Signature Theatre News

The International Centre for Women Playwrights has announced the 2017 recipients of the 50/50 Applause Awards, including three theaters from Chicago. Northlight Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater and Windy City Playhouse were among 58 international recipients honored for producing 50 percent or more plays by women playwrights during the 2016/17 season.

In response to overwhelming demand and critical acclaim, Ars Nova, in association with Ma-Yi Theater and Woodshed Collective, extends the world premiere of KPOP until October 21. KPOP is a high-octane immersive event that audiences a backstage pass to a K-pop music factory.

Romance of the Western Chamber, the musical adaptation (in English) of the fabled Chinese classic Xi Xiang Ji, which opened last Saturday, September 16 at TADA! (located at 15 W. 28th Street, 3rd Floor), will welcome Signature Theatre alum Leanne Cabrera (Emotional Creature) to the company.

Danny Gardner (Broadway's Dames at Sea) and Ashley Spencer (Broadway's Grease) are set to star in The Gershwins ' & Ken Ludwig's musical comedy Crazy For You at Signature Theatre.

National New Play Network, the country's alliance of nonprofit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, celebrates the opening of three Rolling World Premieres: Project Dawn by Karen Hartman, The Arsonists by Jacqueline Goldfinger, and Br'er Cotton by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm. Scroll down for details on each production!

Producers James L. Nederlander, Estefan Enterprises, Inc and Bernie Yuman have announced complete casting for the First National Tour of the Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET!, starring Cuban-American Broadway actress Christie Prades as seven-time GRAMMY-winning international superstar Gloria Estefan, and acclaimed stage and television actor Mauricio Martinez, playing her 19-time Grammy-winning producer and husband Emilio Estefan.

Pig Iron Theatre Company, the internationally acclaimed, Philadelphia-based organization, has announced that the world premiere of its ambitious, timely production A Period of Animate Existence will take place September 22-24 at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Pennsylvania in the 2017 Fringe Festival, co-presented by FringeArts and Annenberg Center Live.

Laguna Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham, Executive Director Ellen Richard and Lythgoe Family Panto (LFP) have announced that Kira Kosarin (three-time Kid's Choice Award-nominee of Nickelodeon's hit show 'The Thundermans'), Jason Gotay (World Premiere of Stephen Schwartz's The Prince Of Egypt, title role of Broadway's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Barry Pearl ('Grease') and Josh Adamson (Big Fish, Taboo) are set to star in Lythgoe Family Panto's ALADDIN AND HIS WINTER WISH.

Today is Billy Porter's birthday and also the 20th Anniversary of his first album, BILLY PORTER: UNTITLED (on A&M Records). To celebrate both, he's re-releasing the album today, in a special 20th Anniversary Edition available for free on SoundCloud.

NoPassport Theatre Alliance and Press presents reading of OBIE-winner Caridad Svich's new play FUEL starring Jo Lampert (JOAN OF ARC: INTO THE FIRE, the Public), Alex Esola (A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, Broadway), Luis Vega (TELL HECTOR I MISS HIM, Atlantic Theater Company), Sofia Jean Gomez (ANGELS IN AMERICA Parts 1 and 2, Signature Theatre Company), and Charlie Pollock (TV's THE GOOD WIFE) on October 4, 2017 at 7 p.m. at the Sheen Center Studio B under Erin Ortman's direction.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: THE SHOW-OFF Begins Performances, SUMMER Cast Announced, and More!

Billy Porter won a Tony Award for his performance as Lola in Kinky Boots. His other Broadway credits include Shuffle Along, Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Grease, and Smokey Joe's Caf . Off-Broadway,

Producing Artistic Director Carolyn Griffin is pleased to announce that the play Are You Now or Have You Ever Been , a play written and conceived by Carlyle Brown and directed by MetroStage Artistic Associate Thomas W. Jones II with original music by William Knowles, will be in performance Oct. 5-Nov. 5 at MetroStage.

The 2017 International Centre for Women Playwrights (ICWP) 50/50 Applause Awards celebrates gender parity for women playwrights at 58 theatres throughout The United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, Singapore, and Tasmania.

Theaterlab will present Let Me Cook For You, written and performed by Orietta Crispino, October 13 through December 10, 2017 in its Midtown home (357 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor). Barbara Rubin directs and Liza Cassidy serves as the assistant director.

The nationally regarded Fulton Theatre presents the psychedelic musical comedy Little Shop of Horrors, now through October 15. Expect the unexpected as Little Shop of Horrors is presented to our audience in a brand new and exciting way. Remember whatever you do, DO NOT FEED THE PLANT! BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Prospect Theater Company launches its 2017-18 IGNITE Series on Saturday, October 21st at 8pm, with a concert of GOLD MOUNTAIN, with book, music, and lyrics by Jason Ma. This original musical spins an epic love story, set against the backdrop of the 1860s construction of The Central Pacific Railroad.

China Broadway Entertainment announces its latest original global musical: Road to Heaven: The Jonathan Lee Musical. Adapted from the novel by internationally acclaimed author Li Xiuwen, the original musical will feature music by one of China's most iconic singer-songwriters Jonathan Lee.

The Schimmel Center presents American Dance Spectacular! on Saturday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m., exploring the history of American popular dance throughout the 20th century, including the Charleston, Lindy hop, jitterbug, twist, voguing, and more. The performance is directed, co-written and created by Daniel C. Levine (Broadway's Les Mis rables, Chicago, and Mamma Mia!) with choreography by Al Blackstone (Fox's So You Think You Can Dance), music direction by Bryan Perri (Broadway's Wicked and Next to Normal), and book by Susan Batten (Lifetime's Showing Roots) together with six Broadway dancers backed by three vocalists and a live band.

Award-winning playwright Sean Chandler takes you behind the scenes in his new theatre podcast Your Program Is Your Ticket (YPIYT).