The Old Globe News

The Old Globe today announced that James Vasquez (Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show) will direct the final show of its 2014-2015 Season, the West Coast premiere of an exciting new American play, Rich Girl, by acclaimed playwright Victoria Stewart. Rich Girl will play May 23 - June 21, 2015.

Syfy and Universal Cable Productions have cast Stella Maeve (Chicago PD), Hale Appleman (Teeth) and Arjun Gupta (Nurse Jackie) in key roles for the upcoming pilot The Magicians

Following a summer 2013 developmental production at Goodspeed Musicals' Norma Terris Theatre, LMNOP, a new musical by Larson Award-winning writers Scott Burkell (book/lyrics) and Paul Loesel (music), receives a private reading on Monday, November 10, 2014.

Producers Jonas Neilson, Paul Lambert and Elizabeth Williams announced today that they've found the founding members of the First Wives Club for the new Broadway-bound musical's premiere at Chicago's Oriental Theatre. Tony Award-winner Faith Prince will play 'Brenda,' Mamma Mia's Christine Sherrill will play 'Elise,' and Wicked star Carmen Cusack will play 'Annie,' in the iconic roles created on film by Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, respectively.

I have to admit that I was very excited when I read that veteran actor Michael Winther would be returning to Center Stage to star in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical NEXT TO NORMAL. It was Director David Schweizer who asked Winther to come to Center Stage for the role of Dan. Schweizer also directed Winther back in 2007 when he played the role of Dromio in BOYS FROM SYRACUSE along with Manu Narayan and Paolo Montalban. Winther became friends with Narayan when the two both worked on Broadway at the same time, Narayan was the star of BOMBAY DREAMS at the Broadway Theater and Winther was down the street at the Winter Garden in MAMMA MIA! Winther related it was Narayan who called him up last year to take Narayan's place in San Paolo, Brazil to perform in the KIezmer musical THE NIGHT IN THE OLD MARKET PLACE. So Winther spent ten days in Brazil along with another actress from the BOYS FROM SYRACUSE, Charlotte Cohn.

The Colony Theatre will present the third production of its historic 40thAnniversary season, the West Coast Premiere of HANDLE WITH CARE by Jason Odell Williams, directed by Karen Carpenter. HANDLE WITH CARE will preview tonight, November 5; Thursday, November 6; and Friday, November 7 at 8:00pm. It will open on Saturday, November 8 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 14, with no performances Thanksgiving week.

Today we are talking to a spectacularly gifted Tony Award-winning stage and screen performer known for originating numerous memorable roles in both new musicals and revivals as well as starring in this month's Encores! special presentation of THE BAND WAGON, Brian Stokes Mitchell. Opening up about the new stage-to-screen adaptation of the movie musical classic while granting a rare few moments for a chat while on a break, Mitchell shares his enthusiasm for re-teaming with frequent collaborator director/choreographer Kathleen Marhshall as well as what audiences can expect from the brand new concert presentation while also commenting on his starry assortment of fellow players in the production, including Tracey Ullman, Michael McKean and Laura Osnes. Furthermore, Mitchell offers first news of his return to FOX's hit musical dramedy series GLEE for its final season and preliminarily clues us in to what we can expect from his last appearance on the series. Additionally, Mitchell reflects on his starring role in the 2002 Kennedy Center production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's SWEENEY TODD and whether he would be interested in pursuing that part again in the future. Plus, Mitchell reveals he has recorded a series of studio albums awaiting release and shares his opinions on what material he would like to record in the future. All of that, thoughts on THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and if it could work onstage, his upcoming Christmas concert series with the Cincinnati Symphony, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN memories and much, much more in this exclusive conversation with one of Broadway's most beloved leading men!

The Old Globe presents its 17th annual production of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The holiday musical will run on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre,part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center, November 15 - December 27. Previews run from November 15 - November 19. Opening night is November 20 at 7:00 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast below!

The Pasadena Playhouse presents STOP KISS, the second production of its 2014-2015 Season. Written by Diana Son and directed by Pasadena Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Seema Sueko, STOP KISS stars Sharon Leal (Bill Condon's Dreamgirls, Fox's 'Boston Public,' and Lionsgate's Addicted), Angela Lin (Broadway's Chinglish), John Sloan (Fox's 'Happy Hour'), Brandon Scott (ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy'), Amanda Carlin (Liar Liar), and Jeff De Serrano (A&E's 'Longmire'). The production is performed tonight, November 4 - 30, 2014 with the official press night on Wednesday, November 9, 2014.

Abingdon Theatre Company presents a concert reading of MERTON OF THE MOVIES -- an uproarious new musical comedy set in the rollicking age of Keystone Cops, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin, and Buster Keaton -- with book by Donald Brenner, music and lyrics by Doug Katsaros, on Monday, December 8 at 7pm at the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street) in Manhattan. Donald Brenner, whose directorial credits include MARCH MADNESS and the upcoming MALLORCA at Abingdon, will direct.

Upcoming Equity Auditions from Sunday, November 2, 2014.

The National Theatre production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, the acclaimed new play by Simon Stephens, adapted from Mark Haddon's best-selling novel, directed by Tony Award-winner Marianne Elliott, officially opened on Broadway on October 5 at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Scroll down to learn more about the full cast and watch interviews with the company below!

Feinstein's at the Nikko is proud to announce the upcoming lineup for November 2014. Performers include Tony Award winning actress and singer Betty Buckley; Tony Award winner Laura Benanti; jazz legend Freddy Cole; acclaimed performance artist Jeffrey Johnson; star of stage and screen Telly Leung; Award-winning cabaret singer -- and Bay Area native -- Carly Ozard. Additional performers for November 2014 will be announced at a later date.

PITTSBURGH – Captain's Log, Stardate November 2014. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conductor Jack Everly and host George Takei take audiences to galaxies far, far away to explore new worlds with lights, music and lots of action during PNC Pops “Sci-Fi Spectacular” at Heinz Hall on November 14-16.

Bitten by the theatre bug at a tender age, Eddie Shapiro ranks top billing among the highest echelons of the Broadway and theatre obsessed.

Jeff Skowron is a chameleon. The versatile actor has appeared on Southern California stages playing everything from Thenardier in Les Miserables at La Mirada Theatre to Leo Bloom in The Producers at 3-D Theatricals -- roles for which he is currently nominated for an Ovation Award -- to The Baker in Into the Woods. He previously won the Ovation Award for his moving performance of Leo Frank in 3DT's award-winning revival of Parade, and that's in addition to his work on Broadway and in television & film. Next he steps into the traveling salesman shoes of Edward Bloom for the west coast premiere of Big Fish at Musical Theatre West. It's a role that continues to show his range in a production that will enchant audiences beginning October 31st.

The first Globe for All free Shakespeare tour will begin today, October 28 and will culminate in three low-cost performances on November 7 - 9 in the Globe's Hattox Hall, part of the Karen and Donald Cohn Education Center in the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

Folger Theatre launches its 2014/15 season in Rome with William Shakespeare's enduring political tragedy, Julius Caesar from tonight, October 28 - December 7, 2014.

THE LAST SHIP - the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy Award-winner Sting and book by Tony Award winner John Logan and Pulitzer Prize-winner Brian Yorkey opens tonight, October 26. The Last Ship is directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello and choreographed by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Steven Hoggett. Scroll down to learn more about the full cast and watch the company onstage in a commercial for the show below!

Combined Artform and Matthew Quinn's WOMEN has added four additional performances: November 1st, 6th, 13th & 14th - 8:00PM. It officially opened September 5th. After a sold-out run in New York City and the Hollywood Fringe Festival, WOMEN, written by Chiara Atik and directed by Stephanie Ward, is returning to Los Angeles for a full run at the Asylum Theater, August 28th through October 25th.