Paul Newman News

Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) will stage John Steinbeck's classic drama, 'Of Mice and Men,' directed by Mark Lamos, October 7 through November 1. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 and the Pulitzer Prize for his 1939 novel 'The Grapes of Wrath.'

AQUILA THEATRE (Peter Meineck, Artistic Director) is proud to announce that John Lavelle will star as Yossarian in the World Premiere of the stage adaptation of Joseph Heller's Catch 22, adapted and directed by Peter Meineck. Performances begin November 14th, with opening night scheduled for November 23rd. This limited engagement continues through December 20th.

An adaptation of the renowned novel and film 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and a contemporary musical by the creator of 'Rent' will be part of the six-play 2009 season at Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) in Westport, CT. The historic theatre's 79th season will run April 21 through December 2009.

The Broadway community mourns the loss of Paul Newman, the universally admired stage and screen actor, director, and philanthropist. The marquees of Broadway theatres in New York will be dimmed in his memory on Friday, October 3rd, 2008 at exactly 8:00pm for one minute.

Julia Roberts, Robert Redford, Tom Hanks, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Billy Crystal, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover, Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn, Bruce Willis and Casey Affleck will all be coming together to honor Paul Newman by continuing his charity work

Paul Newman, the Academy-Award winning screen and Broadway stage actor who defined the word 'icon' as an passionate political activist, race car driver, popcorn impresario and the anti-hero of such films as 'Hud,' 'Cool Hand Luke' and 'The Hustler,' died Friday after a long battle with cancer, he was 83. Remembering the life and legacy of Paul Newman, Newman's Own Foundation has issued a statement.

Paul Newman, the Academy-Award winning screen and Broadway stage actor who defined the word 'icon' died Friday after a long battle with cancer at his farmhouse near Westport, Connecticut surrounded by his family and close friends. He was 83, to remember the big screen superstar, BWW Photographer Walter McBride has assembled a collection of his favorite photos that he was honored to take of the entertainment legend.

Westport Country Playhouse's (Westport, CT) artistic director Anne Keefe issued the following statement in regards to the death of Paul Newman, who had been associated with the Playhouse since 2000, 'The Westport Country Playhouse board of trustees and staff are deeply saddened by the passing of Paul Newman, a compassionate humanitarian. Our hearts go out to Joanne Woodward and her family, who have shown extraordinary strength and spirit during this difficult time'.

Paul Newman, star of stage and screen lost his long battle with cancer on Friday he was 83 years old. A celebrated actor he had won numerous awards, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award, and an Emmy award, along with many honorary awards.

On the Town, the first Broadway musical with music by Leonard Bernstein and written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, will open the 2008-2009 Encores! season at New York City Center, running November 19 - 23.

Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) will stage John Steinbeck's classic drama, 'Of Mice and Men,' directed by Mark Lamos, October 7 through November 1. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 and the Pulitzer Prize for his 1939 novel 'The Grapes of Wrath.'

At the dawn of the atomic age, before Boeing Boeing and Doris Day rom-coms, there was THE TENDER TRAP, a light sex comedy about a New York bachelor and the various women seeking to marry him. This will be the first New York production of THE TENDER TRAP since its 1954 Broadway premiere.

Jake Robards (son of theatre legend Jason Robards) and Prentiss Benjamin (daughter of stage & screen stars Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss) are soon to be starring in the Bickford Theatre's NJ Premiere production of Maureen Hunter's 'Transit Of Venus,' running September 25 to October 19. Main Stage Series performances are Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $28 for Morris Museum and Bickford Theatre Guild members, $35 for general public, $30 for senior citizens, $15 for students 18 and under or those with a valid school ID, and $27 for groups of 10 or more. An additional Saturday Matinee has been added on October 4 at 2 p.m. Lunch packages at Cinque Figlie are available.

A sold-out audience of over 550 people attended the annual benefit, 'Footlights and Film: A Celebration of the Great Musicals from Stage and Screen,' hosted by Julia Roberts and featuring a special tribute to Angela Lansbury presented by Bernadette Peters, at Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) on Monday evening, September 15. The fundraiser grossed $1,407,610, including revenue from tickets, donations and silent auctions.

Award-winning actors Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Lithgow and other celebrities will offer one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences in a silent auction to benefit Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director), at the historic Westport, Connecticut theatre's annual fundraising gala on Monday, September 15. In addition to celebrity auction items, there will be sports, vacation, fashion and jewelry auction packages. Full details of all silent auction items are available at www.westportplayhouse.org

The Bickford Theatre opens its 14th Season with a starry line-up featuring the talented offspring of two show business greats as it announces complete casting for Maureen Hunter's Transit Of Venus, running Thursday, September 25, through Sunday, October 19.

Broadway talents Tituss Burgess ('The Little Mermaid'), Kerry Butler ('Xanadu'), Gavin Lee ('Mary Poppins'), Nedra McClyde, Julia Murney, Q. Smith and Aurelia Williams will join previously announced Laura Benanti ('Gypsy'), Raúl Esparza ('Company') and Steven Pasquale ('The Light in the Piazza') on Monday, September 15, at the annual gala for the venerable 78-year-old Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director), Westport, Connecticut.

Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei and other actors to be announced will read the classic play 'Golden Boy' written by Clifford Odets and directed by Joanne Woodward, on Monday, August 25, 7 p.m., at Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, and Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director).

Broadway and film actor Ned Eisenberg, Tony Award winner Dick Latessa, Emmy nominee Richard Masur and others will join previously announced Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei to read the classic play 'Golden Boy,' written by Clifford Odets and directed by Joanne Woodward, on Monday, August 25, 7 p.m., at Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, and Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director).

For the first time under the leadership of Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will present the American classic A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams.