Simon Gray News

Education, education, education - it's an inescapable topic in theatre. Recent years have seen Future Conditional (kicking off Matthew Warchus's Old Vic tenure), Matilda the Musical, The Brink, Kin, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, and, of course, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. To celebrate back to school week, here are 10 of the best plays set in school. Get studying!

It's a special premiere event!  The ACTORS STUDIO will debut the new production of Harold Pinter's Old Times at The Ridgefield Playhouse before it heads to NYC for its Broadway run September 22 - October 15! 

 The famed ACTORS STUDIO comes to Ridgefield! Audience members will be treated to a "sneak peek" of this legendary acting troupes production of Old Times before it heads to NYC!  This is truly a unique collaboration between The Ridgefield Playhouse and the world-famous ACTORS STUDIO where theatre fans get to attend the premiere production of work developed during a two week intensive workshop here in Ridgefield. 

Casting is today announced for HighTide, Vicky Graham Productions and Theatr Clwyd world premiere production of Elinor Cook's new play Pilgrims for which she won the 2013 George Devine Award.  Tamara Harvey, Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd, will direct Steffan Donnelly, Jack Monaghan and Amanda Wilkin in the production which premieres at the tenth annual HighTide Festival of new plays from 8 - 18 September before moving to the Yard Theatre in London from 20 September - 15 October and then Theatr Clwyd from 18 - 29 October.

In Theatr Clwyd's 40th anniversary year, Artistic Director Tamara Harvey, today announces full casting for her Theatr Clwyd directorial debut production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Harvey directs Lisa Palfrey in the role of Beatrice and John Ramm as Benedict. They are joined by David Bark-Jones, Jonathan Harden, Sian Howard, Nakay Kpaka, Steven Meo, Catherin Morris, Lowri Palfrey, Kerry Peers, and Sion Pritchard.

In Theatr Clwyd's 40th anniversary year, Artistic Director Tamara Harvey today announces her directorial debut - a major new production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Never before produced by Theatr Clwyd, in the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare's death this will also be Clwyd's 400th production. Much Ado opens on 14 June, with previews from 9 June and runs until 2 July.

The Irish Repertory Theatre, in association with Nick Brooke LTD. and Pleasance, are proud to announce the return of Julian Sands (Room With a View, The Killing Fields, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) in A CELEBRATION OF HAROLD PINTER, directed by acclaimed actor and director John Malkovich (Places in the Heart, The Caretaker).  Originally presented during The Irish Rep's 2012-13 Theater Season, the critically acclaimed solo show returns for a strictly-limited engagement from Tuesday, March 15th - Sunday, April 3rd, 2016.  Tickets are on sale now through The Irish Rep box office at 212-727-2737 or online at www.irishrep.org.

New Artistic Director of Theatr Clywd Tamara Harvey today announces her inaugural theatre season for the company.

Harold Pinter was born in Hackney, in London's East End, in October of 1930. An only child, he was born to Jewish parents of very moderate means; his father, a tailor, and his mother, a homemaker, were first-generation descendants of Eastern European immigrants. Like many of his contemporaries, Pinter's childhood was shaped by the onslaught of World War II; at the age of nine, he was evacuated from London through Operation Pied Piper and resettled in a town in Cornwall. The sense of isolation he felt in Cornwall would come to influence his work, as would the changed London to which he returned during the Blitz, where he was witness to, as his 2008 Guardianobituary put it, 'the dramatic nature of wartime life - the palpable fear, the sexual desperation, the genuine sense that everything could end tomorrow.'

Mad Horse Theatre will present the sixth installment of its successful BY LOCAL new play series. The series has established itself as a standard for bringing exciting, original scripts by Maine writers to theater audiences in the Greater Portland area.

On her appointment Tamara Harvey said: 'I am thrilled to have been invited to be the artistic director of Clwyd Theatr Cymru at such an exciting moment in its history. Terry Hands has done an extraordinary job in building a family of artists and producing brilliant work for a growing loyal audience. Now, as the company moves into its fortieth year, I look forward to widening that circle: nurturing talent from Wales and beyond, and collaborating with companies and artists both near and far to ensure that this beacon of innovation on top of a hill in Mold is an inspiration for Wales, the UK and the rest of the world.'

Mad Horse Theatre will present the sixth installment of its successful BY LOCAL new play series. The series has established itself as a standard for bringing exciting, original scripts by Maine writers to theater audiences in the Greater Portland area.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of its London Premiere, Capital Stage continues its 10th Anniversary Season with THE HOMECOMING, by Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter. Winner of the 1967 Tony Award for Best Play, THE HOMECOMING exposes issues of sex and power and challenges the place of morals in family life. Capital Stage Associate Artist and prolific director Janis Stevens (THE REAL THING, HEDDA GABLER, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, AMERICAN BUFFALO, FOOL FOR LOVE) directs. THE HOMECOMING will run from tonight, April 29 through May 31, with a Press Opening on Saturday May 2, 2015.

Artistic Director Daniel Evans today announces the cast for Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, dramatised by Simon Reade. Tamara Harvey directs Ronke Adekoluejo (Jane Bennet), Leona Allen (Kitty Bennet), Matthew Aubrey (Mr Collins), Michele Austin (Mrs Bennet), Adam Buchanan (Mr Bingley), Grace Chilton (Mary Bennet), Nell Hudson (Lydia Bennet), Isabella Laughland (Elizabeth Bennet), Emma McDonald (Georgiana Darcy),Abigail McKern (Lady Catherine de Bourgh), James Northcote (Mr Darcy), Sam Parks (Sir William Lucas / Mr Reynolds), Royce Pierreson (Mr Wickham), Corinna Powlesland (Mrs Gardiner), Ruby Thomas (Caroline Bingley), Howard Ward (Mr Bennet) and Eleanor Yates (Charlotte Lucas). They will be joined by members of the Sheffield Peoples' Theatre to complete the company.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of its London Premiere, Capital Stage continues its 10th Anniversary Season with THE HOMECOMING, by Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter. Winner of the 1967 Tony Award for Best Play, THE HOMECOMING exposes issues of sex and power and challenges the place of morals in family life. Capital Stage Associate Artist and prolific director Janis Stevens (THE REAL THING, HEDDA GABLER, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, AMERICAN BUFFALO, FOOL FOR LOVE) directs. THE HOMECOMING will run from April 29 through May 31, with a Press Opening on Saturday May 2, 2015.

Chichester Festival 2014 opened with a major revival of Hugh Whitemore's award-winning glimpse into the unconventional life of celebrated English poet and novelist Stevie Smith. STEVIE, starring Zoe Wanamaker, transfers to the Hampstead Theatre beginning tonight, March 6, and running through April 18, 2015. Jonathan Church will direct.

Zoe Wanamaker will be joined by Lynda Baron and Chris Larkin in Hugh Whitemore's award winning play, last seen at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Manhattan Theatre Club is pleased to announce the New York premiere of Of Good Stock, the new play by Melissa Ross (Thinner Than Water, Too Much Too Soon), directed by MTC's award-winning Artistic Director Lynne Meadow (The Assembled Parties, Wit, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife). The limited engagement of Of Good Stock will begin previews Tuesday, June 2 and open Tuesday, June 23 at MTC at New York City Center -- Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

Hampstead Theatre presents HELLO/GOODBYE by Peter Souter, transferring to the Main Stage from Downstairs, starring Shaun Evans and Miranda Raison. Details below!

Hampstead Theatre has announced that Shaun Evans and Miranda Raison will be joined by Bathsheba Piepe and Luke Neal to complete the cast of Peter Souter's comedy Hello/Goodbye.