Michael Weller News

MCC Theater is thrilled to announce four new productions for its 32nd Season in the Theater's new, permanent home. The season includes an exciting mix of world and New York premieres from artists both familiar and new to MCC audiences-each fulfilling MCC's longtime commitment to bold, risk-taking works from the most vital voices working in theater today.

Director and playwright Stan Zimmerman has found his quartet of actors for his new comedy Knife to the Heart, co-written with Christian McLaughlin. The show will play a limited run of 3 WEEKS ONLY for 9 performances (May 4-20) at the Dorie Theatre, part of The Complex on LA's famed Theatre Row (6476 Santa Monica Blvd, LA CA 90038). Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm. The cast includes Chelsea Kane ('Baby Daddy'), Todd Sherry ('Parks & Recreation'), Josh Zuckerman (A Delicate Ship) and four-time Emmy-nominee Patricia Richardson ('Home Improvement'). Tickets are $35 for Reserved Seating /$25 General Admission/$30 at the door, if available, and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com. A special preview performance is Friday May 4 with an Opening Night of Saturday May 5.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey and William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the additional performers to the all-star lineup set for their annual Miscast gala include: Tony Award® nominee Jeremy Jordan ('Supergirl,' Newsies); Caissie Levy (Frozen); Tony Award® winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza, Cinderella); and SpongeBob SquarePants' Ethan Slater, Wesley Taylor (The Addams Family, Rock of Ages) and Tony Award® nominee Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins).

Abingdon Theatre Company (Tony Speciale, Artistic Director; Denise Dickens, Producing Director) continues its 2017-2018 Ghostlight Reading Series this month with a provocative new work inspired by the legacy of legendary comic Lenny Bruce: Buyer Beware, a new play by Michael Weller, will receive a reading presentation Monday March 26 at 7PM at The DR2 Theatre, 101 E. 15th Street. The event is free but reservations are required. Visit abingdontheatre.org for reservations and further information including casting updates.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) will begin previews on Tuesday, March 27 for the world premiere of MLIMA'S TALE, written by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and directed by Obie Award winner Jo Bonney.

Ed Herendeen, Founder and Producing Director of the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University, will showcase the Festival's 2018 season at the Shepherdstown Sneak Peek. The Festival, which takes place throughout the month of July, will produce six new plays, including five world premieres. During the Sneak Peek, Herendeen will welcome and moderate a discussion between the creative team of A Late Morning (in America) with Ronald Reagan, playwright Michael Weller and director Sam Weisman.

The School of Drama at The New School's College of Performing Arts is thrilled to announce a partnership with the Cherry Lane Mentor Project for their 2018 Graduating Class. Cherry Lane will present public industry readings for the School of Drama's graduating MFA Playwrights: Karina Billini, Blake Bishton, Nikhil Mahapatra, and Erica Mann.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) announced the New York Premiere production of Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties, written by Jen Silverman, and directed by MCC alum Mike Donahue (The Legend of Georgia McBride).

Two-time Tony Award Winner Norbert Leo Butz is about to take the stage again this year in the Broadway Revival of My Fair Lady as Alfred P. Doolittle -- a part that won George Rose the Tony back in 1976. Butz is one of only nine actors who have won the Best Actor Tony twice (alongside stars like Nathan Lane). As he prepares to take stage yet again, let's reflect on his career: all twenty two years of it!

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced the complete cast for the fourth show of its 2017-18 season: the World Premiere production of Transfers, written by MCC Theater's Youth Company Playwriting Lab Director and Obie Award winner Lucy Thurber, and directed by Jackson Gay.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) announced today that tickets are now on sale for the World Premiere production of Transfers, written by MCC Theater's Youth Company Playwriting Lab Director and Obie Award winner Lucy Thurber, and directed by Jackson Gay.

This is what you've been waiting for: the announcement of the Contemporary American Theater Festival's 2018 Season July 6 - 29!  -Mark your calendars! REP Packages are available starting March 26th and Single Tickets are available April 16th. 

Dedicated to producing and developing new, American theater, the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University proudly announces its 2018 Season: The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter and world premieres of: Berta, Berta by Angelica Cheri; Memoirs of a Forgotten Man by D. W. Gregory; Thirst by C. A. Johnson; A Late Morning (in America) with Ronald Reagan by Michael Weller; and The House on the Hill by Amy E. Witting.

MCC Theater just released the following statement concerning its playwright-in-residence, Neil LaBute:

The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) tonight announced the winners of the 2018 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio/audio, promotional, and graphic animation categories at concurrent ceremonies at the Edison Ballroom in New York City and The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced complete casting today for the world premiere of MLIMA'S TALE, written by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage. Directed by Obie Award winner Jo Bonney, MLIMA'S TALE continues The Public's Astor Anniversary Season at their landmark downtown home on Lafayette Street, celebrating 50 years of new work and the 50th Anniversary of HAIR. MLIMA'S TALE begins performances on Tuesday, March 27 and runs through Sunday, May 20 in The Public's Martinson Hall, with an official press opening on Sunday, April 15.

Ego Actus and LungTree Productions present Time Stands Still by Donald Margulies. The Tony Award-nominated play is directed by Ego Actus co-founder, Joan Kane who was named Person of the Year by nytheatre.com in 2011, and was the recipient of the Best Director Award at the Untied Solo Festival in 2016.

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: last night The Phantom of the Opera celebrated its 30th anniversary on Broadway and you can relive their iconic night through the show's Twitter account!

The Attic Theater Company and Ted Caine will present the world premiere production of JERICHO, by Academy Award nominee (Ragtime) and Drama Desk award-winning playwright Michael Weller (Moonchildren), directed by artistic director Laura Braza (Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?).

MCC THEATER has announced an all-star lineup of performers for their annual Miscast gala. Performers will include: Grammy and Tony Award nominee Sara Bareilles; Tony Award winners Jayne Houdyshell and James Monroe Iglehart; Tony Award nominees Ra l Esparza, Robert Fairchild, and Keala Settle; plus Hamilton star and reigning Dancing With the Stars champion Jordan Fisher, The Band's Visit star Katrina Lenk, Once on This Island star Alex Newell, and the voice of Moana, Auli'I Cravalho. Additional names will be announced shortly.