Terrence McNally News

GAYFEST NYC, Inc., (Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, Producers), the country's premier producer of new LGBT-themed plays, continues its Fourth Annual Festival, a five-week event (May 6 - June 6, 2010) filled with new theatre works spotlighting gay issues, conclude the festival with the world premiere of the new musical This One Girl's Story (inspired by the proud life of Sakia Gunn), based on a true story with book by Bil Wright, music and lyrics by Dionne McClain-Freeney.

The Stage Door Players continue their current season with upcoming productions of MASTER CLASS, BREACHED WAILS, and COMPANY.

This summer, the Tony Award-winning Signature Theatre features exciting performances ranging from its specialty, fully staged musicals with Ititle of show] and Chess, to its popular cabaret evenings of show tunes, jazz, blues, and rock.

Theatricum Botanicum artistic director Ellen Geer has announced a delightfully eclectic season of plays, music, poetry and comedy improv for Summer 2010.

The Pennington Players presents this haunting, powerful musical on Fridays and Saturdays, June 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays, June 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. Kelsey Theatre is conveniently located on the college's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on June 4.

Deadline.com is reporting that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, written by Tony Award-winning composing team Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman now has a committment from director Sam Mendes to helm a stage musical version of the children's classic. The show is now aiming to open in time for the 2011 holiday season in London, followed by Broadway.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that Zach Braff, Bobby Cannavale, Sutton Foster, and Ari Graynor will co-star in the world premiere comedy TRUST, written by Paul Weitz, directed by Peter DuBois. Mr. Weitz returns to Second Stage Theatre, where his plays Privilege and Show People premiered in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Directed by Peter DuBois, who staged Second Stage's acclaimed production of Becky Shaw, TRUST will begin previews on Friday, July 23 at Second Stage Theatre (305 West 43rd street) and officially open on Thursday, August 12. The production runs through September 5.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the directors of the upcoming reading series 2010 TRU Voices New Plays Reading Series, which will celebrate women in theater with plays all written, produced and directed by women.

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Long Wharf Theatre is pleased to announce the full company for Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie, directed by Gordon Edelstein with Patch Darragh (Tom Wingfield), two-time Tony® Award winner Judith Ivey (Amanda Wingfield), Keira Keeley (Laura Wingfield), Michael Mosley (Jim O'Connor).

The New School for Drama has announced that the award-winning director Joe Mantello will be the distinguished artist-in-residence for the 2010-2011 academic year. Mantello's directing credits include the wildly popular Wicked, as well as Assassins and Take Me Out, each of which earned him a Tony Award for directing.

GAYFEST NYC, Inc., (Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, Producers), the country's premier producer of new LGBT-themed plays, continues its Fourth Annual Festival, a five-week event (May 6 - June 6, 2010) filled with new theatre works spotlighting gay issues, conclude the festival with the world premiere of the new musical This One Girl's Story (inspired by the proud life of Sakia Gunn), based on a true story with book by Bil Wright, music and lyrics by Dionne McClain-Freeney.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere of Little Doc, written by award-winning filmmaker Dan Klores and directed by John Gould Rubin. Opening the company's 16th Season, performances of Little Doc will begin Friday, June 11 at Rattlestick Theatre (224 Waverly Place). The official opening night is set for Thursday, June 17. The production is scheduled to run through July 18.

Starting July 6th at the Provincetown Theater, producer Robert Driemeyer, in association with Jim A. Landé, is proud to present David Parr's provocative new play SLAP&TICKLE. The production will be directed by Obie Award winner David Drake, whose critically acclaimed mounting of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic OUR TOWN enjoyed a extended run at the Provincetown Theater this spring.

Cape Rep Theatre will continue its 25th Anniversary Season on June 17 with Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. will direct. Performances will continue for 5 weeks until through July 17.

Mark Kudisch, set to star in the Washington area premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's SYCAMORE TREES at the Signature Theatre, has said he has made a career of playing the jilted man who doesn't need to find love. As he put it, 'I have made a career of being the foil.'

GAYFEST NYC, Inc., (Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, Producers), the country's premier producer of new LGBT-themed plays, will close its production of the world premiere of the new play Mother Tongue written by F. J. Hartland with direction by Margarett Perry on May 23.

Kicking off their 2010 season, Drury Lane Oakbrook, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, will close their epic production of the nostalgic and powerful portrait of life in turn of the century America, RAGTIME on May 23rd. The production is directed and choreographed by Rachel Rockwell, who received a Jeff Award nomination for her direction of last season's smash hit Miss Saigon. Quentin Earl Darrington will star as "Coalhouse Walker" (Broadway: RAGTIME, National Tours of THE COLOR PURPLE, RAGTIME and THE LION KING; and Regionally RAGTIME at Paper Mill Playhouse; ABYSSINIA at Goodspeed Opera House; A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC at California Music Theatre, and DREAMGIRLS at Madame Walker Theatre; and Valisia Lekae (Broadway: RAGTIME, 110 IN THE SHADE, THE THREEPENNY OPERA; Off-Broadway: ALMOST HEAVEN; 1st National Tours of ALL SHOOK UP, MAMMA MIA) will star as "Sarah".

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, and New Feet Productions will present the world premiere of Emily DeVoti's thought-provoking new play 'MILK,' directed by Jessica Bauman.

According to her website, Bernadette Peters, who was most recently seen performing in New York in her sold out Broadway Barks benefit concert, will be playing at a variety of venues around the country for her upcoming tour, which kicks off next year. The two-time Tony winner will perform a wide variety of tunes from her vast theatre repertoire.