Peter Hall News

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) has announced that Fred Applegate. Sebastian Arcelus, Miguel Cervantes, Hunter Foster, Joanna Gleason, Ken Page, Robert Petkoff, Jenny Powers, Phyllis Somerville and Pearl Sun will be featured in its upcoming production of the new musical HAPPINESS.

Artist Bob Rauschenberg presented new ways of looking at life, the world and the United States through groundbreaking collages - 'Combines' - that incorporated everyday objects and assorted images of people, places and things. Random at times, and deliberate at others, each collection of items told a host of stories within a single canvas

Artist Bob Rauschenberg presented new ways of looking at life, the world and the United States through groundbreaking collages - 'Combines' - that incorporated everyday objects and assorted images of people, places and things. Random at times, and deliberate at others, each collection of items told a host of stories within a single canvas

For four decades, Sidney Berger helped aspiring stage stars rise from the University of Houston's School of Theatre & Dance and ascend to professional heights. Some headed to Hollywood while others made their way to regional stages and classrooms. No matter where they went, Berger viewed each of his students as shining products of theater education at its finest.

Artist Bob Rauschenberg presented new ways of looking at life, the world and the United States through groundbreaking collages - 'Combines' - that incorporated everyday objects and assorted images of people, places and things. Random at times, and deliberate at others, each collection of items told a host of stories within a single canvas. Thanks to playwright Charles L. Mee, the artist's spirited, yet unconventional, vision was transplanted to a theater setting by New York's SITI Company in 'bobrauschenbergamerica' in 2001. Soon, Houstonians will have the opportunity to experience this unique stage production when it is presented by the University of Houston's School of Theatre & Dance.

TheatreFIRST today announces it will present Harold Pinter's gripping and mysterious 'Old Times', featuring one of the Bay Area's foremost actors, L. Peter Callender as Deeley, at the Gaia Arts Center in Berkeley in April.

Rhoda Herrick has just announced that Garden of Earthly Delights will be extending its run for the second consecutive time, continuing through Sunday, May 31 at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane). The show, which opened to rave reviews on November 19, began previews on November 8 and was originally slated to run through January 18. The first extension would run through March 1 before the latest announcement today. Tickets for this extension are currently on sale through Ticketmaster; www.Ticketmaster.com or (212) 307-4100. Margaret Selby of CAMI Spectrum is booking an international tour for the 2009/2010 season.

Theatre for a New Audience's Winter-Spring Shakespeare Season which begins with Othello (February 14 - March 7) continues with Hamlet which previews Sunday, March 15, at 7:00pm, opens Thursday, March 26, at 6:30pm and plays through April 19. Both productions play at The Duke on 42nd Street SM, a New 42nd Street? project, 229 West 42nd Street. Hamlet features Christian Camargo in the title role. The production is directed by David Esbjornson. Joining Mr. Camargo will be Alyssa Bresnahan as Gertrude, Alvin Epstein as Polonius, Graham Hamilton as Laertes, Jennifer Ikeda as Ophelia and Patrick Page as Claudius.

The Colony Theatre Company presents the fourth production of its 2008 - 2009 season, CANDIDA, written by George Bernard Shaw and directed by Kathleen F. Conlin. CANDIDA will preview on Wednesday, February 4; Thursday, February 5 and Friday, February 6 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, February 7 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, March 8 at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center. CANDIDA is the delightful, light-hearted classic from George Bernard Shaw, writer of Major Barbara and Arms and the Man, winner of the Academy-Award for writing Pygmalion, and recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Reverend Morell thinks he and his wife, Candida, have the perfect marriage, but when a passionate young poet also declares his love for her, Morell begins to doubt whether his wife loves him after all. Written over 100 years ago, George Bernard Shaw shows that marriage hasn't changed all that much. Directed by Kathleen F. Conlin, from her acclaimed production at the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

The lure of a world premiere play by Pulitzer winner Donald Margulies (Dinner with Friends) directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan (Proof) is enticing enough to convince actors Anna Gunn (HBO's Deadwood, AMC's Breaking Bad), Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Miss Match), David Harbour (Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road, State of Play) and Robin Thomas (Damages, Murphy Brown) to temporarily forgo the screens for a stint at the Geffen Playhouse. The second produced work in the Geffen's ongoing commission program, Time Stands Still opens February 11, 2009 on the theater's main stage.

Alan Ayckbourn's comic trilogy of plays, THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, will come to Broadway directly following its sold out critically acclaimed run in London. The production, the latest success for The Old Vic Theatre Company under the artistic leadership of Kevin Spacey, will play for 16 weeks only. THE NORMAN CONQUESTS, directed by Matthew Warchus, opens Thursday, April 23 at Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50th Street). Previews begin Tuesday, April 7.

Starry Night Entertainment has announced that performances of the New York premiere of White People, written by J. T. Rogers and directed by Gus Reyes, will begin Wednesday, January 28, at 8pm, at the Atlantic Stage 2, 330 West 16 Street. The opening night is Tuesday, February 3, at 8pm.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) has announced that Fred Applegate. Sebastian Arcelus, Miguel Cervantes, Hunter Foster, Joanna Gleason, Ken Page, Robert Petkoff, Jenny Powers, Phyllis Somerville and Pearl Sun will be featured in its upcoming production of the new musical HAPPINESS.

The lure of a world premiere play by Pulitzer winner Donald Margulies (Dinner with Friends) directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan (Proof) is enticing enough to convince actors Anna Gunn (HBO's Deadwood, AMC's Breaking Bad), Alicia Silverstone (Clueless, Miss Match), David Harbour (Quantum of Solace, Revolutionary Road, State of Play) and Robin Thomas (Damages, Murphy Brown) to temporarily forgo the screens for a stint at the Geffen Playhouse. The second produced work in the Geffen's ongoing commission program, Time Stands Still opens February 11, 2009 on the theater's main stage.

Simon Callow (Pozzo) and Ronald Pickup (Lucky) will join Ian McKellen (Estragon) and Patrick Stewart (Vladimir) in Sean Mathias' Theatre Royal Haymarket production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. Waiting for Godot will preview at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 30 April with press night on 6 May 2009 and is booking until 28 June 2009 for a strictly limited season. Designs are by Stephen Brimson Lewis and lighting is by Paul Pyant. Waiting for Godot is produced by the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company in partnership with Duncan C. Weldon Productions Ltd. Prior to the Theatre Royal Haymarket run, Waiting for Godot tours to Malvern Theatres (5 - 14 March), Milton Keynes Theatre (16 - 21 March), Brighton Theatre Royal (23 - 28 March), Bath Theatre Royal (30 March - 4 April), Norwich Theatre Royal (6 - 11 April), Edinburgh King's Theatre (13 - 18 April) and Newcastle Theatre Royal (20 - 25 April). Waiting for Godot follows two consecutive days in the lives of Vladimir and Estragon, who divert themselves by clowning around, joking and arguing, while waiting expectantly and unsuccessfully for the mysterious Godot. Beckett's Waiting for Godot exploded on to the London stage over 50 years ago when it shocked as many people as it delighted.

The Colony Theatre Company presents the fourth production of its 2008 - 2009 season, CANDIDA, written by George Bernard Shaw and directed by Kathleen F. Conlin. CANDIDA will preview on Wednesday, February 4; Thursday, February 5 and Friday, February 6 at 8:00pm and will open on Saturday, February 7 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, March 8 at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center. CANDIDA is the delightful, light-hearted classic from George Bernard Shaw, writer of Major Barbara and Arms and the Man, winner of the Academy-Award for writing Pygmalion, and recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Reverend Morell thinks he and his wife, Candida, have the perfect marriage, but when a passionate young poet also declares his love for her, Morell begins to doubt whether his wife loves him after all. Written over 100 years ago, George Bernard Shaw shows that marriage hasn't changed all that much. Directed by Kathleen F. Conlin, from her acclaimed production at the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

Variety is reporting that Idris Elba has been cast on the hit NBC TV show, 'The Office' as a new rival to the show's star (and regional manager) Steve Carrell. Just like his new co-star, Melora Hardin who's currently on Broadway starring in Chicago, Idris Elba has also worked on the stage, including leading roles in 'Coming Home,' an original play written by Oscar Watson and performed at London's Red Lion Pub Theater, and Sir Peter Hall's off-Broadway production of 'Troilus and Cressida,' receiving rave reviews for his portrayal of Achilles. Idris Elba is perhaps best known for his role as the calculating de facto leader of a Baltimore drug empire in HBO's critically acclaimed original series 'The Wire.' In 2005, he received an Image Award nomination for his work on the series. Also for HBO, Elba starred in the movie 'Sometimes In April,' from director Raoul Peck. Set during the Rwandan genocide of 1994, the movie marked his first film starring role. Elba played a Hutu soldier who tries to save his Tutsi wife and family, earning another Image Award nomination for his performance.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer) has announced that Fred Applegate. Sebastian Arcelus, Miguel Cervantes, Hunter Foster, Joanna Gleason, Ken Page, Robert Petkoff, Jenny Powers, Phyllis Somerville and Pearl Sun will be featured in its upcoming production of the new musical HAPPINESS.

Starry Night Entertainment has announced that performances of the New York premiere of White People, written by J. T. Rogers and directed by Gus Reyes, will begin Wednesday, January 28, at 8pm, at the Atlantic Stage 2, 330 West 16 Street. The opening night is Tuesday, February 3, at 8pm.