Shakespeare & Company News

Fifty years since opening as a groundbreaking new arts venue, London's Roundhouse has announced plans for a major anniversary year. The building, one of the most iconic performance spaces in the world and a state-of-the-art creative centre for young people, will mark three major anniversaries in 2016. In recognition of this momentous year they have announced the intention to add to the physical footprint of the building with a brand new campus as a centre of creative excellence for young people, continuing Sir Torquil Norman's original mission.

Following the sold-out success of the first two relaxed performances of Matilda The Musical in 2014 and 2015, the Royal Shakespeare Company will present a third relaxed performance at the Cambridge Theatre on Sunday 12th June at 3pm. This will be the seventh performance that the Royal Shakespeare Company has staged to date. The National Autistic Society and Mousetrap Theatre Projects will again work closely with the RSC, offering full access to the theatre for people with autism and learning disabilities.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company continues its season with Jane Austen's "Emma" by Jon Jory. This production is directed by Kelly Mengelkoch. This production features Cincinnati Shakespeare's Resident Ensemble members including Courtney Lucien and Jeremy Dubin. Sponsors for this productions are LPK and Graydon Head.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) welcomes Oxford Playhouse's stirring SANCHO: AN ACT OF REMEMBRANCE, starring celebrated Royal Shakespeare Company actor Paterson Joseph, as a part of the yearlong Shakespeare 400 Chicago celebration.

The Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) production of BACK THE NIGHT opens this week.

The Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham and Hershey Felder Presents are thrilled to announce the fourth show in the Laguna Playhouse 2015-2016 season, Tony Award-winner Anthony Crivello and Vanessa Claire Stewart starring in LOUIS & KEELY: 'LIVE' AT THE SAHARA, written by Vanessa Stewart, Taylor Hackford & Jake Broder, choreography by Vernel Bagneris and directed by Taylor Hackford.  "Our subscribers and audiences are about the have the time of their lives as we transport them to 1950's Las Vegas and beyond and the incomparable song-stylings of Louis Prima and Keely Smith," says Wareham. LOUIS & KEELY: 'LIVE' AT THE SAHARA will begin previews on Wednesday, February 24; will open on Saturday, February 27 and will run through Sunday, March 27, 2016 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Temple Theaters presents William Shakespeare's THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, directed by James J. Christy, running tonight, February 3, through February 14, 2016 in Temple University's Tomlinson Theater.

The Falcon Theatre is proud to present its third production of the 2015-2016 Season, THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (ABRIDGED), written by Adam Long, Reed Martin & Austin Tichenor and directed by Jerry Kernion.

The Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) production of BACK THE NIGHT opens tonight.

UP Comedy Club (230 W North Ave, 3rd Floor of Piper's Alley) announces the return of #DateMe: An OkCupid Experiment, created by Robyn Lynne Norris and written by Robyn Lynne Norris, Bob Ladewig and Frank Caeti. Previews begin tonight, February 4, through Sunday, February 21 with performances running through Sunday, May 29.

Cait Doyle and Nate Miller (Peter and the Starcatcher) along with DJ Bucciarelli (Grindr: the Opera) are set for a concert presentation of HOT MESS IN MANHATTAN: the Musical tonight, February 4th, 2016 at 9:30pm at Feinstein's/54 Below.

The West End transfer of Jessica Swale's new play NELL GWYNN, directed by Christopher Luscombe, begins tonight 4 February 2016.

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of THE METROMANIACS by supremely clever playwright David Ives (All in the Timing, Time Flies). This uproarious new 'translaptation' of a classic French farce, Alexis Piron's La Metromanie, will be directed by one of America's most renowned stage directors, Michael Kahn, presented in association with Shakespeare Theatre Company.

The Citizens Theatre today announces its complete Spring 2016 Season, including a trilogy of new plays by Zinnie Harris, inspired by the epic Greek tragedy The Oresteia. The season also includes a new production of Frank McGuinness' classic play Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of The Somme and a new production of Beckett's iconic play Endgame featuring David Neilson and Chris Gascoyne.

Gulfshore Playhouse (www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org) - Southwest Florida's premier professional theatre - is pleased to announce the cast of its upcoming production of Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo, a madcap comedy from the author of The Fox on the Fairway and The Game's Afoot, scheduled for February 13 through March 13 at The Norris Center in Naples.

The Public Theater announced complete casting today for the New York premiere of HEAD OF PASSES, written by Tarell Alvin McCraney and directed by Tina Landau. Part of Oskar Eustis' 10th anniversary season, HEAD OF PASSES begins previews on Tuesday, March 15 in the Newman Theater and runs through Sunday, April 17, with an official press opening on Monday, March 28.

?Connecticut Repertory Theatre will present Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility by adapted for the stage by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan as the fourth show of its 2015-2016 season. The show is directed by Kristin Wold, a faculty member at UConn and member of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA.  Sense and Sensibility will be held in the Harriet S. Jorgenson Theatre from February 25 through March 6, 2016. For tickets and information please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486 2113.

The Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) production of BACK THE NIGHT opens this week.

The Met's new production of Puccini's MANON LESCAUT opens February 12 with Kristine Opolais as the seductive, tragic heroine and Roberto Alagna in a role debut as her ardent lover, the Chevalier des Grieux.

The Vilcek Foundation just announced the winners of its annual Vilcek Prizes, recognizing immigrant contributions to the American arts and sciences. The 2016 Vilcek Prize in Theatre, presented to an immigrant artist with a record of major achievement in his/her field, is awarded to Blanka Zizka, the recipient of a $100,000 prize.