Second Stage Theatre News

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director)kicks off its 30th Anniversary Season with a new production of Howard Korder's comedy, BOYS' LIFE, directed by Michael Greif.

The Duplex presents The Sum of Our Hearts- An Evening of Songs by 2008 Jonathan Larson Award Winners Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann on Monday, October 20th, 2008, at the Duplex, 61 Christopher Street, New York.

Chicago's Goodman Theatre opens its 'Strong Women, Strong Voices' Owen Theatre Series with the world premiere of Lynn Nottage's RUINED, directed by Kate Whoriskey and co-produced with Manhattan Theatre Club.

The Duplex presents The Sum of Our Hearts- An Evening of Songs by 2008 Jonathan Larson Award Winners Jeff Thomson and Jordan Mann on Monday, October 20th, 2008, at the Duplex, 61 Christopher Street, New York.

The previously announced Alice Ripley and J. Robert Spencer will be joined by Adam Chanler-Berat, Jennifer Damiano, Louis Hobson and Aaron Tveit for the upcoming hit musical Next to Normal.

The New York Musical Theater Festival will honor producer Robyn Goodman at its fifth Anniversary Season Awards Gala on Sunday, November 2nd at The Hudson Theatre (145 West 44th Street). The winners of The NYMF 2008 Awards for Excellence, which will be announced later this month, will also be honored at the gala.

Next month, Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman returns to Berkeley Repertory Theatre with an alluring adaptation of The Arabian Nights. This is Zimmerman's sixth trip to Berkeley Rep, and for the first time she works her magic on the intimate Thrust Stage. The Arabian Nights runs from November 13 through January 4 with the official press night on November 19.

Completing its 30th Anniversary Season, Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will present EVERYDAY RAPTURE, written by Dick Scanlan (Tony nominee for Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Sherie Rene Scott (Tony nominee for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), with musical supervision by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, High Fidelity), directed by Michael Mayer (Tony Award winner for Spring Awakening).

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) is proud to announce the return of the Native Theater Festival, a four day festival dedicated to presenting extraordinary theatrical work by Native theater artists from the U.S. and Canada. Now in its second year, the Native Theater Festival will run November 12 to November 15 at The Public Theater and will feature three free readings of new works by Native playwrights followed by post-show discussions; a concert by Native and African-American singer Martha Redbone; topical field discussions on issues of particular concern to artists in the Native theater community; and a conversation with Oskar Eustis and other artists on politics and performance that will be open to the general public.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the American premiere of HAPPY NOW? by Lucinda Coxon, directed by Liz Diamond, at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street), October 24-November 15. Opening Night is October 30.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will kick off its 30th Anniversary Season with a new production of Howard Korder's comedy, BOYS' LIFE, directed by Michael Greif starting tonight, October 2nd. The official opening will be Monday, October 20th. This 20th Anniversary production of BOYS' LIFE will feature Jason Biggs, Rhys Coiro, and Peter Scanavino as 'the boys' as well as Dan Colman, Michelle Federer, Betty Gilpin, Paloma Guzman, Laura-Leigh, and Stephanie March.

Nice People Theatre Company is celebrating the Halloween season by presenting the Philadelphia premiere of Marisa Wegrzyn's Psalms of a Questionable Nature. This eerie sibling drama runs October 25-November 9 at Walnut Street Theatre's Studio 5, 825 Walnut Street. It marks the Philadelphia directorial debut of Pirronne Yousefzadeh. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door, and $15 for students and seniors. For more information go to www.nicepeopletheatre.org

On Monday, October 6 at 8:00 p.m. in Zankel Hall, The Carnegie Hall Notables host REVIVAL: Broadway's Next Act, a panel discussion focusing on the fresh approach that composers have recently introduced to Broadway, attracting audiences through a new range of media, from YouTube to MTV.

Lookingglass Theatre Company presents its 50th World Premiere with its production of the Lookingglass Original, 'The Brothers Karamazov', written and directed by Ensemble Member Heidi Stillman, adapted from the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. The production runs October 15- December 7, 2008 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. The press opening is Saturday, October 25, 2008, at 7:30 p.m.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will kick off its 30th Anniversary Season with a new production of Howard Korder's comedy, BOYS' LIFE, directed by Michael Greif. This 20th Anniversary production of BOYS' LIFE will feature JASON BIGGS, RHYS COIRO, and PETER SCANAVINO as 'the boys' as well as DAN COLMAN, MICHELLE FEDERER, BETTY GILPIN, PALOMA GUZMÁN, LAURA-LEIGH, and STEPHANIE MARCH.

Ars Nova presents, as part of the Out Loud series, a FREE reading of OOHRAH! by Bekah Brunstetter, directed by Leigh Silverman. OOHRAH! will be read by Aya Cash, Mary Catherine Garrison, Jesse Hooker, Molly Ranson, Armando Riesco, and Will Rogers.

South Coast Repertory will present the Southern California premiere of Dead Man's Cell Phone, Sarah Ruhl's fantastical new play about a woman who answers a dead man's cell phone and finds her life turned upside down. Directed by Bart DeLorenzo, Dead Man's Cell Phone runs Sept. 21 - Oct. 12 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

Ars Nova presents, as part of the Out Loud series, a FREE reading of OOHRAH! by Bekah Brunstetter, directed by Leigh Silverman. OOHRAH! will be read by Aya Cash, Mary Catherine Garrison, Jesse Hooker, Molly Ranson, Armando Riesco, and Will Rogers.

Eurydice, a bold, slyly comic, visually fascinating take on the classic Orpheus myth by Sarah Ruhl, is enjoying an ambitious revival by Victory Gardens Theater, to open the 35th season at Chicago's #1 presenter of new plays.

Barrington Stage Company Board President Mary Ann Quinson and Artistic Director Julianne Boyd announce that Richard M. Parison, Jr. has been named Barrington Stage's new Producing Director. Richard assumes this new leadership position on September 15, 2008 after acting as Associate Producer for the 2008 summer season.