Royal Court Theatre News

The Traverse announces its Spring season today, presenting the best of world-class theatre, dance and music to ring in the New Year. The theatre welcomes back hit breakfast plays A Respectable Widow Takes to Vulgarity and Clean as a double bill and the ever popular A Play, A Pie and A Pint series will once again take up residence in Traverse 2.

Three time Tony Award-winning, Oscar nominated Broadway and film star Frank Langella played the title role in a new production of William Shakespeare's King Lear opening at Chichester Festival Theatre this autumn, prior to transferring to the Harvey Theater at BAM (Brooklyn Academy Of Music) in New York.

A Finborough Theatre commission, Carthage is the debut play from the Finborough Theatre's new Channel 4 Playwright in Residence, Chris Thompson, and will receive its world premiere in a four week run from Tuesday, 28 January 2014 (Press Night: Thursday 30 January 2014 at 7.30pm).

A Finborough Theatre commission, Carthage is the debut play from the Finborough Theatre's new Channel 4 Playwright in Residence, Chris Thompson, and will receive its world premiere in a four week run from Tuesday, 28 January 2014 (Press Night: Thursday 30 January 2014 at 7.30pm).

The Nora Theatre Company will present Terry Johnson's Insignificance from January 9 - February 9, 2014. Insignificance is directed by Daniel Gidron. The press performance for Insignificance is Monday, January 13 at 7:30PM.

Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show is back! Fish out the fishnets and sharpen those stilettos for the rockiest ride of your life! Producers Howard Panter and John Frost today announced that the much loved iconic musical will open tonight, December 31, 2013 at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane followed by seasons at the Crown Theatre, Perth in February, and the Festival Theatre, Adelaide in March.

Following its hit production Other People's Money, Shattered Globe Theatre will continue its 2013-14 season with Timberlake Wertenbaker's six-time Tony Award-nominated and Olivier Award-winning drama OUR COUNTRY'S GOOD, directed by Roger Smart, playing January 9 - February 22, 2014 at its new artistic home Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are available at www.theaterwit.org, in person at the Theater Wit Box Office or by calling (773) 975-8150. The press performance is Sunday, January 12, 2014 at 3 pm.

From February 20-March 2, 2014, Houston Ballet presents the North American Premiere of David Bintley's Aladdin, the first work by the celebrated English choreographer to enter Houston Ballet's repertoire.

Trap Door Theatre will present 'Judith, A Parting of the Body', written by Howard Barker and directed by Zeljko Djukic, featuring Kevin Cox, Stacie Beth Green, Nicole Wiesner.

Actors Christopher Tierney (in his first NYC stage role since departing Broadway's Spider-Man) and Louis Butelli (Cyclops: A Rock Opera; Sleep No More) step into Jon Fosse's I AM THE WIND, replacing the previously announced James Patrick Nelson and Jonathan Tindle. Performances still begin on Thursday, January 9 for a limited engagement through Sunday, January 26. Press opening remains Thursday, January 16 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday - Saturday at 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $18 ($12.60 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.

St. Ann's Warehouse will present the American Premiere of Kate Tempest's Brand New Ancients, which garnered considerable critical acclaim and the prestigious Herald Angel Award at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Tempest is also the first winner under 40 of the Ted Hughes Poetry Award. Brand New Ancients, which will run from January 10 - 19, continues the St Ann's Warehouse tradition of introducing American audiences to exceptional theater artists and companies from across the pond, including Kneehigh, Enda Walsh, Stephen Hoggett, John Tiffany, and Daniel Kitson, who first recommended Tempest to St. Ann's Artistic Director, Susan Feldman. A co-production with Battersea Arts Centre on Tour, Brand New Ancients will run for eight performances at St. Ann's Warehouse in DUMBO (29 Jay Street, Brooklyn).

Artistic Director Molly Smith tackles a unique, in-the-round staging of Bertolt Brecht's powerhouse anti-war play Mother Courage and Her Children at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. Iconic stage and screen actress and Academy Award nominee Kathleen Turner returns to Arena Stage following her sold-out run of Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins to make her professional singing debut as the tough-as-nails matriarch Mother Courage-a single mother determined to keep her family alive and her business afloat during war. Using the David Hare translation, the show fuses politics and satire to paint an unforgettable and provocative portrait of war, incorporating more than 10 pieces of original music composed in a rollicking, gypsy-punk style and performed by cast members doubling as musicians. Mother Courage and Her Children runs January 31-March 9, 2014 in the Fichandler Stage.

ACTORS AND DIRECTORS LIVING IN BROOKLYN (AdLib), in association with THE SIMON STUDIO, is pleased to announce the world premiere production of Sarah Levine Simon's THE PORTRAIT, directed by Roger Hendricks Simon (NY Shakespeare Festival, Yale Rep, London's Royal Court Theatre). THE PORTRAIT, which was first written and produced as a radio play for National Public Radio, will play a limited engagement at Theatre 54 (Shetler Studios, 244 West 54th Street, 12th Fl.). Performances begin Wednesday, January 15 and continue through Sunday, January 26. Opening Night is Thursday, January 16 (8 p.m.). Tickets are $18 and are available at smarttix.com.

Samantha Bond (Passion Play, Amy's View, Downton Abbey, Outnumbered) plays Muriel Eubanks, a glamorous divorcee looking for love in Beaumont-sur-Mer on the French Riviera and John Marquez (Privates On Parade, The Taming of the Shrew, Doc Martin) plays Andre Thibault, Beaumont-sur-Mer's Chief of Police.

According to the Daily Mail, Saskia Reeves and Danny Webb are set to star in THE MISTRESS CONTRACT in the Vicky Featherstone-helmed production of Abi Morgan's play at the Royal Court's Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. The show begins January 30, 2014.

Following 2 scratch performances at The King's Head Theatre earlier this year, Sochi 2014 comes to the brand new Hope Theatre in N1 to coincide with the real Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. It's not about gold medals, it's about human rights.

The world premiere of Laura Jacqmin's DO-GOODER opens 16th Street Theater's Season Seven performing January 16 - February 22, 2014 at 6420 16th Street in Berwyn, with a press opening of Thursday, January 23 at 7:30 PM. Directed by Artistic Director Ann Filmer, Do-Gooder is the first show in 16th Street's Season Seven 2014: How to Be Good.

English Touring Theatre announced today that Alan Bennett's internationally renowned play The History Boys has been voted the Nation's Favourite Play.

English Touring Theatre announced today that Alan Bennett's internationally renowned play The History Boys has been voted the Nation's Favourite Play.

Buzz22 Chicago has announced the casting for the World Premiere production of Laura Jacqmin's 'GHOST BIKE,' directed by Co-Artistic Director Sara Sawicki, February 27 - March 30, 2014 at Red Tape Theatre, 621 W Belmont Ave. Combining elements of Greek, African, and Chinese mythology, 'GHOST BIKE' depicts two best friends navigating the ultimate challenge to a friendship through an underworld beneath their home city of Chicago. 'GHOST BIKE' is Buzz22 Chicago's next production after their sold out and highly acclaimed production of 'She Kills Monsters' at the Steppenwolf Garage in Feb-April 2013.