Shakespeare & Company News

Theatre for a New Audience, whose vision is based on its core commitment to ideas, to language, and to artists and audiences, has scheduled the first three of its new Open Books Series of free lectures beginning Today, April 25, at 6:00pm with Kenneth Gross, author of Puppet: An Essay on Uncanny Life (University of Chicago Press, 2011), and continuing with Penelope Niven, author of Thornton Wilder: A Life (Harper, 2012) Tuesday, May 21,at 5:00pm and Jonathan Kalb, author of Great Lengths: Seven Works of Marathon Theater (University of Michigan Press, 2011), Today, May 30, at 6:00pm.

A rowdy, rural romance takes the stage when Seattle Shakespeare Company presents a revival of its popular trailer park version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shew. Originally produced in 2009 as part of the company's outdoor Wooden O shows, The Taming of the Shrew will be brought indoors to the Playhouse at Seattle Center April 25 through May 12. Director Aimee Bruneau along with many of the original cast members return for the revival.

Lincoln Center Theater's Platform Series, a forum for public discussion between Lincoln Center Theater artists and interested theatergoers, continues its 15th season on Wednesday, May 1 at 6:00 pm with RICHARD NELSON, the playwright of NIKOLAI AND THE OTHERS, currently in previews at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

Performances begin in just five weeks for the third annual Next Up, continuing Steppenwolf Theatre Company's commitment to Chicago's next generation of theater artists. Next Up features three productions presented in rotating repertory, in collaboration with Northwestern University's MFA programs in Direction and Design. Next Up 2013 showcases the work of graduates of those programs with casts of professional Chicago actors-including nine alumni of the School at Steppenwolf: Fat Pig by Neil LaBute, directed by David Prete; The Drunken City by Adam Bock, directed by Johnny Michael DiResta; and The Internationalist by Anne Washburn, directed by Erin Murray.

The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA), under the artistic direction of Ben Donenberg, returns to The Japanese Garden on the grounds of the VA West Los Angeles Healthcare Center campus with a rollicking summer production of William Shakespeare's romantic comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream," with live music and directed by Royal Shakespeare Company artist Kenn Sabberton - beginning July 9, through July 28 only. "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is presented by SCLA in conjunction with VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.

The Drama League (Executive Director, Gabriel Shanks) has announced the 2013 Drama League Awards Nominees for Distinguished Play, Distinguished Revival of a Play, Distinguished Musical, Distinguished Revival of a Musical, and Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced at a ceremony hosted by Patina Miller and Michael Urie this morning at Sardi's Restaurant which were streamed live online at www.BroadwayWorld.com.

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS is a new musical which will premiere at Riverside Studios in London from 4 to 14 July for 10 performances only.

'The Kevin Gray Musical Theater Award Endowment Fund' at Duke University and 'The Kevin Gray Memorial Scholarship Award' at the Hartt School at the University of Hartford have been created to provide financial support to promising students as they pursue training in musical theater. Any level of contribution will help guarantee that this type of educational experience is made available to students who choose to follow in Kevin's footsteps as they attend one of these two institutions.

CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS is a new musical which will premiere at Riverside Studios in London from 4 to 14 July for 10 performances only.

Shakespeare & Company Artistic Director Tony Simotes announces the benefit performance of Broadway in the Berkshires that will take place on Monday, July 8th at The Tina Packer Playhouse, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA.

Continuing its 25th Anniversary Season, Lookingglass Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Still Alice, adapted and directed by Ensemble Member Christine Mary Dunford, based on the novel by Lisa Genova. The production runs now through May 19, 2013 at Lookingglass Theatre Company, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. The Press Opening is Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

The public performances culminating Shakespeare & Company's annual spring Elementary and Middle School Residency programs, featuring fourth and fifth grade students, began on April 5 with presentations of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream by the fourth grade class at Williamstown Elementary School This year's Residency continues a tradition at Williamstown Elementary that stretches back more than twenty years.

From 9 July - 9 August 2013, the Almeida Festival returns with a packed programme of fresh collaborations, award-winning artists and brand new shows. The most ambitious and extensive Almeida Festival to date, the line-up features ground-breaking artists presenting shows at different stages of progression, commissioned, co-commissioned, developed and supported by the Almeida.

Anita Dobson will star in a new musical based on Camille Saint-Saens' The Carnival Of The Animals, according to a report by the Daily Mail. Created by Gavin Greenaway, Roger Hyams, Andrew Marshall and Brian Eastman, a tryout will open at Riverside Studios on July 4 and run for two weeks through July 14, 2013.

Richard Eyre returns to the Almeida Theatre to adapt and direct Ibsen's Ghosts. Ghosts will run from 26 September - 23 November 2013, with Press Night on 3 October. Members of the production team and cast will be announced shortly. Priority booking for Ghosts for Almeida Theatre members opens on 9 April 2013, with public booking opening on 23 April.

Two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone headlines the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra's 2012-13 NJSO POPS season finale in Newark and New Brunswick, June 1-2. The legendary diva, who last appeared with the NJSO in 2009, will perform songs from her latest album, 'Far Away Places,' backed for the first time by full orchestra. The star of Broadway's Gypsy will also sing signature songs from her illustrious career on stage and screen. Rob Fisher conducts.

Signature Theatre has announced the pairing of one of the theatre's most celebrated friends with the upcoming 2013/14 season's newest play. Shakespeare Theatre Company Artistic Director Michael Kahn returns to Signature this fall for the first time in nearly twenty years to direct the world premiere of Pride in the Falls of Autrey Mill, the new play by Paul Downs Colaizzo.

Southwark Playhouse are delighted to announce that there will be a limited number of £5 Ringside Standing tickets available for each performance which will allow spectators to be an even bigger part of the wrestling action! Tickets can be purchased online or on the phone via southwarkplayhouse.co.uk or 020 7407 0234.

Rocco recently chatted with Broadwayworld about the new show, what its been like working with Richard Foreman and his upcoming film 'Sideways Light.' Tickets for OLD-FASHIONED PROSTITUTES (A TRUE ROMANCE) can now be purchased here!