Susannah Hoffman News

According to The New York Times, television star Dylan McDermott has signed on to lead the stage adaptation of Tennessee Williams' 1956 film BABY DOLL at McCarter Theatre in New Jersey this fall. The production will run Sept. 11-October 11.

Empirical Rogue presents Nikolai Erdman's Suicide!?, in a new adaptation written and directed by Empirical Rogue Artistic Director Tim Eliot. Performances begin tonight, January 4 at the InterArt Theatre (500 West 52nd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues).

A site-specific MACBETH, Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedy, will be presented for a very limited engagement by Shelter Theatre Group, January 26th through January 30th, 2014, at The Church of Saint Teresa, located on Rutgers Street between East Broadway and Henry Street. All performances will be at 7:00 PM.

Empirical Rogue has announced casting for Nikolai Erdman's Suicide!?, in a new adaptation written and directed by Empirical Rogue Artistic Director Tim Eliot. Performances begin January 4 at the Interart Theatre (500 West 52nd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues).

The Brick Theater, Inc. presents the World-premiere of PARIS BELONGS TO USA Dangerous Ground productionConceived, designed and directed by Doris Mirescu Based on the 1961 film of the same name by Jacques Rivette. Performances begin December 10th at The Brick (579 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn NY).

I am not sure what Shepard is doing in Shepherdstown. The Contemporary American Theater Festival held there is dedicated to performing 'new American plays.' There's nothing new to me about Sam Shepard's play Heartless; it seems distinctly old hat. I went back to a review I wrote of one of his plays for my college newspaper in 1970, and a number of the things I wrote about that play (The Holy Ghostly) could be said about Heartless. I commented how characters migrate into each other, how they become composites of various characters, how there is no predictable logic to their interactions, and how the drama loses the sense of being story-telling about distinct persons. I compared what Shepard did to abstract painting. And, on the evidence of Heartless, it's still true.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WVA, is now underway through July 28th, featuring new plays from Liz Duffy Adams, Jon Kern, Jane Martin, Sam Shephard, and Mark St. Germain.

If George Bernard Shaw had taken it into his head to write a sequel to Arthur Miller's The Crucible, with an assist from William Shakespeare, he might have come up with something much like Liz Duffy Adams's A Discourse on the Wonders of the Invisible World.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University presents its 23rd season, set for today, July 5 - 28, 2013.

The Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University presents its 23rd season, to be held July 5 - 28, 2013.

Knife Edge Productions will present the World Premiere of OWNED by Drama Desk Award nominee Julian Sheppard. Directed by Sam Helfrich, previews began April 26 at TBG Theater. Opening night is slated for Thursday, May 2.

Knife Edge Productions will present the World Premiere of OWNED by Drama Desk Award nominee Julian Sheppard. Directed by Sam Helfrich, previews begin tonight, April 26 at TBG Theatre. Opening night is slated for Thursday, May 2.

Knife Edge Productions will present the World Premiere of OWNED by Drama Desk Award nominee Julian Sheppard. Directed by Sam Helfrich, previews begin April 26 at TBG Theatre. Opening night is slated for Thursday, May 2.

The Brick welcomes its first-ever Resident Artist for 2013: Dangerous Ground. The company presents '3' by Jacques Rivette, in a year-long, 3-play exploration, beginning with 'L'Amour Fou', written by Jacques Rivette and Marilu Parolini, and conceived, designed and directed by Doris Mirescu. L'AMOUR FOU is a multimedia art-installation/performance event based on Jacques Rivette's 1969 film, L'Amour Fou. Get a first look at the production in the photos below!

Should you take this journey to Kansas during a snow storm in the 1950's?

Centerstage presents Bus Stop, an American classic by William Inge. A slice of Americana, served up by the imaginative direction of David Schweizer (The Rivals, Snow Falling on Cedars), Bus Stop is now playing through December 23. BroadwayWorld has a teaser of the show below.

Centerstage presents Bus Stop, an American classic by William Inge. A slice of Americana, served up by the imaginative direction of David Schweizer (The Rivals, Snow Falling on Cedars), Bus Stop is now playing through December 23. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Here in Baltimore, it seems to be Bus Stop season. It's been less than a month since I reviewed the Spotlighters' community theater production of the William Inge 1955 classic; now it's Center Stage's turn. And of course Center Stage (or is it Centerstage these days?) gives it a full-dress professional staging. The difference is surprisingly great.

CENTERSTAGE is gearing up for its next production, Bus Stop, an American classic by William Inge. A slice of Americana, served up by the imaginative direction of David Schweizer (The Rivals, Snow Falling on Cedars), Bus Stop begins previews tonight, November 21.

CENTERSTAGE is gearing up for its next production, Bus Stop, an American classic by William Inge. A slice of Americana, served up by the imaginative direction of David Schweizer (The Rivals, Snow Falling on Cedars), Bus Stop begins previews on November 21.