Playwrights Horizons News

After two packed presentations in January and rehearsal-room time in February, Steven Strafford's METHTACULAR! will get another set of readings in the Lion Theatre at Theatre Row on Monday, March 7th.

The Friend Center for the Arts at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) and the Magic Theatre present The Virgin Play Reading Series on four Mondays in March. These readings of scripts-in-progress by the playwrights themselves, offer audiences the chance to hear the plays before they arrive on the stage and see the new play development process up close. After each reading, the playwright and director will have a conversation with the audience members.

Magic Theatre presents the world premiere of Theresa Rebeck's What We're Up Against February 2nd through March 6, 2011.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) rings in the New Year with William Shakespeare's romantic comedy As You Like It, staged by CST's Associate Artistic Director Gary Griffin. The acting company for Griffin's lush production includes a host of Chicago Shakespeare favorites who have collectively performed over 100 roles at CST. Among the returning cast members are Kate Fry, performing the role of Rosalind in her seventh appearance at CST; Chaon Cross as Celia in her sixth CST appearance; Matt Schwader as Orlando in his ninth appearance; Phillip James Brannon as Touchstone in his fourth appearance; and longtime collaborators Ross Lehman as Jaques and Kevin Gudahl as Duke Senior, who return to CST to perform their respective 13th and 27th roles. Chicago Shakespeare Theater's As You Like It runs now through March 6, 2011, in CST's Courtyard Theater. Tickets are $44-$75 with special discounts available for groups of 10 or more. All patrons receive a 40% parking discount at Navy Pier garages. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

An invitation-only reading of the musical Hello Out There will be held Friday March 4 at Playwrights Horizons.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) continues its current 40th Anniversary 2010/2011 Season with KIN.

Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced The Old Globe's presentation of a developmental workshop of Allegiance - A New American Musical.

Following a successful launch at the New York Musical Theater Festival (NYMF) in 2010, Artists WithOut Limits (AWOL) Theatre Project, Inc. announces the second annual presentation of 8Minute Musicals, a program that challenges emerging musical theatre writers and composers to create 8 original 8-minute musicals in just two weeks.

He is a Roman general, handsome & brave. She is the Queen of Egypt, beautiful & proud. Together they will defy the power of an Emperor. Together they will destroy that which they strive to uphold. Join us as the AUDELCO Award-winning Take Wing And Soar Productions presents Shakespeare's ANTONY & CLEOPATRA from March 17-27, at The Poet's Den Theater. Award-winning actress & director Petronia Paley leads the TWAS Classical Actors of Color as they share the stage with classical actor Michael Early* as Antony and Take Wing And Soar's Producing Artistic Director, Debra Ann Byrd*, as she takes on the role of Egypt's last Queen. The Opening Night Gala on March 17th at 7pm, will honor Councilwoman Inez Dickens.

Playwrights Horizons will present the World Premiere of GO BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE, a new play by five-time Obie Award winner David Greenspan. Directed by Leigh Silverman, the production will begin previews Thursday, March 24 at 7:30 PM. With an Opening Night set for Tuesday, April 12 at 7PM, the limited engagement will play through Sunday, May 1 at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Grammy and Emmy Award winner, Tony Award nominee and multi-platinum recording artist Harry Connick, Jr. will star in a reimagined production of ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER opening fall 2011 on Broadway at a theatre to be announced. The delightful Tony Award nominated score by Burton Lane (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (lyrics) is enhanced by classics from their film scores for On A Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) and Royal Wedding (1951). With a new book by Peter Parnell based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner, the musical is reconceived and directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer. Further casting and creative team to be announced shortly.

Audiences and critics on both coasts embraced Eurydice and In the Next Room (or the vibrator play), two shows steeped in longing from playwright Sarah Ruhl and director Les Waters. Now this talented team turns its attention to a fresh translation of a masterpiece: Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters. Ruhl enlivens this classic with the same elegant understanding of intimacy that infused those earlier collaborations, while Waters and a cast of 14 deliver another sumptuous production. This West Coast premiere begins previews on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage on April 8, opens April 13, and runs through May 22. Three Sisters is a co-production between Berkeley Rep, where Waters serves as associate artistic director, and Yale Repertory Theatre.

Michael Cyril Creighton's award winning online sitcom "JACK IN A BOX" premieres its Third Season on February 28th, 2011

New Repertory Theatre, in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, is pleased to announce DollHouse, a drama by playwright Theresa Rebeck, based on Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House.

Harmony, a musical gala benefiting the New York City Gay Men's Chorus and the Youth Pride Chorus, will play Christie's on February 28.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the runaway hit play by Mark St. Germain, will celebrate its 200th New York performance this Sunday, February 27th at 7pm, establishing it as the longest-running Off-Broadway play of the season

Rising Phoenix Repertory announces the seventh PLAY IN THE CINO NIGHTS SERIES named a new play by lucy thurber / directed by jenna worsham featuring Lila Dupree, Ronete Levenson, Katie Meister, and Sarah Tolan-Mee

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus; Managing Director) is pleased to announce the launch of PLAYTIME! at Playwrights Horizons, a brand new program offering affordable, professional childcare while you see a show.

Chance Theater launches its 2011 season with the West Coast premiere of the edgy romantic comedy Nerve by Adam Szymkowicz. The production will close on February 27. The play is directed by Marya Mazor. A special '2nd Story' post-show event is directed by Khanisha Foster, a company member with Chicago's Serendipity Theater Collective.

The Globe's revival of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, directed by Pam MacKinnon, will close at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre Feb. 27. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.