Seattle Repertory Theatre News

Esther and Schmuli are shy young Orthodox Jews embarking on an arranged marriage, despite barely knowing each other. Abe and Julia are high-profile celebrities embarking on a dangerously flirtatious correspondence, despite being married to other people. On the surface, the lives of these two couples couldn't be more different. But Anna Ziegler's funny, insightful, and mysterious new drama explores the hidden connections between seemingly disparate people, drawing audiences into an intriguing puzzle and a deeply sympathetic look at modern love.

Court Theatre, under the continuing leadership of Charles Newell, Marilyn F. Vitale Artistic Director, continues its 2017/18 season with Guess Who's Coming to Dinner by Todd Kreidler (based on the screenplay by William Rose), directed by Marti Lyons with Associate Director Wardell Julius Clark. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner runs March 15 - April 15, 2018 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. The press opening is Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 8:00pm.

Ride the Cylcone, this season's dark and hilarious co-production between The 5th Avenue Theatre and ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, is now in preview performances and has its official opening night this Thursday, March 22 at ACT - A Contemporary Theatre. The award-winning director and choreographer Rachel Rockwell has continued to refine and explore the world of Ride the Cyclone with its writers Brooke Maxwell and Jacob Richmond, returning to direct after working on its two previous U.S. productions in Chicago and Off Broadway. This co-production, which is the eighth collaboration between The 5th and ACT, will showcase new developments to the script and score. At least one third of the script has been newly created for this production, which is in addition to countless small but crucial tweaks and refinements. These new developments have continued to define and shape the world that the Saint Cassian High School Chamber Choir inhabits onstage.

Shakespeare Theatre Company today announces the cast of Lerner and Loewe's multiple Tony Award-winning musical Camelot. Directed by STC Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul (Kiss Me, Kate; Man of La Mancha), the classic musical will play at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St NW) from May 22 through July 1, concluding STC's 2017-2018 mainstage season.

It is not uncommon for actors to have multiple credits at the same theatre. However, to say that David Emerson Toney has appeared at Arena Stage several times would be a bit of an understatement.

Playwright Amy Freed has always been a Shakespeare fan. Her breakout hit, The Beard of Avon (SCR-commissioned and premiered, 2001), was a smart, funny look at the controversy surrounding the authorship of Shakespeare's plays. Now comes SHREW! (March 24-April 21, Segerstrom Stage), in which Freed has re-imagined The Bard's play, The Taming of the Shrew, as a wickedly funny love story of two people who find their way to true, deep and mutual love. Art Manke directs SHREW!, which is an anchor production of the 2018 Pacific Playwrights Festival. Tickets are available at www.scr.org.

CBS Melbourne has confirmed its status as a home for outstanding theatre, with producers Rodney Rigby and Junkyard Dog Productions today confirming that the city will host the exclusive Australian premiere of acclaimed Broadway musical COME FROM AWAY.

TimeLine Theatre Company, acclaimed for presenting plays inspired by history that connect to today's social and political issues, is thrilled to announce its 22nd season and to preview an upcoming partnership with Firebrand Theatre.

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced an incredible six-show lineup for its 2018/19 season, which includes launching the national tour of the acclaimed sensation Come From Away, the timeless beloved musical Annie, rock 'n' roll hit parade Rock of Ages, the sumptuous West Coast premiere of Little Dancer, a lavish and loving staging of the iconic West Side Story and an exciting new collaboration with ACT - A Contemporary Theatre-Urinetown. Additionally, The 5th will host a one week run of the national tour of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical.

"Life is short, and it's up to you to make it sweet." - Sadie Delany (1889 -1999). Goodman Theatre revives Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years, Emily Mann's "warming theatrical event" (Variety)that celebrates the lives of "two strong, vibrant women dispensing joy and wisdom" (Chicago Tribune). Goodman Theatre Resident Director Chuck Smith's production features Ella Joyce and Marie Thomas as the Delany centenarians, Bessie (1891 - 1995) and Sadie (1889 -1999), respectively, as they trace their lives in a heartfelt reflection of their family history and triumphs over prejudices in times of social unrest.

The Old Globe's 2017-2018 Season continues with today's announcement of the complete cast and creative team for the Globe-commissioned world premiere of Anna Ziegler's new American play The Wanderers, directed by Barry Edelstein, the Globe's Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director. The Wanderers will run April 6 - May 6, 2018 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets start at $30.00 and are on sale to the general public now. Previews run April 6-12. Opening night is Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) will present Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) (April 25-May 20, 2018), Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur "Genius" Grant recipient Suzan-Lori Parks's (Topdog/Underdog, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess) explosively powerful and lyrical new play inspired by the Odyssey and set amid the American Civil War.

La Jolla Playhouse is pleased to bring back for a sixth year its acclaimed new play development initiative, the DNA New Work Series, a weekend of readings of new works, taking place March 22 - 25, 2018 in the Playhouse's Rao and Padma Makeneni Play Development Center. Tickets for the DNA New Work Series are free but reservations are required by calling (858) 550-1010 or visiting LaJollaPlayhouse.org.

Tony Award winner Billy Crudup begins performances tomorrow in the Vineyard Theatre production of Harry Clarke, produced by Audible Inc., the world's largest producer and provider of downloadable audiobooks and other spoken-word entertainment. Harry Clarke is written by Obie Award winner David Cale (Lillian) and directed by Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman (Violet).

MERCHANT ON VENICE explores empathy and grace, as well as blame and internalized and externalized religious bigotry, while mixing it up with the clash/mash of South Asian culture in Los Angeles.

National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, celebrates the final production of the Rolling World Premiere (RWP) of Wild Horses by Allison Gregory at New Jersey Repertory Company. The play has received a total of four distinct NNPN RWP productions, rolling through Member Theaters Contemporary American Theatre Festival (July 7-30, 2017; Shepherdstown, WV), CenterStage Theatre at the JCC (September 3-23, 2017; Rochester, NY), The VORTEX (November 16-December 9, 2017; Austin, TX), and New Jersey Repertory Company (February 22-March 25, 2018; Long Branch). Wild Horses is NNPN's 72nd Rolling World Premiere.

Lantern Theater Company continues its record-smashing 24th season with The Tempest by William Shakespeare. Lantern Artistic Director Charles McMahon will direct a cast that includes some of Philadelphia's finest actors: Chris Anthony, Peter DeLaurier, J Hernandez, Dave Johnson, John Lopes, Bi Jean Ngo, Ruby Wolf, and Frank X. Performances run Thursday, March 15 through Sunday, April 29, 2018; a full schedule is included in the fact sheet below. Theater critics and members of the press are invited to request tickets for opening night on Wednesday, March 21 at 7 p.m. by contacting Anne Shuff at ashuff@lanterntheater.org.

Dear Readers, if you're anything like me you grew up with a love for old standards. Those songs from a bygone era that used to dominate the radio waves, many of which came from musicals of the day. And if you love those old standards then you know and love the name Irving Berlin as a hefty number of those gems came from the prolific genius of Berlin. So, you can imagine spending an evening with the man and those songs would be heaven and the Rep has brought that heaven to us with 'Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin'.

Artistic Director Blake Robison announced Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's 2018-2019 season today, which features blockbuster musicals, contemporary comedies, world premieres and some of theatre's leading playwrights and directors.

Due to demand, The New Group has announced a three-week extension for Jerry Springer - The Opera, with Matt McGrath appearing as Jerry Springer beginning March 13.  Terrence Mann, currently appearing in the role of Jerry Springer, plays his final performance March 11 due to an existing commitment beyond that date.