Steven Boyer News

Long before New York had a Fringe Festival, New York had the Ensemble Studio Theatre's OCTOBERFEST, a marathon of new, old and developing plays crammed together on two floors of the theatre company's home at 549 West 52nd Street. The first OCTOBERFEST was in 1981.

Ars Nova presents, as part of the Out Loud series, a FREE reading of PURE, by A. Rey Pamatmat, directed by Lisa Peterson. The cast of PURE will feature Steven Boyer, Maggie Lacey, Nancy Robinette and Michael Stuhlbarg. Alan Turing, the queer, British mathematician whose ideas would usher in the digital age, works obsessively to complete his great work: a machine capable of thinking, learning, and - one day - living. But when his life and work are put on trial, Alan must confront the painful connection between his pursuit of artificial life and his first love's death.

Ars Nova presents, as part of the Out Loud series, a FREE reading of PURE, by A. Rey Pamatmat, directed by Lisa Peterson. The cast of PURE will feature Steven Boyer, Maggie Lacey, Nancy Robinette and Michael Stuhlbarg. Alan Turing, the queer, British mathematician whose ideas would usher in the digital age, works obsessively to complete his great work: a machine capable of thinking, learning, and - one day - living. But when his life and work are put on trial, Alan must confront the painful connection between his pursuit of artificial life and his first love's death.

Two-time Emmy Award-winner Daniel J. Travanti ('Hill Street Blues') returns to the New York stage in a revival of the Eugene O'Neill classic A TOUCH OF THE POET as Con Melody -- a role he has played previously to acclaim in Boston, Washington and Denver -- with previews to begin December 2, prior to an official opening December 7, at The 14th Street Theater (344 East 14th Street) in Manhattan.

Classics, award winners, and newer works will entertain and enlighten audiences next season at Hartford Stage.

Ars Nova presents 'Jollyship the Whiz-Bang', an hilarious 'Pirate Puppet Rock Odyssey', now through June 28th!

Classic Stage Company will present Obie Award winner Michael Cumpsty in the title role in Shakespeare's Richard III beginning performances Thursday, November 1 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). The production kicks of CSC's 40th anniversary season. Co-directed by Kulick and Cumpsty, Richard III will play a limited engagement from Thursday, November 1 through Sunday, December 9. The official opening night is Tuesday, November 13 at 7PM.

Neil Bartlett's reimagined 'Oliver Twist' abducts Charles Dickens' classic tale, sends it through the meat-grinder, and spits it back onto its feet in a fantastic and grimy work of art.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre ends its 2006/07 Season with a dark and delightful new adaptation of Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist' staged by one of Britain's most innovative theatre artists, beginning previews in the Roda Theatre on May 11, opens May 16, and closes June 24.

The most difficult aspect of dramatizing a well-known and well-loved work of literature is finding the correct balance between maintaining the integrity of the original work and adding elements to justify the adaptation. The recent Broadway revival of A Chorus Line was criticized for being a carbon copy of the original production, while the short-lived, musicalized version of The Wedding Singer film was criticized for changing key plot points. How, then, can an adaptation to the stage do justice to the original work as well as bring the material to life in a new and innovative way? Neil Bartlett seems to know the secret. In his adaptation of 'Oliver Twist,' the classic novel by Charles Dickens, Bartlett captures the dark, dank world of the young orphan in a way that Lionel Bart's musical Oliver! fails to do. There are no upbeat songs about 'Oom-Pah-Pah!' or considering yourself part of the family; Bartlett's Oliver Twist is no musical comedy.

The Committee Theatre will present the New York premiere of I (Heart) Kant, a new play by Ken Urban, directed by Dylan McCullough, from September 8th through October 2nd