Robert Askins News

Can a church puppet be possessed by Satan himself, or is it just helping a teen express himself... badly?

Victory Gardens Theater announces the lineup for the 10th Anniversary IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Prosthesis by Robert Askins; Untitled Road Trip Play byLauren Yee; White History by Dave Harris; How to Defend Yourself by Lily Padilla; Seeing Eye by Nick Malakhow; and The First Deep Breath by Lee Edward Colston II. The 2018 Festival runs August 3 -5, 2018 at Victory Gardens Theater, located at 2433 N Lincoln Avenue.

The Jewish Plays Project (David Winitsky, Artistic Director) is thrilled to announce the line-up for the 7th Annual OPEN: Festival of New Jewish Theater.

La Jolla Playhouse presents the world-premiere production of The Squirrels, by Robert Askins, directed by Christopher Ashley. Get a first look at the production below!

The CHICAGO ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) returns for its ninth year! The marathon evening of one-minute plays by 70 of Chicago's established and emerging playwrights and directors plays two nights only, Tuesday, June 26 and Wednesday, June 27 at 8 pm at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

Road Less Traveled Productions (RLTP) will have a new home for its 2018-19 Theatre Season at 456 Main St., Buffalo, New York. For the past three years, RLTP has been staging their award-winning productions at 500 Pearl St. with an eye to moving into a more permanent space. Working with Ellicott Development Company, RLTP plans to completely renovate the former Baker Shoes building, putting in an intimate stage, lobby and bar to provide a new and exciting option for visitors to Buffalo's vibrant and growing Theater District. The new theater venue, located near Lafayette Square, will offer plenty of amenities that patrons value, including a single-floor access, convenient parking, air conditioning and nearby eclectic dining options.

The Jewish Plays Project (David Winitsky, Artistic Director) is thrilled to announce the line-up for the 7th Annual OPEN: Festival of New Jewish Theater.

The Dramatic Question Theatre (DQT) will present a workshop production of The Pet Play by Noemi de la Puente, directed by David Davila. The Pet Play will begin performances on June 14 and run through June 24 at The Shetler Theatre (244 West 54th Street).

Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero announced today that TheaterWorks 2018-2019 Season will include The River by Jez Butterworth, A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath, Fully Committed by Becky Mode, and Actually by Anna Zeigler. The fifth and final production will be announced shortly.

Dear Readers, a few years back on one of my trips to the Mothership, I managed to catch Robert Askins' hilarious play "Hand to God" on Broadway and as soon as I finished wetting myself from laughter I thought, "Someone in Seattle needs to do this so my Dear Readers can wet themselves as well." Well last night I watched the entire house at Seattle Public Theater collectively wetting themselves over this hysterical show and so my wish has come true. My wish for all of you.

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for its world-premiere production of The Squirrels, by Tony Award nominee Robert Askins (Hand to God), directed by 2017 Tony Award winner and La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, running June 5 - July 8.

Robert Askins' Tony Award nominated play Hand to God is about a puppet ministry in Texas that goes awry when a sock puppet wreaks havoc on the church, the pastor, and the other kids. Billed for mature audiences only, Ira David Wood IV says the irreverent Hand to God is one of those plays that walks the edge but never really crosses the line. Wood not only directs this production, but also steps into the dual role of the troubled teen Jason and his demonic puppet. This is his second time taking on the role of both director and performer, the first of which was Theatre in the Park's 2009 production of Romeo and Juliet, starring his sister, Evan Rachel Wood.

There is something very sinister happening at Theatre in the Park (TIP) in Raleigh and you only have until May 6th to catch it before it's exorcised. It's a good night out for mature audiences who don't mind a little blasphemy with their supper.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) is pleased to announce the extension by popular demand of the World Premiere of Transfers. Inspired by young artists participating in the MCC Theater Youth Company, Transfers is written by MCC Theater's Youth Company Playwriting Lab Director and Obie Award winner Lucy Thurber, and directed by Jackson Gay. Previously scheduled through May 13, Transfers will now play through Sunday, May 20 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street).

After the death of his father, meek Jason finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry, in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas. Jason's complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and-most especially-his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason's puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own. A devilishly dark, hysterical romp to hell and back, HAND TO GOD explores the startlingly fragile nature of faith, morality, and the ties that bind us.

Mad Cow Theatre's Season 22 will continue the theatre's tradition of producing plays that both captivate and challenge the Central Florida audience.

The Human Race Theatre Company (HRTC) is proud to introduce the lineup for its 2018-2019 Eichelberger Loft Series - a five-show collection of works that examines specific moments in history-real and imaginary, corrects ancient history and revisits a part of the company's own history. The season, featuring one fierce musical and four engaging plays, begins September 6, 2018. In addition to the fully-produced works on the Loft Series, HRTC is launching a new Monday Night Playreading Series with the table readings of three diverse, crowd-pleasing scripts.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce their critically acclaimed, sold out, extended production of School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play, written by 2017-18 Tow Playwright-in-Residence Jocelyn Bioh, and directed by Tony Award winner Rebecca Taichman, will return to New York, playing a strictly limited engagement this fall. Tickets are now on sale for School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play which will begin previews at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street) on Tuesday, October 16, with an official opening night set for Monday, October 22, 2018. The show is set to run through November 25, 2018. Additional information, including casting, will be announced shortly.

MCC Theater is thrilled to announce four new productions for its 32nd Season in the Theater's new, permanent home. The season includes an exciting mix of world and New York premieres from artists both familiar and new to MCC audiences-each fulfilling MCC's longtime commitment to bold, risk-taking works from the most vital voices working in theater today.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey and William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) is thrilled to announce the additional performers to the all-star lineup set for their annual Miscast gala include: Tony Award® nominee Jeremy Jordan ('Supergirl,' Newsies); Caissie Levy (Frozen); Tony Award® winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza, Cinderella); and SpongeBob SquarePants' Ethan Slater, Wesley Taylor (The Addams Family, Rock of Ages) and Tony Award® nominee Gavin Lee (Mary Poppins).