, 2011, the producers of the critically acclaimed AMERICAN IDIOT announce first North American tour cities and venues. Casting to be announced shortly.

Last night, more than 360 people gathered to celebrate the neighborhood playhouse with the national reputation: theatre lovers, gourmands, and philanthropists stepped into the spotlight at ONSTAGE, a theatrically delicious feast held on the 43rd birthday of the Tony Award-winning Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Following 421 performances on Broadway and 27 previews, the final performance of AMERICAN IDIOT is Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 7:30pm. The first national tour launches in the fall of 2011.

After a number of extensions, the first New York revival of Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, directed by Michael Greif at the Signature Theatre will close on April 24.

AMERICAN IDIOT began performances at the St. James Theatre on March 24, 2010 and opened on Broadway on April 20, 2010 to a great set of reviews! Here's a sneak peek at Broadway Beat's openight night coverage of the show!

F*It Club Presents THE SPRING FLING: 8 Brand New Plays by Berman, Brunstetter, Halfnight, Keller, McGraw, Oliver, Schultz, & Ziegler

Billie Joe Armstrong, who is currently starring in AMERICAN IDIOT at the St. James Theatre, recently chatted with Details magazine about everything from Broadway to politics.

Atlantic Theater Company (Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director) is proud to announce that Academy Award® nominee Chris Sarandon, Jason Butler Harner and Ben Rosenfield will join Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award® nominee Carey Mulligan in the U.S. premiere of the play THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY, based on the Academy Award® winning Ingmar Bergman film adapted for the stage by Jenny Worton.

Though Universal Pictures has chosen not to produce an IN THE HEIGHTS film, the studio has its sights set on another Broadway hit: Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT.

As previously reported by BroadwayWorld, NBC has picked up a new pilot entitled SMASH, which is about a group of people who come together to put on a Broadway musical. The series was developed by NBC's Robert Greenblatt, Steven Spielberg, and Broadway producing team Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

Back in September, Green Day frontman and the musical's composer/ co-author Billie Joe Armstrong made his Broadway debut as 'St. Jimmy' at the St. James Theatre in AMERICAN IDIOT. Tonight, Armstrong returns to the role for the show's final weeks. Take a look back at his debut now!

The box office at the Peter Norton Space (555 West 42nd Street) opens tomorrow, Tuesday, April 5 for the Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of Tony Kushner's THE ILLUSION, directed by Michael Mayer.

The producers of the critically acclaimed AMERICAN IDIOT previously announced that Green Day frontman and the musical's composer and co-author Billie Joe Armstrong would return to the role of "St. Jimmy" on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 for the final three weeks of the Broadway production at the St. James Theatre, 246 West 44 Street. Following 421 performances on Broadway and 27 previews, the final show is Sunday, April 24, 2011 at 7:30pm. The first national tour launches in the fall of 2011.

Lynn Nottage won the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined, a powerful play about the harrowing lives of women in Africa - and now that show's on stage at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. To facilitate further conversation about this thought-provoking script and the important issues it raises, Berkeley Rep is hosting a free event in the Roda Theatre at 7:00 PM on Monday, April 4. Page to Stage will feature four experts in social justice from nonprofit organizations working to promote women's rights in Africa.

Charles M. Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, had the ability to communicate tiny bits of wisdom and insight in the space of three panels (six panels in the Sunday funnies) of rudimentary art. And, while most of his colleagues would head straight for a punchline, Schulz tended to take a more philosophical approach. The musical adaptation, YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, originally written by Clark Gesner, and subsequently revised by Michael Mayer and Andrew Lippa, attempts to capture the essence of Schulz's work, but even as an introduction to the characters, the results are mixed at best. Stray Dog Theatre continues their current season with a charming production of this uneven musical, that's engaging and enjoyable more often than not.

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce casting for Tony Kushner's THE ILLUSION. The production will be directed by Michael Mayer.

This past weekend over 300 hopefuls lined up at Toronto's Dancap Productons to audtion for the national touring cast of the Broadway hit AMREICAN IDIOT. Click below to check out footage of the event!

The first preview of Tony Kushner's THE INTELLIGENT HOMOSEXUAL'S GUIDE TO CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM WITH A KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES has been postponed a day to provide the cast and crew with an additional dress rehearsal. The production will now begin performances on Wednesday, March 23 at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street). The production is presented by The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) and Signature Theatre Company (Founding Artistic Director James Houghton; Executive Director Erika Mallin) in association with the Guthrie Theater (Joe Dowling, Director). Michael Greif, who directed the world premiere at the Guthrie in April 2009, directs the New York premiere, which opens on Thursday, May 5 and runs through June 12. Checko ut images from the production below!

F*It Club Presents THE SPRING FLING: 8 Brand New Plays by Berman, Brunstetter, Halfnight, Keller, McGraw, Oliver, Schultz, & Ziegler

2011 National Tour of SPRING AWAKENING is coming to Jacksonville on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 7:30pm.