The Public Theater News

The William & Eva Fox Foundation and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, have announced the eighth round of Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship recipients. The program is designed to support actors' professional and artistic development, to enrich relationships between actors and nonprofit theatres and to ensure continued professional commitment to live theatre. Funded by the Fox Foundation and administered by TCG, the fellowship is one of only a few programs of its kind for actors in the country.

The world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman, opens tonight, September 6 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre.

Three New Playwrights (Allison Bressi, Executive Producer) announced today a lineup of 45 new works by more than 60 artists, as part of (not just) 3 New Plays, a month-long pop-up event hosted by Tom Noonan's Paradise Factory (64 East 4th Street, Between Bowery & Second Avenue) September 8-29, 2013.

Next Theatre Company announces the first production in their 33rd season, Rinne Groff's Compulsion, October 10 - November 17, directed by Devon de Mayo, at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes Street. Previews are Thursday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. Opening Night is Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There are Saturday 4 p.m. performances October 27 and November 3, 10 and 17. Preview tickets are $25, Tickets are $30 - $40 with subscriber and student discounts available. Tickets may be purchased at nexttheatre.org or by calling 847-475-1875 x2.

Signature Theatre is pleased to announce the casting of award winner Christine Lahti (Running on Empty, Swing Shift,Chicago Hope) in this fall's world-premiere drama Pride in the Falls of Autrey Mill, written by Paul Downs Colaizzo (Really Really). Lahti, whose acclaimed 30-year career in theatre, television and film places her in the highest echelon of American actresses, joins this fall's production under the direction of Shakespeare Theatre Company Artistic Director Michael Kahn, who returns to Signature for the first time in nearly twenty years. Casting for the remaining three roles will be announced shortly.

The BEAT Festival is thrilled to announce that the Brooklyn-based, Tony Award winning playwright and poet Lemon Andersen will be performing at the festival's closing night

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for Natural Affection by William Inge, the first production of the company's 21st Season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Jenn Thompson, performances begin at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. Opening night is set for Thursday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Performances will continue through October 26, 2013.

The world premiere of The Tallest Tree in the Forest, a new work about the life of African-American performer and activist Paul Robeson, written and performed by Daniel Beaty and directed by Moises Kaufman, opens Friday, September 6 at Kansas City Repertory Theatre. The show runs through September 28 at the Rep's downtown theatre Copaken Stage, 13th and Walnut Streets.

Producing Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside of American Blues Theater, Chicago's second oldest Equity ensemble, announces the Ensemble's 28th season. The season begins with the Chicago professional premiere of Hank Williams: Lost Highway by award-winning playwrights Randal Myler and Mark Harelik, directed by Damon Kiely, today, September 5 - October 6; the 12th smash year of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! , now at the 199-seat Greenhouse Theater Center, directed by Ensemble member Marty Higginbotham, November 22 - December 29; world premiere of 2012 Blue Ink Playwriting Award-winning script American Myth by Christina Gorman, directed by Steve Scott, February - March 2014; Chicago premiere of 2012 Smith Prize winner Grounded by George Brant, June 2014. American Blues also announces year-long development and public reading of Ensemble member's Nambi E. Kelley's adaptation of Richard Wright's Native Son which will receive a production in fall of 2014.

Laura Benanti's 'In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention: Live At 54 BELOW' will be released digitally onSeptember 6th and on CD on September 10, 2013. The CD is now available for pre-order at http://amzn.com/B00CRU5YW0. The track listing and cover art were unveiled today by Broadway Records.

HBO Documentary Films has acquired the U.S. television rights to Madeleine Sackler's feature documentary DANGEROUS ACTS STARRING THE UNSTABLE ELEMENTS OF BELARUS, it was announced today. The film will have its world premiere Sunday, Sept. 8 at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and debut on HBO in 2014.

Ted Cubbin's new comedy The Rufus Equation, which had its world premiere at the 2013 New York International Fringe Festival, has been extended into the Fringe Encore Series, with five performances added for Sunday, September 8 at 3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., Tuesday September 10 at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday. September 15 at 3:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. at The Players Theater (115 MacDougal Street, NYC). Tickets for these added performances are available through www.TheRufusEquation.com.

Songwriter and Playwright Michael Mitnick (Fly By Night, Animal House) comes to Joe's Pub at The Public for a one-night concert of his songs on September 9th at 9:30 PM. Described as 'his first public concert in 30 years,' Mitnick will be joined by a four-piece band and an ensemble of Broadway performers including Santino Fontana (Billy Elliot, Cinderella), Adam Riegler (Addams Family), Will Connolly (Once), Austin Durant (War Horse), Peter Friedman (Ragtime), Jessica Grove (A Little Night Music) and more. Directed by Daniel Goldstein, Music Directed by Alvin Hough, including some songs written with Will Connolly, Kim Rosenstock, Simon Rich, and Massive Attack.

Everything is Ours, written by Nikole Beckwith, directed by Adrienne Campbell-Holt, and produced by Devon Berkshire. Performances begin Today, August 31st at 8:30pm, at HERE Arts Center, 145 Sixth Avenue, (entrance on Dominick St. 1 Block South of Spring). Opening night is set for Tuesday, September 3rd at 7:00pm. The show must close Today, September 21st. Tickets are $18 general admission and may be purchased at www.here.org or by phoning 212.352.3101.

Today we are talking to one of the most notably theatrical and animated performers in music history known for his operatic onstage antics as well as his acting in a number of notable stage and screen properties over his forty-year career besides his legendary recording work - the one and only Meat Loaf. Analyzing the magical musical ingredients that have made BAT OUT OF HELL one of the bestselling albums of all time, as well as the worldwide success of its sequel and its lead single 'I'd Do Anything For Love' and his ongoing relationship with the peerless rock visionary of a creator behind them both, Jim Steinman, Loaf nee Aday sheds some new light on his rich recording legacy, then and now. Additionally, Loaf shares first news of his upcoming re-teaming with Steinman on tracks for his new BRAVE & CRAZY album as well as shares some candid and vivid touring stories old and new involving the idiosyncratic and iconic rock pair. Most importantly, Loaf gives us the 411 on his new Las Vegas residency at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, ROCKTELLZ & COCKTAILS PRESENTS MEAT LOAF for six weeks beginning September 26 and also outlines what fans can expect catching him on tour, too. Plus, Loaf recounts his various experiences on the Broadway and Hollywood adaptations of the ever-enduring ultimate cult classic as it marks its fortieth anniversary, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, and also imparts memories from his early days in New York, recounting stage roles in musicals like HAIR and Steinman's own MORE THAN YOU DESERVE, as well as roles in Shakespearean drama and comedy byway of OTHELLO and AS YOU LIKE - not to mention the infamous ROCKABYE HAMLET '70s rock musical - among others. All of that, thoughts on the upcoming FIGHT CLUB sequel, choosing newcomer Michael Bay and casting Angelina Jolie for BAT 2 music videos, memories of appearing on GLEE as well as information on multiple upcoming film appearances and insights into show business in general - and much, much more!

Joe's Pub at The Public will welcome conceptual artist, musician and educator Nora York in Water Water Everywhere / Nay Any Drop To Drink, a new work presented by Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Ballroom Marfa and the Public Concern Foundation as part of the city-wideMarfa Dialogue NY symposium on climate change. This one-night-only performance takes place at Joe's Pub on November 10 at 7:00 PM and is FREE and open to the public.

Aurora Theatre Company opens its 22nd season with the Bay Area Premiere of Obie-winning playwright Amy Herzog's (4000 Miles, Belleville, The Great God Pan) family drama AFTER THE REVOLUTION. Joy Carlin (Body Awareness, Jack Goes Boating,Awake and Sing!) directs this drama about what we do with history and how we appropriate it for our own personal needs. Featuring Adrian Anchondo, Jessica Bates, Peter Kybart, Sarah Mitchell, Ellen Ratner, Rolf Saxon, Victor Talmadge, and Pamela Gaye Walker, AFTER THE REVOLUTION plays tonight, August 30 through September 29 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

This September, the Getty Museum and CalArts' Center for New Performance (CNP), in association with Trans Arts, will presentPrometheus Bound, the eighth annual outdoor theater production in the Getty Villa's Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater. Featuring a newly-translated text by noted poet and essayist Joel Agee, Prometheus Bound will be directed by Travis Preston, artistic director of CNP and dean of the CalArts School of Theater, and include original music by composer Ellen Reid and celebrated jazz multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia (who will also perform live onstage).