Motley News

Andrew Bovell's Helpmann Award winning adaptation of Kate Grenville's multiple award winning book, THE SECRET RIVER returns to the Sydney Theatre Company stage. The fictional work, based on history, challenges the audience to examine how they understand, misunderstand, react, interact and judge the things that are foreign and new to them.

Run away with the circus this summer and weave your way through an array of hidden gardens and spectacular lawns at The Savill Garden in this immersive production of Shakespeare's much loved 'As You Like it' from 22 June to 24 July 2016.

Modern Day Renaissance Man Nick Hawk kicks off 2016 like he ended the previous year in full multi-media whirlwind mode.

AXS TV presents season three of the popular reality series EX-WIVES OF ROCK, premiering on Wednesday, February 17, with back-to-back episodes at 9:00pE and 9:30pE.

St. Ann's Warehouse will continue the inaugural season in its new waterfront theater with the American Premiere of Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy and writer-director Enda Walsh's thrilling new opera The Last Hotel, in a Landmark Productions / Wide Open Opera production. Singers Claudia Boyle, Robin Adams and Katherine Manley, actor Mikel Murfi, and an ensemble of New York's finest contemporary players, conducted alternately by André de Ridder and Alan Pierson, will deliver this “searingly powerful new chamber work” (The Guardian). Presented by St. Ann's Warehouse and co-presented withPROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now andIrish Arts Center, The Last Hotel comes to New York after tremendously acclaimed engagements at the Edinburgh International Festival, the Dublin Theatre Festival and the Royal Opera House in London.

Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) and HERE present the fourth annual PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now festival, running today, January 6, through January 17, 2016, in New York City.

Now that 2015 is squarely in the rearview mirror, and everyone is back to work after the holidays, it is time to take a look at some of the best films of the past year. As was the case with my Top 15 TV Shows of 2015 list, this is not intended to be a comprehensive list. I am one man, and I have not yet seen every major movie released last year. However, as I continue to work through screeners and upcoming screenings (I live in Orlando, so not all of the awards-bait has been released here yet), I will count down the top 2015 releases that I saw during the calendar year. Notable omissions are BRIDGE OF SPIES, THE REVENANT, THE DANISH GIRL, and CONCUSSION, all of which I hope to see by the end of the week.

To honor and spotlight the distinguished achievements in the American circus arts, Circus Now together with the Big Apple Circus, in association with Executive Producer and Director Jonathan S. Cerullo, JSC Theatricals, is proud to present the 2nd Annual Celebration of American Circus at the Big Top at Lincoln Center on January 5, 2016 at 8pm. Part ceremony, part performance, the Celebration of American Circus will honor four artists and/or organizations that have been prominent in the circus arts landscape in America, while spotlighting the thriving state of the circus arts across the nation, and will feature Emcee Thom Wall, with performances from a variety of breath-taking acts.  Tickets start at $25 and are available online at www.circusnow.org/CELEBRATE2016.

While the setting, style, and time period of Quentin Tarantino movies have changed throughout the years, there are three things that have remained consistent; ensembles of gleefully flawed characters; depraved, but often gorgeously bloody violence; and lots and lots of profanity. While the theatre is no stranger to violence or profanity, it is his legendary ability to create compelling, but bizarre characters that has led me to say in print and on podcasts that if the 52-year-old writer and director had been born a few decades earlier, Tarantino could have been one of America's greatest playwrights, alongside Williams, O'Neill, Miller, Stoppard, and Mamet.

This Troubie Christmas Show Santa Claus Is Comin' to Motown was first presented at the Falcon in 2004, so seeing it again was like seeing it for the very first time. Who could remember details from 11 years ago? And also, the Troubies are known for adding new jokes and gags consistently. New jokes about Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton in an election year would not have been in the first rendering of this show. I have always attested to the genius of Matt Walker, Beth Kennedy, Lisa Valenzuela and Rick Batalla, whose improv skills surpass any one else's. If I haven't said it outright before, I'm stating it now, they are THE BEST anywhere. And that goes for the entire gang.

Landmark Productions / Wide Open Opera Show Comes to the New St. Ann's Warehouse Steinberg Theater January 8-17, 2016 for Seven Performances Only, Following Highly Acclaimed Engagements at Edinburgh International Festival, Dublin Theatre Festival and London's Royal Opera House

AXS TV expands its music programming lineup with the all-new original series ROCK & ROLL ROAD TRIP WITH SAMMY HAGAR PRESENTED BY MERCURY INSURANCE, premiering Sunday, January 24, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The six-episode series features all-star guest appearances and unforgettable performances, as the Red Rocker drives across the country to jam with some of music's biggest names. ROCK & ROLL ROAD TRIP WITH SAMMY HAGAR is part of AXS TV's fully-loaded Sunday night music block, which also includes the fan-favorite concert series LIVE FROM RED ROCKS at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, and the all-new music competition series BREAKING BAND at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT.

There are some St. Louis connections in this current production of PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. There's local author Ridley Pearson who, along with Dave Barry, crafted a terribly interesting and arresting 'prequel' to the story of Peter Pan with their entertaining novel Peter and the Starcatcher. The stage version of this tale, written by Rick Elice, is an equally imaginative and inspired effort that utilizes a relatively small cast, with just about everyone playing multiple roles, that takes off at a frenetic pace that captures the same qualities that distinguished the original work. I'd seen a touring version over a year ago, but this production by The St. Louis Repertory Theatre is absolutely amazing. It just seems fresher, more touching, and more joyful. I highly recommend this show, as it appeals to families with humor and heart that anyone old or young can enjoy!

St. Ann's Warehouse will continue the inaugural season in its new waterfront theater with the American Premiere of Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy and writer-director Enda Walsh's thrilling new opera The Last Hotel, in a Landmark Productions / Wide Open Opera production. Singers Claudia Boyle, Robin Adams and Katherine Manley, actor Mikel Murfi, and an ensemble of New York's finest contemporary players, conducted alternately by André de Ridder and Alan Pierson, will deliver this “searingly powerful new chamber work” (The Guardian). Presented by St. Ann's Warehouse and co-presented withPROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now andIrish Arts Center, The Last Hotel comes to New York after tremendously acclaimed engagements at the Edinburgh International Festival, the Dublin Theatre Festival and the Royal Opera House in London.

There's no finer Christmas entertainment than an original story about home and family that has lots of humor, music and more than enough touches of magic...and of course, several kids and, to top it all off, Santa and Mrs. Claus. That's pretty much it in a nutshell with Home For Christmas, 2015's holiday show currently onstage at Candlelight Pavilion in Claremont through December 27. It's a whole lot of imaginative fun that you cannot afford to miss.

La Soiree is thrilled to announce that cabaret darling Camille O'Sullivan will be returning to the little, red round stage this Christmas to perform in the show which catapulted her on her meteoric rise to stardom.

Offering a first look at the year ahead in independent film, culture and new ideas, Sundance Institute announced today the 65 films selected for the U.S. Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition NEXT category set to premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. Films that have premiered in these sections include Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station,Whiplash, Blackfish, The September Issue, The Cove, An Education, Animal Kingdom, Precious, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Obvious Child, Tangerine and Escape from Tomorrow.

WE tv announced today that it will offer its next scripted series, 'South of Hell,' as a true programming event - rolling out all seven episodes of the supernatural thriller in order in a Black Today Binge, beginning at 6 pm ET/PT today, November 27.

International Sales Company LevelK today announced that 'Motley's Law' will premiere in the United States in February 2016 on Al Jazeera America (AJAM).

Joe's Pub at The Public has announced its upcoming nightly performances from November 25-December 6, 2015. Scroll down or visit www.joespub.com for a complete list of shows!