Oscar Wilde News

The Velocity of Autumn, a new two-character play from Cleveland-based playwright Eric Coble, opens at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater under the direction of Artistic Director Molly Smith and by special arrangement with HOP Theatricals, LLC.

The world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman, opens tonight, September 6 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

The San Francisco Fringe Festival has lived on the edge for 22 years. Along with the jugglers and the clowns, the witty solo shows and sketch comedy, The Fringe is known for delving into the arena of S-E-X. On the latter note, this year is no exception.

The world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman, opens Friday, September 6 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. The show runs through September 28 at the Rep's downtown theatre Copaken Stage, 13th and Walnut Streets.

Tickets to the Vineyard Theatre's world premiere production of the musical THE LANDING -- with book and lyrics by Greg Pierce, music by John Kander and directed by Walter Bobbie -- will go on sale to the general public today, Wednesday, September 4 at 1 p.m. THE LANDING begins previews at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St.) on October 3 prior to an official opening night on October 23.

Actor James Marsters, popular star of TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel (1997-2004) as Spike returns to the stage with his costar from Buffy Juliet Landau in a world premiere comedy The Bells of West 87th at Greenway Court Theatre opening September 7. In our chat, Marsters talks confidently about his successful rock band Ghost of the Robot, acting, doing other plays he would like to pursue as actor/director/producer...and of course, this new play by Elin Hampton The Bells... where he claims fans will not recognize him...his character is so radically different from the villains they're so used to seeing him play...

The Pearl Theatre Company kicks off its 30th anniversary season-the second season in its new home on West 42nd Street-with the first New York revival in 15 years of George Bernard Shaw's You Never Can Tell in a co-production with the Gingold Theatrical Group that is directed by David Staller. Running today, September 3-October 13, the show's sumptuous costumes, elegant settings and Shavian wit will raise a champagne toast to a year of celebration at The Pearl, where Shaw, following Shakespeare, has been the second most produced playwright in The Pearl's history. The production is also the centerpiece of the Shaw New York 2013 festival.

ESP comes around the curve and into summer's final stretch with Pinero's 1887 horse-racing farce, Dandy Dick! With two impetuous daughters both on the brink of matrimony,the Very Reverend Augustin Jedd is in need of a bit of dowry enhancement... So, even though he's a staunch disapprover of the racing game, when his sometime-do-well sisterGeorgiana Tidd, the 'daisy of the turf,' shows up with a supposedly sure thing -the horse of the play's title - the Very Reverend gets very interested, and he and his whole household go delightfully and British-ly bonkers!

Just as summer is transitioning to fall, September is also the month in which the slower summer theater season shifts into the busier fall and winter season. Several shows will open in September, including a show making its' North American Premiere.

The Washington Stage Guild announces its 28th Season of our distinctive repertory, an array of eloquent plays of idea and argument, passion and wit - smart theatre for a smart town. The Washington Stage Guild's 2013-2014 season will focus on the fundamental basis of all art - the imagination. We will present four plays that examine the need to see beyond the mundane in order to create, to survive, to develop, to live. The Season of Dreams will travel from Vincent van Gogh's studio to Bernard Berenson's villa, and from the apartment of two fragile lives to as far as thought can reach. All four plays are Washington area premieres, and among the four is the first installment in a multi-year cycle leading up to our 30th anniversary, as we inaugurate our production of George Bernard Shaw's rarely seen Back to Methuselah.

Following an extensive search process, PICT Theatre's board of directors has appointed Alan Stanford as the company's producing artistic director. Stanford has been serving as the interim producing artistic director since February. Board president Eugene O'Sullivan said, "We were fortunate to find someone of Alan's caliber to lead this organization at a most critical time. His experience as well as his performance in the intervening months proved he was the best of all of the candidates for the job."

Kansas City Repertory Theatre will kick off its 2013-14 season with the world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman. The show runs tonight, August 30-September 28 at the Rep's downtown theatre Copaken Stage, 13th and Walnut Streets. The Tallest Tree in the Forest is a co-production with La Jolla Playhouse.

Off-Broadway's award-winning Irish Repertory Theatre launches its 26th season with a revival of Sean O'Casey's JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK, directed by Irish Rep Artistic Director Charlotte Moore. With a cast that features, among others, J. Smith-Cameron as Juno Boyle, Ciaran O'Reilly as 'Captain' Jack Boyle, and John Keating as Joxer Daly, JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK will begin performances on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at the Irish Repertory Theatre (132 West 22nd Street).

Elliot B. Quick and James Rutherford's wild mashup of Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway, The Importance of being Ernest Hemingway, is a fascinating deconstruction of manly posturing.

A new season rich with laughter and compelling drama was announced today for the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum by Michael Ritchie, CTG Artistic Director.

State Opera of South Australia started their main stage programme for the year with a powerful production of Salome, with a libretto by Richard Strauss based on Hedwig Lachmann's German translation of Oscar Wilde's play. Richard Strauss, of course, also wrote the score of the opera

Take two world renowned playwrights, mix in a theatre that is not afraid of a challenge, and you get the next offering in Cygnet Theatre's 11th season. By producing two great theatre classics in rotating repertory, Cygnet is once again raising the bar for San Diego theaters. The monumental task of directing both The Importance of Being Earnest and Travesties will be handled by Artistic Director Sean Murray. Performances will be at the Old Town Theatre, September 18 - October 27. Opening Day for media is September 28.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the original 'Peter Parker' in Broadway's SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK has landed a series regular role in the John Logan-Sam Mendes drama PENNY DREAFUL. Carney will Exit SPIDER-MAN on Sept. 15 in order to begin filming later this fall.

He is a Roman general, handsome & brave. She is the Queen of Egypt, beautiful & proud. Together they will defy the power of an Emperor. Together they will destroy that which they strive to uphold. Join us as the HARLEM SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL presents Shakespeare's ANTONY & CLEOPATRA from August 28th thru September 1st, at the Waterfront Amphitheatre in Riverbank State Park. Award-winning actress & director Petronia Paley leads theTWAS Classical Actors of Color as they share the stage with classical actor Christopher Sutton as Antony & Debra Ann Byrd as Egypt's last Queen, Cleopatra.

Fresh from the success of Night of a Thousand Judys, The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre has moved to 54 BELOW for a six month run. Check out performances from last month's tribute to Cher below!