The Public Theater News

BAX | Brooklyn Arts Exchange is excited to announce our 2014 Summer and Fall Space Grant Recipients. The Space Grant Program is designed to give choreographers, playwrights, and multi-disciplinary artists the opportunity to create new work in a setting that is conducive to working deeply and exploring new territory.

Joe's Pub at The Public has announced its lineup now through June 8. Details below!

The Public Theater previously announced TALKING ABOUT RACE: SCIENCE, POLITICS, ART 1959-1970-2014, a two-night Public Forum event this weekend, today, May 30 and Saturday, May 31 at 7:00 p.m. in The Public's Anspacher Theater. Presented with Anna Deavere Smith Works at The Aspen Institute, The American Museum of Natural History and with in-kind support from the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue at New York University, these two exciting evenings will combine performances of provocative historic conversations about race with an unscripted modern sequel.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that a special free one-night event, PUBLIC FORUM: SHAKESPEARE IN AMERICA, will take place on Monday, June 30 at 8:00 p.m. at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, with a line-up that includes Sarah Amengual, Michael Cerveris, Colman Domingo, James Earl Jones, Cynthia Nixon, Annie-B Parson, Steven Pasquale, and Michael Stuhlbarg, celebrating the world's greatest writer, American-style. Highlights of the evening will include James Earl Jones reading a scene from Othello, marking his return to the Delacorte after a 40-year absence and celebrating the 50th anniversary of his playing Othello on the Delacorte stage; Michael Cerveris reading a letter by John Wilkes Booth; and Steven Pasquale singing Tony in the "Tonight" duet from West Side Story.

On Monday, June 16, 2014 at 7:00pm, BroadwayWorld.com will continue its 2014 concert series at legendary cabaret venue Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, hosting a uniquely contemporary evening celebrating the music of the two most important and influential composers on Broadway in the modern age, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim, all to benefit the New York Public Library, and today we are thrilled to announce accomplished Broadway and West End superstar Laura Michelle Kelly has joined the line-up for the night.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: ANTHEM opens off-Broadway tonight, the NYPL hosts a discussion in honor of the O'Neill Center's 50th anniversary, and the creator of SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE Otis Sallid boogies down at 54 Below!

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced two productions for its upcoming 36th season: the first New York production in 23 years of Terrence McNally's acclaimed play, LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART, directed by Peter DuBois, and the world premiere of Neil LaBute's dark comedy, THE WAY WE GET BY.

The Old Globe today announced the cast of Shakespeare's classic tragedy Othello, directed by Old Globe Artistic DirectorBarry Edelstein and the first show of the Globe's 2014 Summer Shakespeare Festival. Joining the previously announced Blair Underwood in the title role, Richard Thomas as Iago, and Kristen Connolly as Desdemona are Broadway and Globe veterans Noah Bean (Michael Cassio; Yellow Face, "Damages"), Jonny Orsini (Roderigo; The Nance), Mark Pinter (The Duke of Venice; the Globe's Hamlet and Charley's Aunt), Angela Reed (Emilia; Rock 'n' Roll, the Globe's August: Osage County), and Mike Sears (Brabantio, Gratiano; La Jolla Playhouse's Sideways and His Girl Friday).

Center Stage presents the exciting new comedy Wild with Happy by Colman Domingo. This heartwarming adventure through love and loss begins tonight, May 28, and runs through June 29, under the direction of Jeremy B. Cohen.

THE LAST SHIP, 16-time Grammy winner Sting's first foray into theater, is no jukebox musical.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director, announced the nine musicals and twenty-six writers selected for the 2014 Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, its fourth year of providing working retreats for musical theatre writers. For nine consecutive weeks beginning June 29th, each writing team will have an individual weeklong residency in Rhinebeck, New York to write their musical. They are provided with a private home, transportation, food, and a stipend. All costs are fully funded by donors including The ASCAP Foundation, The Dramatists Guild Fund, and The Noel Coward Foundation. Writers participating this year include Broadway's Mindi Dickstein (Little Women), this year's Kleban Prize winner Nathan Tysen (Burnt Part Boys), and Peter Mills, past winner of the Kleban, Fred Ebb Award, and Richard Rodgers prize. The musicals' subjects cover 19th century nautical mysteries, 20th century fairy tales, a 1970's gay bar, and modern-day meth addicts. Every score is original and styles include 16th century Renaissance, big band, folk, rock, and electronic music.

Today we are turning our attention to one of the most revered and respected plays of the last century in honor of the premiere of the HBO film adaptation this weekend, Larry Kramer's THE NORMAL HEART.

SPAIN arts & culture and The Shakespeare Theatre Company present a staged reading of Life is a Dream (La vida es sueño) by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, newly translated by Helen Edmundson. In this special presentation at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain, the philosophical masterpiece comes to life in a one-night-only staged reading by some of Washington's finest actors.

Tony Award-winning comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike will feature Resident Actor Jeffrey Bean as Vanya, Sharon Lockwood returning to the Alley as Sonia, Alley Artist Josie de Guzman returning as Masha, and Resident Actor Jay Sullivan as Spike. Rounding out the cast and making their Alley debuts are Rachael Holmes as Cassandra and Sarah Nealis as Nina. Jonathan Moscone, Artistic Director of California Shakespeare Theater, helms the production and returns after having directed the Alley's 2011 production of Amadeus.

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston will present South Pacific from June 12-22 at the Robinson Theatre (617 Lexington St. Waltham, MA, 02452). South Pacific will open Reagle's 46th Annual Summer Season, followed by Me and My Girl (July 10-20) and Singin' In the Rain (August 7-17).

Tony Winner Laura Benanti has signed with top talent agency CAA.

Lapham's Quarterly announced complete casting for their annual DECADES BALL: The 1870s on Monday, June 2. Joining the evening's entertainment are Rachel Dratch, Brian d'Arcy James, and Leslie Odom Jr., in addition to the previously announced Glenn Close, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Cerveris, Jonathan Groff, and Taylor Mac.

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston will present South Pacific from June 12-22 at the Robinson Theatre (617 Lexington St. Waltham, MA, 02452). South Pacific will open Reagle's 46th Annual Summer Season, followed by Me and My Girl (July 10-20) and Singin' In the Rain (August 7-17).

In recognition of the 20 year anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, actor/writer Jay O. Sanders' play Unexplored Interior, directed by James Glossman, received an unprecedented presentation on Sunday, May 11 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage (www.mjhnyc.org). This first of its kind, technological and creative partnership with Google+, allowed the play to be seen in NYC and at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center (www.kigaligenocidememorial.org) in Rwanda. Scroll down for photos!

Following COMMUNITY's cancellation at NBC, Jacobs has signed on to join Lena Dunham and co. for the fourth season of HBO's hit series GIRLS, according to Variety. She's set to appear in a recurring capacity.