Signature Theatre News

Ten Chimneys Foundation has announced that Washington, D.C. actors E. Faye Butler, Christopher Bloch, and Brad Oscar have been selected as 2012 Lunt-Fontanne Fellows.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global hit musical MAMMA MIA! welcomes new principals Christy Altomare, Lauren Cohn, Daniel Cooney, Felicia Finley, Aaron Lazar, Graham Rowat and Zak Resnick who will join Judy McLane as "Donna Sheridan" at the Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway) tonight, June 4, 2012.

Kritzerland Upstairs at Sterling's presents The Randy Newman Album tonight, June 3, 2012 - 7:00 pm. The show stars (in alphabetical order) Melody Hollis (Broadway: Susan,Irving Berlin's White Christmas; Annie, MusThWest), Dennis Kyle (Reprise's They're Playing Our Song; Rooster in Annie, Theater Aspen), Gia Mora (Three-time Helen Hayes Nominee; Sunset Boulevard, Signature Theatre), Leigh Ann Larkin (Broadway: Gypsy, Dainty June; A Little Night Music, Petra) and Stephen Van Dorn (Gerard, Lovelace: A Rock Opera; Rutledge, 1776, Actors Co-op), with music director Tom Griep and special guest and world-class guitarist and composer Grant Geissman.

The cast and director Eric Schaeffer of the musical revue First You Dream, set to open this month at the Kennedy Center, discuss the work of their show's muses, John Kander and Fred Ebb, the songwriting team who created Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Zorba, and many more Broadway hits. Watch video interviews, plus footage of the cast in reherasal, below!

Signature Theatre closes out its 2011/12 season sporting funky legwarmers and wielding neon glow sticks with the Washington premiere of the musical comedy hit Xanadu. Nominated for four Tony Awards® (including "Best Musical"), the musical features a Book by Douglas Carter Beane, with Music and Lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. Xanadu will play at Signature through July 1, 2012. Check out production shots below!

The producers of the acclaimed new Off-Broadway hit Tribes have announced new additions to the clan: Nick Westrate, winner of a 2012 Special Drama Desk Award for his versatility in the 2011-2012 season (Unnatural Acts, Love's Labor's Lost, and Galileo) will temporarily assume the role of Daniel while Will Brill takes a leave of absence from May 30 - July 1, and Jeff Still, who originated leading roles in the Barrow Street Theatre productions of Our Town and Orson's Shadow (both directed by David Cromer),will assume the role of Christopher beginning July 1, replacing Jeff Perry, who departs to begin filming the second season of ABC's "Scandal." Tribes, which recently won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Play,is currently in performance at The Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street).

Signature Theatre Company today announced a one-week extension for MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! by Athol Fugard and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The production will now play through Sunday, June 17 in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at the Company's new home The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between Dyer and 10th Avenues).

XANADU will bring you ninety minutes of non-stop fun and enjoyment.

Signature Theatre opens MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! by Athol Fugard and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson tonight, May 24. The production began previews May 1 and runs through June 10, 2012 in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at the Company's new home, The Pershing Square Signature Center. Production footage has just been releases and BroadwayWorld brings you a first look below!

Playwright Annie Baker and director Sam Gold-whose previous collaborations include The Aliens and Circle Mirror Transformation-have reunited to stage a new version of Chekhov's masterwork, Uncle Vanya. Soho Rep, in association with John Adrian Selzer, will present the world premiere production June 7-July 15. Soho Rep will also offer FEED companion programming throughout the run; see details below.

Signature Theatre began performances for MEDIEVAL PLAY, written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, on May 15 in anticipation of a Thursday, June 7 opening night in The Irene Diamond Stage at the Company's new Frank Gehry-designed home, The Pershing Square Signature Center. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights from the production below!

Philadelphia Theatre Company announces the world premiere of the new musical Stars of David to open its 2012-2013 season this fall.

Signature Theatre (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director)presents MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! by Athol Fugard and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The production began previews May 1 and runs through June 10, 2012. The show opens tonight, May 24, in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at the Company's new home The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between Dyer and 10th Avenues). See photos from the production below!

Kritzerland Upstairs at Sterling's presents The Randy Newman Album on Sunday, June 3, 2012 - 7:00 pm. The show stars (in alphabetical order) Melody Hollis (Broadway: Susan,Irving Berlin's White Christmas; Annie, MusThWest), Dennis Kyle (Reprise's They're Playing Our Song; Rooster in Annie, Theater Aspen), Gia Mora (Three-time Helen Hayes Nominee; Sunset Boulevard, Signature Theatre), Leigh Ann Larkin (Broadway: Gypsy, Dainty June; A Little Night Music, Petra) and Stephen Van Dorn (Gerard, Lovelace: A Rock Opera; Rutledge, 1776, Actors Co-op), with music director Tom Griep and special guest and world-class guitarist and composer Grant Geissman.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) has announced the publication of The Vermont Plays, the debut collection of plays by Obie Award-winning playwright Annie Baker (The Aliens, Circle Mirror Transformation). Ms. Baker's works have been developed and produced at Huntington Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop and Playwrights Horizons, among others. Her adaptation of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya will premiere at New York City's Soho Rep in June, and her newest play, The Flick, will premiere at Playwrights Horizons in the 2012-2013 season.

Over at MamaDrama, we've had the honor of working with PLAYTIME, the first-ever childcare service for theatre-going parents. We've been wowed time and again by the incredible new work going on at Playwrights Horizons, Signature Theatre and the Westside Theatre while our kids enjoyed an afternoon or evening of the arts with the incredible "Artisitters" from Sitters Studio…the babysitting service that sends professional artists, actors, musicians, dancers and the like to your home to care for and inspire your child. So when I heard that Sitters Studio founder Kristina Wilson was producing a play for kids, my little guy and I couldn't wait to check it out.

Signature Theatre is presenting the US premiere of TITLE AND DEED, a new play by Will Eno and directed by Judy Hegarty Lovett, which opened yesterday, May 20. The production, starring Conor Lovett, will run through June 17, 2012 in The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at the Company's new home The Pershing Square Signature Center. The production is presented in association with Gare St Lazare Players Ireland. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the opening night and brings you photo coverage below.

Pittsburgh CLO has announced casting for its summer season, which includes six shows, featuring the national tours of Come Fly Away and The Addams Family, and CLO original productions of A Chorus Line, Annie, Fiddler on the Roof and Sunset Boulevard. Notably, A CHORUS LINE brings on board a slew of the show's national tour veterans, ANNIE stars Sally Struthers as Miss Hannigan, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF features Broadway's Lewis J. Stadlen, Susan Cella, Hunter Herdlicka, Joel Robertson, Emily Shoolin and Kay Walbye. Liz Callaway and Walter Charles are set to star in SUNSET BOULEVARD.

For the very first time, two-time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera brings her concert, Chita Rivera: MY BROADWAY, to The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in the intimate setting of The Chase Room and performs songs from her legendary Broadway career. She will perform two shows only at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. All tickets are $50 (general admission) and can be ordered by calling 1-888-GO-NJPAC or at www.njpac.org. NJPAC is located at 1 Center Street in Newark, N.J.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tony Brunch on May 2, 2012, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today we bring you Pam MacKinnon, nominee for Best Direction of a Play for Clybourne Park.