The Geffen Playhouse News

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley continues its 2017/2018 season with the Bay Area premiere of the stunning musical tribute, Our Great Tchaikovsky, written and performed by Hershey Felder, who shattered box office records at TheatreWorks with his acclaimed portrayals of Irving Berlin and Beethoven. Exploring both current Russian politics and historical context, piano virtuoso Felder brings to life the music and story of composer Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in a time-bending tale. From the iconic ballets Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker, to the outrageous 1812 Overture and brilliant symphonic works, this powerful music journey travels from Czarist times to today, bringing vivid life to a haunted genius. Our Great Tchaikovsky will be presented January 10 February 11, 2018 (press opening: January 13) at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street, Mountain View. For tickets ($45-$105) and more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

On the eve of its first performance, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley has announced that its presentation of Hershey Felder's Our Great Tchaikovsky is already establishing a new all-time box office record for the 48 year-old Bay Area theatre company and it is not even open yet. This newest work by acclaimed performer and playwright Hershey Felder is on track to shatter the theatre's previous record, set last year with TheatreWorks' presentation of Hershey Felder, Beethoven which set a high bar as the company's highest grossing show, amassing $637,767 in sales the day before opening. It has been bested by Our Great Tchaikovsky, which has now sold more than $710,000 to date, and may well top Beethoven's final sales total. Tickets are disappearing fast as theatre-goers flock to see Felder's latest piece, which runs Tuesdays through Sundays, January 10 February 11, 2018, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. For tickets ($45-$105) and information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

The Geffen Playhouse today announced that Christian Camargo (Penny Dreadful, The Hurt Locker) has joined its West Coast Premiere of Martyna Majok's Ironbound, directed by Tyne Rafaeli (Actually). Camargo will play Tommy alongside Tony Award nominee Marin Ireland (Broadway's reasons to be pretty, Amazon's Sneaky Pete) as Darja and Josiah Bania (The Good Wife) as Maks, both of whom are reprising their Off-Broadway roles in the Geffen production, and Marcel Spears (The Mayor) as Vic.

Second Stage Theater has announced complete casting for the world premiere of GREG PIERCE's play, Cardinal, directed by KATE WHORISKEY.

Join in an intimate conversation about Nelson Mandela as we kick off 100Conversations around the Globe, a program created by Kweku Mandela and Patrick Finnegan. It is inspired by their desire to honor Nelson Mandela's legacy while spearheading conversation and creating a movement.

Kitchen Theatre Company continues its 2017-2018 Season with the regional premiere of Ironbound by Martyna Majok, a gritty, honest, and at times humorous look at an immigrant experience in America. Performances of Ironbound begin at the Kitchen Theatre Company in The Percy Browning Performance Space on January 21 and run through February 4.

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera and the nation's leading champion for American opera, is pleased to announce that prot g s and mentors have been selected for the organization's new Mentorship Program for Women.

Playwright Bess Wohl whose Barcelona proved so controversial during its engagement at the Geffen Playhouse in 2016 has a new play Small Mouth Sounds opening at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica January 11. In our conversation Wohl discusses her play in depth. Tell us about Small Mouth Sounds and what stimulated you to write the play. What is its message?

TimeLine Theatre Company announces casting and other details for the Chicago premiere of BOY by Anna Ziegler, directed by Damon Kiely, January 18 March 18, 2018 (previews January 10 17) at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. For tickets and information, visittimelinetheatre.com or call (773) 281-8463 x6.

Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center continues its 2017-2018 season with 'Time Stands Still,' by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies.

Hailed as an icon of style, grace and strength, Jacqueline Jackie Kennedy Onassis was known for her alluring mystery and piercing sensuality. Much has been written and said about America's most famous First Lady. However, one detail usually omitted from the story is that she was human. Award-winning playwright Tom Dugan's one-woman drama Jackie Unveiled starring Saffron Burrows (Amazon's Mozart in the Jungle ) dares to peek behind the fa ade of America's most private public figure.

Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theatre of California, has announced complete casting for their production of the original 1947 radio play of Miracle on 34th Street, which is being presented in honor of its 70th anniversary for a limited engagement of 14 performances from December 14 to 23 (press opening is December 15).

Chrissy Metz, the Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominated star of the NBC drama This Is Us, will make her stage debut in Neil LaBute's critically acclaimed play Fat Pig at the Geffen Playhouse.

Rubicon Theatre Company kicks off its 20th Anniversary Season with the return of the critically-acclaimed holiday hit CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Broadway, TV and film veterans Peter Van Norden (RTC's Taking Sides, Copenhagen) and Emmy Award-winner Joe Spano ( NCIS, RTC's Bucky) reprise their roles as Scrooge and Marley, respectively, in this innovative telling of Dickens' timeless tale of transformation and redemption. Adapted by Producing Artistic Director Karyl Lynn Burns and directed by Brian McDonald, the 27-member cast features many of the same actors from the original production that earned a Critic's Pick in the Los Angeles Times and rave reviews from Ventura County Star, CASA Magazine, VIDA Magazine and the Ventura Breeze. This imaginative version of Dickens' novella offers a revealing portrait of the yearning, lost child inside the cold-hearted miserly man. Actors perform in the storytelling style of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Nicholas Nickleby, playing characters, animals even dressing gowns and doors! CHARLES DICKENS' A CHRISTMAS CAROL opens in Ventura on Saturday, December 9at 7:00 p.m. followed by an after-party at Rhumb Line Restaurant. Low-priced previews are December 6-8. The show runs Todays through Sundays through December 23.

The Geffen Playhouse today announced that Josiah Bania (CBS's The Good Wife) and Marcel Spears (ABC's The Mayor) will join Tony Award nominee Marin Ireland (Broadway's reasons to be pretty, Amazon's Sneaky Pete) in the West Coast Premiere of Martyna Majok's Ironbound, directed by Tyne Rafaeli (Actually).

Larry Cedar's one-man stage adaptation, NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND (based on the Fyodor Dostoevsky novel) was awarded BEST ONE-PERSON SHOW (Drama) and BEST DIRECTOR ONE-PERSON SHOW (Pamela Cedar) at last evening's 2017 NoHo Fringe Festival Award Ceremony, beating out strong contender Joe Mantegna and his production, I'm Not a Comedian, I'm Lenny Bruce in both categories. NOTES will now return by popular demand for two encore performances on December 22nd and 23rd.

Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theatre of California, has announced complete casting for their production of the original 1947 radio play of Miracle on 34th Street, which is being presented in honor of its 70th anniversary for a limited engagement of 14 performances from December 14 to 23 (press opening is December 15).

The new Broadway production of Once On This Island officially opens tonight, December 3rd, at the Circle in the Square Theatre (235 W. 50th street, NYC), and is directed by Tony nominee Michael Arden, and choreographed by the critically-acclaimed Camille A. Brown. Scroll down to learn more about the company and watch highlights from the show!

Daniel Beaty, the award-winning actor and poet, is returning to the Geffen Playhouse with his critically acclaimed solo show, Emergency, for two encore performances on Thursday, January 11 and Friday, January 12 in celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend.

The Road Theatre Company and Taylor Gilbert, Founder/Artistic Director, together with Sam Anderson, Artistic Director, present the second show of its 2017-2018 season, the west coast premiere of A DELICATE SHIP, written by acclaimed playwright Anna Ziegler (Actually) and directed by Andre Barron (Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby).