Shakina Nayfack News

The League of Professional Theatre Women (Kelli Lynn Harrison and Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been leading the gender parity conversation and championing women in the professional theatre for over 35 years, will present the 2019 Theatre Women Awards at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012) on Monday, March 25 at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm). For more information on the 2019 TheatreWomen Awards, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.theatrewomen.org.

Musical Theatre Factory announces the inaugural MTF MAKERS cohort: Troy Anthony, Jacob Jarrett, Kit Yan and Melissa Li, Tidtaya Sinotoke and Ty Defoe, AriDy Nox and Brandon Webster, and Jillian Walker (MTF/STARR MAKER).

The League of Professional Theatre Women (Kelli Lynn Harrison and Catherine Porter, Co-Presidents), an organization which has been leading the gender parity conversation and championing women in the professional theatre for over 35 years, will present the 2019 Theatre Women Awards at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (18 Bleecker Street, New York, NY 10012) on Monday, March 25 at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm). For more information on the 2019 Theatre Women Awards, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.theatrewomen.org. 

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) has announced the theater directors chosen to develop new plays and musicals as part of the 2019 Drama League Artist Residency Program. Public work-in-progress presentations of each residency will be held periodically throughout the year at The Drama League Theater Center, 32 Avenue of the Americas, in Tribeca. Schedules for the presentations, which are open to the public, will be available throughout 2019 at www.dramaleague.org or by calling (212) 244-9494.

Natasha Sinha will join Signature Theatre as Director of Artistic Programs, the company announced today. Ms. Sinha has previously worked as LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater's Associate Director and Barrington Stage Company's Associate Producer.

The Amazon series 'Transparent' will end with a musical episode, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The fifth season of the series will be it's last, and the final episode will be a musical episode, creator Jill Soloway told The New York Times. 

'After much anticipation, it is with great joy that I introduce you to new Producing Artistic Director, Mei Ann Teo,' said Shakina Nayfack. 'She is a visionary interdisciplinary theatre maker and community organizer who brings with her to the job a wealth of experience in new works development, education, and fundraising. We are in great hands, and I have full confidence that MTF will achieve new levels of artistic excellence and organizational sustainability with her expertise and leadership. Please, join me in welcoming MTF's new Producing Artistic Director, Mei Ann Teo!'

Preston Max Allen is proud to pay tribute to Musical Theatre Factory with a legacy concert of his Ovation Award Winning musical, WE ARE THE TIGERS this Sunday, August 26 at 7pm at Joe's Pub.

After selling out their first four performances, Trans Voices Cabaret returns to The Duplex with an even bigger cast of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming performers today, August 18th, 2018 at 9:30pm, with direction by Donnie Cianciotto and musical direction by Anessa Marie.

The Public Theater in collaboration with the Resistance Revival Chorus announced additional casting today for the free Public Forum, WE RISE: A CELEBRATION OF RESISTANCE, on Monday, August 13 at 8:00 p.m. at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. This one-night-only event puts both the music and the movement onstage with performances, speeches, and more.

After selling out their first four performances, Trans Voices Cabaret returns to The Duplex with an even bigger cast of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming performers on Saturday, August 18th, 2018 at 9:30pm, with direction by Donnie Cianciotto and musical direction by Anessa Marie.

The Public Theater in collaboration with the Resistance Revival Chorus announced today that a special free one-night-only Public Forum event, WE RISE: A CELEBRATION OF RESISTANCE, will take place on Monday, August 13 at 8:00 p.m. at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

Musical Theatre Factory announces Get the 'Fack Out, a concert in honor or Founding Artistic Director Shakina Nayfack on Monday, June 25, 2018 at 7pm at Joe's Pub, 425 Lafayette Street, NYC.

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) announces Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Ethan Slater as the 2018 NYMF Honorary Chair.

Town Stages and Musical Theatre Factory present The 72nd Annual Tony Awards Viewing Party on June 10, 2018 from 6pm-Midnight at Town Stages, 221 West Broadway, NYC.

The 9th Annual Lilly Awards Ceremony, which honours the accomplishments of women working in the American theatre, just took place last night, May 21st, 2018, at the Minetta Lane Theatre.

The final presentation of the recently expanded Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, took place just last night. This year's Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge finalists included Eliza Corrington & Braxton Gerald Carr, Tucker Donelan, Jillian Guetersloh, Fritz Hager, Aaron Richert, and David Volpini. Check out photos from inside the special night below!

Happy opening! THIS FLAT EARTH, directed by Tony Award winner Rebecca Taichman, held its Opening Night at Playwrights Horizons last night! The performance marked the play's World Premiere. Other members of the theatre community, including Lois Smith and Jamie Brewer, joined the cast and crew for last night's celebration.

What good is sitting alone in your room this week? If you don't already have plans to see a Broadway show, come out to see your favorite Broadway stars in a cabaret act instead. Highlights this week include:

The Public Theater announced the fifth season of PUBLIC STUDIO today, which will present two new plays this spring. Continuing The Public's commitment to nurturing new playwrights, the two plays will run in succession in The Public's Shiva Theater and be presented as pared-down productions with the low ticket price of $15. This vital program continues The Public's mission of making new work by emerging artists accessible to all audiences.