Susan Smith News

The Ensemble Studio Theatre Marathon of One-Act Plays, the original festival of its kind, returns for its 35th incarnation, tonight, May 13, at 7:00pm at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street. 

Continuing its 21st anniversary year, Jermyn Street Theatre today announces two plays for the summer months and gives a sneak preview into the autumn season.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the world premiere of Shining Lives: A Musical. Directed by Jessica Thebus and developed through Northlight's Interplay Series, the musical is adapted from the Northlight-commissioned play These Shining Lives. The production will run at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, from May 8 - June 14, 2015. Shining Lives: A Musical opens May 15 and 16, 2015.

The Hole in the Wall Theater (HITW) in New Britain, CT will present The Crucible, Arthur Miller's classic play of paranoia, forgiveness and redemption, as the fifth production of its 2014-2015 season. Performances run Fridays & Saturdays from May 15-June 6, 2015 with one Sunday matinee on May 24th at HITW on 116 Main Street in New Britain, CT.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival at Shepherd University has announced its newest quintet of plays to be presented this summer in rotating repertory. Ed Herendeen, the founder and producing director of the Theater Festival, has selected from the sea of scripts, five new plays from five celebrated playwrights: Johnna Adams, Sheila Callaghan, Steven Dietz, Barbara Hammond, and Michael Weller.

Aurora Theatre Company closes its 23rd season with the Bay Area Premiere of Lisa D'Amour's (Anna Bella Eema, Airline Highway) wicked Obie-winning satire about our uncertain economic times, DETROIT. Josh Costello (Wittenberg) directs this explosive dark comedy, featuring Amy Resnick (Body Awareness, Collapse), Jeff Garrett, Luisa Frasconi, and Patrick Kelly Jones (Metamorphosis), that brilliantly captures our current economic moment. DETROIT plays June 19 through July 19 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($32-60) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

ROSS VALLEY PLAYERS will present Sarah Ruhl's The Clean House for audiences with the artistic talent of Director JoAnne Winter, and Set Designer David Shirk. This team will bring Sarah Ruhl's whimsical, romantic script to life - Ms. Winter's deep text-to-stage background at award-winning theatre company Word for Word Performing Arts Company, combined with Mr. Shirk's Academy Award Winning (Visual Effects) design experience is certain to delight audiences.

Acclaimed Off-Broadway theater company Playwrights Horizons has announced details for its 2015 special online Auction.  Bidding for the auction, which will feature an eclectic array of items and unique opportunities, begins today, Tuesday, May 5 at www.CharityBuzz.com/PlaywrightsHorizons. Online bidding will continue through Tuesday, May 19. 

Encore Theatre Company has announced the world premiere of HOOKMAN, a new play by Lauren Yee whose playwriting credits includes The Hatmaker's Wife and Ching Chong Chinaman. Commissioned by Encore Theatre, Hookman dramatizes the story of Lexi, a student in her first year at college. After losing her high school best friend to a hook-handed serial killer, Lexi must learn what it means to grow up, young and female, in a world that's sometimes dangerous and lonely. Directed by Becca Wolff, Hookman opens in previews tonight, May 6 at Z Below in San Francisco, and runs for three weeks through Saturday, May 30.

San Francisco-based playwright Lauren Gunderson will lead a talkback with the audience following the 8 p.m. performance of I and You on Thursday, May 14 at the Fountain Theatre.

Piven Theatre Workshop announces the Midwest Premiere of Melancholy Play: a chamber musical by Sarah Ruhl, with new music by Todd Almond, directed by Polly Noonan. The production will run tonight, May 2 - June 7, 2015 at Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes Street. Press opening is tonight, May 2 at 7:30PM.

Trinity Rep closes out Season 51: The Necessity of Human Connection with the world premiere of Tony-nominated playwright Sarah Ruhl and composer Todd Almond's Melancholy Play: a chamber musical, directed by Obie Award-winner Liesl Tommy. Melancholy Play: a chamber musical runs May 28 through June 28, 2015 in Trinity Rep's Dowling Theater.

Director Ron Sossi puts a unique stamp on Ellen McLaughlin's acclaimed adaptation of Sophocles' Oedipus in a new production from Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and KOAN. Oedipus Machina opens on May 30 at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A.

Perseverance Theatre (PT) ends the season with Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, written by Madeleine George. Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England runs on the Perseverance Theatre Mainstage tonight, May 1 - May 24, 2015.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of an exciting new American play, Rich Girl, by acclaimed playwright Victoria Stewart, continuing the Globe's 80th Anniversary festivities as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration. Rich Girl will be directed by James Vasquez (Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show), and will play May 23 - June 21, 2015, in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

Piven Theatre Workshop announces the Midwest Premiere of Melancholy Play: a chamber musical by Sarah Ruhl, with new music by Todd Almond, directed by Polly Noonan. The production will run May 2 - June 7, 2015 at Piven Theatre Workshop, 927 Noyes Street. Previews are tonight, April 30 & May 1. Press opening is Saturday, May 2 at 7:30PM.

The Villanova University Theatre Department has announced the 9th annual Philadelphia Theatre Research Symposium, featuring a keynote address by internationally renowned playwright Sarah Ruhl. This year's conference will be held today, April 29th 2015 at Villanova University, and centers on the theme 'Rewriting Histories: Rewriting the Past and the Plays of Sarah Ruhl.'