The Public Theater announced today that Patrick Willingham, former President and Chief Operating Officer of Blue Man Productions, has been appointed the new Executive Director of The Public Theater, beginning November 28, 2011. After a thorough nationwide search, led by Chairman of the Board Warren Spector, Board Member Andi Bernstein, and Albert Hall and Associates, Willingham will join Artistic Director Oskar Eustis in running the award-winning Public Theater. The new partnership will focus on continuing the mission and extensive programming of The Public Theater while strengthening the organization for sustainability and future growth.
The Sundance Institute Theatre Program today announced the creative advisors and acting company for the three projects being developed at its 2012 Theatre Lab at White Oak in Yulee, Florida.
Pioneer, innovator and the voice of an entire new musical theatre generation coming in the dawning of the age of GLEE, Tony Award recipient and Grammy-winning composer, lyricist and performer Lin-Manuel Miranda has merged the worlds of the two most significant of original American art forms - musicals and rap - in such a striking and surprisingly inventive way with his hit musical IN THE HEIGHTS - currently touring the country - and is setting out to do the same with his fresh collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning NEXT TO NORMAL composer Tom Kitt on their new musical BRING IT ON!, currently in previews out of town in Los Angeles as it eyes New York. In addition to discussing the development of IN THE HEIGHTS and BRING IT ON! in detail, Miranda and I also outline his experience working alongside the two modern-day masters of the musical theatre - Stephen Sondheim and the recently deceased Arthur Laurents - on the Spanish translation and new lyrics for the recent bilingual revival of WEST SIDE STORY - in addition to his forthcoming ALEXANDER HAMILTON project, which Miranda recently performed a medley from for President Obama himself at the White House Poetry Jam. As if all of that were not enough, we also delve into his thought process as he sets out to take on one of Sondheim's most challenging roles in all of musical theatre - that of Charley Kringas in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Encores!, under the direction of James Lapine. Plus, news on his new feature film THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, as well as recollections of his fondest Broadway shows, scores, cast albums, movie musicals and general musical and theatrical inspirations - and his favorite Shakespeare plays, too - as well as much, much more!
The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) announced complete casting today for William Shakespeare's TITUS ANDRONICUS, the third Public Lab production of the fall season. Directed by Michael Sexton, TITUS ANDRONICUS runs Tuesday, November 29 through Sunday, December 18 at The Public Theater, with an official press opening on Tuesday, December 13. Tickets for TITUS ANDRONICUS are on sale now; all tickets for Public Lab productions are $15.
Hosted by Pamela Anderson, A Swingin' Affair! gala benefiting the Alzheimer's Association California Southland Chapter, which takes place Sunday, December 11, 2011 at the Riviera Palm Springs, celebrates Frank Sinatra's birthday in grand style.
Sam Shepard will be the recipient of the first-ever 'Ellen Stewart Award,' to be presented at the La MaMa 50 Gala on Monday, October 17 at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Mia Yoo, artistic director of La MaMa.
New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens its 21st season with the St. Louis premiere of the electrifying Broadway rock musical PASSING STRANGE, running September 22 through October 15, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are on sale now through Metrotix, at 314-534-1111.
New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens its 21st season with the St. Louis premiere of the electrifying Broadway rock musical PASSING STRANGE, running September 22 through October 15, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend.
In October 1998, Joe's Pub opened at the Public Theatre near Astor Place in New York City. Thirteen years later, it's an institution -- and this week it opened again.
Imagine it's the late '50s/early '60s and Frank Sinatra has raised his infamous Jack Daniels flag to alert his local revelers that his posh Twin Palms Estate is open for cocktail hour.
Join Stew, Heidi Rodewald and Jon Spurney for the grand re-opening of Joe's Pub as they take a journey back in time to re-visit the songs of Passing Strange, the theater production that went on to become both a Spike Lee-directed movie and Tony Award winner for 'Best Book of a Musical.' This intimate, acoustic set will explore songs from this hit show as well as songs that were cut from the show and songs never before heard on a New York stage.
Just about every artist or creative type struggles with their home situation. It's truly a rare thing when your family actually nurtures your abilities rather than points you toward something more practical, or rather, something you can supposedly make a living doing ( I know mine didn't exactly support my acting aspirations). So, it's not uncommon for them to want to leave the nest and seek out like minded individuals who also possess their creative drive and spark. In PASSING STRANGE, playwright, composer and lyricist Stew (aka Mark Stewart, who shares composing credit with Heidi Rodewald) narrates a fictionalized account of his own experiences searching for some kind of reality he could identify with, and while it may be necessary to take the journey, sometimes the answers are really inside of you the whole time. This production by New Line Theatre provides a passionate experience, emboldened by excellent performances and top notch direction, and driven by superb work from the musicians playing the tuneful score.
New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens its 21st season with the St. Louis premiere of the electrifying Broadway rock musical PASSING STRANGE, running September 22 through October 15, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are on sale now through Metrotix, at 314-534-1111.
New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens its 21st season with the St. Louis premiere of the electrifying Broadway rock musical PASSING STRANGE, running September 22 through October 15, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are on sale now through Metrotix, at 314-534-1111.
New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens its 21st season with the St. Louis premiere of the electrifying Broadway rock musical PASSING STRANGE, running September 22 through October 15, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend.