Simon Russell Beale News

The Oscar-winning and Tony-nominated actress Estelle Parsons will be honored at La Mama's annual benefit fundraiser, along with longtime La MaMa board member Peter Swords on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.), it has been announced by Mia Yoo, Artistic Director of La MaMa, and Frank Carucci, President of the theatre's Board of Directors.

Adrian Lester and Hattie Morahan took the prizes for Best Actor and Actress at today's Critics' Circle awards, hosted by Mark Shenton and introduced by comedian Arthur Smith, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London.

Women's Project, the 35-year-old non-profit theater dedicated to producing plays written and directed by women, will present its 2012-2013 season of new plays featuring women theater artists at a new home, New York City Center Stage II, 131 West 55th Street, tonight, January 11 to May 19, Julie Crosby, Producing Artistic Director announced.

BroadwayWorld brings you the Best of Scotland in the year 2012. Check out the Top Theatre Stories from each month during in the year 2012. We look forward to another exciting year of theatre in 2013!

As we move into the last days of December, we asked our team of reviewers to give us their highlights - and lowlights - of 2012. Here are the thoughts of two of our team - Jenny Antill and Becky Brewis!

Simon Russell Beale stars in Privates on Parade in the new Michael Grandage Company's season at the Noel Coward Theatre.

PRIVATES ON PARADE opened at the Noel Coward Theatre on 10 December and is playing through 2 March 2013. Private Steven Flowers is posted to the Song and Dance Unit in South East Asia where serving under the flamboyant Captain Terri Dennis he discovers it takes more than just a uniform to become a man.

Privates on Parade is the first in a season of five plays at the Noël Coward Theatre, where the newly-formed Michael Grandage company has set up camp. Getting the season off to a cracking start, Simon Russell Beale plays the witty, warm-hearted drag queen, Acting Captain Terri Dennis, in this classic play by Peter Nichols.

In a unique series of six films debuting on PBS Friday, January 25 at 9 p.m. (check local listings), Shakespeare Uncovered will combine history, biography, iconic performances, new analysis, and the personal passions of its celebrated hosts - Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Irons, Derek Jacobi, Trevor Nunn, Joely Richardson, and David Tennant - to tell the stories behind the stories of Shakespeare's greatest plays.

America Ferrera, joined by cast members Emily Ackerman, Kristin Griffith, Ken Marks, Tobias Segal and Myra Lucretia Taylor, begins rehearsals today for Women's Project Theater's world premiere dark comedy Bethany by Laura Marks. Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Ms. Ferrera stars as a financially-strapped woman who discovers just how far she'll go to regain what she has lost.

Taking home 2012 Evening Standard Theatre Awards at the Savoy Hotel today, November 25, were Dame Judi Dench, Nicholas Hytner and Danny Boyle, among others.

The National Theatre of Great Britain's fourth season of National Theatre Live, the ground-breaking initiative to broadcast live performances from the National's stages to cinemas worldwide, will continue in 2013 with Arthur Wing Pinero's The Magistrate on January 17, Alan Bennett's People on March 21 and James Graham's This House on May 16. Since its first season, which began in June 2009 with the acclaimed production of Phedre starring Helen Mirren, over one million people have now experienced the National's work on movie screens worldwide.

The Evening Standard Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre, and this year's nominations shortlist has just been announced. Sponsored by the Evening Standard newspaper, this year's winners revealed on November 25.

Simon Russell Beale stars in a modern dress production of Shakespeare's strange fable of conspicuous consumption, debt and ruin in TIMON OF ATHENS.

Chicago's Music Box Theatre continues its collaboration with the UK's National Theatre Live, the best of British theatre broadcast live to cinemas worldwide. Up next: the great Simon Russell Beale takes the title role in Timon of Athens, based on Shakespeare's strange fable of consumption, debt and ruin, written in collaboration with Thomas Middleton and directed by Nicholas Hytner (Miss Saigon, The History Boys). The one-time Chicago showing happens Wednesday, November 28, 7 p.m. at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 North Southport Avenue. Tickets to National Theatre Live productions are $15 in advance at the Music Box Theatre box office and online at www.musicboxtheatre.com/collections/national-theatre-live-presents; $18 at the door.

Shakespeare's most rarely-produced play, Timon of Athens, was a suprise hit of this London season. Now the show comes to Vermont as Middlebury's Town Hall Theatre broadcasts this production today, November 6.

Emmy® Award winning actress America Ferrera, best known for her fearless portrayal of Betty on ABC's hit comedy Ugly Betty, will star as a financially-strapped woman who discovers just how far she'll go to regain what she has lost in Women's Project Theater's first play of the 2012 - 2013 season, the world premiere dark comedy Bethany by Laura Marks, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, Julie Crosby, Women's Project Theater Producing Artistic Director, announced.

Previews begin today for John Caird's production of DADDY LONG LEGS, the second production at London's newest theatre complex, the St. James Theatre. DADDY LONG LEGS will run at the St. James Theatre until 08 December, with press night on 07 November 2012. Robert Adelman Hancock and Megan McGinnis will reprise the roles of Jervis Pendleton and Jerusha Abbott. Photos from the production inside!

Robert Adelman Hancock and Megan McGinnis will reprise the roles of Jervis Pendleton and Jerusha Abbott in John Caird's production of Daddy Long Legs, the second production at London's newest theatre complex, the St. James Theatre. Daddy Long Legs will run at the St. James Theatre from tonight, 31 October to 8 December, with press night on 7 November 2012. Get a first look at Hancock and McGinnis in character below!

The Evening Standard Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre, and this year's nominations longlist has just been announced. Sponsored by the Evening Standard newspaper, this year's shortlist will be announced on November 12 and the winners revealed on November 25.