Philip Nolen News

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents William Shakespeare's comedy, Love's Labour's Lost from February 22 - March 24, 2017 in the Margeson Theater. Set in the Roaring Twenties, Love's Labour's Lost will play in repertory with F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (February 8 - March 26, 2017). Tickets ($25 - $50) to both productions are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary masterpiece, The Great Gatsby from February 8 - March 26, 2017 in the Margeson Theater. Adapted for stage by Simon Levy, The Great Gatsby will play in repertory with William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (February 22 - March 24, 2017). Tickets to both productions are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents William Shakespeare's comedy, Love's Labour's Lost from February 22 - March 24, 2017 in the Margeson Theater.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater (Orlando Shakes) in Partnership with UCF presents F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary masterpiece, The Great Gatsby from February 8 - March 26, 2017 in the Margeson Theater.

?Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF has added an additional matinee performance of the Tony Award-winning comedy, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

I recently read that unless material comes out of living experience, it does not live. The truth of this premise resonated clearly when I attended preview night for Orlando Shakespeare's final play of its regular season, VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE, a show with an unmistakable heartbeat. 

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE. Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, Vanya is a comedy about two dysfunctional siblings and the wild weekend that unfolds when their famous sister returns with her hunky new boy toy. VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE appears from now through May 1, 2016 (Opening Night is tonight, April 1) in the Goldman Theater. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, Vanya is a comedy about two dysfunctional siblings and the wild weekend that unfolds when their famous sister returns with her hunky new boy toy. Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike appears from March 30 - May 1, 2016 (Opening Night is April 1) in the Goldman Theater. Tickets are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF presents Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, Vanya is a comedy about two dysfunctional siblings and the wild weekend that unfolds when their famous sister returns with her hunky new boy toy.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF is pleased to present Monty Python's Spamalot from tonight, September 9, through October 11, 2015 in the Margeson Theater.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF is pleased to present Monty Python's Spamalot from September 9 - October 11, 2015 in the Margeson Theater. Directed by Artistic Director Jim Helsinger with musical direction by Steve MacKinnon and choreography by Billy Sprague, Jr., the production will headline the Theater's upcoming 27th Season Signature Series. Tickets to Monty Python's SPAMALOT are available now by calling (407) 447-1700 ext. 1, visiting www.orlandoshakes.org, or in person at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center (812 East Rollins Street).

Mad Cow Theatre has just announced the return of the Science Play Festival, running February 27 - March 1.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF dares audiences to take a risk on new plays at PlayFest from this weekend, November 1 - 3, 2014. Presented by Harriett's Charitable Trust, the fast-paced weekend is packed with lively discussions, engaging playwright panels, and new play readings, along with a keynote speech from playwright Mark St. Germain. This season's event marks the twelfth festival of new plays at the Theater.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF dares audiences to take a risk on new plays at PlayFest from November 1 - 3, 2014. Presented by Harriett's Charitable Trust, the fast-paced weekend is packed with lively discussions, engaging playwright panels, and new play readings, along with a keynote speech from playwright Mark St. Germain. This season's event marks the twelfth festival of new plays at the Theater.

Alan Bennett's masterpiece, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, documents senior boys and the educators responsible for filling their minds with knowledge. When the Headmaster of an all boys school brings in Irwin, a young and ambitious teacher who believes education is applicable only to the exam for which he is preparing the boys to take, Hector, the tenured eccentric general studies teacher who believes in cultivation, is rocked and sent to fight for his job. A debate on education is not the only theme here; sex, unrequited love, religion, failure, friendship, scandal, and an existential breakdown to name a few are all found in this loquacious play.

As schools are opening their doors and welcoming students back, class at the Mad Cow Theatre Company is also back in session with a production of Alan Bennett's 2005 Tony Winning Play, THE HISTORY BOYS. My review on the production, running through September 7th, will be up early next week. In the meantime, I was able to interview some of the cast members. Instead of your basic interview with straightforward questions, I kept with the spirit of Bennett's scholastic play by passing out the blue books with three open-ended questions about some of the themes from the play. Although these answers will not be graded, I am sure if Irwin took a glance at them he would not be regarding them as "abysmally dull".

Mad Cow Theatre has announced its run of Alan Bennett's The History Boys in The Harriett Theatre, from today, August 8 - September 7, 2014.

Mad Cow Theatre has announced its upcoming run of Alan Bennett's The History Boys in The Harriett Theatre, from August 8 - September 7, 2014.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF is thrilled to present the epic theatrical event The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts I and II. Written by David Edgar and adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens, the production is produced in Collaboration with Theatre UCF. Co-directed by Artistic Director Jim Helsinger and Theatre UCF Chair/Artistic Director Christopher Niess, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts I & II is presented in rotating repertory from today, January 22 to March 9, 2014 at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Loch Haven Park.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF is thrilled to present the epic theatrical event The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts I and II. Written by David Edgar and adapted from the novel by Charles Dickens, the production is produced in Collaboration with Theatre UCF. Co-directed by Artistic Director Jim Helsinger and Theatre UCF Chair/Artistic Director Christopher Niess, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, Parts I & II is presented in rotating repertory from January 22 to March 9, 2014 at the John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Loch Haven Park. Tickets ($17-$40) are available by calling (407) 447-1700, online at http://orlandoshakes.org, or in person at 812 East Rollins St., Orlando, FL 32803. Dinner and hotel packages are also available at http://www.orlandoshakes.org/nickleby.