National Music Theater Conference News

The Commercial Theater Institute's (CTI) upcoming 4th annual, CTI-O'Neill Summer Workshop, A Producing Practicum, will take place July 13-16, 2011.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.)'s Opening Night Gala celebrating the world premiere of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City took place on Wednesday, June 1, 2011, and raised $950,000 to support the production and A.C.T.'s educational programs.

American Conservatory Theater's (A.C.T.) highly anticipated production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City has been extended an additional two weeks through July 24 due to unprecedented demand. The world premiere musical amassed the largest advance sale in A.C.T.'s history prior to its first preview performance on May 18 and has continued to break sales records heading into last night's opening night gala. Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City will now run through July 24, 2011, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). The added performances are July 12-24, 2011: 8 p.m. performances Tuesdays through Sundays (Sunday, July 17 performance is at 7 p.m.) and 2 p.m. matinees on July 13, 16, 23, 24;. For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or visit the A.C.T. website at www.act-sf.org.

2010 Jonathan Larson Grant Winners Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond have announced the release of their new album OUT OF OUR HEADS: The Music of Kooman and Dimond, featuring Tony Award nominees Kerry Butler (Catch Me If You Can, Rock of Ages, Xanadu, Little Shop of Horrors), Christopher Sieber (La Cage aux Folles, Shrek, Spamalot) and Patina Miller (Sister Act), as well as Broadway performers Heidi Blickenstaff (The Addams Family, [title of show], The Little Mermaid), Anderson Davis (Les Miserables), Matt Doyle (War Horse, Bye Bye Birdie, Spring Awakening), Chris Mann (TV: Glee), Kyle Dean Massey (Next To Normal, Xanadu, Wicked), Phoebe Strole (Spring Awakening), and Natalie Weiss (Everyday Rapture). The album will be released digitally on iTunes on Tuesday June 28th, 2011.

Wendy C. Goldberg, Artistic Director of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center?s National Playwrights Conference, today announced the eight directors for plays previously selected for its 47th season.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.)'s Opening Night Gala celebrating the world premiere of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City will take place Wednesday, June 1, 2011.

La Jolla Playhouse presents a new adaptation of Sleeping Beauty Wakes, book by Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), with a score by composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda, both of the acclaimed trio GrooveLily (Striking 12, Long Story Short), and directed by Rebecca Taichman, who will also direct the Playhouse's 2011/12 world premiere of Milk Like Sugar.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will present its annual Monte Cristo Award to legendary Broadway and screen actor James Earl Jones, in recognition of his monumental achievements and contributions to the American and international theater community. The award will be presented to Mr. Jones at a gala dinner held in his honor at Bridgewaters - South Street Seaport in New York City on Monday, May 9th at 6:30pm.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is pleased to announce its Sixth Annual Young Playwrights Festival, May 6-8, 2011, with a call for scripts by young writers.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announced today four musicals to be developed at its 2011 National Music Theater Conference under the leadership of Artistic Director Paulette Haupt.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announced today eight plays to be developed at the 2011 National Playwrights Conference (NPC) under the leadership of Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg. The selected playwrights will spend the month of July at the O'Neill's campus developing and presenting staged readings of their work during the NPC's 47th season. Tickets for these readings go on sale Wednesday, June 8. Advanced ticket sales for O'Neill Members will be available Monday, May 16

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center announced today eight plays to be developed at the 2011 National Playwrights Conference (NPC) under the leadership of Artistic Director Wendy C. Goldberg. The selected playwrights will spend the month of July at the O'Neill's campus developing and presenting staged readings of their work during the NPC's 47th season. Tickets for these readings go on sale Wednesday, June 8. Advanced ticket sales for O'Neill Members will be available Monday, May 16

The 2010 Tony Award winning Eugene O?Neill Theater, in Waterford, Connecticut, will host their 20th Anniversary Annual Fishers Island Golf Tournament on Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at the Fishers Island Golf Club on Fishers Island, New York.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center will present its annual Monte Cristo Award to legendary Broadway and screen actor James Earl Jones, in recognition of his monumental achievements and contributions to the American and international theater community. The award will be presented to Mr. Jones at a gala dinner held in his honor at Bridgewaters - South Street Seaport in New York City on Monday, May 9th at 6:30pm.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announces that Tony Award winner and A.C.T. favorite Judy Kaye (Mamma Mia!, Ragtime, Phantom of the Opera, On the Twentieth Century on Broadway; Sweeney Todd and Souvenir at A.C.T.) will be taking on the iconic role of Anna Madrigal in the world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.

THE WATER DREAM is a new musical featuring whale puppets and an aquarium of real water. It's the story of an overly critical mythologist who, through facing loss and falling in love, becomes an artist: the author of an awe-inspiring myth.

The National Puppetry Conference is proud to announce the 21st annual Puppetry Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. Hands down, the best venue in which to collaborate, experiment, explore and develop your ideas and talents relating to puppet theatre, the National Puppetry Conference is open to puppeteers, theatre designers, actors, musicians, directors, artists, producers, playwrights and students. The Pre-Conference intensive workshops run from June 8th to the 10th with the full Conference beginning June 11th and culminating with public performances June 18th and 19th.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.)'s Opening Night Gala celebrating the world premiere of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City will take place Wednesday, June 1, 2011.

THE WATER DREAM is a new musical featuring whale puppets and an aquarium of real water. It's the story of an overly critical mythologist who, through facing loss and falling in love, becomes an artist: the author of an awe-inspiring myth.

American Conservatory Theater's (A.C.T.) highly anticipated production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City is already taking off at the box office. Due to high demand, A.C.T. has added two weeks of performances to the run of the world premiere musical, which will now play through July 3, including a new special 7 p.m. performance on June 26, the evening of the San Francisco Pride Parade. A new preview performance has also been added on Wednesday, May 18, at 8 p.m.