Shakespeare Theatre Company News

This June, Shady Shakespeare Theatre Company presents The Lion in Winter, James Goldman's compelling drama about a king's search for a successor within his feuding family.

The Muny announced today principal casting for the third show of its 94th season, Disney's Aladdin (July 5-13), directed by Gary Griffin, and choreographed by Alex Sanchez. Tony® Nominees Robin de Jesus and John Tartaglia star as Aladdin and the Genie, respectively. Joining them will be Jason Graae as Omar, Curtis Holbrook as Iago, Francis Jue as Kassim, Eddie Korbich as Babkak, Samantha Massell as Jasmine, Ken Page as the Sultan, and Thom Sesma as Jafar.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey launches its 2012 milestone 50th Anniversary season with William Shakespeare's saga of a young prince's reformation and ascent to manhood - Henry IV, Part One. Considered one of Shakespeare's most popular history plays, this rousing tale has not been produced on The Shakespeare Theatre stage in 20 years. Henry IV, Part One begins performances tonight, May 30 and runs through June 24 at the Theatre's Main Stage - the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. All tickets, including discounted ticket packages are now on sale. For tickets or for more information, call the box office at 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org. The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre is located at 36 Madison Avenue (at Lancaster Road), in Madison.

Chris Isaacson has announced that Upright Cabaret's AMERICAN ICON Series ends another stunning season with VIVA LAS VEGAS - a presentation of personality and pop that honors the flashiest performers of all time: Elvis, Cher and Elton John. Joining the group of all-star performers will be Patrick Cassidy.

The ninth annual Bard SummerScape presents The Imaginary Invalid ("Le malade imaginaire," 1673), a classic comedy of manners by Moliere, France's undisputed master of the genre.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater's Artistic Director Molly Smith has announced that this July 2012 D.C.-area arts manager and artist David Snider will become the company's Director of Artistic Programming. Snider will be leaving Young Playwrights' Theater (YPT), where he has served since 2005 as producing artistic director and CEO, to bring his multi-faceted, award-winning talents to the artistic team of Arena Stage.

Pioneer Theatre Company presents Man of La Mancha, the musical staging of the epic tale of Don Quixote through tonight, May 19, 2012.

June 11-28, 2012 the international new play festival Zeitgeist: New Playwrights from Austria, Germany and Switzerland brings some of the most sought-after European playwrights and their works to Washington and New York for staged readings with the directors of leading theaters in each city: Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, the Studio Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, and New York Theatre Workshop, Playwrights Horizons, and Soho Rep in New York City.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, with license from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact, today announced a one-night-only reading of 8, a play chronicling the historic trial in the federal constitutional challenge to California's Proposition 8, written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black.

Meet the Sycamores - the delightfully eccentric family at the center of the action in the madcap comedy classic, You Can't Take It With You. They revel in day-to-day occurrences such as collecting snakes, making fireworks in the basement, and practicing ballet steps in the parlor. When their daughter Alice, decides to invite her conservative boyfriend's family to dinner, they promise to be on their best behavior. However...! Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and adapted into an Academy Award winning film, this beloved comedy has been a perennial favorite to theatre-goers for more than 70 years.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company, recipient of the 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award, brings its celebrated 25th Anniversary Season to an end with William Shakespeare's riotous romp The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by celebrated British director Stephen Rayne. The production marks the first performance of this comedic favorite at STC in more than a decade. Merry Wives will take place in the Company's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) from June 12-July 15, 2012.

This June, Shady Shakespeare Theatre Company presents The Lion in Winter, James Goldman's compelling drama about a king's search for a successor within his feuding family.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will launch its 2012 milestone 50th Anniversary season with William Shakespeare's saga of a young prince's reformation and ascent to manhood - Henry IV, Part One. Considered one of Shakespeare's most popular history plays, this rousing tale has not been produced on The Shakespeare Theatre stage in 20 years. Henry IV, Part One begins performances on May 30 and runs through June 24 at the Theatre's Main Stage - the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre. All tickets, including discounted ticket packages are now on sale. For tickets or for more information, call the box office at 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org. The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre is located at 36 Madison Avenue (at Lancaster Road), in Madison.

SPIDER-MAN's Patrick Page recently celebrated his birthday with cake and a caricature at Sardi's, alongside his co-stars and friends. Ann Harada, Joshua Bergasse, Laura Osnes, Melissa Errico and Paige Davis were among those in attendance. Go behind the scenes of the caricature unveiling below!

This month marks the Shakespeare Theatre Company's 10th year of celebrating the enduring power of Shakespeare's words with the aid of Washington's politicians, lobbyists and journalists. This year's Will on the Hill is marked by a performance of Speak the Speech, I Pray You!, an original play by Peter Byrne with assistance from The West Wing Writers Group. Will on the Hill takes place tonight, May 7, 2012, in Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW). The evening begins with a VIP cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the performance at 7:30 p.m. and a buffet dinner at 8:30 p.m.

Working Theater previously announced a reading of the poetry of US Poet Laureate Philip Levine. Readers include Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist Jeffrey Eugenides and performers André De Shields, Gene Gillette and Lisa Ramirez tonight, May 7th at 7pm at the SEIU 32BJ building at 25 West 18th Street, on the 5th floor. Reception with artists to follow.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company presents the DC premiere of Arias with a Twist created by 'drag chanteuse extraordinaire' Joey Arias (performer) and master puppeteer Basil Twist (director). Arias with a Twist runs through tonight, May 6 at 7pm.

Imagination Stage, in a collaboration with The Washington Ballet, has announced casting for its world premiere summer production, THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE. In this fusion of theater, dance, and puppetry, based on the novel by C.S. Lewis, the roles of the four children are played jointly by an actor and a dancer, and the courageous lion Aslan is portrayed by a life-size puppet operated by three actor/puppeteers, similar to the puppets used in the Broadway production WAR HORSE.

Pioneer Theatre Company presents Man of La Mancha, the musical staging of the epic tale of Don Quixote, tonight, May 4 through May 19, 2012.

Meet the Sycamores - the delightfully eccentric family at the center of the action in the madcap comedy classic, You Can't Take It With You. They revel in day-to-day occurrences such as collecting snakes, making fireworks in the basement, and practicing ballet steps in the parlor. When their daughter Alice, decides to invite her conservative boyfriend's family to dinner, they promise to be on their best behavior. However...! Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and adapted into an Academy Award winning film, this beloved comedy has been a perennial favorite to theatre-goers for more than 70 years.