Michael Wilson News

That cultish assemblage that likes to recite my reviews from memory on open mic nights at the Nuyorican Poets Café (it's weird being an icon for the culturally disenfranchised) may notice many similarities between my following scribblings on Lincoln Center Theater's Broadway production of Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate and my review of this mounting's original Off-Broadway run last season at Primary Stages. But if director Michael Wilson can do a cut and paste job, with minor adjustments here and there, there's no reason I can't do the same.

THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE, a world premiere production of nine plays by Horton Foote that have been newly adapted by the Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning playwright into a three-part theatrical event, will be co-produced in the 2009-2010 season by Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) and Hartford Stage (Michael Wilson, Artistic Director; Michael Stotts, Managing Director). The productions will be directed by Michael Wilson and performed at Hartford Stage from August 27, 2009 to October 17, 2009 and at Signature Theatre Company, from October 29, 2009 to April 11, 2010. Each part of the three part cycle will be staged individually as well as in repertory and one-day marathons. Audiences may choose to see the individual parts or the entire trilogy. THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE encompasses nine newly adapted plays by Mr. Foote, together for the first time. Mr. Foote, 92, is actively adapting each of the full-length plays, some previously produced and others never before seen, into one epic cycle.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the east coast premiere of LYDIA by OCTAVIO SOLIS, directed by JULIETTE CARRILLO at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) beginning February 6 through February 28. Opening Night is Thursday, February 12. LYDIA features music composed by Chris Webb; sets by Andrew Boyce; costumes by Amanda Seymour; lighting by Jesse Belsky; sound design, additional music, and arrangements by David Molina; voice and dialect by Beth McGuire; fight direction by Rick Sordelet; dramaturgy by Matt Cornish; and stage management by Donald E. Claxon. The cast of LYDIA includes Carlo Alb?n, Christian Barillas, Stephanie Beatriz, Armando Dur?n, Catalina Maynard, Onahoua Rodriguez, and Tony Sancho.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) continues the second half of their 24th season with its special Pay What You Can ticket offer (a policy instituted earlier this season and offered by Primary Stages only) that will be available for the first two preview performances of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) by Donald Margulies, a story-telling adventure suitable for all ages from the author of Sight Unseen, Collected Stories and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner with Friends, in its New York Premiere. Mr. Margulies returns to Primary Stages where his play The Model Apartment won an Obie Award for Playwriting.

Academy and Pulitzer Prize Winner Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay for 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' will join Hartford Stage artistic director Michael Wilson for a discussion of Harper Lee's novel and its journey to the big screen, as well as his own work in theatre, television and film. Admission is free and open to the public. This event will take place on January 12, 2009.

Theater veterans Mark Lamos and Michael Ross have been named artistic director and managing director, respectively, of Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut, as the historic theater enters its 79th season. The new leadership team will assume their positions on February 1, 2009.

Hartford Stage, under the leadership of Michael Wilson, artistic director, and Michael Stotts, managing director, announced today that the Broadway hit comedy Dividing the Estate, by Horton Foote, directed by Wilson, will transfer to Hartford Stage in May 2009 to close the Tony Award-winning theatre's 45th season. The gospel musical drama Gee's Bend, which was to have been the sixth and final MainStage offering this year, has been postponed until next season.

Theatre Talk presents a conversation about Dividing The Estate, the insightful comedy about greed and the American family, with its 92 year-old playwright Horton Foote and two of its stars, Elizabeth Ashley and Hallie Foote.

Academy and Pulitzer Prize Winner Horton Foote, who wrote the screenplay for 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' will join Hartford Stage artistic director Michael Wilson for a discussion of Harper Lee's novel and its journey to the big screen, as well as his own work in theatre, television and film. Admission is free and open to the public. This event will take place on January 12, 2009.

Theatre Talk presents a conversation about Dividing The Estate, the insightful comedy about greed and the American family, with its 92 year-old playwright Horton Foote and two of its stars, Elizabeth Ashley and Hallie Foote.

Performance Space 122 will present CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT, written by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, on November 22nd through December 7th, 2008.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer), by arrangement with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder and Executive Producer, Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director, Elliot Fox, Managing Director),presents Horton Foote's critically acclaimed new play, DIVIDING THE ESTATE, directed by Michael Wilson at The Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street). The production began preview performances on Thursday, October 23th. It celebrated its official Openign Nigh on Thursday, November 20th, BroadwayWorld.com's cameras joined the celebration at the after party for the show.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer), by arrangement with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder and Executive Producer, Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director, Elliot Fox, Managing Director),presents Horton Foote's critically acclaimed new play, DIVIDING THE ESTATE, directed by Michael Wilson at The Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street). The production began preview performances on Thursday, October 23th. It celebrated its official Openign Nigh on Thursday, November 20th, BroadwayWorld.com sent our cameras in to bring you all the festive opening night action!

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer), by arrangement with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder and Executive Producer, Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director, Elliot Fox, Managing Director),presents Horton Foote's critically acclaimed new play, DIVIDING THE ESTATE, directed by Michael Wilson at The Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street). The production began preview performances Thursday, October 23 opens tonight, Thursday, November 20 for a limited engagement.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) will present the official opening of SATURN RETURNS, a new play by Noah Haidle, directed by Nicholas Martin on Monday, November 10th 2008. Performances began Thursday, October 16. The cast of four features Rosie Benton, Robert Eli, John McMartin and James Rebhorn.

New York Stage and Film (SAF) looks ahead to their upcoming 25th anniversary with their annual winter gala on November 10th at 6:30pm at Capitale (130 Bowery between Broom and Grand Streets). Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick and Douglas Harmon will be honored for their ongoing commitment to live performance and support of SAF.

A Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and a famed stage and screen star will both participate in Hartford Stage's, 2008 Brand:NEW Fall Festival of New Work.

Performance Space 122 will present CAPE DISAPPOINTMENT, written by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, on November 22nd through December 7th, 2008.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer), by arrangement with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder and Executive Producer, Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director, Elliot Fox, Managing Director), will present Horton Foote's critically acclaimed new play, DIVIDING THE ESTATE, directed by Michael Wilson this fall on Broadway at The Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street). The production is scheduled to begin performances Thursday, October 23 and open on Thursday, November 20 for a limited engagement.

LCT3, Lincoln Center Theater's new initiative devoted to producing work of emerging playwrights, directors and designers, will produce STUNNING, a new play by David Adjmi, directed by Anne Kaufmann, as the second offering of its inaugural season. STUNNING will be presented June 1 - 27, 2009 at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street project, (229 W. 42 Street).