Playbill News

Gary Naylor sees a magnificently realised black comedy from debutant playwright Chris Urch, one that heralds a major new writer for the English stage.

It's Saturday, and that means it's time for BroadwayWorld's 'Saturday Intermission Pics' roundup!

Starting today and continuing throughout September, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is running the ultimate auction of A Chorus Line memorabilia on eBay. More than 50 lots of singularly sensational and unforgettable collectibles from the unique collection of Gary Stevens and the late Alan George will be auctioned online with a portion of proceeds benefiting Broadway Cares.

SING FOR HOPE, an all-star concert to raise money for David's Dream & Believe Cancer Foundation, presented by the Foundation and Cara Samantha, is set for Sunday, October 5th 2014 from 2PM to 6PM at Toshi's Living Room at The Flat Iron Hotel, 1411 Broadway, New York, NY 10001 (at 26th Street). Performers from BROADWAY, AMERICAN IDOL and more will sing to support the cause.

Ben Rimalower's addiction to spending beyond his means has driven him to extreme lengths all his life. In BAD WITH MONEY he charts his sometimes hilarious, sometimes harrowing struggle to overcome his problem-or get rich trying. Written and performed by Ben Rimalower and directed by Aaron Mark, BAD WITH MONEY premieres at The Duplex (61 Christopher Street at Seventh Avenue) from tonight, September 4 through November 6.

The Off Broadway Alliance will again sponsor 20at20, the bi-annual celebration of Off Broadway. The popular promotion, which begins September 9th and continues through September 28th, makes $20 tickets available for 45 Off Broadway plays and musicals twenty minutes prior to curtain. Now in its 8th year, 20at20 has become one of New York's most eagerly anticipated promotions for people who want to see exciting shows at amazing prices.

The longest running comedy in New York, now in its second smash year, has announced the addition of a Dallas engagement to the first national tour of Buyer & Cellar, the critically acclaimed, award winning play about a (fictional) Los Angeles actor who takes a job working in the (very real) basement shopping arcade of Barbra Streisand's Malibu estate. The comedy will play the Dallas City Performance Hall beginning today, September 3, 2014 through Saturday, September 6, 2014.

New York's runaway hit comedy Buyer & Cellar, about a (fictional) Los Angeles actor who takes a job working in the (very real) basement shopping arcade of Barbra Streisand's Malibu estate, begins performances in Dallas at the Dallas City Performance Hall on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 for a strictly limited engagement through Saturday, September 6, 2014. Buyer & Cellar is written by Jonathan Tolins, directed by Stephen Brackett, and produced in Dallas by Darren Bagert, Dan Shaheen and Ted Snowdon.

When it comes to writing, there's a well-known adage that advises, 'write what you know.' Three years ago, I embraced that age-old wisdom and set out to write my first play.

This September and October 54 BELOW presents a lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

Stratford Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino has announced a season of Discovery for 2015 with 13 plays exploring eureka moments, whether they be scientific discoveries, creative accomplishments, the dawning of a deeper understanding of human nature or the epiphanies of self-knowledge. These themes, as they are reflected in art, science and our personal lives, will be further explored through more than 150 events at the Stratford Festival Forum. The 2015 season will also see a number of creative artists pursuing new work through the Stratford Festival Laboratory, Mr. Cimolino's centre for creative research and development, including adaptations of an early Urdu novel and a children's story, as well as a new approach to four of Shakespeare's history plays.

New York's runaway hit comedy Buyer & Cellar, about a (fictional) Los Angeles actor who takes a job working in the (very real) basement shopping arcade of Barbra Streisand's Malibu estate, begins performances at San Francisco's SHN Curran Theatre (44 Geary Street) on Tuesday, August 19, 2014 for a strictly limited engagement through Sunday, August 31, 2014. Buyer & Cellar is written by Jonathan Tolins, directed by Stephen Brackett, and produced in San Francisco by Darren Bagert, Dan Shaheen and Ted Snowdon.

With a string of hit musicals to his credit at Stratford, including 42nd Street, Camelot, Evita and West Side Story, director Gary Griffin returns to the classics in his fifth Festival season with Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Starring Geraint Wyn Davies and Yanna McIntosh, the tragic drama began previews on Sunday, August 3, at Stratford's Tom Patterson Theatre. The production officially opens tonight, August 14.

Fetch Clay, Make Man by Will Power will make its West Coast premiere with Marin Theatre Company, directed by Derrick Sanders (Fences) and running today, August 14 - September 7, 2014, with an Opening Night slated for Tuesday, August 19. Previews: Thursday, August 14 - Sunday, August 17.

Wirt co-stars with Julia Stiles in a dark and romantic contemporary tale with rat-a-tat dialogue whose themes zigzag around existence, time travel, parenthood and imperfect relationships.

As I sat in the back of the theatre and watched the audience members leave after seeing Olde Towne Dinner Theatre's production of 2 Across on Friday night I was struck with the happiness radiating from each and every person. After talking to Director and Managing Artistic Director, Andy Heller, that was no accident. "Our goal here at Olde Towne is to send the audience away with a smile on their face and a smile in their heart." Mission accomplished Mr. Heller!

In a lovely bit of symmetry, the Guthrie is closing a season that began with Chekhov's Uncle Vanya with a new play by Christopher Durang that uses Chekhovian characters and themes in a decidedly modern way - Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Whatever Durang's inspiration was, the result is a hilarious comedy about a dysfunctional trio of siblings and the wacky people that surround them. Even though I'm sure I missed many of the Chekhov and other references, I thoroughly enjoyed the play. It's great fun, with fantastic performances by everyone in the six-person cast.

The Shaw Festival today announced the 2015 season playbill. The Shaw's 54th season features 11 productions including the re-envisioning of two enduring Shaw comedies and two newly commissioned Canadian works. The 2015 season will feature Sweet Charity, Pygmalion, Light Up the Sky, Peter and the Starcatcher, You Never Can Tell, The Divine, The Lady from the Sea, Top Girls, The Twelve- Pound Look, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Socialism and Capitalism with a Key to the Scriptures (IHO) and The Next Whisky Bar - A Kurt Weill Cabaret.

With a string of hit musicals to his credit at Stratford, including 42nd Street, Camelot, Evita and West Side Story, director Gary Griffin returns to the classics in his fifth Festival season with Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Starring Geraint Wyn Davies and Yanna McIntosh, the tragic drama begins previews on Sunday, August 3, at Stratford's Tom Patterson Theatre. The production officially opens on Thursday, August 14.

The Stratford Festival will present Linda Gaboriau's remarkable new translation of Michel Marc Bouchard's Christina, The Girl King. Written by one of Quebec's most celebrated playwrights, and directed by Vanessa Porteous, Artistic Director of Alberta Theatre Projects, the play makes its English language premiere at Stratford's Studio Theatre. Previews begin tonight, July 29, and the production officially opens on Thursday, August 14.