Sam Shepard News

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced complete casting today for the New York premiere of Craig Lucas? THE SINGING FOREST. Directed by Mark Wing-Davey, THE SINGING FOREST will begin previews on Tuesday, April 7 and run through Sunday, May 17 with an official press opening on Monday, April 27 at 7 PM.

The Bull presents a pulp revival of Fool for Love wherein two lovers, Eddie and May, trapped in a motel room that only exists on the horizon of the desert, battle to the death of their love in order to escape their lurid past. Fool for Love is arguably the hippest love story to hit the stage in three decades...yet recent renditions have lacked the comedy needed to lighten the weighty themes this play provides. We prefer to take it one step further into the brutal surrealism the play already offers. The characters in our version of Fool for Love are just that, characters.

Academy? Award-winners Geoffrey Rush (Shine) as King Berenger and Susan Sarandon (Dead Men Walking) as Queen Marguerite will star in Eugene Ionesco's EXIT THE KING on Broadway. This production marks Rush's Broadway debut. Translated by Neil Armfield and Geoffrey Rush and directed by Neil Armfield, EXIT THE KING will begin performances Saturday, March 7, 2009 at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street) and open on Thursday, March 26, 2009. This limited engagement will run for 14 weeks only, through Sunday, June 14, 2009.

Theater for the New City presents the premiere of Walking from Rumania, a journey to freedom in 1899, by award-winning playwright Barbara Kahn Theater for the New City, Crystal Field, Executive Artistic Director, proudly announces the world premiere production of Walking from Rumania, a historical drama written and directed by Barbara Kahn.

New Rep is pleased to close its third season of Downstage @ New Rep with Sam Shepard's Fool for Love. Downstage @ New Rep-Up Close, On The Edge-presents programming that is new, edgy, and controversial to audiences eager for a thought-provoking theatrical experience. Fool for Love opens to the press on Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 3:00pm and plays through April 05, 2009 at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in the Black Box Theater.

Who Wants Cake? solves the mystery of what to do late nights in the month of March when they present their production of Christopher Durang's The Hardy Boys and the Mystery of Where Babies Come From along with two other short Durang plays. The Hardy Boys... will play for an exclusive three-week run at Ferndale's The Ringwald Theatre from Friday, March 13th through Saturday, March 28th . For this late night extravaganza, Who Wants Cake? will offer low-price tickets for $10.

Paul Adams, Artistic Director and Derek Jamison, Associate Artistic Director, present Emerging Artists Theatre's world premiere of THE CHISELERS by Mark Finley at TADA Theatre, beginning February 26, featuring Marie Wallace in the role of 'Beverley.' The production is directed by EAT member Melissa Attebery.

12 Miles West Theatre Company's season is about to move into high gear with its upcoming production of Sam Shepard's funniest and most brutal play True West. A classic of the contemporary American stage, True West will be on stage at 12 Miles West Theatre Company, in residence at Playwrights Theatre in Madison, February 26th through March 22nd with an opening night 'Meet the Artists' reception on Friday, February 27th.

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, under the leadership of Executive Director Stacie Burgua, announces the cast of Rabbit Hole, by David Lindsay-Abaire. The production, directed by Chris Fisher, features Max Cole-Takanikos, Patricia Duff, Tom Harris, Jill Johnson, and Melissa McAlerney. Performances will begin at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts, 565 Camano Avenue, on Friday, April 10 and continue through Saturday, April 25.

Founded in 1967, Magic Theatre is one of the most prominent theatres in the nation solely dedicated to development and production of new plays.

Boxcar Theatre delivers a visually stunning gem with an adaptation of Shel Silverstein's quirky and often bizarre poetry and short stories.

The SF Playhouse (Bill English, Artistic Director; Susi Damilano, Producing Director) and Lorraine Hansberry Theatre (Stanley Williams, Artistic Director; Quentin Easter, Executive Director) are pleased to announce casting for their co-production of The West Coast Premiere of The Story. 'A riveting drama about race, reporting and the truth'-Associated Press

American Idol runner-up, Justin Guarini, will star in the industry only Equity staged reading of the new musical THE AWAKENING OF ANGEL DeLUNA - with book & lyrics by Judylynn Schmidt, and music & lyrics by Lee Ellis - produced by Kate Griffler on Monday, March 23rd at Theater 80 (80 St. Mark's Place) at 3:00pm & 7:00pm. Tracy Bersley directs and Barbara Anselmi acts as music director.

Theater News from Broadway and the Baltimore/Washington Area

New Village Arts (NVA) continues its 2008-2009 season with Be Aggressive by award-winning playwright, Annie Weisman. NVA Executive Artistic Director Kristianne Kurner directs this edgy comedy centered in San Diego around the world of cheerleading. Be Aggressive runs April 4 through 26 at the New Village Arts Theatre, located at 2787 State Street in Carlsbad Village. Tickets range from $25 - $30 and are available by calling the box office at 760-433-3245 or by visiting www.NewVillageArts.org.

Ian Rickson will direct the European premiere of Jez Butterworth's Parlour Song which runs at the Almeida from 19 March - 9 May 2009 with press night on 26 March. Designs are by Jeremy Herbert, with lighting by Peter Mumford, sound by Paul Groothuis and music by Stephen Warbeck. Casting for Parlour Song will be announced shortly. Parlour Song is sponsored by Aspen Re.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will present post-show discussions following every Tuesday evening performance of TALES OF AN URBAN INDIAN, the second play of the 2008-2009 Public LAB season. The Public LAB Speaker Series, held every Tuesday following Public LAB shows, will consist of engaging conversations with the artists and notable panelists.

Columbia Stages presents Big Love, written by Charles L. Mee and directed by Pirronne Yousefzadeh, running February 18th - 21st, 2009, at The Riverside Theatre, located in the historic Riverside Church at 91 Claremont Avenue between 120th and 122nd Streets.

The American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) presents the fifth production of its 2008-09 Season: Samuel Beckett?s iconic masterpiece Endgame, directed by Marcus Stern, at the A.R.T.?s Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street, Cambridge. The production begins performances on Saturday, February 14 and runs through Sunday, March 15; it will be available for press viewing from Wednesday, February 18 at 7:30pm.

Delta Boys, a small theatre company in Raleigh, NC, will be teaming up with Burning Coal Theatre's Wait 'Til You See This! series to present Anton Chekov's classic The Cherry Orchard, directed by Kathryn Milliken. The production runs March 19-29, 2009 at Meymandi Theatre at the Murphey School, 224 Polk St., Raleigh, NC. All performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. All tickets are $18 or $12 (students, seniors 65+ and active military personnel). For tickets and information, please contact Delta Boy's Artistic Director, Lucius Robinson at 919.259.0812 or visit Burning Coal Theatre's website at www.burningcoal.org.