Molly Smith News

The Velocity of Autumn is a 90-minute powder keg dark comedy by Eric Coble that stars Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, 'Roseanne') and two-time Tony Award winnerStephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, '24'), is directed by Molly Smith and opened last night, April 21, 2014 at the Booth Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and below you can check out photos from the star-studded red carpet arrivals!

Just last night, April 21, Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, 'Roseanne') and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, '24') celebrated opening night of The Velocity of Autumn- a 90-minute powder keg dark comedy by Eric Coble. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night, and below, you can check out photos from inside the after party!

The Velocity of Autumn is a 90-minute powder keg dark comedy by Eric Coble that stars Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, 'Roseanne') and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, '24'), is directed by Molly Smith and opened last night, April 21, 2014 at the Booth Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and below you can check out photos from the first curtain call!

Sometimes, all you have to do to get a laugh is have the curtain rise on Estelle Parsons in a room full of Molotov cocktails.

Following the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, the 12.14 Foundation was created with the mission of building a landmark Performing Arts Centre in Newtown, Connecticut, in memory of those lost on December 14, 2012. The foundation aims to develop a premier Academy of the Arts with help from local, national, and international collaborations. Through the collective efforts and contributions of local craftsmen and artisans, respected business professionals and corporations, and renowned designers, 12.14 will create a remembrance that expresses respect, passion, resilience and focus on a hope for the future. Now the foundation has teamed with the Broadway production of the Velocity of Autumn to give ticket-buyers an opportunity to contribute to the special cause. By simply entering discount code 'VA1214' when purchasing tickets to the play, $10 from every ticket purchased will be donated to the 12.14 Foundation. CLICK HERE to help the cause today! Producer of The Velocity of Autumn, Van Dean, has also worked extensively with the charity, having organized 'From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook' and the organization's 2013 production- Seussical. Dean took the time to chat with BroadwayWorld about the foundation's great work, future projects in Newtown, and how Broadway audiences can help. Check out the full interview below!

The Velocity of Autumn by Eric Coble stars Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, 'Roseanne') and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, '24'). It is directed by Molly Smith and opens tonight, April 21, 2014 at the Booth Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

The Velocity of Autumn is a 90-minute powder keg dark comedy by Eric Coble that stars Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, 'Roseanne') and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, '24'), is directed by Molly Smith and will open tonight, April 21, 2014. This limited Broadway engagement of The Velocity of Autumn follows a sold-out, critically acclaimed run at Washington DC's Arena Stage (Edgar Dobie, Executive Producer) in the fall of 2013.

Now in previews, The Velocity of Autumn is a 90-minute powder keg dark comedy by Eric Coble that stars Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, 'Roseanne') and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, '24'), is directed by Molly Smith and will open Monday, April 21, 2014. This limited Broadway engagement of The Velocity of Autumn follows a sold-out, critically acclaimed run at Washington DC's Arena Stage (Edgar Dobie, Executive Producer) in the fall of 2013. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a first look at the new play on stage!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater will host the Voices of Now Festival, a four-day event featuring original works of theater written and performed by nine different youth ensembles from the internationally renowned Community Engagement program. The festival will bring together more than 100 artists, ages 11-24, from D.C., Maryland and Virginia who have been working with professional theater artists from Arena Stage for the past year to devise original one-act plays. The 2014 ensembles will come together May 14-17, 2014 to perform and discuss their work in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle at the Mead Center.

The Telly Awards announced the 2014 Award winners yesterday, naming the television spot for the new dark comedy THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN produced by AKA NYC the recipient of the 2014 Telly Award for Excellent Use of Humor (Local TV and Local Cable). "The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video," said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. "AKA NYC's accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production."

A limited number of Opening Night tickets are now on sale for THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN starring Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, "Roseanne") and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, "24") at Broadway's Booth Theatre. The new 90-minute powder keg dark comedy by Eric Coble and directed by Molly Smith began performances on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 and officially opens on Monday, April 21, 2014 for a limited engagement, following a sold-out, critically acclaimed run at Washington DC's Arena Stage (Edgar Dobie, Executive Producer) in the fall of 2013.

Chautauqua Theater Company (CTC), under the leadership of Vivienne Benesch Artistic Director and Sarah Clare Corporandy Managing Director, has announced programming for its 2014 season featuring Lorraine Hansberry's classic A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Ethan McSweeny (June 28-July 6), The May Queen, a world premiere by Molly Smith Metzler (July 18-27), directed by Vivienne Benesch, and Shakespeare's The Tempest (August 8-15), starring Lisa Harrow, directed by Jade King Carroll on the Bratton Theater Mainstage.

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week or you're just in the mood for a recap, BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end-of-the-week fix! Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to The West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more. Highlights this week include a peek inside the closing night party for Encores! THE MOST HAPPY FELLA!, a look at the IF/THEN and ALADDIN casts in the recording studio, and a first look at A.R.T.'s THE TEMPEST!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announced today it is seeking proposals from playwrights, ensembles and theater companies interested in participating in the 2014/15 Kogod Cradle Series as part of the American Voices New Play Institute. The Kogod Cradle Series supports the exploration and development of new and emerging work in the theater's intimate 200-seat Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle. The application is available at http://arenastage.org/artistic-development/work-with-us/. Proposals are due May 16, 2014 for consideration in the 2014-15 season.

Now in previews, THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN is a 90-minute powder keg dark comedy by Eric Coble that stars Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, "Roseanne") and two-time Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella (Angels in America, Lincoln, "24"), is directed by Molly Smith and will open Monday, April 21, 2014. After every preview performance of the new critically acclaimed American play THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN audience members will be invited to stay for a complimentary post-show "Inside Velocity" talkback, featuring different members of the cast and creative team. This limited Broadway engagement of THE VELOCITY OF AUTUMN follows a sold-out, critically acclaimed run at Washington DC's Arena Stage (Edgar Dobie, Executive Producer) in the fall of 2013. Check out a first look at Parsons and Spinella in action below!

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater presents the world-premiere historical drama Camp David, penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright and directed by Artistic Director Molly Smith. Based on true events surrounding the 1978 Camp David Accords, the play follows the 13-day meeting between President Jimmy Carter, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat as they attempted to create the impossible: peace in the Middle East. Camp David runs now through May 4, 2014 in the Kreeger Theater. Below, BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities, featuring the real President Jimmy Carter and more!

BAY STREET THEATRE NEW WORKS FESTIVAL will take place on April 25-27 at the Bay Street Theatre on the Long Wharf in Sag Harbor, NY. The Festival is produced in Association with SPACE on Ryder Farm. The media sponsor for the festival is Dan's Papers Literary Prize Contest.

Admittedly, I am a sucker for new plays, but when they're as ambitious as this one, I get even more excited. This one is one to be excited about.

Actor Sharif Atkins ('White Collar,' 'Hawaii,' 'ER') will star as Clay in the co-production of 'Dutchman' by LeRoi Jones (Amiri Baraka) by Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre (NBT) and The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH). The two theater companies are mounting the production 50 years after the March 1964 world premiere of the play at the Cherry Lane Theatre and in tribute to the late theater great Baraka, who died on January 9. Ambien Mitchell stars opposite Atkins as Lula and Lorenzo Scott joins the cast as the Conductor. Previews of the Carl Cofield-directed show begin on April 30 and run through May 2, and performances run from May 3 through May 23 at National Black Theatre in Harlem.

Cherry Lane Theatre's award-winning MENTOR PROJECT for emerging playwrights concludes its 16th season with Lina Patel's new play RAGGED CLAWS, running at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St. in Greenwich Village) from today, April 2 to 12. Jedadiah Schultz directs RAGGED CLAWS, and the Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang serves as Ms. Patel's Mentor Playwright.