Norman Lear News

The Literature to Life® program of The American Place Theatre (APT) will kick off its newest campaign, Project 451, with a celebrity gala May 17 and 18 in Theater at St. Clement's, 423 West 46th Street, Manhattan.

Buck Henry and Holland Taylor star in Lisa Ebersole's new Off-Broadway play MOTHER, receiving its world-premiere production, with previews set to begin July 8, prior to its official press opening on July 13 at The Wild Project Theater (195 East 3rd Street) in Manhattan. Andrew Grosso (PERFECT HARMONY) will direct.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to present the fourth production of La Mirada Theatre's 2008-2009 season of shows, the Southern California Premiere of TUNA DOES VEGAS, written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard and directed by Ed Howard. TUNA DOES VEGAS will begin performances on Friday, April 17 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 18) and will run through Sunday, May 3 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.

The Literature to Life® program of The American Place Theatre (APT) will kick off its newest campaign, Project 451, with a celebrity gala May 17 and 18 in Theater at St. Clement's, 423 West 46th Street, Manhattan.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to present the fourth production of La Mirada Theatre's 2008-2009 season of shows, the Southern California Premiere of TUNA DOES VEGAS, written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard and directed by Ed Howard. TUNA DOES VEGAS will begin performances on Friday, April 17 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 18) and will run through Sunday, May 3 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to present the fourth production of La Mirada Theatre's 2008-2009 season of shows, the Southern California Premiere of TUNA DOES VEGAS, written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard and directed by Ed Howard. TUNA DOES VEGAS will begin performances on Friday, April 17 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 18) and will run through Sunday, May 3 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (William Carden, Artistic Director, Paul Alexander Slee, Executive Director) proudly announces the premiere of Emily at the Edge of Chaos, a new play written and performed by Emily Levine*, directed by Marcia Jean Kurtz*. Performances begin March 26th, and continue through April 11th at E.S.T. (549 West 52nd Street), on the 6th Floor.

Producer Patricia Garza announced today that Jumping the Median: an evening of five unexpected acts by playwright and poet Steve Connell previews at The Other Space at Santa Monica Playhouse on Friday, March 13, 2009 at 8 pm and will open on Friday, March 20 at 8 pm. Expect the unexpected in a sexy, outrageous, moving, provocative and unabashedly fun evening of five distinctly original new plays.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts and McCoy Rigby Entertainment are thrilled to present the fourth production of La Mirada Theatre's 2008-2009 season of shows, the Southern California Premiere of TUNA DOES VEGAS, written by Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard and directed by Ed Howard. TUNA DOES VEGAS will begin performances on Friday, April 17 (with a press opening on Saturday, April 18) and will run through Sunday, May 3 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.

Producer Patricia Garza announced today that Jumping the Median: an evening of five unexpected acts by playwright and poet Steve Connell previews at The Other Space at Santa Monica Playhouse on Friday, March 13, 2009 at 8 pm and will open on Friday, March 20 at 8 pm. Expect the unexpected in a sexy, outrageous, moving, provocative and unabashedly fun evening of five distinctly original new plays.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner as Cervantes/Quixote. Julia Migenes, the renowned opera and theatre performer, will play Aldonza/Dulcinea; Valerie Perri will play the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea at matinee performances; and Tony nominee Lee Wilkof will play Sancho Panza.

Last night in Beverly Hills, Monday January 26th, The Paley Center for Media saluted the work of award-winning composer Charles Strouse in the third of its concert & conversations series, PaleyAfterDark. The composer of such great Broadway hits including Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause, Annie, and Rags, Strouse with special guests Bonnie Franklin (who nominated for a Tony award for Applause) and cast members of Minsky's shared a rare evening of story and song which celebrated his illustrious career and the Los Angeles debut of his latest musical triumph, Minsky's. The program was illuminated by archival footage of rare Strouse material from the Paley Center's collection and finished with a musical performance by the composer singing an arrangement of favorites from 'Put on a Happy Face' to 'Tomorrow.'Minsky's is based on the Bud Yorkin-Norman Lear production of 'The Night They Raided Minsky's.' Charles Strouse has touched the life of almost every American in the last half century with his musical works. There may be no other living composer from America's popular songbook whose work is as integrated into the popular culture as that of Charles Strouse.His music has attracted top recording artists from the last half-century with covers of his songs recorded by such diverse pop artists as Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, Harry Connick, Jr., Bobby Rydell, Jay Z, Vic Damone, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Grace Jones and Duke Ellington and his Orchestra.Strouse has written the score to over 30 stage musicals, 14 scores for Broadway, four Hollywood films, two orchestral works and an opera.He has been inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Theatre Hall of Fame.

Minsky's is the second new musical playing the Ahmanson this season, boasting a book by Bob Martin and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw, who both crafted the U.S. premiere of the musical The Drowsy Chaperone at the Ahmanson in 2005. Composer Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie, Annie) will join lyricist Susan Birkenhead (Triumph of Love) on the musical, which begins performances January 21 through March 1, 2009.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner as Cervantes/Quixote. Julia Migenes, the renowned opera and theatre performer, will play Aldonza/Dulcinea; Valerie Perri will play the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea at matinee performances; and Tony nominee Lee Wilkof will play Sancho Panza.

Minsky's is a big, racy, new musical comedy set in a time when entertainment was about legs and laughs, and you had to push the limits to keep the customers buying tickets. A rollicking backstage story, set in Prohibition Era New York City. Tony Award winning costume designer Gregg Barnes talked about his creations for MINSKY'S on the show's official site in a wonderful audio/video essay that we are excited to bring you here on BWW TV!

Former SNL genius, Celebrity Autobiography mainstay and gifted comic actress Rachel Dratch is a member of the cast of the currently in rehearsal musical Minsky's, she reveals her joy of working with composer Charles Strouse and her hope of it continuing to Broadway in the future to NYMag.com's Diana Scholl.

Minsky's is the second new musical playing the Ahmanson this season, boasting a book by Bob Martin and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw, who both crafted the U.S. premiere of the musical The Drowsy Chaperone at the Ahmanson in 2005. Composer Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie, Annie) will join lyricist Susan Birkenhead (Triumph of Love) on the musical, which begins performances January 21 through March 1, 2009.

Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group has announced that two world premiere musicals, 9 to 5: The Musical and Minky's will be part of the 2008-2009 Ahmanson season, along with Spring Awakening and Frost/Nixon...

Beginning March 8 (when performances begin at the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati), Julia Murney will assume the role of Elphaba, Alma Cuervo will become Madame Morrible, P.J. Benjamin will step into the role of the Wizard, Sebastian Arcelus will be Fiyero, and Jennifer Waldman will be Nessarose. Beginning March 28 (when the show will be playing at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia), K. Todd Freeman assumes the role of Dr. Dillamond.

The Ali Forney Center - New York's primary emergency housing resource for homeless LGBT youth - is proud to present the legendary and internationally renowned Emmy and Tony Award-winning star of television, film and stage, Bea Arthur, in a one-night-only benefit performance of her Tony nominated show.