Royal Shakespeare Company News

The Minervae, directed by Stephen Kaliski, will be performed free to the public for all performances. Set in the dying days of the Roman Empire, The Minervae - combining both classic theatrical elements with a modern, humorous twist - tells the story of one mythological goddess who refuses to move over for the fashionable new "cult" of Christianity. Jilted, Minerva sets out to re-convert the converted. Standing in her way are the schemes of the other Olympians: bitter Vulcan, volatile Mars, ambitious Apollo, and the enigmatic Diana. The Astoria Free Theatre Project is a bi-annual theatre production produced by On The Square Productions. The aim of this project is to bring a free, professional piece of new writing to a found space in Astoria. Athens Square Park is located in Astoria, Queens at the intersection of 30th Ave and 30th St just off the 30th Avenue stop of the N/Q lines. Admission is first come, first serve.

This summer, one of the greatest family musicals of all time is touching down in Grand Bend. The Huron Country Playhouse presents The Wizard of Oz for a limited three-week engagement, tonight, June 4th though June 23rd.

Roundabout Theatre Company has just announced that Tony® Award winner Douglas Hodge will star in a new Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, with a translation by Ranjit Bolt and directed by Jamie Lloyd. Cyrano de Bergerac will begin previews on September 14, 2012 and open officially on October 11, 2012 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street). This will be a limited engagement through November 25, 2012. The full cast & design team will be announced soon.

David Leonard will take over the role of Miss Trunchbull from Tuesday 3 July 2012 and Annette McLaughlin will join the company as Mrs Wormwood from Tuesday 21 August 2012. They will play alongside Haley Flaherty and Steve Furst who have recently joined the Company as Miss Honey and Mr Wormwood. Bertie Carvel's last performance as Miss Trunchbull will take place on Sunday 1 July and Josie Walker will perform as Mrs Wormwood for the last time on Sunday 19 August.

Watch the new trailer film for the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Julius Caesar, opening in Stratford-Upon-Avon next week from 28 May and in London this summer from 8 August at the Noel Coward Theatre.

Sheffield Theatres will be home to the first ever International Student Drama Festival from Friday 22 - Saturday 30 June, as the National Student Drama Festival (NSDF) celebrates the 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

Almost 17,000 stadium seats go on sale today (30 May 2012) for the West End transfer of Chariots of Fire. Following its sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, Edward Hall's production will open at the Gielgud Theatre on 23 June 2012 where it is currently booking to 10 November 2012. Inspired by Colin Welland's original screenplay, award-winning playwright Mike Bartlett's new adaptation is based on the true story of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams' inspirational tale of hope, honour and belief.

Today we continue our expansive look at the most memorable moments from the sixty-plus years of the Tony Awards by saluting one of the biggest hit musicals of all time that is about to hit the silver screen in a big budget adaptation starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway - the emotionally devastating and faith-affirming LES MISERABLES.

Due to popular demand, FREUD'S LAST SESSION, the smash hit at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport, Chicago), will now run through September 2nd with an exciting new Chicago cast, including local theater legend, Mike Nussbaum (Emmy, Drama Desk Award and four-time Jeff Award winner) as "Sigmund Freud" and Coburn Goss (Vigils at the Goodman Theatre, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Steppenwolf Theatre Companyand Off Broadway When the Messenger is Hot at 59E59) as "C.S. Lewis". A current sold-out sensation in New York and winner of the 2011 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Play, the Midwest Premiere of FREUD'S LAST SESSION has received rave reviews and a Jeff Recommendation.

Live Theatre and Soho Theatre are delighted to announce the full cast for the West End transfer of A WALK ON PART including one of Britain's leading female comedians Andi Osho, who will be joined by returning cast members John Hodgkinson, Hywel Morgan and Tracey Gillman plus previously announced new cast member Joe Caffrey.

Ferdinand Kingsley will play both God and Jesus opposite Coronation Street villain Graeme Hawley, who takes on the role of the Devil, in the York Mystery Plays to be staged throughout August against the backdrop of the St Mary's Abbey, York. Kingsley and Hawley will be joined by over 2,500 people in the staging of what is believed to be the UK's biggest outdoor theatrical event of 2012. With over 1,700 local volunteers comprising the two casts of community ensemble, musicians, choir and crew, the York Mystery Plays run from 2 to 27 August.

The Summer Season at the Finborough Theatre continues with rediscoveries of EVENTS WHILE GUARDING THE BOFORS GUN and MERRIE ENGLAND. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the death of playwright John McGrath, and unseen in a professional production in London since 1966, John McGrath's Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a limited four-week season from Tuesday, 22 May 2012 directed by Robert Hastie. Merrie England plays at the Finborough Theatre for a limited run of nine Sunday and Monday evening performances and Tuesday matinees, opening tonight, 27 May 2012.

To coincide with the 20th anniversary celebrations for the Halifax-based Northern Broadsides Theatre Company, the renowned Dean Clough Galleries has devoted its premiere exhibition space to a large-scale photography show by the highly acclaimed photographer Nobby Clark. 'Northern Broadsides - 20 years- photography by Nobby Clark' will run in Dean Clough's Crossley gallery from today, 26 May-16 September.

In a recent interview with BBC, Dame Judi Dench chatted about the importance of teaching Shakespeare in schools. Dench commented: ' I would like to be doing a Shakespeare play every single night, and I do try to say a sonnet every day... Either it gives you goosebumps or it doesn't, and I heard this morning that some schools have stopped doing Shakespeare on the school curriculum.'

Route 66 Theatre Company has announced the details of their newest world premiere collaboration, a one-of-a-kind original musical by local sensation Diana Lawrence (of Diana and the Dishes, and currently musical director of TICK, TICK, BOOM at Porchlight Music Theatre). NEXT STOP runs Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:30pm, June 18-26, at Theater Wit, 1229 West Belmont Ave, Chicago IL.

Jeremy Herrin directs the World Premiere of Matthew Dunster's Children's Children running at the Almeida now through 30 June 2012, with press night on 24 May. Designs are by Robert Innes Hopkins with lighting by Neil Austin and sound by Ian Dickinson. The cast comprises Emily Berrington (Effie), Beth Cordingly (Louisa), Darrell D'Silva (Michael), Trevor Fox (Gordon), John MacMillan (Castro) and Sally Rogers (Sally). See photos of the full cast on stage below!

In celebration of the 100th Chicago performance of the FREUD'S LAST SESSION at the Mercury Theater (3745 N. Southport), the producers will host a Sigmund Freud Look-A-Like contest.

The Summer Season at the Finborough Theatre continues with rediscoveries of EVENTS WHILE GUARDING THE BOFORS GUN and MERRIE ENGLAND. Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the death of playwright John McGrath, and unseen in a professional production in London since 1966, John McGrath's Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun opens at the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre for a limited four-week season from tonight, 22 May 2012 directed by Robert Hastie. Merrie England plays at the Finborough Theatre for a limited run of nine Sunday and Monday evening performances and Tuesday matinees, opening on Sunday, 27 May 2012.

Sir Patrick Stewart, Peabody Award-winning star of stage and screen, Shakespeare plays and science-fiction blockbusters, will be the host of the 71st Annual George Foster Peabody Awards ceremony tonight, May 21, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.