Susan Smith News

Steep Theatre Company has announced the programming for its upcoming 16th season, which continues the company's tradition of presenting bold plays from today's most exciting playwrights, brought to life by fearlessly honest ensembles and visionary directors. Season 16 will feature a world premiere from Chicago playwright Alex Lubischer, a U.S. premiere from Olivier Award-winning playwright Mike Bartlett, a U.S. premiere from rising English playwright Cordelia Lynn, and a Midwest premiere from California-based playwright Lauren Yee. Steep Ensemble Members and Jeff Award-winning directors Robin Witt and Jonathan Berry will helm two of the productions, to be joined by two guest directors. 

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, are thrilled to announce the fifth show of its 2015-2016 - 25thAnniversary Season, the critically acclaimed (LA Times CRITIC'S CHOICE, Stage Raw TOP TEN), world premiere ofJOHN IS A FATHER, written by Julie Marie Myatt, starring Sam Anderson and directed by Dan Bonnell is EXTENDINGthrough SATURDAY, JULY 16 at the Road on Lankershim, 5108 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

Stage Left Theatre is proud to present LeapFest XIII, Stage Left's annual new-play festival, running June 25 – July 31, 2016.  LeapFest features several new plays with socio-political themes, presented as workshop productions in rotating repertory. This year's festival includes new works from Mrinalini Kamath, Shayne Kennedy, Andrew Kramer, and Aline Lathrop

Raven Theatre Company, who has long championed new works through its [Working Title] new play development series of staged readings and its full productions of world premiere plays, will introduce a full weekend of three new play readings this summer. From Friday, July 8 through Sunday, July 10, the company will present a formal reading of a different play each night. The festival will open the evening of Friday, July 8 with a reading of Girl Found, a psychological mystery by Barbara Lhota, an award-winning playwright and network playwright at Chicago Dramatists. The Saturday evening entry will be Sycamore, a drama of contemporary family life by the Brooklyn, New York based Sarah Sander, that will be fully produced at Raven in March and April 2017 as part of its 2016-17 subscription season. Closing out the weekend will be the political drama Armature by Andrew Kramer, an Indianapolis-based writer who has been a resident playwright with StageLeft's LeapFest.

Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie has set the 2016-2017 season at the CTG/Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.

Main Street Theater's (MST) 2016 - 2017 Season will be a groundbreaking season for the veteran company, featuring the theatrical event of Wolf Hall, numerous regional premieres, a poignant look at what the world looks like to a child on the spectrum, and MST's first performances with accommodations for children with learning differences. 

The Hampstead Theatre has announced its Autumn season 2016 for the Main Stage. Leading off in September is the world premiere of Beth Steel's compelling new thriller LABYRINTH, directed by Anna Ledwich.

We invite you to join us for Tarragon's annual Play Reading Week, an exciting celebration of plays-in-development by the talented playwrights associated with the theatre.

Haven Theatre Company announces the United States premiere of Deborah Bruce's THE DISTANCE, directed by Elly Green, at the West Stage within the Raven Theatre Complex, 6157 N. Clark St., May 20 - June 26.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the West Coast premiere of FOR PETER PAN ON HER 70TH BIRTHDAY by Tony Award-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl and directed by Les Waters.

Amazon has added the half hour series FLEABAG, to its lineup of Amazon Original Series, which is scheduled premiere on Prime Video in the US this fall.

Amazon has added THE HALF HOUR series Fleabag, to its lineup of Amazon Original Series, which is scheduled premiere on Prime Video in the US this fall. Written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Crashing, Broadchurch), Fleabag is a hilarious and poignant window into the mind of a dry-witted, sexual, angry, grief-riddled woman (Waller-Bridge), as she hurls herself at modern living in London. The show is based on Waller-Bridge's play Fleabag, which won an Edinburgh FRINGE First Award, the Critics' Circle and Off-West End Awards for Most Promising Playwright and a Special Commendation from the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd presents THE NETHER, a play written by Jennifer Haley and directed by Gregory Boyd and James Black. THE NETHER runs now through May 29 in the Neuhaus Theatre. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Anthony unexpectedly appears in his classmate's room to seek her help in completing a project, the night before it is due. Through an emotionally tumultuous journey, they delve into the mysteries of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass", unaware that something deeper has brought them together. I AND YOU won the 2014 ATCA/Steinberg New Play Award and was a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist. The play, directed by Seth Gordon and starring Melissa Molano and Mateo Mpindzi-Mott, is making its regional premiere at Stages Repertory Theatre and will close May 22.

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 19 writers and 9 new musicals selected for this summer's Rhinebeck Writers Retreat residencies.  For nine consecutive weeks beginning June 26, each writing team will have a weeklong residency in Rhinebeck, New York to write their new musical. This year's writers include New York Drama Critics award winner Brian Crawley, Tony nominee Hunter Foster, 2016 Kleban award winner Daniel Goldstein, Susan Smith Blackburn finalist Michele Lowe, Arlen award winner Georgia Stitt, Fred Ebb award winner Adam Gwon, and New Dramatists Loewe Award winner Sarah Hammond. The 9 musicals were selected from among 95 applicants by a distinguished panel: Kent Nicholson of Playwrights Horizons, Donna Lynn Hilton of Goodspeed Musicals, Barbara Pasternack of Theatreworks USA, Steve Stettler of Weston Playhouse, Mara Isaacs of Octopus Theatricals, Drama Desk nominated composer Neil Bartram, and Robert Zukerman, former Director of Theatre at the New York State Council on the Arts. 

Previews begin tonight, May 13 at 8PM for the Playwrights Horizons world premiere production of Indian Summer, a new play by Gregory S. Moss (Reunion; punkplay; Billy Witch; La Brea; Orange, Hat & Grace; House of Gold).

The Hole in the Wall Theater (HITW) in New Britain, will present Gilbert & Sullivan's classical masterpiece, The Pirates of Penzance, as its' fifth show of the 2015-2016 season.  Performances run Fridays & Saturdays May 20th  through June 11th  at 8:00pm with two Sunday matinees on May 22nd and June 5th  at 2:00pm.  

? Little Fish Theatre is excited to present The Clean House as its sixth production of 2016.  This whimsical Pulitzer Prize nominated play was written by MacArthur Fellowship winner Sarah Ruhl, who was also the recipient of the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, which is awarded annually to the best English-language play written by a woman.   

Artists Repertory Theatre is delighted to bring the West Coast premiere of the comedic and touching GRAND CONCOURSE to Portland audiences. This tragicomedy is written by Pacific Northwest native Heidi Schreck, a graduate of the University of Oregon, who is now an award-winning playwright and acclaimed TV writer. With GRAND CONCOURSE, Schreck was a 2015 finalist for the prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and a nominee for the 2015 Lucille Lortel Award. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!