Second Stage News

The Second Stage Theater production of Richard Greenberg's Take Me Out is in rehearsals and will begin previews April 2, 2020 and officially open on April 23, 2020 at Second Stage's Hayes Theater (240 West 44th Street). The cast just met the press and BroadwayWorld was on hand for the big day!

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, in accordance with guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and under the continued direction of Governor Andrew Cuomo, Broadway shows in New York City will extend the current suspension of all performances through June 7, 2020.

The Second Stage Theater production of Richard Greenberg's Take Me Out will begin previews April 2, 2020 and officially open on April 23, 2020 at Second Stage's Hayes Theater (240 West 44th Street).

The Old Globe has announced the 2020 Classical Directing Fellowships, a program of the Karen and Stuart Tanz Fellowships at The Old Globe, led by the Globe's Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, a leading Shakespearean scholar, author, and director.

Twelve screenwriters have been selected to participate in Sundance Institute's eighth annual Screenwriters Intensive in Los Angeles, to take place March 4-5, 2020. The Intensive, a two-day workshop for select emerging writers and writer/directors from underrepresented communities, focuses on the development of first fiction features. Fellows at the Intensive will advance the art and craft of their work under the guidance of experienced filmmakers and the Institute's Feature Film Program, led by that Program's Founding Director Michelle Satter and Deputy Director Ilyse McKimmie.

Company is officially in previews on Broadway!  Following the engagement in London's West End, the new production of Sondheim and George Furth's landmark American musical, Company, directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Marianne Elliott comes to Broadway starring Tony and Grammy Award® winner Katrina Lenk as Bobbie and two-time Tony Award and two-time Grammy Award winner Patti LuPone as Joanne.

DIANA is officially in previews on Broadway! Tony Award®-winning director Christopher Ashley (Come From Away) and the writers behind the Tony Award-winning musical Memphis (Joe DiPietro and David Bryan) bring us face-to-face with one of the 20th century's most compelling figures in this landmark musical event, featuring an epic and sweeping contemporary score with music supervision and arrangements by Olivier Award® winner Ian Eisendrath, choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Kelly Devine, and Diana's iconic style reimagined by six-time Tony Award-winning costume designer William Ivey Long.

Theatre production company Parity Productions has released its monthly list of Qualifying Productions for March -their directory of New York City shows in which the individual creative teams have 50% of the positions filled with women and/or trans and gender nonconforming (TGNC) artists (directors, designers, and playwrights).

On Monday, March 2, at 6 p.m. Asolo Repertory Theatre welcomes audiences to its new 'black box'-style theatre for The German Party, the inaugural production of the new Asolo Rep Ground Floor Series. The one-performance-only events will feature diverse dramatic, movement and musical pieces in an intimate and versatile new performance space located within the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater has announced the company for Toni Stone, written by Arena alumna resident playwright Lydia R. Diamond. Set in the 1950s, Toni Stone was the first woman to play baseball in the Negro Leagues, also making her the first woman to play professionally in a men's league. Against all odds, Stone blazed a path in the male-dominated sports world, shattering expectations and creating her own set of rules.

WE'RE GONNA DIE officially opened tonight at Second Stage Theater Read the reviews!

Vineyard Theatre presents Dana H., by Lucas Hnath, adapted from interviews with Dana Higginbotham conducted by Steve Cosson, and directed by Les Waters, began previews on February 11 with Deirdre O'Connell reprising the title role for the New York premiere direct from engagements at Center Theatre Group and The Goodman Theatre. 

The Minutes is officially in previews on Broadway! The cast of The Minutes includes Ian Barford, Blair Brown, Cliff Chamberlain, K. Todd Freeman, Armie Hammer, Tracy Letts, Danny McCarthy, Jessie Mueller, Sally Murphy, Austin Pendleton, Jeff Still.

Over the second weekend of February, thousands of students and educators from around the globe gathered at the 4th annual Junior Theatre Festival (JTF) West here in Sacramento. For many, the highlight was hearing the incredible voices that come to the Festival each year to share their experiences and hard-earned wisdom. One such voice was best-selling author Jodi Picoult, who believes in the mission of the Junior Theatre Festival so much that she strives to be at both the Atlanta and Sacramento events each year. This year, however, was even more special. The musical, Between the Lines, which is based on a book written by Picoult and her daughter, Samantha van Leer, opens Off-Broadway on April 21. Much of the talent responsible for bringing the novel to the stage was at JTF West talking about their journey and showcasing songs for the first time for the lucky young thespians. Included were composing team Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson, Tony-nominated director Jeff Calhoun, and book writer (and JTF founder) Timothy Allen McDonald. Broadway World Sacramento was able to sit down with Picoult and speak to her about the challenges of getting a show to Off-Broadway, women in theatre, and all things Between the Lines.

GRANDMA & ME: An Ode to Single Parents is the sixth performance for Brian Copeland presents The Best of San Francisco Solo Series 2019/20 in partnership with The Marin Cultural Association at The Marin Center's Showcase Theater.

For the first time in its 20 years Dragon is mounting two plays at the same time on an alternating schedule. Why? Because while being very different plays, they share much of the same DNA.

Loft Ensemble in North Hollywood has announced this season's third production in Sawyer's Playhouse (the company's second stage), the world premiere of Birthday Wish written and directed by Victoria Anne Greenwood. The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Adam Chambers, Sean Durrie, Charlie Daniell, Jana Hamblin, Marc Leclerc, Jenny Mitchell, Benjamin Rawls, Keaton Rogers, La'Vel Stacy, and Madylin Sweeten. There will be six performances only beginning Friday, February 21, at 8pm and continuing through Sunday, March 1.

Next up on the Second Stage, The Players Club of Swarthmore's Children's Series presents, Elephant and Piggie's We Are in a Play. With book and lyrics by Mo Willems and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma, Elephant and Piggie's We Are in a Play is a rollicking adventure perfect for young audiences. It will leave you doing the a?oeFlippy Floppy Floorya?? dance. Erin Guard is the director, Ryan Goulden is the music director and Jody Haggerty is the choreographer.      

Second Stage Theater (Carole Rothman, President and Artistic Director) will hold a special book signing for the acclaimed children's book The Best At It following the Wednesday, February 26 2pm performance of GRAND HORIZONS at the Hayes Theater (240 W 44th Street). The event will be for ticket holders only.

Anatomy of a Suicide began performances on February 1 and opened on Tuesday, February 18 at Atlantic Theater Company's Linda Gross Theater (336 West 20th Street). The production is a limited engagement through March 15, 2020.