Tennessee Williams News

As we move toward the end of January, I hope you have attended some of the wonderful live performances that are happening in one of our California Central Coast live performance venues, and are planning on attending even more in the weeks ahead!

On Monday, January 24th at 6pm producer/director Rick McKay, the award-winning filmmaker responsible for the "Broadway: The Golden Age" films, will interview Tony Award-winning actress Elizabeth Ashley at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (65th Street and Amsterdam

Theatre Charlotte has announced audition dates for their upcoming show THE GLASS MENAGERIE, written by Tennessee Williams. The auditions will be held January 22 1pm and 23 at 7pm, with possible callbacks on Monday, January 24.

Nan Gurley stars as Amanda Wingfield in Studio Tenn's upcoming production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, presented at Belmont University's Black Box Theatre Feburary 17-27. The Glass Menagerie will conclude Studio Tenn's inaugural season, which has also included critically acclaimed productions of Hello, Dolly! and A Christmas Carol. Williams' enduring classic is an award-winning portrayal of a disintegrating family during the depression of the 1930's and introduced him as one of the preeminent American playwrights of the 20th century.

The Broadway community mourns the loss of illustrious costume designer Theoni Aldredge who died yesterday at age 78. The marquees of Broadway theatres in New York will be dimmed in her memory on Tuesday, January 25th, at exactly 7:00pm for one minute.

A Noise Within (ANW) reprises its hilarious and critically acclaimed production of the joyfully out-of control British farce NOISES OFF by MICHAEL FRAYN for ten performances from Friday, January 21 to Sunday, January 30, 2011.

Ken Page, who won a Drama Desk Award for his role in the Tony-winning musical Ain't Misbehavin' and whose commanding presence and rich baritone voice have graced both stage and screen, performs a solo concert at Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu at 8 p.m. on Friday, January 21.

According to the NY Tmes, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Washington National Opera will merge this July. The financially troubled National Opera will still have its own board and receive its own donations, but all other funds will be merged with the Kennedy Center's.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre (Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris and Simon Jones, Co-Artistic Directors), the critically-acclaimed company "dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit," will present a one-night only concert reading of The Triangle Factory Fire Project, its critically-acclaimed 2004 Off Broadway production.

Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio on 3 season continues with legendary Playwright Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.

For Valentine's Day, Westport Country Playhouse will present a reading of Neil Simon's whimsical and touching romantic comedy, "Chapter Two," part of Westport Country Playhouse's popular Script in Hand Series, on Monday, February 14, 7 p.m.

Walnut Street Theatre's 2010-2011 Independence Studio on 3 season continues with Marius von Mayenburg's black comedy, THE UGLY ONE.

SunsetGun Productions, in conjunction with FRIGID New York, presents the world premiere of Scarlet Woman, a new play by NYC playwright Matthew Wells written expressly for SunsetGun Productions. All performances will take place at the Kraine Theater, 85 East 4th St, NYC, beginning February 23 and running until March 5, 2011 (detailed performance schedule follows).

Tennessee Williams best known for his dramatic works including A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and The Glass Menagerie was born 100 years ago this March. This celebrated American playwright received many of the top theatrical awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony award for best play, and Presidential Medal of Honor.

The Ensemble Studio Theatre Youngblood program, taking more advantage of its talented roster of emerging playwrights under 30, will present three studio productions of new plays under the title UNFILTERED 2011 January 13 through February 5 at its percolating playwrights headquarters, 549 West 52nd Street.

Mother of Invention Theatre Company, under the direction of founder and Artistic Director Gina Stahlnecker will celebrate the 100th year since Tennessee Williams' birth with the seldom seen study in moral squalor, SMALL CRAFT WARNINGS on February 15 - 27, 2011.

Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA's world premiere production of Mlle. God by Oscar-nominated writer Nicholas Kazan inaugurates the new Atwater Village Theatre and an adventurous joint season with Circle X Theatre Co.

Walnut Street Theatre's Independence Studio on 3 season continues with legendary Playwright Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie.

According to Reuters, British actress Susannah York, one of the most memorable film actresses of the 1960s, died from cancer at the age of 72.

Joe Hill-Gibbins (The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Young Vic) directs an outstanding cast including Deborah Findlay (Cranford, BBC), Sinead Matthews (Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh), Leo Bill (Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton) and Kyle Soller (A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Globe) in Tennessee Williams' first great Broadway success.