The Old Globe News

Four-time Helen Hayes Award winner and acclaimed D.C. actor Edward Gero stars as one of America's most brilliant and polarizing figures-Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia-in the world-premiere political drama The Originalist, by Charles MacArthur Award winner and Arena Stage resident playwright John Strand. When a bright, liberal law school graduate embarks on a nerve-wracking clerkship with Justice Scalia, she discovers him to be both an infuriating sparring partner and unexpected mentor. How will their relationship affect one of the most incendiary cases ever to reach the nation's highest court? Artistic Director Molly Smith directs this daring new play, which offers a rare portrayal of a sitting Supreme Court justice, and for the first time the intimate Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle will be configured into a three-quarter thrust configuration. The Originalist runs March 6-April 26, 2015.

Musical Theatre Factory Presents: Sydney Morton, Corey Mach, Michael Tacconi, and Jeremy Morse in Will Reynolds' THE GREENWOOD TREE, Monday, March 9th at 8pm.

MCC THEATER has announced the final production of its four-show 2015-16 Main Stage Season, which runs August 2015 through June 2016. Playwright Halley Feiffer (I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard) will make her MCC Theater debut with her play A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center of New York City. Trip Cullman returns to direct after helming this season's critically acclaimed hit Punk Rock. Full details below. This also marks the reunion of Feiffer and Cullman following their hit production of I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard at the Atlantic Theater Company in early 2015.

Orwell in America, written by preeminent playwright Joe Sutton, runs live on stage at the Briggs Opera House in White River Junction, VT, March 11 through March 29. For tickets and information, call 802-296-7000 or visit www.northernstage.org. Tickets start at $15.

San Francisco Playhouse (Bill English, Artistic Director; Susi Damilano, Producing Director) continues its sixth season of the Sandbox Series of new plays with the National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere of Lauren Yee's in a word. Giovanna Sardelli will direct.

Arden Theatre Company continues its 27th season of great stories with Macbeth by William Shakespeare. Alexander Burns directs. Macbeth runs from tonight, March 5, 2015 - April 19, 2015, on the Arden's F. Otto Haas Stage at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia.

Cherry Lane Theatre announced the 2015 line-up today for the Obie Award-winning Mentor Project's 17th season, the corner stone of Cherry Lane Theatre's development programs.

54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Columbia University Songbook on Tuesday, March 10th at 9:30pm. Columbia University Songbook is dedicated to showcasing material created by past and present musical theatre luminaries who have been affiliated with Columbia University throughout the years.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company announces a second extension of its current production of The Metromaniacs, by David Ives, directed by Michael Kahn. The Metromaniacs, previously extended to Sunday, March 15, will play five additional performances, Thursday, March 19 through Sunday, March 22, at the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th Street NW).

Award-winning Canadian actress Chilina Kennedy, who made her Broadway debut as 'Mary Magdalene' in Jesus Christ Superstar, has nabbed the title role in Beautiful-The Carole King Musical, the smash hit musical about the early life and career of the legendary and groundbreaking singer/songwriter. Kennedy begins performances on March 7, 2015, succeeding Tony Award-winner Jessie Mueller, who will play her final performance in Beautiful on March 6 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre (124 West 43rd Street). Check out a first look at the actress in action below!

Deadline writes that BRIGHT STAR book writer and legendary comedic actor Steve Martin has signed on for Ang Lee's upcoming film BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK.

The Public Theater welcomes Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff to the cast of HAMILTON as 'King George' tonight, March 3. Groff, who performed in The Public's recent revival of Hair as well as The Bacchae and The Singing Forest, is replacing Brian d'Arcy James, who will be starring in Something Rotten on Broadway this spring.

Beloved Tony and Oliver winning actress Lea Salonga will soon be returning to New York.

Welcome to BWW's exclusive talk show, BACKSTAGE WITH Richard Ridge. Follow Richard as he visits the theater's best and brightest in their dressing rooms, on their stages and favorite hang outs to talk about their lives, careers and all of the things you don't know, but want to know. In the special interview below, Richard welcomes Broadway favorite Rob McClure, who is currently starring in Honeymoon in Vegas at the Nederlander Theatre. Watch as they discuss the show, how he got his start at Paper Mill Playhouse, his obsession with video games, and so much more. Check out the full interview below!

Gulfshore Playhouse will produce their second World Premiere in as many years with The Butcher by Gwydion Suilebhan, playing February 28th through March 22nd with $30 preview performances on February 25th, 26th and 27th. Playwright talkbacks will take place following each preview performance and following the 3pm matinee performance on Sunday, March 1st. The Butcherwas featured as a finalist in Gulfshore Playhouse's 1st Annual New Works Festival in August 2013.

The Ford's Theatre Society 2014-2015 season continues with the musical Freedom's Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, directed by Jeff Calhoun, March 13 through May 20, 2015, at the historic Ford's Theatre (511 Tenth Street NW, Washington, D.C.). A new adaptation of the Broadway musical The Civil War, Freedom's Song features the words of Abraham Lincoln and music inspired by the letters of those who lived through the Civil War. The production is part of Ford's 150: Remembering the Lincoln Assassination, a series of events marking the 150 years since Abraham Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theatre.

La Jolla Playhouse announces its final subscription show for the 2015/2016 season: Guards at the Taj, by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), marking newly-appointed Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda's directorial debut at the Playhouse. The production will run February 2 - 28, 2016 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

McDonald/Selznick Associates presents the 2015 MSA Emerging Choreographers' Showcase today, February 27, 2015 in New York City featuring the work of choreographers Al Blackstone, Adam Cates, Sean McKnight, and Rachelle Rak. Two performances will take place at the Ailey Citigroup Theater for an invited audience of producers, industry professionals, and guests.

THE OLD GLOBE, in partnership with the SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, has been selected as the host site for the state of California for First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare, a national traveling exhibition of the Shakespeare First Folio, one of the world's most treasured books. The Folger Shakespeare Library, in partnership with Cincinnati Museum Center and the American Library Association, is touring a First Folio of Shakespeare in 2016 to all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that Tony Award nominee Jonathan Groff will join the cast of HAMILTON as 'King George' on Tuesday, March 3. Groff, who performed in The Public's recent revival of Hair as well as The Bacchae and The Singing Forest, is replacing Brian d'Arcy James, who will be starring in Something Rotten on Broadway this spring. The world premiere musical HAMILTON, inspired by the book 'Alexander Hamilton' by Ron Chernow, with book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Thomas Kail, has been extended three times at The Public due to sold-out demand and will close as scheduled on Sunday, May 3 prior to a Broadway transfer to the Richard Rodgers Theatre beginning July 13 and opening August 6.