The Actors Studio News

Nominations for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards were announced today, Thursday, July 19, from the Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre at Television Academy headquarters in the NoHo Arts District of Los Angeles.

The 2012 Play Festival winner at Premiere Stages opens tomorrow night, Thursday, July 12th. The director and cast of HANDICAPPED PEOPLE IN THEIR FORMAL ATTIRE talk about the themes of the show.

Comedic actors Christian Mansfield (Broadway Bares, National Tour of 42nd Street), Ken Urso, and Philip Mutz (also co-author) will star in the upcoming production of Gay Camp in this year's New York International Fringe Festival, running from August 10 - August 26.

Frog and Peach Theatre Co., Inc. will present an all-star benefit reading of 'King Lear' on July 9 at The Player's Club with a cast including Jeffrey DeMunn ('The Walking Dead') as King Lear, Bebe Neuwirth ( 'The Good Wife') as Goneril, Darrell Hammond (Saturday Night Live) as Edgar, Rich Sommer ('Mad Men') as Fool, Wrenn Schmidt ('Boardwalk Empire') as Cordelia, Ted Zurkowski ('Boys on the Side') as Edmund, John Rothman ('Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter') as Kent, Peter Gerety ('Public Enemies') as Gloucester, David Wohl ('Saving Private Ryan') as Albany, Amy Frances Quint ('Radio Deluxembourg') as Regan, Eric Doss ('Love Songs') as France, Ryan Tramont ('The Hurt Locker') as Oswald, Erick Gonzalez ('Two Gentlemen of Verona') as Cornwall, and Jack Sochet ('A Midsummer Night's Dream') as Burgundy. The original score is by Ian McDonald (King Crimson, Foreigner) and performed live by Mr. McDonald.

On August 13th, 2012, Kumu Kahua Theatre in association with Interisland Terminal will embark on a cutting edge program that will benefit area playwrights, directors, actors, and historians, appreciators of artistic expression and community members and visitors in Oahu.

The New York Times is reporting that Alec Baldwin will return to Broadway in the Spring of 2013 in a new production of OPRHANS, to be directed by Tony-winner Daniel Sullivan. There is no word yet on a theatre or additional cast members for the production.

On August 13th, 2012, Kumu Kahua Theatre in association with Interisland Terminal will embark on a cutting edge program that will benefit area playwrights, directors, actors, and historians, appreciators of artistic expression and community members and visitors in Oahu.

While many theatres close for the summer months, Performance Network is full steam ahead, offering audiences an array of entertainment options, including the upcoming Fireside Festival of New Works. As part of the theatre's continued dedication to support and provide a voice for playwrights, the series will be held today, June 24 through June 27, 2012. This festival of staged readings will feature new works by four playwrights, including Network regulars Joseph Zettelmaier and Kim Carney.

The Colony Theatre presents the first production of its "Season of Premieres" with the Los Angeles Premiere of THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION, written by Evan Smith and directed by award-winning Cameron Watson, the show stars three-time Los Angeles Drama Critics Award-winning actress Anne Gee Byrd. THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION opens tonight, June 16 at 8:00pm and continues through Sunday, July 8 at The Colony Theatre, 555 North Third Street (at Cypress) adjacent to the Burbank Town Center.

Outside Inside presents Arch Oboler's Night of the Auk at the Sixteenth Annual New York International Fringe Festival. Hugely influential in the world of science fiction, Arch Oboler's underrated and undervalued works have all but fallen into obscurity. Now, Outside Inside resurrects a lost classic of the sci-fi genre.

While many theatres close for the summer months, Performance Network is full steam ahead, offering audiences an array of entertainment options, including the upcoming Fireside Festival of New Works. As part of the theatre's continued dedication to support and provide a voice for playwrights, the series will be held June 24 - 27, 2012. This festival of staged readings will feature new works by four playwrights, including Network regulars Joseph Zettelmaier and Kim Carney.

CYCLES, Robert Litz's funny and explosive new play, receives its world premiere as part of the 2012 Hollywood Fringe. Directed by Stefan Lysenko, CYCLES stars Emmy-nominated stage/screen veteran Alan Rosenberg opposite one of L.A.'s hottest young talents, Dominic Rains.

Catherine Zeta- Jones ('Rock of Ages'), Maggie Gyllenhaal ('Hysteria'), Meghan McCain (author, America, You Sexy Bitch), Tyra Banks and a musical performance from Gladys Knight are among the guests on THE VIEW JUNE 11-15.

Russian Arts and Theatre Studio (The RATS Company) announces the world premiere production of EURASIAN INVASION! RATS IN REPERTORY, a two show series, which includes Fred Pezzulli and Di Zhu's HOUSE OF CURIOSITIES and Aleksey Burago and Di Zhu's BILLY BOB BOILS THE SEA, both directed by Aleksey Burago. EURASIAN INVASION! will play a four-week limited engagement at The Connelly Theater (220 East 4th Street, NYC). Performances begin tonight, June 8 and continue through to Sunday, July 1.

Tonight, June 4, 2012 Julia Jordan, Theresa Rebeck, Marsha Norman, Tim Sanford, Gary Garrison and The Committee for Recognizing Women in Theatre will present the 3rd Annual Lilly Awards at Playwrights Horizons. Named for playwright Lillian Hellman, The Lilly Awards were created to recognize the extraordinary contributions made by women to the American Theater. Producers, playwrights, actors, designers, and directors will be honored for their continued excellence in the theater community.