Second Stage News

The Old Globe announces its inaugural New Voices in the Community series: free public performances at libraries across San Diego County, followed by conversations with the playwrights and experts in the community. The first New Voices in the Community features three solo shows by women: Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata, "A" Train by Anne Torsiglieri, and Unveiled: A One-Woman Play by Rohina Malik.

Marking the halfway point in its commitment to present all 10 plays of August Wilson's American Century Cycle, Two River Theater announces the complete cast and creative team for its production of Wilson's "exhilarating" (The New York Times) and incendiary drama King Hedley II, directed by Brandon J. Dirden. For the first time, the theater will be presenting one of Wilson's plays in its intimate 110-seat Marion Huber Theater, with performances beginning on November 10 and continuing for an extended five-week run through Sunday, December 16. The opening night performance is Friday, November 16 at 7pm. Tickets are available from 732.345.1400 or tworivertheater.org. The production sponsors are Monmouth University and Collex Collision Experts.

This holiday season, The Marsh Berkeley brings Lisa Rothman's Dragon in the Drop-Off Lane to the Marsh Discovery Series, which showcases work under development. After her kids dodge bullets at the local park, Rothman seeks respite by bringing them to a Winter Solstice Carnival in the ritzy town where she grew up. Holding the acorn pouch she purchased for $30, Lisa can't wait to use the acorns to pay for the pagan caroling, the gingerbread man decorating, and the puppet show. But now finds she's dodging a sanctimonious parent-volunteer in Lululemon yoga pants, a fire-breathing dragon, and - the most formidable opponent of all - her father. The stage is set for a heartfelt farce in which Lisa must reckon with what her parenting choices have cost her children. Dragon in the Drop-Off Lane will be presented November 29-December 22, 2018 with performances 7:30pm Thursdays and 5:00pm Saturdays at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale, $55-$100 reserved) or more information, the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh Box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1pm-4pm).

Aurora Theatre Company presents the special limited engagement of the second outing of OLGA - A Farewell Concert, a work-in-continual-progress created by Beth Wilmurt (The Letters, The Eccentricities of a Nightingale, Jack Goes Boating, Bosoms and Neglect, and Salome) and Her Band. Aurora commissioned the piece in 2017 as part of the company's Originate + Generate (O+G) new works initiative to promote the creation of forward-looking theater. OLGA - A Farewell Concert plays a limited run in the company's second stage and cabaret performance space, Harry's UpStage, just in time for the holidays.

The producers of Broadway's Waitress announced today that both Al Roker and Nicolette Robinson will extend their stays at the most popular diner on 47th Street through November 18.  

Town Hall Theatre is excited to announce our new staged reading series IN THE WINGS. IN THE WINGS launches with a one-night only reading of PLACEBO, a smart, new offbeat serio-comedy by Melissa James Gibson. PLACEBO will have one performance only on November 12, 2018, at Town Hall Theatre Company, 3535 School Street, in Lafayette, CA. Tickets are $10 general admission and free to subscribers, and are available through the Box Office at (925) 283-1557 or online at www.TownHallTheatre.com.

Florencia Lozano joins The Muse Project for their inaugural Tea Time event on October 21st at 5:30pm at The Flea Theater in Tribeca. Tea Times are a one-of-a-kind Muse pilot program, and October 21st's Tea Time will cap off a week of exciting presentations from some of New York's most dynamic women performers (Musings: a collection of Mini Muse presentations). During Tea Times, a veteran stage actress (Ms. Lozano) discusses her experiences building her career. The Muse Project's Artistic Director, Jocelyn Kuritsky, will lead the discussion with Ms. Lozano. A q&a with attendees and tea (and cookies!) and networking to follow. This event is open to all, and it is also a special opportunity for women actors to network with Ms. Lozano, each other, and to seek insight and support.

Second Stage Theater, now celebrating its 40th Anniversary, will host their Fall Benefit on Monday, November 12 at Terminal 5 (610 West 56th Street), honoring Tony Award winner and Second Stage Theater alum Harvey Fierstein. The evening will feature performances and appearances by Cyndi Lauper, Billy Porter, Rosie O'Donnell, Annaleigh Ashford, Keala Settle, Wayne Brady, Christopher Sieber, Michael Urie and Marissa Jaret Winokur and the original Hairspray Dynamites.

Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song will begin previews tonight, Tuesday, October 9 ahead of a Thursday, November 1 opening night at Broadway's Hayes Theater. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

Last night was the invited dress rehearsal for Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song, which begins previews tonight, October 9, on Broadway. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out the photos below!

Preview performances begin tomorrow for the new production of Harvey Fierstein's Torch Song at Broadway's Hayes Theater, the same Broadway stage where the Tony Award-winning 1982 premiere forever changed the face of popular entertainment and ushered in a new era of American understanding of love and family.

Bay Area Cabaret welcomes Tony Award nominee KATE BALDWIN for her West Coast cabaret debut on Sunday, November 4 at 5:00 p.m. in a new show titled How'd You Get This Number? featuring signature songs from her acclaimed performances in Finian's Rainbow, Giant, Big Fish and Hello Dolly! 

BroadwayWorld has teamed up with Broadway alum Ilana Levine, who makes her entrance onto the podcast stage with her new show Little Known Facts. Ilana's unique brand of celebrity interview, 'Podcast Verite,' is unfiltered, raw, honest and uniquely funny.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson had a bit of fun on Twitter last night, as he watched some musicals. The actor recorded videos of himself watching Falsettos and The Little Mermaid, and doing a bit of a call-and-response with some of the characters.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the 2018 Writer-Producer Speed Date: The Art of the Pitch, One-on-One Networking with Commercial and Indie Producers on October 21, 2018 from 4:30-8:30pm at Shetler Studios, 244 West 54th Street, 11th Floor. Session 1 coaching at 4:30, pitching at 5:30; Session 2 coaching at 5:30, pitching at 6:30.

The Lark, a theater company devoted to the support of visionary playwrights and the development of new plays, is thrilled to announce five New York City-based playwrights have been named as the 2018-19 Rita Goldberg Playwrights' Workshop Fellows. The group spans a wide range of backgrounds and professional experiences and will meet regularly throughout the year to develop new plays.

Adam Bock's A Life, commissioned by Portland Center Stage at The Armory, will receive its West Coast debut at The Armory following the success of the play's world premiere in New York. A Life begins preview performances on September 29, opens on October 5, and runs through November 11 in the Ellyn Bye Studio. Associate Artistic Director Rose Riordan, who has frequently partnered with Bock, will direct. Nat DeWolf (Broadway: Take Me Out) will make his company debut as the astrology-loving and hopelessly single Nate Martin. DeWolf is joined by Cycerli Ash, also making her debut at The Armory, as well as returning artists Dana Green (Major Barbara and many others) and Gary Norman (Our Town).

The Amoralists (James Kautz, Artistic Director; Lico Whitfield, Producing Director) proudly present STAINED, written by Amoralists 2018/2019 'WRIGHT CLUB author Charly Evon Simpson, and directed by Kate Moore Heaney. STAINED is PLAY 2 of RICOCHET: An Amoralists Anthology about Surviving an American Epidemic.

Choreographer Stephen Mills and Ballet Austin are pleased to present the world premiere of Grimm Tales, a full-length work inspired by the visual art of Natalie Frank

IAMA Theatre Company opens its 2018-19 season with a darkly comic celebration of the power of teamwork and unity to overcome adversity. James Eckhousedirects the Los Angeles premiere ofAmerican Hero, opening Sept. 21 in aPasadena Playhouse guest production at the Carrie Hamilton Theatre. Performances will continue through Oct. 21, with low-priced previews beginning Sept. 15.