Paul Taylor News

Kevin Spacey, the artistic director of The Old Vic in London, recently produced the first London revival of Alan Ayckbourn's masterpiece, the comic trilogy, THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, directed by Matthew Warchus.

David Parsons, Gala Chair Linda Stocknoff, and the Board of Directors of Parsons Dance proudly announce Parson Dance's 2009 Gala hosted by Lin-Manuel Miranda on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 7pm at The Times Center, 242 W. 41st Street, NYC.

The Martha Graham Dance Company, the oldest and most celebrated contemporary dance company in America, will play a special Paris engagement at the historic Théâtre du Châtelet April 14 - 18, 2009. They will be performing three separate programs of Graham classics some making their Paris premiere at the 2,500 seat theatre a month before their New York City engagement.

Kevin Spacey, the artistic director of The Old Vic in London, discusses the theatre's critically acclaimed production of Alan Ayckbourn's THE NORMAN CONQUESTS on 'The Tavis Smiley Show' tonight, prior to the production beginning previews on Broadway next week. In the New York area, 'The Tavis Smiley Show' runs at midnight on WNET Channel 13. Check local listings.

Girl Crazy, with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and Jack McGowan, will open New York City Center's 2009-2010 Encores! season on November 19, 2009. The season will continue with Fanny, with music and lyrics by Harold Rome and book by S. N. Behrman and Joshua Logan, on February 4, 2010. Fanny will be the 50th Encores! production presented by City Center since 1994. The season will conclude with Anyone Can Whistle, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents' legendary 1964 musical, on April 8, 2010.

Tony Award-winners Philip Bosco, Jim Norton and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, as well as Cheyenne Jackson, Kate Baldwin, and Jeremy Bobb star in Finian's Rainbow, the final production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season. Performances begin tonight March 26th, and runs through to March 29th.

Legendary designers WILLIAM IVEY LONG and BOB CROWLEY are among the four recipients of 2009 TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards to be presented at a ceremony this Friday, March 27 at 6:30pm, at the Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street). Five-time Tony Award winning costume designer William Ivey Long will receive the 2009 TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement Award for theatrical costume design, and, for his achievements as both a costume and scenic designer, Bob Crowley (also a five-time Tony Award winner) will receive the TDF/Irene Sharaff Awards' special Robert L. B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatrical Design.

WICA welcomes the world-renowned Taylor 2 Dance Company to Whidbey Island. The Paul Taylor Dance Company, now in its 55th season, is one of the world's most exquisite ensembles. Paul Taylor first presented his choreography in New York City in 1954, and in the half century since, has become a living legend and one of America's most celebrated artists.

Tony Award-winners Philip Bosco, Jim Norton and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, as well as Cheyenne Jackson, Kate Baldwin, and Jeremy Bobb will star in Finian's Rainbow, the final production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, running from March 26 - 29.

TAKE Dance Company, a contemporary dance ensemble known for its gentle blend of eastern and western sensibilities led by artistic director and choreographer Takehiro Ueyama, presents a program filled with exuberant play, human dancescapes and structural patterns that overflow the stage. The four-performance engagement will feature two premieres: the world premiere of Footsteps in the Snow, set to music by Arvo Part, and the New York City premiere of Shabon, set to the music of Steve Reich, as well as Love Stories (2008), a three movement pas de deux, and the beloved Linked (2008) '...a bright explosive tour de force' (The Daily Gazette) inspired by the music of Pat Metheny.

TAKE Dance Company, a contemporary dance ensemble known for its gentle blend of eastern and western sensibilities led by artistic director and choreographer Takehiro Ueyama, presents a program filled with exuberant play, human dancescapes and structural patterns that overflow the stage. The four-performance engagement will feature two premieres: the world premiere of Footsteps in the Snow, set to music by Arvo Part, and the New York City premiere of Shabon, set to the music of Steve Reich, as well as Love Stories (2008), a three movement pas de deux, and the beloved Linked (2008) '...a bright explosive tour de force' (The Daily Gazette) inspired by the music of Pat Metheny.

The website for THE NORMAN CONQUESTS is now live! For performance schedule, photos and other details about the Broadway production of Alan Ayckbourn's comedy trilogy that was a critically acclaimed, sold out hit this season at The Old Vic in London, visit: www.NormanConquestsOnBroadway.com

Paul Szilard Productions, Inc. in association with ATTRACT Productions (Greece) is presenting the Martha Graham Dance Company in a special engagement at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at NYU, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square South, Tuesday, May 12th - Saturday, May 16th. The acclaimed company will be performing two programs of Grahams' classics and on Thursday, May 14th there will be a special Gala honoring international impresario Paul Szilard (guests & program tba).

TAKE Dance Company, a contemporary dance ensemble known for its gentle blend of eastern and western sensibilities led by artistic director and choreographer Takehiro Ueyama, presents a program filled with exuberant play, human dancescapes and structural patterns that overflow the stage. The four-performance engagement will feature two premieres: the world premiere of Footsteps in the Snow, set to music by Arvo Part, and the New York City premiere of Shabon, set to the music of Steve Reich, as well as Love Stories (2008), a three movement pas de deux, and the beloved Linked (2008) '...a bright explosive tour de force' (The Daily Gazette) inspired by the music of Pat Metheny.

Tony Award-winners Philip Bosco, Jim Norton and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, as well as Cheyenne Jackson, Kate Baldwin, and Jeremy Bobb will star in Finian's Rainbow, the final production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, running from March 26 - 29.

Sir Alan Ayckbourn was honored last night at the Society of London Theatre's Olivier Awards with a special award for his lifetime contribution to theatre. The award was presented to him by Kevin Spacey, artistic director of The Old Vic, where Ayckbourn's masterpiece, the comedy trilogy THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, was a sold out smash hit earlier this season.

Perry-Mansfield, the most legendary of all performing arts schools in the nation, will present a special one-night-only cabaret concert to benefit its scholarship fund, it was announced by Executive Director June Lindenmayer. 'The Art of Cabaret' scholarship fund benefit concert will be hosted by Andrea Marcovicci and Karen Mason, and will feature performances by Barry Kleinbort and Terri Ralston (Perry-Mansfield master teachers), and musical directors Christopher Denny, Shelly Markham, and David Gaines.

Perry-Mansfield, the most legendary of all performing arts schools in the nation, will present a special one-night-only cabaret concert to benefit its scholarship fund, it was announced by Executive Director June Lindenmayer. 'The Art of Cabaret' scholarship fund benefit concert will be hosted by Andrea Marcovicci and Karen Mason, and will feature performances by Barry Kleinbort and Terri Ralston (Perry-Mansfield master teachers), and musical directors Christopher Denny, Shelly Markham, and David Gaines.

Bloomberg News reports that in December 2005, New York City Center theater set up planning a roughly $300 million renovation project, after soliciting ideas from the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation and other resident companies. 'They said, ?dream out loud,' and we did,' said John Tomlinson, general manager of Paul Taylor. City Center says the top-to-bottom makeover eventually will proceed, even though six members of its 32-person board of directors invested with Bernard L. Madoff, who is alleged to have run a $50 billion Ponzi scheme. The six donated at least $260,000 to City Center last year, according to a program of the musical revival series 'Encores!'

Tickets go on sale on Sunday, February 22 for The Old Vic's critically acclaimed production of THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, a comedy trilogy of plays by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Matthew Warchus. The production begins performances on Tuesday, April 7 and opens Thursday, April 23 at Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street). Tickets will be available through Telecharge at 212-239-6200, online at www.telecharge.com and at the Circle in the Square box office.