Second Stage Theatre News

BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO - the new American play by Rajiv Joseph and starring Robin Williams in his Broadway acting debut - will perform at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 W. 46 St.) on Broadway, it has been announced by the play's producers Robyn Goodman, Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin on March 11, 2011 prior to its official opening night on March 31.

Philadelphia Theatre Company spells F-U-N when it opens its 35th Anniversary mainstage season with the multiple Tony Award winner The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman, running November 12-December 12 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical, Next to Normal, will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, January 16, 2011, announced Producer David Stone. Upon closing, the musical will have played 21 previews and 733 performances. Next to Normal is performed at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45th street).

Second Stage Theatre will present the New York premiere of Rajiv Joseph's (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo) Gruesome Playground Injuries featuring Pablo Schreiber and Jennifer Carpenter in 2011, the New York Times reveals today. Scott Ellis will direct. Preview will begin on January 5, 2011, with an opening night scheduled for January 31, 2011.

Bay Area Cabaret audiences will get a first look at the national tour concert ADAM & ANTHONY LIVE starring Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp. After 15 years of friendship and co-starring roles in Jonathan Larsen's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Rent, these two iconic Broadway stars are coming together to bring fans what they've been waiting for: an up-close-and-personal concert featuring their individual work as well as fan-favorite numbers from the production that rocketed them to international stardom. The concert plays one night only 7pm, Sunday, November 21, 2010 in the Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco. For tickets ($20 students under 21/ $35 subscribers / $40 general) call City Box Office (415) 392-4400 or visit www.bayareacabaret.org. A limited number of attendees will be treated to a post-show party with the artists. For reservations ($75) to the post-show party, call Bay Area Cabaret at 415-927-4636.

Film and television icon Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) will bring his signature brand of hilarious mayhem to Broadway for a special six-week limited engagement of the acclaimed stage play, The Pee-wee Herman Show. The production will begin previews October 26 at the Sondheim Theatre.

THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT by Stephen Adly Guirgis will make its world premiere on Broadway starring Bobby Cannavale, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Annabella Sciorra and Yul Vázquez. Directed by Anna D. Shapiro, the production will open on Monday, April 11, 2011 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street, New York City). The strictly limited 14-week engagement will begin previews on Tuesday, March 22, 2011.

Philadelphia Theatre Company spells F-U-N when it opens its 35th Anniversary mainstage season with the multiple Tony Award winner The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman, running November 12-December 12 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).

The Almeida is a 325 seat theatre in the heart of Islington, North London.

TVGuide.com has reported that Bobby Cannavale will join the cast of CBS' police drama 'Blue Bloods'. Cannavale's character, Charles Rosselini, is a talented but rough Manhattan DA with political ambitions.

Juilliard's Drama Division announced the complete schedule for its 2010-2011 season of fully-staged productions featuring students in their fourth and final year of acting training at Juilliard. This season's plays include Lorraine Hansberry's A RAISIN IN THE SUN, directed by Jade King Carroll, October 20-24; David Auburn's PROOF, directed by Harris Yulin, November 11-15; and Chekhov's THE SEAGULL, directed by Richard Feldman, December 9-13.

Ginger Rogers danced her way into our hearts in the arms of Fred Astaire, setting the gold standard for grace and elegance on the silver screen. In her surprising true-life story, we follow her from the vaudeville stage at the age of 15 through her ascension to Hollywood goddess. BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS tells the story of this legendary dancer, singer and actress through the music of some of the 20th century's greatest composers and with plenty of dance numbers worthy of the Hollywood icon. BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS plays in Tucson at the Temple of Music and Art from September 10 through October 2. It continues its run in Phoenix at the Herberger Theater Center from October 7 through October 24. The Tucson media sponsors for the 2010-2011 season are Tucson Lifestyle, KGUN9 and MIX-FM. Arizona Theatre Company's season sponsors are I. Michael and Beth Kasser.

The Lee Reynolds Award is given annually to a woman or women active in any aspect of theatre whose work for, in, about, or through the medium of theatre has helped to illuminate the possibilities for social, cultural, or political change. The 2010 Lee Reynolds Award will be presented to Lynn Nottage, an outstanding American dramatist. In 2009, she received the Pulitzer Prize for Ruined, which dramatizes the horrific injuries inflicted on women during war, an issue about which Ms. Nottage has frequently spoken publicly. She has also received the MacArthur 'genius' award for the total body of her work, which includes the plays Intimate Apparel, Fabulation, Crumbs from the Table of Joy, and Las Meninas. Most recently she received the inaugural award of the Steinberg Prize for Playwriting. Her new play, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, will have its premier at Second Stage Theatre in 2011.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) announces Tony and Academy Award winner Joel Grey will return to Broadway to join the cast of the new Broadway production of Anything Goes, starring Tony Award winner Sutton Foster as 'Reno Sweeney.'

Broadway Knights is pleased to present Broadway Memories, a fundraiser concert to benefit Alzheimer's Association and Capistrano Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. in the OC Pavilion in Santa Ana.

The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical theatre star Sutton Foster will perform her one-woman cabaret 'An Evening with Sutton Foster' on Monday, November 15, 2010 at 7:30pm at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA as a benefit for the Huntington Theatre Company. Tickets for An Evening with Sutton Foster begin at $150. The performance will be preceded by intimate pre-show dinners at South End restaurants and private homes, and will be followed by a VIP Post-Show Cast Party with Sutton and Friends. Tickets for the pre-show dinner and the performance cost $250; tickets for all three events are $350. Proceeds from the events will benefit the Huntington's world-class productions and award-winning youth, education, and community programs.

Sutton Foster, the beautiful and delightful Tony Award-winning star of Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Little Women, Young Frankenstein and Shrek the Musical is returning to San Diego for One Night Only in the historic and intimate BALBOA THEATRE, Friday October 1, 2010; with 'AN EVENING With SUTTON FOSTER, MICHAEL RAFTER Music Director,' as a Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation.

Sutton Foster, the beautiful and delightful Tony Award-winning star of Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Little Women, Young Frankenstein and Shrek the Musical is returning to San Diego for One Night Only in the historic and intimate BALBOA THEATRE, Friday October 1, 2010; with 'AN EVENING With SUTTON FOSTER, MICHAEL RAFTER Music Director,' as a Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation. Tickets are available now only as part of a Broadway/San Diego 2010-2011 Season subscription package; individual tickets will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, August 12.

Victory Gardens opens its 2010/11 Season with Edward Albee's At Home At The Zoo directed by Artistic Director Dennis Za?ek. The production runs October 1 - October 31, 2010 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The Press Opening is Monday, October 11, 2010, at 7:30 pm.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) announces Tony and Academy Award winner Joel Grey will return to Broadway to join the cast of the new Broadway production of Anything Goes, starring Tony Award winner Sutton Foster as 'Reno Sweeney.'