'Another beautiful exercise - though rather violent and exciting - is to pretend you're nymphs in a forest, being pursued by satyrs! Open your windows wide - scatter your chairs and tables - and race around the furniture in a frenzy! It's like a wonderful game, and stimulates the imagination at the same time!" This is just one of several exercises suggested by an enthusiastic instructor to her motley students in this deliciously funny scene that was created and first performed by the incredible Ruth Draper.
This summer, theatre fans in Southern California have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Pulitzer Prize-winner August Wilson with productions at two of the region's acclaimed theatres - Rubicon Theatre Company and Pasadena Playhouse. Rubicon Theatre presents the company's first Wilson with Gem of the Ocean, opening this Thursday, May 24 and continuing through June 10. South Coast Repertory's production of Jitney arrives at Pasadena Playhouse June 21, continuing through July 15, meaning that theatre patrons in Southern California can see two August Wilson plays within two months.
The Ruckus Theater today announced its upcoming world premiere of Common Hatred. Devised and developed by a company of actors and writers during a six-month creation process in 2012, the script of Common Hatred is written by Calamity West and directed by Ruckus Ensemble Member Karie Miller.
The six-time Tony-winning 1996 Revival of CHICAGO is still earning cheers and packing in audiences both on Broadway (now in its 16th year!) and its still-running national tour--the latter of which has shimmied its way back to L.A. for a return engagement at the Pantages Theatre through May 27. This time, supermodel Christie Brinkley is on board as Roxie Hart. Though it's quite hard not to ignore our lead star's weaker chops, you will no doubt be floored by the incredible, top-notch talent that hovers all around her.
August Wilson's Jitney, a play about a ragtag group of drivers of gypsy cabs-known as jitneys-closes out SCR's 2011-2012 season, with an all-star cast led by Charlie Robinson, who last wowed SCR audiences in another Wilson hit, Fences. Ron OJ Parson, who has previously directed Jitney at St. Louis Black Rep, directs the show, which runs on the Segerstrom Stage now through June 10. See photos of Charlie Robinson and the cast of JITNEY on stage below!
South Coast Repertory's 49th season will offer audiences an exciting blend of current hits and world premieres. The season begins with Alan Ayckbourn's hilarious farce, Absurd Person Singular, and will include new plays by some of the hottest writers on the theatre scene, including the world premiere of Noah Haidle's Smokefall and a second world premiere to be announced; Sarah Ruhl's comic tale of loss, Eurydice; the Southland debuts of Bill Cain's touching How to Write a New Book for the Bible, Amanda Dehnert's trailblazing musical take on Shakespeare, The Verona Project, and David Henry Hwang's hit comedy Chinglish; and the West Coast premieres of Samuel D. Hunter's poignantly funny The Whale and Stephen Adly Guirgis' Broadway hit The Motherf**ker with the Hat.
Robert Falls' major revival of THE ICEMAN COMETH, O'Neill's towering portrait of hope and disillusionment, just opened on May 3 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production is led by Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Nathan Lane as Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman, the quintessential purveyor and slayer of pipe dreams. The 18-member cast is one of the largest ensembles to take the Goodman stage in recent years. Tony Award-winner Brian Dennehy portrays one-time syndicalist-anarchist Larry Slade, joined by mix of local and out-of-town actors as the motley assortment of former soldiers of fortune, entrepreneurs, political dissidents and social outcasts in Harry Hope's saloon.
BroadwayWorld brings you performance highlights below!
After more than 5,000 auditions in a coast-to-coast search, ANNIE has announced casting for the orphans for the new production of the classic Tony Award-winning Broadway musical. ANNIE will open on Broadway in Fall 2012 at a Nederlander theatre to be announced. The production will be directed by three-time Tony Award winner James Lapine and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler.
Rock hit-makers Sixx:A.M. (vocalist and famed rock producer James Michael, Motley Crue bassist and radio personality Nikki Sixx and Guns n' Roses guitarist Dj Ashba) announced today an initiative to support City of Hope, a leading research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Joining other celebrities such as Ryan Seacrest, Vince Gill and Sugarland in their support of City of Hope, Sixx:A.M. have offered their new music video for "Are You With Me Now" exclusively to the charity. Beginning today, fans who make a donation to City of Hope via www.cityofhope.org/radio will receive a code to unlock the never-been-seen-before video.
August Wilson's Jitney, a play about a ragtag group of drivers of gypsy cabs-known as jitneys-closes out SCR's 2011-2012 season, with an all-star cast led by Charlie Robinson, who last wowed SCR audiences in another Wilson hit, Fences. Ron OJ Parson, who has previously directed Jitney at St. Louis Black Rep, directs the show, which runs on the Segerstrom Stage from tonight, May 11 - June 10.
Opening night for Robert Falls' major revival of THE ICEMAN COMETH, O'Neill's towering portrait of hope and disillusionment, is tonight May 3 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production is led by Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Nathan Lane as Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman, the quintessential purveyor and slayer of pipe dreams. The 18-member cast is one of the largest ensembles to take the Goodman stage in recent years. Tony Award-winner Brian Dennehy portrays one-time syndicalist-anarchist Larry Slade, joined by mix of local and out-of-town actors as the motley assortment of former soldiers of fortune, entrepreneurs, political dissidents and social outcasts in Harry Hope's saloon. See photos of Lane, Brian Dennehy and more in THE ICEMAN COMETH below!
Opening night for Robert Falls' major revival of THE ICEMAN COMETH, O'Neill's towering portrait of hope and disillusionment, is coming up May 3 at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. The production, currently in previews, is led by Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Nathan Lane as Theodore 'Hickey' Hickman, the quintessential purveyor and slayer of pipe dreams. The 18-member cast is one of the largest ensembles to take the Goodman stage in recent years. See photos of Lane, Brian Dennehy and more in THE ICEMAN COMETH below!
The Finborough Theatre presents the first UK production in nearly 40 years of Trevor Griffiths' All Good Men, last seen at the Young Vic in a production by the National Theatre in 1975, and opening at the Finborough Theatre for a limited run of eight Sunday and Monday evening performances tonight, 29 April 2012.
Part 12 ANGRY MEN homage, part surrealistic NBC retrospective fever dream and 100% 30 ROCK absurd brilliance at its best, night's live episode of the gold standard NBC comedy series 30 ROCK was precisely that - pure gold. Not only did Tina Fey and the impossibly creative team of writers give the motley assortment of players that comprise the cast a chance to seriously show off their live sketch show skills and theatrical training, but provided Broadway and Hollywood crossover star Alec Baldwin with some of his strongest material to date - with the charismatic erstwhile comedian absolutely killing in his moments portraying a host of wacky and weird characters besides the usual stone-faced Jack Donaghy, a role which has brought him a copious amount of well-deserved statuettes over the six seasons so far. Speaking of hosts, the Dean Martin parody, THE JOEY MONTERO SHOW, stands out as being perhaps the most memorable and guffaw-inducing of all the night's trove of treasures, which is certainly saying something significant - Baldwin owned. Besides the ingenuous conceit of paying tribute to the landmark original live television drama 12 ANGRY MEN acting as a fresh and amusing framing device for the episode, the opportunity afforded by Kenneth (Jack MacBrayer)'s hallucinatory flashbacks of fictional former lesser glories of NBC's long and storied history gave rise to the fabulous fodder allowing for some of the funniest sequences on the series in recent memory - moments that will linger in the mind and funny bone long after this episode or season. Yes, once again, 30 ROCK proved why it is the finest comedy on TV and why Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin have a special sort of chemistry that can only be compared to the finest pairs in the rich history of the form - Mary & Mr. Grant included.
Noises Off is presented on Theatre Memphis's Lohrey Stage tonight April 27 - May 3, 2012. The plot 'spotlights a crew of B-list actors who rehearse a British bedroom farce to tour small towns across Britain. The director of this motley crew must battle egos, incompetence, and backstage romance to mount an increasingly chaotic play.'
Performances for LEAP OF FAITH began on Tuesday, April 3, and the show officially opened tonight at The St. James Theatre. Four-time Tony nominee Raúl Esparza leads the company along with Jessica Phillips, Kendra Kassebaum, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Leslie Odom, Jr., Krystal Joy Brown and Talon Ackerman. Let's see what the critics had to say...
The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Charles Dillingham, interim Executive Director) and South Coast Repertory, announced today the full casting and creative team for JITNEY. Single tickets are also now on sale to the public. South Coast Repertory's (SCR) production of August Wilson's JITNEY, directed by Ron OJ Parson with an all-star cast led by Charlie Robinson, will transfer to The Pasadena Playhouse immediately following its SCR engagement. Performances will begin June 21 through July 15, with an official press opening on Sunday, June 24, 2012, at 5:00 p.m at The Pasadena Playhouse.
August Wilson's Jitney, a play about a ragtag group of drivers of gypsy cabs-known as jitneys-will close out SCR's 2011-2012 season, with an all-star cast led by Charlie Robinson, who last wowed SCR audiences in another Wilson hit, Fences. Ron OJ Parson, who has previously directed Jitney at St. Louis Black Rep, will direct the show, which will run on the Segerstrom Stage from May 11 - June 10.
Preview performances begin April 21 (Opening Night is May 3) for Robert Falls' major revival of The Iceman Cometh, O'Neill's towering portrait of hope and disillusionment. Led by Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Nathan Lane as Theodore "Hickey" Hickman, the quintessential purveyor and slayer of pipe dreams, the 18-member cast is one of the largest ensembles to take the Goodman stage in recent years.
The National Theatre Conservatory presents two fully-produced plays where eight upcoming graduates will take the stage as part of the annual NTC Rep. FAHRENHEIT 451 will run in repertory at The Conservatory Theatre April 4 - April 21 and CHARLEY'S AUNT will run April 5 - April 21. NTC Rep is the last step before students receive their Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the National Theatre Conservatory. Tickets may be purchased now, by calling 303.893.4100 or visiting www.denvercenter.org.
