Peter Askin News

The New York Times reports that song-writer John Mellencamp and horror novelist Stephen King are teaming-up to create a new Southern Gothic musical based on King's book, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County. Peter Askin will direct.

Samuel Goldwyn Films and Red Envelope Entertainment - NetFlix's original content division - announced today that the two companies have jointly acquired Peter Askin's Trumbo, a unique, star-studded film about Oscar-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and his heroic journey from Hollywood royalty to blacklisted writer to Academy Award winner.

Ars Nova presents, as part of the OUT LOUD series, a free reading of Our Enemies: Lively Scenes of Love and Combat, by Yussef El Guindi, directed by Joanna Settle. Our Enemies: Lively Scenes of Love and Combat on Monday, October 29 at 7 PM at Ars Nova

Ars Nova (voted 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine), as part of the FREE Out Loud reading series, presents THE RED BEARD OF ESAU, written by Rachel Shukert and directed by Alex Timbers. THE RED BEARD OF ESAU will be read by Jeff Binder, Elliotte Crowell, Billy Eichner, Sam Forman, Van Hansis, David Josefsberg, Julie Lake, Maggie Lauren, Austin Lysy, Reginald Veneziano and Taylor Wilcox on Monday, January 29 at 7 PM at Ars Nova (511 West 54th Street). A Neanderthal woman and Cro-Magnon man embark on a passionate love affair at the very dawn of time. But fate, not to mention an assortment of mystics, priestesses, dwarfs, and beautful blonde Californian twins have other things in store for them. Things that could threaten their very existence! Can love survive? Find out in THE RED BEARD OF ESAU, the world's first genocidal romantic comedy. RACHEL SHUKERT (Writer) is a playwright and author based in New York City. Her plays include Bloody Mary (NYIT Award nominee), Sequins for Satan, The Blackstone Hotel, and Soiled Linens. Her work has been developed and produced at Ars Nova, the Williamstown Theater Festival, the Culture Project, the Ontological/Hysteric, and the EVOLVE series at Galapagos. In 2003, she was the Playwright-in-Residence at e74 productions in Amsterdam, and her work was performed extensively throughout the Netherlands. As a performer, she has appeared with Richard Foreman's Ontological/Hysteric Theater, in New York and internationally; Les Freres Courbusier, the T.E.A.M., Salt Theater, e74, and with her own company, the Bushwick Hotel, which she founded in 2002 with the director Stephen Brackett. She is a regular contributor to Nerve.com (2005 ASME finalist, 2006 'Best Writing' Webby Award) and her work will be featured in their latest print anthology. She has also contributed to Heeb Magazine, McSweeney's, Babble, Culturebot, and Critical Moment. Her upcoming collection of essays, Have You No Shame? will be published by Random House/Villard. ALEX TIMBERS (Director) Recent credits include Gutenberg! The Musical! (The Actor's Playhouse and 59E59), A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant (New York Theatre Workshop; OBIE Award- NYC and Garland Award, Best Director- LA), Hell House (St. Ann's Warehouse), underground with David Dorfman Dance (BAM Next Wave and US tour), Boozy (Culture Project- 10 Best of 2005, Daily News and Time Out), Marge (Summer Play Festival), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Williamstown Theater Festival), and Heddatron (HERE). Alex is a Williamstown Directing Fellow, a Drama League Directing Fellow, and the Artistic Director of award-winning theater company Les Freres Corbusier. OUT LOUD has attracted a variety of the industry's top artists, including writers Stephen Belber, Jorge Cortinas, Daniel Goldfarb, Stephen Guirgis, Rinne Groff, Rogelio Martinez, Adam Rapp, Sarah Ruhl, Julian Sheppard, Jonathan Marc Sherman; directors Peter Askin, Jo Bonney, David Esbjornson, Moises Kaufman, Brian Kulick, James Lapine, Lisa Peterson, David Warren; and actors Jason Biggs, Kathleen Chalfant, Robert Sean Leonard, Marsha Mason, Denis O'Hare, Rosie Perez, Paul Rudd, Mercedes Reuhl, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Swoosie Kurtz, David Strathairn, Fred Weller. Ticket & Schedule Information THE RED BEARD OF ESAU will be read on Monday, January 29 at 7 PM. The Out Loud Series is FREE and open to the public. Reservations are required. Please call 212-977-1700. Ars Nova is located at 511 West 54th Street. For more information, check out www.arsnovanyc.com.

New Theatre Company Opening in NYC In October

The new theatre company, The Fire Dept, founded by Neil LaBute, Kathleen Chalfant, Janeane Garafalo and more, will launch with the new collaborative play SpeakEasy

Debra Monk headlines the cast in the world premiere production of Paul Weitz' dark comedy Show People, which began previews at Second Stage on March 16th and opens on April 6th; it will run through April 30th

Eve Ensler, the author of the international phenomenon THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, plans to explore and expose even more -- in her new play THE GOOD BODY. Ms. Ensler will be making her Los Angeles stage debut when THE GOOD BODY plays a limited 16 performance engagement at the Wadsworth Theatre January 31 to February 12, 2006.

Joe Mantegna will play the title role of Trumbo at L.A.'s Falcon Theatre from October 19th through November 13th

On Sunday, September 11, Anthony Rapp and Amy Spanger led the cast in two numbers from the sold-out NYMF Show, 'Feeling Electric.'

This Sunday, September 11, the cast of the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of FEELING ELECTRIC will offer a free public performance of select musical numbers at the Virgin Megastore -- Union Square at 1:30 p.m.

WPIX Channel 11, Tribune Broadcasting's WB Television Network affiliate (a.k.a. The WB11), has begun shooting 'The 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival,' a half-hour special report on the ambitious efforts of the eponymous annual festival, now in its second year.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Reno Productions proudly present FEELING ELECTRIC as one of the featured productions of the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF). Directed by Peter Askin (The Good Body, Trumbo), performances begin on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 at Off-Broadway's Barrow Group Theatre (312 West 36th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues).

Starting in the fall, Eve Ensler will take her solo show The Good Body across the US and Canada for a tour

Festival passes for the 2nd annual New York Musical Theatre Festival will go on sale on August 8th

The 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), currently entering its sophomore year, has announced a series of invited productions and events to round out this year's slate along with the previously announced titles for the 'Next Link Project.'

Off-Broadway's Naked Angels will roast and toast actor Fisher Stevens in Fish Fry, this year's fundraising gala

Ars Nova and The Underwood Theater present, as part of the FREE Out Loud reading series, YEMAYA'S BELLY by Quiara Hudes and directed by Peter Sampieri. YEMAYA'S BELLY will be read by Stephanie Beatriz, Alexis Camins, Gilbert Cruz, Joaquin Torres, Brigette Viellieu-Davis on Monday, May 16 at 7 PM at Ars Nova (511 West 54th Street).