Studio Theatre News

The Swingaroos Bring Swinging Jazz & Broadway to Florida Studio Theatre

Rep Stage, the professional regional theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), opens its 26th season with 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,' directed and choreographed by Joseph W. Ritsch with music direction by Stacey Antoine. Set in modern-day East London, this production of the Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler Tony Award-winning musical thriller features an ensemble of eight and a chamber orchestra of keyboard, violin, and woodwinds.

National New Play Network, an alliance of professional theaters that collaborate in innovating ways to develop, produce, and extend the life of new plays, is pleased to co-present the 13th annual MFA Playwright's Workshop (MFAPW) in association with the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and Stanford University's National Center for New Plays. The Kennedy Center will host more than 60 theater-makers from July 28-August 5, 2018 as part of the 13th annual week-long MFA Playwrights' Workshop featuring new works by graduate students or recent MFA graduates from Iowa Playwrights' Workshop, Northwestern University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego.

San Francisco Playhouse (Artistic Director Bill English; Producing Director Susi Damilano) announced casting for the final show of its 2017-18 Sandbox Series-the world premiere of Washed Up on the Potomac, written by Lynn Rosen. Jose Zayas will direct.

"How Hope Happens," the Fourth Season at Mosaic Theater Company, will open with Marie and Rosetta, written by George Brant and directed by local artist Sandra L. Holloway. This play featuring gospel music, blues, and rock n' roll tells the story of the first rehearsal between Sister Rosetta Tharpe (recently inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame), and her young protegee Marie Knight.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces Writer-Director Communications Lab on Saturday, August 11, 2018 from 10am-6pm at Studios 353, 353 W. 48th Street, Studio B (basement). Registration is $75 for TRU members ($85 for non-members), $30 for an additional collaborator (writer), and registration for TRU Member observers is $30 ($40 for non-members). Writers must be accepted before purchasing a spot.

Queens-based Rude Grooms announced today initial details for the company's inaugural public production: William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, led by actor-manager Laura Piccoli (Unhealthy at Battalion Theatre Co) and produced in partnership with Long Island City Artists at the Plaxall Gallery and the Astoria Park Alliance. The production will play shows in Queens at the Plaxall Gallery, Astoria Park, Queensbridge Park, and Rainey Park as well as in Manhattan at the West End Theatre. Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made online at rudegrooms.com.

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma, opens its 2018/19 season with Qui Nguyen's Vietgone, directed by Lavina Jadhwani, featuring original music and music direction by Gabriel Ruiz and choreography by Tommy Rapley. Vietgone runs August 15 - September 23, 2018 in the Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Theatre at 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe. The Press Opening is Wednesday, August 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Civic Ensemble completes this year's Civic Acts repertory with a World Premiere of Saviana Stanescu's Bee Trapped Inside The Window opening tonight at 8:30pm at the Black Box Theatre @ LACS, 111 Chestnut Street, Ithaca NY. Stanescu's play, a Civic Commission, is a meditation on loneliness, identity and complicity that examines modern day domestic slavery's impact on the lives of three ethnically diverse women in the leafy suburbs of Connecticut. The production, directed by the actor/director Vernice P. Miller (All God's Chillun Got Wings), features Janilya Baizack, Sarah K. Chalmers (Slashes of Light), and Erin Lockett.

12 Peers Theater continues their 2018 Main Stage Season with Stupid f**king Bird by Aaron Posner. The Pittsburgh Premiere is directed by Vince Ventura and features Chris Cattell, Sarah Chelli, Sara Ashley Fisher, Matt Henderson, Stefan Lingenfelter, David Maslow, and Maura Underwood. Stupid f**king Bird remixes the classic Chekhov play The Seagull while examining the fairness of life, love, our culture, and our institutions. Stupid f**king Bird - Sort of Adapted From The Seagull by Anton Chekhov runs July 26 - August 12, 2018, at the Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre in The Cathedral of Learning.

Victory Gardens Theater Artistic Director Chay Yew, Managing Director Erica Daniels and Director of New Play Development Skyler Gray announce the lineup for the 10th Anniversary IGNITION Festival of New Plays, including Prosthesis by Robert Askins; Untitled Road Trip Play by Lauren Yee; White History by Dave Harris; How to Defend Yourself by Lily Padilla; Seeing Eye by Nick Malakhow; and The First Deep Breath by Lee Edward Colston II. The 2018 Festival runs August 3 -5, 2018 at Victory Gardens Theater, located at 2433 N Lincoln Avenue.

L Wolf Productions has announced New York City premiere of the one-man play SWANSONG, written by Conor McDermottroe and performed by Andre de Vanny. Melbourne Fringe co-founder Greg Carroll directs. The production will open on Tuesday, November 6th at 9:00 pm at Theatre Row's The Studio Theatre. Tickets cost $47.25 and can be purchased on line at www.telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.

The nonprofit AT&T Performing Arts Center is pleased to announce the 2018/2019 season of The Elevator Project, featuring the work of small and emerging arts groups performing on the Center's campus in the Dallas Arts District. The Elevator Project's new season will feature productions from eight Dallas-based performing arts companies. The five year-old project has been hailed for the resources the Center provides new artists, including top-quality stages, operations teams, marketing, ticketing and mentoring support.

The Brevard Symphony Orchestra and the King Center for the Performing Arts announce an open call for their 6th annual Cultural Arts Showcase to be held in Melbourne on September 23, 2018, from noon to 5:00pm.  The Cultural Arts Showcase is a one-day celebration of the performing and cultural arts in Brevard County.  Arts organizations, cultural groups, and artists from the area are invited to participate in this dynamic, family-friendly festival. 

Following a well-received Sarasota Festival of New Plays this past spring, Florida Studio Theatre (FST) announces an addition to its New Play Development program. Three new works will be staged throughout the month of August featuring some of the latest work by George Brant, Barry Harman and Keith Herrmann, and Sandy Rustin. "Good comedies with exciting stories are hard to find and we have found three well-crafted tales from various eras, points of view, and comedic angles," shared FST Associate Artist Catherine Randazzo. Talkbacks will follow each reading, giving audiences the chance to engage with each piece more deeply, while also giving playwrights valuable feedback. These readings are free and open to the public, though reservations are required.

Rep Stage, the professional regional theatre in residence at Howard Community College (HCC), opens its 26th season with  'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,' directed and choreographed by Joseph W. Ritsch with music direction by Stacey Antoine. Set in modern-day East London, this production of the Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler Tony Award-winning musical thriller features a diverse ensemble of eight and a chamber orchestra of keyboard, violin, and woodwinds.

Civic Theatres Toronto today announced the line-up for Best of the Fringe - the best from the recent 2018 Toronto Fringe Festival.

The Studio Theatre presents The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, July 12 - July 29, 2018.

TENDERLY the ROSEMARY CLOONEY musical is currently running to rave reviews at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre until September 23rd 2017. This production marks the musicals UK & European Premiere.

Stripped Scripts in association with Long Island City Artists Inc. and The Plaxall Gallery has announced that it will present Aaron Posner's STUPID F##KING BIRD, a satirical spin on the Chekhov's classic text, 'The Seagull', directed by Adam Knight ('In The Room, 'Naperville'), running July 6th - July 21st, Wednesdays, Fridays and Todays at The Plaxall Gallery (5-25 46 Avenue, Long Island City).