Nicky Silver News

Aurora Theatre Company presents Bay Area magician Christian Cagigal in OBSCURA, an extraordinary presentation of up-close and personal magic. This special fall presentation plays for 15 performances only October 15 through November 2 at Harry's UpStage, located in the Nell and Jules Dashow Wing at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets (General $28; VIP reserved seating $32; subscribers receive a $2 discount) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

According to D.H. Lawrence, "We have made a great mess of love since we made an ideal of it." HOW I FELL IN LOVE centers on two lost souls, Nessa and Todd, each haplessly seeking their ideal romantic partner as they stumble into adulthood alone in the City of the Angels. When they accidentally find their way into each other's lives while seeking professional help, they soon discover their individual stories may be more intertwined than they could ever have imagined, leading each to start questioning the meaning of fate, friendship, and true love. Can two people not attracted to each other actually be perfect life partners? With the audience acting as their sounding board, Nessa and Todd's story unfolds amid the many twists and turns in their search for true love and happiness - despite their neuroses!

Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will add an additional 7 performances of the Bay Area Premiere of Obie-winning playwright Gina Gionfriddo's (After Ashley, Becky Shaw) unflinching look at modern gender politics. Desdemona Chiang (The Hundred Flowers Project) directs this finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize, featuring Gabriel Marin (This Is How It Goes, Collapse), Rebecca Schweitzer (A Delicate Balance, The First Grade), Marilee Talkington (Salomania), Lilian Bogovich, and Nicole Javier. RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN plays now through October 5 (added performances: Tuesday, September 30, 7pm; Wednesday, October 1, 8pm; Thursday, October 2, 8pm; Friday, October 3, 8pm; Saturday, October 4, 8pm; Sunday, October 5, 2pm and 7pm) at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($32-50) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Monica West has joined the cast of the kef theatrical production of IT'S ONLY KICKBALL, STUPID -- the new play by Caroline Prugh and directed by Adam Fitzgerald. She will step in for Autum Hurlbert, who had to leave the production do to scheduling conflicts, for performances through Sunday, September 14 at The Hartley House (413 West 46th Street).

5th Wall Theatre, headed by Artistic Director Carol Piersol, announces a new theatre endeavor and 5th Wall's inaugural season. Following the December 2012 controversy of Ms. Piersol's departure from Firehouse Theatre Project, Ms. Piersol, along with 5th Wall's Associate Artistic Director, Billy Christopher Maupin, began producing shows in partnership with other Richmond flagship companies. Together they produced BREAST IN SHOW with Virginia Repertory Theatre, GIDION'S KNOT, presented at HATTheatre, RACE with African American Repertory Theatre, and PATTI ISSUES with Richmond Triangle Players.

'Mad Men' star Vincent Kartheiser and Broadway's Larry Pine (CASA VALENTINA) will play Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler, respectively, in BILLY & RAY, Mike Bencivenga's new play -- directed by the legendary director/writer/producer Garry Marshall -- being given its NY premiere this fall at the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.), with previews scheduled to begin October 1 prior to an official opening on October 20, it has been announced by Vineyard's Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern.

Daniel Nardicio will also present 'Dworld Underwear Party' tonight, July 25th at 11pm - Fire Island's largest and sexiest weekly party with special guest dancer Levi Michaels. Plus, more dancers, C-In2 Underwear Giveaways, 2am skinny-dipping in the pool, massages by DN's 'official rubbers' the guys from MMX, water taxis all night from the Pines, sexy visuals in the erotic lounge by Marco Ovando and Ned Stressen Reuter and more. It all takes place at The Ice Palace, Cherry Grove $15, or $10 with password.

In Celebrating Penny Fuller's stellar career, she will be sharing the stage with Richard Skipper recounting a 50+ year career in theater, television, film and in cabaret. She will be telling these stories to Richard Skipper of 'Richard Skipper Celebrates!' who interviews celebrities by blog and in a live setting such as the Spiral Theater Studio to get the essence of the artist's complete body of work.

Sundance Institute and the LUMA Foundation today announced that the two organizations will again collaborate to host the second Sundance Institute | LUMA Foundation Theatre Directors Retreat in Arles, France, July 29 through August 11. The Retreat is one of 10 residential programs hosted by Sundance Institute this summer, collectively representing 15 weeks of support and mentorship for promising independent artists in theatre and film from the United States and around the world.

Legendary director/writer/producer Garry Marshall will direct the Vineyard Theatre's New York debut of Mike Bencivenga's comedy BILLY & RAY this fall, with performances set to begin October 2 and an opening night scheduled for October 20 at The Vineyard, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, Artistic Director, and Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director.

Check out a look back at Lavin's concert at Birdland, featuring appearances by Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge, and more, below!

Celebrating his 20th year in NYC, Daniel Nardicio brings back his Manniversary edition of XXX Triple X on Thursday, July 31st at 11pm - all dude/all lewd/all nude, featuring dancers and a live show at the cock, 29 2nd Avenue. Admission: $20 or $10 before 11:30.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein announced today that Tony Award-winning actress, Linda Lavin, will bring her acclaimed show, Possibilities, to Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performances only - Thursday, September 18 (8 p.m.) and Friday, September 19 (8 p.m.). Following her starring role in Too Much Sun - reuniting her with playwright Nicky Silver (The Lyons) - at the Vineyard Theatre, Lavin makes her Feinstein's at the Nikko debut with an eclectic mix of Broadway standards and cabaret songs from her extensive portfolio. Grammy Award-winning composer, famed musical director, and incomparable performer, Billy Stritch, will serve as Musical Director for the evening. Tickets for Linda Lavin range in price from $45 - $60 and are on-sale now and available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Critics and audiences agree that it would be a crime to miss AMERICAN BUFFALO. Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will add an additional 7 performances of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet's powerful, fast-paced modern masterpiece.

In Celebrating Penny Fuller's stellar career, she will be sharing the stage with Richard Skipper recounting a 50+ year career in theater, television, film and in cabaret. She will be telling these stories to Richard Skipper of 'Richard Skipper Celebrates!' who interviews celebrities by blog and in a live setting such as the Spiral Theater Studio to get the essence of the artist's complete body of work.

About Face Theatre, in association with Justin Brill, is pleased to launch its 2014-15 season with Methtacular!, written and performed by Steven Stafford and directed by Adam Fitzgerald. In this Chicago premiere, Strafford shares his brutally honest and often comedic story of survival in the underground world of Chicago's crystal meth scene. Methtacular! plays August 21 - September 28, 2014 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at www.aboufacetheatre.com, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office. The press opening is Sunday, August 24 at 4 pm.

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST - an evening with the Tony Award-winning actress Linda Lavin and her husband Steve Bakunas, a painter, actor and jazz drummer - was just presented by the Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) last night, June 16 at 7 pm to benefit the company's productions, artistic development initiatives and arts education programs, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, The Vineyard's artistic director, and Sarah Stern, co-artistic director. PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST featured Ms. Lavin and Mr. Bakunas in a 90-minute intimate evening during which Ms. Lavin answers questions about her life and career, posed by her husband while he paints her portrait on stage. An evening of warmth, romance, humor and nostalgia, the couple has previously performed the program at venues around the country.

James Michael Angelo and Tiffany Haas are thrilled to announce that Megan Hilty (Smash, Sean Saves the World, Wicked and Nine to Five on Broadway) will be the very first guest on their new talk show, AMERICAN BLEND. The pilot episode will hit the web on Tuesday, June 17th on the AMERICAN BLEND website, (www.americanblend.tv). The duo plans to turn the talk show into a weekly series beginning in the fall of 2014, future guests will be announced soon. The series is co-hosted by Mr. Angelo and Ms. Haas.

5th Wall Theatre, headed by Artistic Director Carol Piersol, announces a new theatre endeavor and 5th Wall's inaugural season. Following the December 2012 controversy of Ms. Piersol's departure from Firehouse Theatre Project, Ms. Piersol, along with 5th Wall's Associate Artistic Director, Billy Christopher Maupin, began producing shows in partnership with other Richmond flagship companies. Together they produced BREAST IN SHOW with Virginia Repertory Theatre, GIDION'S KNOT, presented at HATTheatre, RACE with African American Repertory Theatre, and PATTI ISSUES with Richmond Triangle Players.

There's a moment in the first act of Nicky Silver's THE LYONS when dying patriarch 'Ben' is asked whether he is in pain; his response, a monosyllabic 'Yes,' hardly ranks with any of the brilliantly barbed lines scattered throughout the play, but as intoned by veteran actor Ron Gephart, it acquires a startling variety of shades. As uttered by this gifted performer, a number of insights can be gained into the unfortunate Ben's character: Frustration, resignation, intolerance. If Mr. Gephart can manage that by simply saying 'Yes,' imagine what he is able to do with the dialogues and monologs that follow.