The Players Club News

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for Charles Randolph-Wright's world premiere drama Love in Afghanistan. Randolph-Wright, a Resident Playwright through Arena Stage's American Voices New Play Institute and director of Motown the Musical currently on Broadway, joins forces with director Lucie Tiberghien (MCC Theater's Don't Go Gentle) to bring to life the tale of two fantastically different people discovering love in the most unlikely of places: war-torn Afghanistan. One, an emerging hip-hop artist, the other, a high-level Afghan interpreter, both fight to navigate the pitfalls of romance, religious differences and political unrest. Love in Afghanistan runs October 11-November 17, 2013 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for Charles Randolph-Wright's world premiere drama Love in Afghanistan. Randolph-Wright, a Resident Playwright through Arena Stage's American Voices New Play Institute and director of Motown the Musical currently on Broadway, joins forces with director Lucie Tiberghien (MCC Theater's Don't Go Gentle) to bring to life the tale of two fantastically different people discovering love in the most unlikely of places: war-torn Afghanistan. One, an emerging hip-hop artist, the other, a high-level Afghan interpreter, both fight to navigate the pitfalls of romance, religious differences and political unrest. Love in Afghanistan runs October 11-November 17, 2013 in the Arlene and Robert Kogod Cradle.

Theater 2020, Brooklyn Heights' professional theater company continues its outreach to the Brooklyn community with their FREE "Hearthside Reading Series." The September reading features two one act comedies, "The Thrice Three Muses" by Lynn Marie Macy & "Harold" by Theodore Herstand. The plays, which both present comic situations reflecting how people handle "maturing," will take place on Saturday, September 21, 2013 in the first floor theater room at the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, and feature professional actors from the company. Running time is approximately 75 minutes, and refreshments will be served. No reservations are necessary.

Playing the role of Ichabod Crane in the award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's production of the world premiere of 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,' is Matt Baxter Luceno. His first appearance with ELTC was playing Rodney Martin in the comedy 'It Pays to Advertise' last fall, and now he's back as the music and school teacher from Connecticut who lands a job in superstitious Tarrytown, New York.

Meet the cast, playwright, and director of the award-winning Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company's production of 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' on Friday, August 2 at an after-show Q&A. It's a wonderful opportunity for theater lovers to learn about those involved in this profession, and ask the cast and crew how and why they do what they do.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presented Bernard Shaw's madcap comedy TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produced and directed. In TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD, a glamorous pair of jewel thieves (Charles Busch and Robert Cuccioli) convince a chronic young convalescent (Ryann Redmond) to steal her own jewels and run away with them to a tropical paradise. Her over-protective mother (Jackie Hoffman) comes chasing after them and a riotous time is had by all. This is Shaw's 1931 madcap high-comedy journey, which takes on fad diets, the medical profession, the military, war, religion, and sex. It's a short and lively comedic lark.

Clifford Odets' The Silent Partner, was originally written for production by The Group Theatre, but the company sadly closed its doors before the play was ever mounted. It was never published, and other than a 1972 Lee Strasberg helmed workshop at the Actors Studio, the play has been unseen for 75 years causing it to be the source of much speculation. Often referred to as a long-form version of Waiting for Lefty as it deals with striking workers, it is an entirely original and savagely poetic 3-Act tale that only Odets could tell.

The 2013 Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence were held Monday night, June 3rd, at The Players Club. Honorees at the evening's ceremony included the Distinguished Service to the Theatre Award given, posthumously, to Helen Guditis and The Theatre Arts Education Award presented to Emerson College. The evening also included a special tribute to the Palace Theater in honor of its 100th anniversary. The Palace Tribute was a trip back in time to the vaudeville era. Scroll down for photos from the arrivals, ceremony and more!

As the only 501(c)6 advocacy organization for the independent theater and performing arts population of New York City, the League of Independent Theater (which supports the interests of over 50,000 artists who vote regularly*) stands with and endorse Manhattan Borough President, Scott M. Stringer for Comptroller of The City of New York, Julie Menin for Manhattan Borough President, Jimmy Van Bramer for City Council, and other pro-Arts candidates including: Jenifer Rajkumar - District 1; Ben Kallos - District 5; Ken Biberaj - District 6; Melissa Mark-Viverito - District 8; Cliff Stanton - District 11 and Rory Lancman - District 24.

Reed Birney, William Jackson Harper, David Ross, and Danielle Slavick are set for Lucas Hnath's HILLARY AND CLINTON to be directed by Victor Maog. The performance will take place Tuesday June 4th at 7pm at The Players Club, located at 16 Gramercy Park South.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW presents Bernard Shaw's madcap comedy TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD at 7pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

The Theatre Museum has announced the honorees for the 2013 Theatre Museum Awards for Excellence. The mission of TheTheatre Museum is to preserve, protect, and perpetuate the legacy of the theatre,it is the first and only chartered non profit museum dedicated to the historyof Theatre. Since 1995 The Awards for Excellence have recognized individualsand organizations for their contribution to theater arts, education, theaterhistory and preservation. The 2013 Theatre Museum Awards will take place on Monday, June 3rd at 6PM at The Players Club 16 Gramercy Park, NYC.

Gotham Stage Company's third installment of their new play series will be co-presented for the first time by Slant Theatre Project. Launched in 2011, the SPRINGBoard reading series exists to nurture new plays and to provide opportunities to both early and mid-career theatre artists. Past featured playwrights have included Carrie Barrett, Randall David Cook, and Ethan Lipton.

Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw just presented ADMIRABLE BASHVILLE, Bernard Shaw's madcap comedy about boxing, on Monday, April 29 at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. Check out photos from the event below!

Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw presents MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION, Bernard Shaw's legendary play about women's rights, on Monday, May 20 at 7pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

'I can't marry Ernest Hamilton. I love him! We wish to be free to keep together! In the old days when they had interests in common, marriage used to make man and woman one, but now, it puts them apart. Can't you see it all about you? No wonder one in eleven ends in divorce. The only way to avoid spiritual separation is to shun legal union like a disease. Modern marriage is divorce.' Helen is talking to her much befuddled family in Jesse Lynch Williams' comedy 'Why Marry?,' the first play to receive a Pulitzer Prize. A Broadway hit in 1917, it toured the country for a year, but had not been produced again until East Lynne Theater Company included it in its 2006 Cape May production season. The show was so successful, that ELTC revived it the following summer. On Friday, May 10 at 7:30p.m., 'Why Marry?' returns to a NYC stage for the first time since 1917 when ELTC presents a staged reading with most of the actors who were in the acclaimed 2007 production, at The Players Club, located at 16 Gramercy Park South (20th Street, East of Park Avenue).

Ego Actus (Bruce A! Kraemer and Joan Kane producers) will present Kate Fodor's 100 Saints You Should Know from May 9th thru May 26th at Urban Stages. Joan Kane directs. The cast features Rosie Cosch*, Eric Percival, Carolyn Cutillo, Phoenix Lee and Annette Hunt* (Ivanov at CSC Rep). (*Members of Actors' Equity)

Noel & Company will present a staged reading of Liliom by Ferenc Molnar at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) on Tuesday April 23rd at 7PM. The reading will be the second installment in Noel & Company's festival honoring the work of Eva Le Gallienne. Artistic Director Keith Merrill will direct, and Anne Kaufman will produce the event.

Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw presents ADMIRABLE BASHVILLE, Bernard Shaw's madcap comedy about boxing, on Monday, April 29 at 7pm at The Players Club (16 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan. David Staller produces and directs.

Eva Kantor, 2012 MetroStar Finalist, will bring her first solo show 'The Way I Am' to The Laurie Beechman Theatre, tonight, March 29-April 21, 2013, directed by Eric Michael Gillett, with musical direction by Don Rebi and produced by Cookie Stark.