Seattle Rep News

Lincoln Center Theater's Platform Series, a forum for public discussion between Lincoln Center Theater artists and interested theatergoers, continues its 16th season on Thursday, May 1 at 6 pm with ANTHONY GIARDINA and DOUG HUGHES, the playwright and director, respectively, of THE CITY OF CONVERSATION, currently in previews at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

Following a sold-out run of The Importance of Being Earnest, Seattle Shakespeare Company announced today that it will extend its production of King Lear through May 17 with four additional performances at the Cornish Playhouse. Below, BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production, which began previews last night - and opens tonight, Friday, April 25.

As Americans we tend to love to witness a good familial car wreck. That's why dysfunctional family dramas are so popular (not to mention the hoards of people behaving badly on reality TV). But long before the Weston's of Osage County hurled their first insult or popped their first pill, George and Martha of Edward Albee's classic dark comedy “Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, currently playing at the Seattle Rep, were knocking back two or three or 15 stiff ones and letting the secrets and venom fly. And Albee's play feels just as fresh today as it ever has, due in no small part to this pitch perfect production. So I guess bad manners never go out of style.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company announces the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's The Totalitarians, a high-energy political comedy. The play explores the vacuous double-speak we invent for political gain and how this language insinuates itself into our everyday lives, relationships, and culture. Nachtrieb's work was last seen at Woolly with Season 29's Boom (2008), which went on to become the most widely produced new play in the country. Woolly Company Member and Andrew W. Mellon Playwright in Residence Robert O'Hara-the playwright and director of Season 31's Bootycandy (2011) and the playwright of Season 29's Helen Hayes Award winning Antebellum (2009)-will direct.

On May 13, Goodman Theatre celebrates the life and creative contributions of Robert (Bob) Christen, its longtime Resident Lighting Designer and one of the most prolific live performance designers in the country, who passed away last month at age 64.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre welcomes back Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner for the West Coast premiere of his latest play, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures, an epic tale of love, family, sex, money, and politics. Kushner reunites with one of his favorite collaborators, Michael Leibert Artistic Director Tony Taccone, to bring this sweeping drama to the Roda Theatre. With his trademark mix of soaring intellect and searing emotion, the legendary writer unfurls a poignant story about an Italian family in Brooklyn. When retired longshoreman Gus Marcantonio decides to die, his kids come home with a raucous parade of lovers and spouses to find that even the house keeps secrets. A portrait of a dysfunctional family filled with weighty dialogue, humor, and passion, Kushner's four-act play previews Friday, May 16, opens on Wednesday, May 21, and runs through Sunday, June 29, 2014.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Artistic Director David Van Asselt and Managing Director Brian Long have announced that performances of the New York premiere of The Few, written by Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Davis McCallum, begin tonight at 7pm at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place. The official opening night is set for Thursday, May 8 at 7pm; The Few is scheduled to run through Sunday, June 8.

'The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess,' winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, opens at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre tonight, April 23 and play through June 1, 2014.

Wilson Milam, a native of the Seattle area and a Tony-nominated director who has worked nationally and in the United Kingdom, returns to the Seattle area to lead a cast of nineteen UW School of Drama undergraduates in tackling Vaclav Havel's The Beggar's Opera.

The 2013-2014 season at Cleveland Play House (CPH) continues with the compelling world premiere production of Deborah Zoe Laufer's Informed Consent. Co-produced with Geva Theatre Center, this incredibly thought-provoking production is inspired by the real life court case between the Havasupai Indian tribe and Arizona State University, and sparks an intriguing debate on both ethicality and morality. Directed by Sean Daniels and Sponsored by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic and MetroHealth, Informed Consent will serve as the centerpiece to CPH's 2014 New Ground Theatre Festival and will run from today, April 23 - May 18 in the Second Stage.

An animal rights activist in Brooklyn searches for love in the dating jungle of New York City. Wilson Milam (The Lieutenant of Inishmore on Broadway, for the RSC and at the Taper) will direct the West Coast premiere of Dates and Nuts, a romantic comedy by Gary Lennon (Orange is the New Black for Netflix, Echo Theater Company's A Family Thing). Opening night is set for May 31 at the Bootleg Theater.

Bay Street Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for the World Premiere of CONVICTION (May 27-June 15) by Carey Crim and directed by Scott Schwartz, Bay Street's new Artistic Director. The production is co-produced by Bay Street Theatre, Rubicon Theatre in California, Dead Posh Productions, London and Canada's Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

San Jose Repertory Theatre presents the Bay Area premiere of the critically-acclaimed The Big Meal, by Dan LeFranc, the 2010 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award Winner. This razor sharp portrait of a modern American family runs May 8 through June 1, and is directed by Kirsten Brandt, San Jose Rep's Associate Artistic Director.

To be or not to be is no longer the question - critics and audiences agree that WITTENBERG is a hit. Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will add an additional 7 performances of the Bay Area Premiere of WITTENBERG, David Davalos' audacious comedy about reason versus faith. Josh Costello (San Francisco Playhouse, Marin Theatre Company, Impact Theatre) directs this smarty-pants celebration of history, language, academia, and religion, featuring Dan Hiatt (The Arsonists), Elizabeth Carter (Trouble in Mind), Jeremy Kahn, and Michael Stevenson. WITTENBERG plays now through May 11 (added performances: Tuesday, May 6, 7pm; Wednesday, May 7, 8pm; Thursday, May 8, 8pm; Friday, May 9, 8pm; Saturday, May 10, 8pm; Sunday, May 11, 2pm and 7pm) at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($32-50) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

It's not based on a book or a movie or (God forbid) a TV show. It isn't the dusted off classics from some forgotten pop icon. What Balagan Theatre has brought us with the world premiere of "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" is a quirky, fresh and completely original new musical and one of the most exciting things I've seen in musical theater in years. It's the whole package!

Yale Repertory Theatre, in a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, presents the world premiere of The House that will not Stand by Marcus Gardley, directed by Patricia McGregor. The House that will not Stand will be performed at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street) today, April 18-May 10. Opening Night is Thursday, April 24.

Due to unavoidable circumstances, Nirvanov has been replaced in Balagan Theatre's season. Fortunately, it is being replaced with another exciting show - something Balagan has been working on for over a year and finally get to bring your way. This April, at the Seattle Repertory Theater, Balagan presents, in association with ACT Theatre and Seattle Repertory Theater, the world premiere of Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, an off-Broadway bound new musical starring Valerie Vigoda (GrooveLily, Striking 12) and Wade McCollum (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Jersey Boys).

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company announces that at the end of its Season 34 this June, Jeffrey Herrmann will step down as Managing Director following a seven-year tenure. He will be heading to the Pacific Northwest to take on the role of Managing Director at Seattle Repertory Theatre, where he will replace Ben Moore, who is retiring after 28 years as the theatre's current Managing Director. He leaves behind a great artistic and financial legacy, having almost doubled Woolly's size during his time here in DC, spearheading the theatre's innovative Connectivity initiative, providing leadership for Woolly's "Free the Beast!" campaign, and purchasing the theatre's building.

Seattle Repertory Theatre Board President Becky Lenaburg announced today the appointment of Jeffrey Herrmann as the Rep's incoming managing director, effective July 1, 2014. Mr. Herrmann will succeed departing Managing Director Benjamin Moore, who has led the organization for 28 years.