Sam Shepard News

Acing the tailor-made lead role in GLEE creators' Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk's new supernaturally-themed FX series AMERICAN HORROR STORY, the former FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS star Connie Britton is finding herself at a career peak (look no further than the cover of this week's Entertainment Weekly that just hit newsstands yesterday). Britton's bright beginnings at the Neighborhood Playhouse and study under acclaimed acting instructor Sanford Meisner - as well as her Off-Broadway and stage work - have clearly prepared her well for the tricky ROSEMARY'S BABY-esque role of a lifetime that Murphy, Falchuk and company have devised for her on the star-studded nighttime soap thriller - which also features TV heavyweight Dylan McDermott, as well as two-time Oscar-winner Jessica Lange and Tony-winner (and TRUE BLOOD's King of the Vampires), Denis O'Hare. Discussing all aspects of the first three episodes of the surprise hit horror series, as well as offering some hints as to what we can expect from the forthcoming two-part Halloween special and upcoming episodes (including a Rubber Man tease), Britton and I dissect the complex inter-workings of the Harmon family and the house from Hell that they now reside in - as well as its ghostly inhabitants. Will they somehow make it out alive? And, who exactly is the new ghost in house, revealed just this week, played by previous InDepth InterView participant Lily Rabe? What can we expect from Zachary Quinto's first appearance coming up this week? And, what about The Infatata? As Murphy's original pitch's tagline states, "The House Wins," but, as far as AMERICAN HORROR STORY goes, the actors do, too. In addition to all about AMERICAN HORROR STORY, Britton and I also discuss her passionate dedication to Bono's ONE charity, as well as her participation in supporting the African Children's Choir, who will be performing at a gala raising awareness and funds on Monday at The Highline Ballroom.

In its continuing series Dark Nights, The New Group welcomes filmmaker Todd Solondz in conversation with playwright Thomas Bradshaw.

On November 4, Town Players of Newtown will open Sam Shepard's Pulitzer Prize-winning BURIED CHILD, a family drama surrounding deep, dark secrets on a dying mid-western farm.

The recipient of the first-ever ELLEN STEWART AWARD -- the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard -- has chosen young playwright Matthew Paul Olmos as the initial participant in the new award being presented this season by La MaMa, it was announced at La MaMa 50th Gala celebrating the start of the internationally-renowned theatre's 50th anniversary season, held on Monday, October 17 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.) in Manhattan.

Classic Stage Company has announced the establishment of the Rosemarie Tichler Fund, which will annually award a young artist with a $3,500 grant.

The Wilbury Group is set to present the New England premiere of Rajiv Joseph's heartfelt black comedy Gruesome Playground Injuries, this October 20-30, at 95 Empire Street, home of the Perishable Theater.

Off-Broadway's The New Group proudly presents Burning, written by Thomas Bradshaw and directed by Scott Elliott, kicking off the company's 2011-12 Season. Previews begin October 26 advance of an Official Opening on Monday, November 14 at 7:00 PM. Burning plays a limited engagement through December 17 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street).

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club has announced that the New York premiere of Now the Cats With Jewelled Claws by Tennessee Williams and directed by Jonathan Warman, will begin performances Thursday, October 27, at 10pm, at The Club at La MaMa, (74A E 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery).

Sam Shepard will be the recipient of the first-ever 'Ellen Stewart Award,' to be presented at the La MaMa 50 Gala on Monday, October 17 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Mia Yoo, artistic director of La MaMa.

Begun humbly in a store front in 1961 by a former fashion designer with a flair for the theatrical -- and dodging brushes with the law without proper city permits! -- the now internationally-renowned LA MAMA theater remarkably begins its 50th anniversary season this month with a FREE La MaMa 50 World Block Party, featuring free performances by Blue Man Group, Silver Cloud Singers, Bad Buka, the dance troupe Pua Ali'i ‘Ilima o Nuioka, Middle Collegiate Gospel Choir, the La MaMa Puppet Parade, Circus Amok, DJ Rabbi Darkside, Carmelita Tropicana and more.

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club has announced that the New York premiere of Now the Cats With Jewelled Claws by Tennessee Williams and directed by Jonathan Warman, will begin performances Thursday, October 27, at 10pm, at The Club at La MaMa, (74A E 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery).

Begun humbly in a store front in 1961 by a former fashion designer with a flair for the theatrical -- and dodging brushes with the law without proper city permits! -- the now internationally-renowned LA MAMA theater remarkably begins its 50th anniversary season this month with a FREE La MaMa 50 World Block Party, featuring free performances by Blue Man Group, Silver Cloud Singers, Bad Buka, the dance troupe Pua Ali'i ‘Ilima o Nuioka, Middle Collegiate Gospel Choir, the La MaMa Puppet Parade, Circus Amok, DJ Rabbi Darkside, Carmelita Tropicana and more.

La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club has announced that the New York premiere of Now the Cats With Jewelled Claws by Tennessee Williams and directed by Jonathan Warman, will begin performances Thursday, October 27, at 10pm, at The Club at La MaMa, (74A E 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery).

Actor Ted Ryan's Pulling Leather is currently on stage @ the Actors Forum Theatre in NoHo. In his first full-length play Ryan has written quite profoundly about love and also plays the central character in the dramedy. In our chat, he tells about what motivated him to pen Pulling Leather.

The Theatre School at DePaul University (John Culbert, Dean) is pleased to announce upcoming productions for its 2011-2012 Season.

Open Stage of Harrisburg, the capital's processional regional theatre, is set to open its 26th Season with Sam Shepherd's A LIE OF THE MIND

Following the critical successes of Terence Raittigan's Less Than Kind, Henrik Ibsen's Little Eyolf and Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play, this Autumn Jermyn Street Theatre continues its policy of presenting revivals of little performed European and American classics with a rare staging of Charles Morgan's The River Line.

Jumbo Productions will present a limited engagement of Sam Shepard's True West which will be Directed by Bill Barry at the Michael Chekov Theatre 45th Street Theatre, September 21, 2011 to October 2, 2011. This production is produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced the full cast of the New York premiere of Stephen Karam's new play Sons of the Prophet, directed by Peter DuBois. The cast will feature Yusef Bulos (Bill), Jonathan Louis Dent (Vin), Santino Fontana (Joseph), Joanna Gleason (Gloria), Lizbeth Mackay (Mrs. McAndrew), Dee Nelson (Dr. Manor), Chris Perfetti (Charles), Charles Socarides (Timothy).

This November, Town Players of Newtown will open Sam Shepard's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, BURIED CHILD, November 4 - 20, 2011.