Mike Lew News

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 27 writers of nine new musicals for Rhinebeck Writers Retreat's summer weeklong residencies. This year's artists include Obie-winner Heather Christian, Kleban-winner Brian Crawley, TV and film writers Bekah Brunstetter (THIS IS US) and Cinco Paul (DESPICABLE ME), inaugural Stephen Schwartz Award winner Oliver Houser, and ASCAP Foundation scholarship winner Khiyon Hursey. The musicals cover a wide range of subjects. Four have LGBTQ themes: a historical look at Florida in the 1950s (IN A SUNSHINE STATE), a Palestinian/Israeli love story (BORDERS), a modern coming of age of a young black man (SEAN'S STORY PART I | THE AWAKENING), and a fantasy queer rock musical celebrating lady love (TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX). Two are darkly comedic historical musicals: one featuring Mary Magdelene (A.D. 16) and the second a WWII plot to foil Hitler (OPERATION MINCEMEAT). Other subjects include the opioid crisis (ALMOST HEAVEN), the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 (THE GOLDEN SPIKE), and a mystery involving a woman with a sleep disorder (NARCOLEPSY).

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company announces its 2019-2020 season, which features an energizing array of plays by new voices and Woolly veterans.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2019 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this morning by the current stars of Waitress, Shoshana Bean and Jeremy Jordan, at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online here at BroadwayWorld.

The first production will be a revival of David Greig's visionary early play Europe, directed by Michael Longhurst in his first production as Artistic Director of the Donmar. Written 25 years ago, it is prophetic in its vision of Europe today - as a continent, a refuge, an idea. Cast includes Billy Howle (MotherFatherSon, On Chesil Beach), Kevork Malikyan (Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Cut), Faye Marsay (Game of Thrones, The Darkest Hour), Stephen Wight (The Paradise, Bluestone 42), and Shane Zaza (Happy Valley, Press).

Atlanta's nationally acclaimed Alliance Theatre and Jennings Hertz Artistic Director Susan V. Booth are pleased to announce the productions of the Theater's 51st season.  Since opening in 1968 the Alliance has been dedicated to expanding hearts and minds on stage and off with diverse programming for all ages.  The 2019/20 season marks the Alliance's first full season back in its transformed performance space, the newly opened Coca-Cola Stage.

The world premiere of HATEF**K, the 2017 Kilroys List play by Rehana Lew Mirza, opened last night, Wednesday, March 13, at WP Theater (2162 Broadway) in partnership with Colt Coeur. Check out photos from the evening below!

The winners of the 2019 Richard Rodgers Awards for Musical Theater were announced today by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

The Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition continues to spotlight the best emerging playwrights with a full production for the competition winner and staged readings for four competition finalists.  The 15th competition winner, GOODNIGHT, TYLER is the story of Tyler Evans, a young Black man who wants to be remembered for who he was rather than how he died. GOODNIGHT, TYLER is written by B.J. Tindal who completed his MFA in writing for screen and stage at Northwestern University in 2018.  Directed by Kent Gash, GOODNIGHT, TYLER will have its world premiere on the Hertz Stage Feb. 16 - March 10, 2019.  Opening night is Thursday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m.   

The Public Theater announced the sixth season of PUBLIC STUDIO today, which will present two new works this spring. Continuing The Public's commitment to nurturing new playwrights, the two productions will run in succession in The Public's Shiva Theater and be presented as pared-down productions with the low ticket price of $15. This vital program continues The Public's mission of making new work by emerging artists accessible to all audiences.

WP Theater, in partnership with Colt Coeur, announces that Kavi Ladnier ( Just Add Magic, Heroes ) and Sendhil Ramamurthy ( Heroes, Covert Affairs ) will star in the World Premiere of the 2017 Kilroys List play Hatef**k by Rehana Lew Mirza. WP Lab Alum and 2018 Lucille Lortel Visionary Director Award winner Adrienne Campbell-Holt (WP's What We're Up Against) returns to WP Theater to direct this bracingly insightful new play, which begins Off-Broadway previews on Sunday, March 3, 2019. The four-week limited engagement through Sunday, March 31 will celebrate its official opening night on Wednesday March 13 at WP Theater (2162 Broadway).

The Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition continues to spotlight the best emerging playwrights with a full production for the competition winner and staged readings for four competition finalists.  The 15th competition winner, GOODNIGHT, TYLER is the story of Tyler Evans, a young Black man who wants to be remembered for who he was rather than how he died. GOODNIGHT, TYLER is written by B.J. Tindal who completed his MFA in writing for screen and stage at Northwestern University in 2018.  Directed by Kent Gash, GOODNIGHT, TYLER will have its world premiere on the Hertz Stage Feb. 16 - March 10, 2019.  Opening night is Thursday, February 21, at 7:30 p.m.   

TEENAGE DICK is a high school adaptation of Shakespeare's Richard III, a play about lust for power and revenge written during a time when a physical disability was thought to indicate a moral failing. There's a lot to unpack here, so to get straight to the point: Don't let the fact that it's set in high school scare you. Artists Rep's production of this play, which was a 2018 NYC Critic's Pick, is very much worth a watch.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced applications are open for this summer. Nine musical theatre writing teams will be awarded nine consecutive weeklong residencies in the Hudson Valley between June 30 and September 1. Each team gets a private retreat to focus solely on writing their new musical. All writers are eligible and their musical can be at any stage of development. All costs are covered including travel up to $750, and each writer gets a $500 stipend. Writers with children are welcomed to apply. There is no fee for applications received by February 6 and there is a fee of $20 for the final deadline of February 16.  More information and the online application can be found at https://www.rhinebeckwriters.org/2019-residencies.

The Lark and Venturous Theater Fund of the Tides Foundation are thrilled to announce that the plays and playwrights selected for the second round of The Lark's Venturous Playwright Fellowship program are: Trigger by Sam Chanse; Passing by Dipika Guha; and Incendiary by Dave Harris. The fellowship supports the advancement of ambitious, risk-taking, and innovative plays by providing concurrent residencies for their authors, and advocating for their production by partner theaters. Fellows each receive an award of $50,000 over two years, as well as a Production Subsidy Grant of up to $50,000 to support a production of the play at a theater of the playwright's choosing. Throughout their two-year fellowships, the playwrights will be in residence at The Lark where they will have access to an individually-tailored lineup of new play development and advocacy resources, including readings, workshops, writers' groups, retreats, career guidance, and community engagement activities, designed to nurture their writing and advance their work into the repertoire.

On October 25th, Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) and Ma-Yi Theater Company presented an excerpt from Lloyd Suh's new play The Chinese Lady, which begins performances on Theatre Row on November 7 and will play a limited run through November 18, 2018. The two-hander stars Shannon Tyo (Bright Half Life) as 'Afong Moy' and Daniel K. Isaac ('Billions') as 'Atung'. Click here for more information and tickets.

Ma-Yi Theater Company - which had a breakout season with the award-winning success of the musical KPOP, and with Mike Lew's newest play TEENAGE DICK (at The Public Theater) - will debut two new American plays by Asian-American playwrights this fall;SESAR by Orlando Pabotoy and THE CHINESE LADY, by Lloyd Suh, will perform in rep October 20 - November 18 at Theatre Row (410 W. 42nd Street).

Ma-Yi Theater Company is presenting the World Premiere of SESAR, written by and performed by Orlando Pabotoy who previously acted with Ma-Yi, in his playwrighting debut, October 20 - November 1, 2018. Helmed by Richard Feldman, SESAR is now in previews for a Wednesday, October 24 opening night on Theatre Row at The Beckett (410 W 42nd St). Tickets can be purchased by calling 212-239-6200; or online.

NAMT has announced final casting for this year's Festival, along with programming details for the Songwriters Showcase and Midday Cabarets. The Festival of New Musicals will take place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26, 2018 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

National Alliance for Musical Theatre (Betsy King Militello, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce final casting for the 30th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS along with The Songwriters Showcase and Midday Cabarets. The FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS takes place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26, 2018 at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Festival events kick off on Monday, October 22 with Thank You, 30! a gala event to celebrate the 30th Annual Festival.

The Lark, a theater company devoted to the support of visionary playwrights and the development of new plays, is thrilled to announce five New York City-based playwrights have been named as the 2018-19 Rita Goldberg Playwrights' Workshop Fellows. The group spans a wide range of backgrounds and professional experiences and will meet regularly throughout the year to develop new plays.