Second Stage News

The Drama Book Shop is pleased to welcome playwright Gina Gionfriddo (After Ashley, Becky Shaw) for a discussion about her latest play, Can You Forgive Her?, opening soon at New York's Vineyard Theatre. The event will be followed by a signing of her work. The Tuesday, May 9th, 5:00pm event is free and open to the public. 

The Lortel Awards will be presented tonight, May 7, 2017 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00 PM EST. This year's event will be hosted by actor and comedian, Taran Killam, and will once again serve as a benefit for The Actors Fund.

Every night at Studio 54. Tony nominee Johanna Day digs a little bit deeper as Tracey, a factory worker in Reading, Pennsylvania. How does she give such a poignant performance and deal with the exhaustion of the season? She explains below!

2017 has already brought them a Golden Globe and Academy Award. Will a Tony be next? Justin Pasek and Benj Paul continue their amazing year with a Tony nomination for their work on DEAR EVAN HANSEN- a musical that they've been working on for nearly a decade. Find out why the show means so much to them below!

San Francisco Playhouse (Artistic Director Bill English; Producing Director Susi Damilano) announced the final selection for its 2017-18 Mainstage season-A Christmas Story: The Musical. With a book by Joseph Robinette and music and lyrics by Oscar-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, A Christmas Story is based on the classic 1983 film of the same name. The play will be presented in the previously-unannounced holiday slot, running November 22, 2017 to January 13, 2018 (Press Opening is November 29, 2017).

The Jerome Robbins Foundation introduces the The Springboard Project:  Fostering Collaboration in Dance-Driven Musical Theater.

The two-year-old Refuge Theatre Project, whose High Fidelity: The Musical is with eight nominations one of the top nominees in the upcoming non-Equity Jeff Awards, will continue its 2017 season with Things to Ruin: The Songs of Joe Iconis, playing May 12 - June 18, 2017.

Previews begin tonight, May 4th for the Vineyard Theatre's production of the New York premiere of two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist Gina Gionfriddo's CAN YOU FORGIVE HER?, directed by Peter DuBois (SONS OF THE PROPHET, BECKY SHAW). CAN YOU FORGIVE HER? will  official open Tuesday, May 23.

This gritty, gripping, and shockingly funny world premiere tosses audiences into a revolutionary Philadelphia court designed by a passionate group of women. Every day these lawyers, judges, parole officers and staff members work to transform the lives of women repeatedly convicted for prostitution. In her daring and vital new play Project Dawn, playwright Karen Hartman probes the thin lines between freedom and slavery, activism and obsession, for women on both sides of the law. Inspired by Hartman's extensive, first-hand research inside Philly's real-life court system, and cast with seven actresses who play multiple characters, this production represents the first world premiere to emerge from the acclaimed New Play Frontiers Residency & Commission program at People's Light. People's Light is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern, PA 19355. For tickets, call 610.644.3500 or visit peopleslight.org. This production is sponsored by PECO, and supported by grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Due to popular demand, Shattered Globe Theatre's hit Chicago premiere of Sarah Ruhl's FOR PETER PAN ON HER 70th BIRTHDAY will add one additional week of performances, extending through May 27, 2017 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago.  Directed by Jessica Thebus, the imaginative and moving drama was written for Ruhl's mother, Kathleen Ruhl, who stars in the Shattered Globe production. Tickets for all performances are currently available at www.theaterwit.org, in person at the Theater Wit Box Office or by calling (773) 975-8150.

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) has announced five productions as part of its complete 2017/18 Season.

All eyes were on Jane Krakowski and Christopher Jackson this morning as they announced the 2017 Tony Award nominations live on CBS and TonyAwards.com. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you an interview with the announcers - click below to see what they had to say about being happy for their friends and colleagues, their first time watching the Tony Awards and more!

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Samantha Joy Pearlman in Summer in the City: The Music of Regina Spektor on May 5th, 2017 at 11:30pm.

All eyes were on Jane Krakowski and Christopher Jackson this morning as they announced the 2017 Tony Award nominations live on CBS and TonyAwards.com. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you a look at the stars below!

Atlantic Theater Company has announced its 2017-18 season productions and one Atlantic for Kids production.

An invitation-only reading of Ed Schmidt's Mr. Rickey Calls a Meeting will take place on May 4 and 5, 2017 in NYC. The reading will be directed by Tony Award® winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

Jadelake Productions presents the world premiere of F*CK TINDER: a love story, Written & Performed by David Rodwin at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. The show runs June 8, 9, 11, 21 and 22 at Sacred Fools Theatre, Second Stage (6320 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90038) Tix: http://hff14.org/4634

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting the first reading of the new musical, BHANGIN' IT, book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew and music and lyrics by Sam Willmott, on May 1 in New York City for an invited industry audience. The reading includes actors Shoba Narayan (Natasha Pierre & The Great Comet), Tony Sheldon (Amelie), Dan Rosales (Spamilton), Angel Desai (Company), and Salena Qureshi.  The reading is directed by David Ruttura (School of Rock) and music directed by James Dobinson (The View UpStairs).

Director Michael Greif, who has directed seminal Broadway musicals including Rent, Next to Normal, Grey Gardens and many more, just received a Sardi's portrait to celebrate his career and work on Broadway directing this season's new musicals Dear Evan Hansen and War Paint. The casts from both of his shows came out to celebrate the occasion and BroadwayWorld was there!

PlayMakers Repertory Company opened the final production of its 2016-17 season last night with "Mr. Joy," a work by award-winning playwright Daniel Beaty. As the final production of the second stage season at PRC2, Mr. Joy was directed by PlayMakers' Producing Artistic Director Vivienne Benesch and stars Tangela Large, who returns to PlayMakers after a successful turn in "Detroit '67" in Fall 2016.