ArtsWest does it again with another cool, cutting-edge production about identity with their latest show, 'An Octoroon'. Many modern adaptations of antiquated productions pointing out racism, though well-intended, are comparatively watered-down to Brandon J. Simmons' razor-sharp adaptation of 'An Octoroon'. Thanks to the commitment of the actors and the creativity of the set design, this all-out production apologizes to noone, and uses shock value in an intentional, effective way.
Costume designer Paul Tazewell, winner of a Tony Award and an Emmy Award, is Commencement Speaker at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The ceremony will take place at UNCSA's Stevens Center Stevens Center at 405 West Fourth St. in downtown Winston-Salem. It will be streamed live on the school's website.
ALL OR NOTHING - THE MOD MUSICAL, will close at the Ambassadors Theatre in London on Saturday 12 May 2018. The show, with book by Carol Harrison and music and lyrics by the Small Faces, opened at the Ambassadors Theatre on 28 March, following a sell-out season at the Arts Theatre. Before its London run, ALL OR NOTHING had enjoyed two years of success on tour around the UK.
Hairspray originally opened on Broadway in 2002. The stage musical by Marc Shaiman, Mark O'Donnell, Thomas Meehan, and Scott Whittman, is based on the 1988 film written and directed by John Waters. The show takes place in 1962 in Baltimore and follows the story of teenager Tracy Turnblad. In many ways, Tracy is a typical teenager-longing for fame, wanting to be accepted, falling in love. But Hairspray is about more than teenage drama. It explores racism, segregation, integration, fat shaming, standards of beauty, and controversial relationships. Theatre Harrisburg's Hairspray opened at the Whitaker Center on April 26, 2018.
Pioneer Theatre Company presents the musical hit Mamma Mia! to close its 2017-2018 season, running Friday, May 11 through Saturday, May 26, 2018. The New York Times said Mamma Mia! 'creates the beguiling illusion that you could jump onstage and start singing and fit right in.'
F*It Club, the New York Innovative Award-winning film and theatre company, continues its annual series of short, commissioned world-premiere plays at the IRT Theater as part of their 3B Development Series in Manhattan's West Village with The Spring Fling: Chemistry, seven new short plays by Mario Correa (Tail! Spin!), Jahna Ferron-Smith (Ensemble Studio Theatre's Youngblood), Jon Kern (Modern Terrorism), Dan McCabe (Christina Martinez), Mara Nelson-Greenberg (Do You Feel Anger?), Erica Saleh (Channel Zero, Wisdom of the Crowd) and Amy Staats (Eddie and Dave).
DAC Stage, in collaboration with The Lipstick Project, is producing the first ever all-female cast of Kander and Ebb's musical, Cabaret. The show will open on April 27th and run three weekends at the DAC's Weatherstone Studio. For this special production, Darien Arts Center Stage, the DAC's community theatre group, has augmented their pool of talent with that of The Lipstick Project, an all-female theatre group from Darien and surrounding towns, with a mission of empowering women through artistic opportunity and expression.
The UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (UCLA TFT), one of the world's most prominent academic institutions for entertainment and performing arts education, announced today that distinguished costume designer Paul Tazewell will be the keynote speaker at the 16th annual Design Showcase West (DSW) on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's Freud Playhouse.
Porchlight Music Theatre announces that due to audience demand Memphis is now extended through Sunday, June 10, at The Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street.
Carousel and The Actors Fund announced today that the new hit revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic musical will host a special Mondaymatinee performace on Monday, May 14, 2018 at 3:00 PM at the Imperial Theatre (249 West 45th St.), with proceeds to benefit The Actors Fund.
ASCAP, the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers, hosted its 35th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on Monday, April 23, recognizing four impressive songwriting talents with a 2018 ASCAP Pop Music Songwriter of the Year award, each for their individual achievement in crafting some of the most popular songs of 2017. Steve Mac won for 'Shape of You' (Ed Sheeran), 'Strip That Down' (Liam Payne ft. Quavo), 'Rockabye' (Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul) and 'What About Us' (P!nk); Max Martin, receiving the award for an unprecedented 11th time, for 'Side To Side' (Ariana Grande), 'Can't Stop The Feeling!' (Justin Timberlake), 'Send My Love' (Adele) and 'Just Like Fire' (P!nk); Starrah for 'Now or Never' (Halsey), 'Fake Love' (Drake), 'What Lovers Do' (Maroon 5 ft. SZA) and 'Havana' (Camila Cabello); and Drew Taggart for '1-800-273-8255' (Logic ft. Alessia Cara and Khalid) in addition to three hits by his band, The Chainsmokers: 'Something Just Like This' (ft. Coldplay), 'Closer' (ft. Halsey) and 'Paris.' ASCAP President and award-winning songwriter Paul Williamspresented the awards.
YouTube today announced a pilot to series order for the action comedy WAYNE. In this gritty and sometimes bloody tale, fifteen year-old Wayne sets out on a dirt bike with his new crush Del to take back the 1978 Pontiac Trans Am that was stolen from his father before he died. It is Wayne and Del against the world. WAYNE will star Mark McKenna (“Sing Street,” “Kat and Alfie: Redwater”) as “Wayne” and Ciara Bravo (“Big Time Rush,” “Red Band Society”) as “Del.” Joshua J. Williams (“Mudbound”) will also recur as “Orlando”. Pilot guest stars also include Dean Winters and Mike O'Malley. The 10 episode series is set to debut on YouTube Red in 2018.
A soulful retelling of L. Frank Baum's beloved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wiz combines fairy-tale glamour with street smarts to make a classic fantasy sparkle for today. And our directors and choreographer will bring a blast of New Orleans Creole magic to this production! Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, The Wiz ingeniously mixes rock, gospel, soul, and jazz, and features hits like 'Ease on Down the Road,' 'A Brand New Day,' and 'Home.'
Casting has been announced for the World Premiere of THE BABY DANCE: MIXED, a new adaptation by Emmy Award-winner JANE ANDERSON ('Olive Kitteridge') of her acclaimed 2004 play The Baby Dance. A drama delicately laced with comic overtones, THE BABY DANCE: MIXED is a compelling and urgent play about race, class, and wanting the perfect child.
Bread is nourishment. Bread is legacy. Bread is life itself. And bread is money. This world premiere by award-winning Dallas-born actress and playwright Regina Taylor weaves a compelling family drama of hopes, fears, thwarted dreams, and dark secrets against a turbulent backdrop of racial tension and social upheaval. It is early 2017; a time of change. James and Ruth are a middle class couple from Oak Cliff, a historic south Dallas neighborhood on the verge of gentrification. They plan a bright future for their teenage son and his soon-to-be-born brother. But when James' brother Jeb returns home, buried family tensions resurface and the past casts a troubling shadow across an uncertain future. Taylor's stirring, timely story of identity and family asks: How can we prepare the next generation for what's to come?
The Penis Monologues 'The Long Hard Truth'- After rave reviews and six sold out shows; by popular demand, The Penis Monologues 'The Long Hard Truth' written and directed by Karen Roberson, is back for two encore performance May 19th and 20th, 2018.
