National Theatre Company News

Drexel University and Philadelphia theater company 1812 Productions have partnered together to present Jeffrey Hatcher's comedy confection To Fool The Eye, an adaptation of the romantic comedy Leocadia by Jean Anouilh, as part of Drexel's Mandell Professionals in Residence Project (MPiRP).

TheatreSquared will open Stephen Karam's bold, award-winning comedy Sons of the Prophet for a limited run in Northwest Arkansas in its first production since its critically acclaimed New York debut. Winner of multiple awards (including the 2012 Lucille Lortel and New York Drama Critics Circle awards for Best Play) and a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, Sons of the Prophet is a contemporary comedy-drama that is 'soul-piercing' and 'explosively funny' (The New York Times).

Beginning in April, 2013, 1812 Productions will present the world premiere comedy It's My Party: The Women and Comedy Project, created and directed by 1812 Productions' Artistic Director, Jennifer Childs, and featuring a diverse ensemble of Philadelphia actresses. A production which will use physical comedy, storytelling, and music in a one-of-a-kind theatrical event, the creative process for It's My Party: The Women and Comedy Project began in 2010 with two questions: how do women use comedy and how does that usage change as they age. With these pointed inquiries as her guides, Ms. Childs embarked on three inclusive and ongoing initiatives which, together, would form the core of the Project.

The New Jersey Repertory Company presents the World Premiere of Ants by Saviana Stanescu, directed by Jeff Zinn. Ants will begin preview performances tonight, February 7, 2013 and will celebrate its opening night on Saturday, February 9 at New Jersey Repertory Company (179 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ), running through Sunday, March 10.

Forthcoming productions at the National Theatre, announced today by Nicholas Hytner, include plays familiar, rare and new: Shakespeare's Othello, Gorky's Children of the Sun,James Baldwin's The Amen Corner;Marlowe's Edward II, Pirandello's Liola, Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude and Georg Kaiser's From Morning to Midnight. Tori Amos and Samuel Adamson's musical The Light Princess will premiere in October, and there will be a new adaptation of Emil and the Detectives for family audiences at Christmas.

Drexel University and Philadelphia theater company 1812 Productions have partnered together to present Jeffrey Hatcher's comedy confection To Fool The Eye, an adaptation of the romantic comedy Léocadia by Jean Anouilh, as part of Drexel's Mandell Professionals in Residence Project (MPiRP).

Following a sell out run at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival, Maurice's Jubilee will go on a national tour from this month, January 2013. This is Olivier Award winning Nichola McAuliffe's most recent play and she will reprise her role as Katie, alongside Olivier Award winning Julian Glover (Maurice) and SheiLA Reid* (Helena). Maurice's Jubilee is directed by multiple Fringe First winner Hannah Eidinow and has design by Christopher Richardson.

The Obie Award-winning The Play Company (INVASION!, ENJOY) will present the U.S. premiere of the play WORKING ON A SPECIAL DAY, with previews beginning tonight, January 10, 2013, prior to an official opening night on January 16, at 59E59 Theaters (59 E. 59 St.) in Manhattan.

TheatreSquared will open Stephen Karam's bold, award-winning comedy Sons of the Prophet for a limited run in Northwest Arkansas in its first production since its critically acclaimed New York debut. Winner of multiple awards (including the 2012 Lucille Lortel and New York Drama Critics Circle awards for Best Play) and a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, Sons of the Prophet is a contemporary comedy-drama that is 'soul-piercing' and "explosively funny" (The New York Times).

Gay Soper will take over from Sheila Reid, playing Helena, for the latter part of the National Tour of Maurice's Jubilee. Gay will join previously announced Olivier Award winning cast members Nichola McAuliffe (Katie) and Julian Glover (Maurice) playing at Bromley Churchill Theatre (26-30 March), Cambridge Arts Theatre (2-6 April) Theatre Royal, Windsor (8-13 April) and Oxford Playhouse (15-20 April).

Gay Soper will take over from Sheila Reid, playing Helena, for the latter part of the National Tour of Maurice's Jubilee.

The Firehouse Theatre Project is pleased to announce the appointment of Jase Smith to the position of Interim Artistic Director. Smith is well known to the Richmond theatre community as a rising star director of shows that have earned many accolades including 24 Richmond Theatre Critic's Circle Awards nominations and eight awards in various categories.

The New Jersey Repertory Company presents the World Premiere of Ants by Saviana Stanescu, directed by Jeff Zinn. Ants will begin preview performances on Thursday, February 7, 2013 and will celebrate its opening night on Saturday, February 9 at New Jersey Repertory Company (179 Broadway, Long Branch, NJ), running through Sunday, March 10.

The Obie Award-winning The Play Company (INVASION!, ENJOY) will present the U.S. premiere of the play WORKING ON A SPECIAL DAY, with previews beginning January 10, 2013, prior to an official opening night on January 16, at 59E59 Theaters (59 E. 59 St.) in Manhattan.

Kenny Leon and True Colors Theatre Company announce their 2012-2013 season. This is the 10th anniversary season for Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company, which opens in November with a Regional Premiere of Leon's hit Broadway show, The Mountaintop by Katori Hall directed by Jasmine Guy. The Mountaintop will be followed by August Wilson's classic Two Trains Running in February 2013. The season concludes in July 2013 with Shakin' the Rafters, a World Premiere gospel musical by former Alliance Theatre Associate Artistic Director, David H. Bell, the writer who brought us Gut Bucket Blues and Hot Mikado.

Off-Broadway's The Play Company presents a special benefit event featuring prime seating for Broadway's GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) at 8pm and a pre-show cocktail reception, beginning at 6:15pm, at Angus's Cafe Bistro (258 West 44th Street).

TheatreSquared announced today the 2012 Gala for Education, supporting arts-in-education outreach for 10,000 students and teachers from Northwest Arkansas to the Arkansas Delta. Famed entertainers Lucie Arnaz and Laurence Luckinbillwill serve alongside NWA community members as honorary co-chairs, with Luckinbill, an Arkansas Entertainer's Hall of Fame inductee, performing. The 2012 Arts Advocate Award will be presented toDenise and Hershey Garner, recognizing their decades of service to the region. The event will be held November 15, 2012, 6:30pm at Mermaids Restaurant, 2217 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville . Individual tickets are $125, sponsor tickets are $250, and table sponsorships range from $1,000 to $5,000. Guests are invited to RSVP to TheatreSquared at (479) 445-6333 or online at theatre2.org/gala.

Following a sell out run at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival, Maurice's Jubilee will go on a national tour from January 2013. This is Olivier Award winning Nichola McAuliffe's most recent play and she will reprise her role as Katie, alongside Olivier Award winning Julian Glover (Maurice) and Sheila Reid* (Helena). Maurice's Jubilee is directed by multiple Fringe First winner Hannah Eidinow and has design by Christopher Richardson.

Know Theatre of Cincinnati and The Cincinnati Fringe Festival are excited to announce that applications are now available for the high-school portion of the Cincinnati Fringe Festival, FringeNext. FringeNext will take place during the first week of the Festival, May 29 - June 1 and will consist of 5 Fringe productions created by and performed by local high school students.

Off-Broadway's The Play Company presents a special benefit event featuring prime seating for Broadway's GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street) at 8pm and a pre-show cocktail reception, beginning at 6:15pm, at Angus's Cafe Bistro (258 West 44th Street).