Signature Theatre News

Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: go inside the recording studio with the cast of Gettin' The Band Back Together, and more!

To acknowledge her outstanding contribution to classical theatre in America, Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) will present Tony-Award winning actress, singer and stage director Phylicia Rashad with the prestigious William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre (Will Award).

Natascia Diaz, Claybourne Elder, and Steffanie Leigh are starring in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical Passion at Signature Theatre. This new production is directed by Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner(Signature's Sunday in the Park with George, West Side Story). Passion runs through September 23, 2018 in Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre.

Arena Stage will continue to host Arena Civil Dialogues to engage the D.C.-area community

Today Keen announced the cast for the fourth musical, the first NY revival of Adam Gwon's acclaimed Ordinary Days: Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County), Marc delaCruz (If/Then), Sarah Lynn Marion (2013 Jimmy awards winner), and Kyle Sherman (Pete the Cat) will star. 

The Bushwick Starr is thrilled to kick off our 10th Anniversary Season with Raja Feather Kelly's UGLY, a new piece created by award-winning choreographer and performer, Raja Feather Kelly,  who's most recent work includes The House That Will Not Stand directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz (New York Theatre Workshop), A Strange Loopdirected by Michael R. Jackson (Playwright Horizons), and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Everybody directed by Lila Neugebauer (Signature Theatre).

Natascia Diaz, Claybourne Elder, and Steffanie Leigh star in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical Passion. This new production is directed by Signature Theatre's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Signature's Sunday in the Park with George, West Side Story). Passion runs through September 23, 2018 in Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre. BroadwayWorld is taking you behind the scenes of the production today on our Instagram! Tune in as Claybourne Elder takes us behind the scenes at Signature Theatre on this two show day!

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.

Natascia Diaz, Claybourne Elder, and Steffanie Leigh star in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical Passion. This new production is directed by Signature Theatre's Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Signature's Sunday in the Park with George, West Side Story). Passion runs through September 23, 2018 in Signature Theatre's MAX Theatre. BroadwayWorld is taking you behind the scenes of the production today on our Instagram! Tune in as Claybourne Elder takes us behind the scenes at Signature Theatre on this two show day!

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.

DIXON PLACE, presents Marcus Scott's Tumbleweed on August 24, 2018 through August 26, 2018 (performances take place Friday & Saturday, August 24 & 25 at 8:00pm & Sunday, August, 26 at 2:00 pm). Following an interracial family living in a townhouse within the Morningside Park area of New York's Upper West Side over the course of a weekend, TUMBLEWEED is a slice of life drama about a young girl named Willow whose off-putting natural hair combined with both her family's open acceptance of it and lack of maintenance, as well as her blooming womanism, causes controversy in the household.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced full casting for the new Broadway production of Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST, directed by James Macdonald, starring acclaimed screen and stage actors Ethan Hawke as "Lee" and Paul Dano as "Austin." Marylouise Burke and Gary Wilmes join the cast as "Mom" and "Saul Kimmer."

Artists Repertory Theatre kicks off its 2018/19 season with Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau, directed by William (Bill) Earl Ray. Skeleton Crew is the third play in Morisseau's The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle) following Detroit '67 and Paradise Blue. For Skeleton Crew, Morisseau received a 2016 Obie Award and the play was selected for the 2014 Kilroy List. Skeleton Crew runs from September 2 through September 30 on the Morrison Stage.

This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.

A debt-ridden plantation, a new owner, a lovely young woman with a secret, and an assortment of slaves-these antiquated elements have been mashed up against a contemporary framework to create an astonishing, outrageously comic, and eloquent perspective on race in America, in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' An Octoroon. This Obie award winning play will begin a 5-week run at Stage West on Thursday, August 30.

Musical theater writer and rabble rouser Joe Iconis brings his unique mash-up of showtune cabaret and rock and roll jamboree back to The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Join Joe and his merry band of musical theater punks as they roar their way through a set of Joe's incendiary songs. Expect classic tunes, new numbers, and works-in-progress. Spill a drink, make a friend, and spend an evening with a tribe of artists determined to bring along their traditional musical theater Family Values as they blaze into the future.

For the 20-somethings working at a chic, unnamed New York magazine, the only thing that matters is style, status - and selling out to the highest bidder. The Echo Theater Company presents a razor-sharp, darkly comic drama about ambition, office warfare and pecking orders by MacArthur "genius" grant recipient Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.Chris Fields directs the West Coast premiere of Pulitzer Prize-finalist Gloria, opening Sept. 15 at Atwater Village Theatre.

theatreWashington today announced plans for Theatre Week 2018, a three week celebration that will offer $15 and $35 tickets to over 20 productions, a free Kickoff Party, and other free special events.

Natascia Diaz (Signature's Crazy for You, City Center Encores! Grand Hotel), Claybourne Elder (Signature's Sunday in the Park with George, Broadway's Sunday in the Park with George) and Steffanie Leigh (Broadway's War Paint, Gigi, Mary Poppins) are set to star in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical Passion.

Bedlam Artistic Director Eric Tucker will direct a reading of Michael Raver's new political drama, Evening on September 24th. The piece will feature Roberta Maxwell (Brokeback Mountain, Lincoln Center's Our Town), Michael Potts (The Book of Mormon, Jitney, The Iceman Cometh) Jack Wetherall (Queer as Folk, Skintight), Vince Nappo (Reign, TFANA's The Merchant of Venice), Kelley Curran (Sense and Sensibility, TFANA's The Winter's Tale) and Michael Raver (The Persians, Death Comes for The War Poets).