Michael Sexton News

The Public Theater has announced the Public Forum and Public Shakespeare Initiative fall line-up that will explore the intersection of art, ideas, and action. Highlights of the upcoming season include the return of the monthly Civic Salon gatherings and Election Night Hootenanny, a closer look at Shakespeare's famous tyrants and the Mobile Unit's A Midsummer Night's Dream, our post-show Speaker Series following performances of Eve's Song and Wild Goose Dreams, and a collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center on the intersection of Shakespeare and the work of Duke Ellington.

On June 25, The Resident Acting Company (www.racnyc.org), a new troupe drawn from the performing ensemble of The Pearl Theatre Company, will present a staged reading of 'The Big Night' (1928) by humorist Dawn Powell, a harsh, biting comedy about a woman whose husband has been fired from an advertising agency.  The play was the author's masterpiece but failed on Broadway in a production of The Group Theatre. The version to be offered is a restoration by Michael Sexton from the author's original notes and drafts.  It retains some of the Group Theatre's 'improvements' but includes the author's original ending.  The reading will be at 7:00 PM at The Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South, directed by Bradford Cover, Artistic Director of the troupe.

Jesse Berger (Founder and Artistic Director), Jim Bredeson (Managing Director), and the Board of Trustees of Red Bull Theater held the Tenth Annual RUNNING OF THE RED BULLS BENEFIT last night, Monday March 26th, celebrating the company's 15th Season and honoring Ismenia Mendes, Charlayne Woodard, and The Fund for the City of New York with the 2018 Matador Awards for Excellence in Classical Theater. Proceeds from the evening will go to support all of Red Bull Theater's programs, including the upcoming Off-Broadway premiere of David Ives's The Metromaniacs, directed by Michael Kahn.

Jesse Berger (Founding Artistic Director), Jim Bredeson (Managing Director), and the Board of Trustees of Red Bull Theater are pleased to announce the Tenth Annual RUNNING OF THE RED BULLS BENEFIT on Monday March 26th, at 6pm, will celebrate the company's 15th Season and honor Ismenia Mendes, Charlayne Woodard, and The Fund for the City of New York with the 2018 Matador Awards for Excellence in Classical Theater. Proceeds from the evening support all of Red Bull Theater's programs, including the upcoming Off-Broadway premiere of David Ives's The Metromaniacs, directed by Michael Kahn.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) has announced the Spring 2018 PUBLIC SHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE line-up of special evenings exploring the ideas and themes of some of Shakespeare's most challenging and essential works. Highlights of this programming include a look at the outsiders within Othelloand The Merchant of Venice with Stephen Greenblatt and Kwame Anthony Appiah; sneak peeks of Robert O'Hara's Mobile Unit production of Henry V and the Shakespeare Works artist development program; a discussion about the production history of Othello and putting it on stage for today's contemporary audience with James Shapiro and Ayanna Thompson; and special invited performances of As You Like It by the Hunts Point Children's Shakespeare Ensemble.

Last night, the Public Shakespeare Initiative hosted a special evening, Public Shakespeare Presents: To Imagine an Antony Shakespeare's Infinite Fancy. Oxford scholar and prize-winning author of The Genius of Shakespeare Jonathan Bate lead the audience on a thrilling exploration of the destabilizing, transformational power of poetry, imagination, and love, joined by John Douglas Thompson and Phylicia Rashad reading the title roles in scenes from Antony and Cleopatra. View the photos below!

The 2017 Fall line-up of PUBLIC SHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE continued last night, November 27th, with PUBLIC SHAKESPEARE TALKS: EYELESS RAGE-ANGER IN KING LEAR, a conversation about anger-noble, destructive, cleansing, and clarifying-in Shakespeare's tragedy of ungoverned rage and its consequences, King Lear. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

The Public Theater and The Shakespeare Society have announced that they will join forces to form the new PUBLIC SHAKESPEARE INITIATIVE, under the leadership of long-time Shakespeare Society Artistic Director, Michael Sexton. The Public Theater and The Shakespeare Society have long shared the passionately-held belief that Shakespeare is for everyone.

The Old Globe today announced due to popular demand, that William Shakespeare's exhilarating tragedy Hamlet, has now been extended through September 22. 

Simon Godwin's (Associate Director, London's National Theatre) acclaimed staging of Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare's dark comedy about justice, faith, power, sex and family, will close as scheduled next week, on July 16. Just 15 New York performances remain of the production.

Jesse Berger (Founding Artistic Director) and the Board of Trustees of Red Bull Theater have announced the Ninth Annual RUNNING OF THE RED BULLS BENEFIT on Monday March 27th, at 6pm, celebrated their 14th Season and honored Oscar Isaac, Olivia Reis, and George Forbes with the 2017 Matador Awards For Excellence in Classical Theater.

Labyrinth Theater Company presents the world premiere of the witty and socially poignant production of Dolphins and Sharks by upcoming playwright James Anthony Tyler. The production, which marks Tyler's professional debut, is scheduled for February 9 - March 19 and is directed by Charlotte Brathwaite.

Jesse Berger (Founding Artistic Director) and the Board of Trustees of Red Bull Theater have announced the Ninth Annual RUNNING OF THE RED BULLS BENEFIT on Monday March 27th, at 6pm, celebrating their 14th Season and honoring Oscar Isaac, Olivia Reis, and George Forbes with the 2017 Matador Awards For Excellence in Classical Theater.

LAByrinth Theater Company presents the world premiere of the witty and socially poignant production of Dolphins and Sharks by upcoming playwright James Anthony Tyler. The production, which marks Tyler's professional debut, is scheduled for tonight, February 9, through March 19 and is directed by Charlotte Brathwaite.

Labyrinth Theater Company presents the world premiere of the witty and socially poignant production of Dolphins and Sharks by upcoming playwright James Anthony Tyler. The production, which marks Tyler's professional debut, is scheduled for February 9 - March 19 and is directed by Charlotte Brathwaite.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) presents a benefit performance of Othello, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Gold (Fun Home), tonight, January 12, 2017, at 6:30 pm.

A few spots remain for Red Bull Theater's Shakespeare Monologue Intensive. The one-day workshop with Amanda Quaid, Michael Sexton, and Stephen Spinella is set for today, December 17 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

The New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) production of Othello, directed by Tony Award winner Sam Gold (Fun Home), officially opens tonight, December 12 at New York Theatre Workshop (79 E. 4th Street New York, NY 10003) for a limited run through Wednesday, January 18, 2017. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the starry cast onstage below!

A few spots remain for Red Bull Theater's Shakespeare Monologue Intensive. The one-day workshop with Amanda Quaid, Michael Sexton, and Stephen Spinella is set for Saturday, December 17 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Red Bull Theater presents their next Revelation Reading tonight, December 5th, at 7:30pm at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street).