The Public Theater News

When James Rado, Gerome Ragney and Galt MacDermot''s musical Hair debuted in 1967 and transferred to Broadway a year later, they made history.

Ryan Raftery returns to Joe's Pub for his fifth consecutive run, premiering his new celebrity bio-musical comedy IVANKA 2020. A wild, irreverent mash-up of the classic film The Manchurian Candidate and the animated classic Anastasia, Raftery's latest piece is a satirical commentary on what is arguably the most fascinating political landscape the United States has seen in decades.

The Bushwick Starr partners with National Black Theatre in presenting the world premiere of SKiNFoLK: An American Show, created by playwright and performer Jillian Walker (Blue Ink at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, Sarah's Salt. developed at Roundabout Theater Company and MCC Theater), recent recipient of the NEA grant and the 2020-21 Tow Playwright-in-Residence at Soho Rep. The play is directed by Mei Ann Teo (Where We Belong at Shakespeare's Globe, Dim Sum Warriors at Shanghai's Theatre Above and national China tour).

It was announced today that Matt McGrath (Cabaret, A Streetcar Named Desire) will join the Broadway production of the hit musical Girl from the North Country in the role of Reverend Marlowe. McGrath replaces David Pittu who has left the production due to a scheduling conflict.

Soul to Soul, the electrifying and emotionally captivating theatrical concert that explores the parallels of African American and Jewish history took the stage at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend on Sunday, January 19. Presented by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), Soul to Soul included for the first time the participation of Oscar- and Grammy-nominated IMPACT Repertory Theatre.

Josh Fox, the Emmy-winning director of GASLAND, joins Tom Needham on Thursday's SOUNDS OF FILM to discuss the abrupt ending of his THE TRUTH HAS CHANGED run at the Public Theater. The radio show is also going to feature a retrospective of John William's film music in recognition of his 52nd Oscar nomination for STAR WARS EPISODE IX: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER.

Mid-January in New York City does not appear to be a particularly romantic or momentous time of year for The Big Apple. The Christmas decorations have come down (most of them at least) and the holiday revelers and hoards of tourists have retreated, getting on with their own lives for the start of a new year -- and in this case, a new decade -- during a very tumultuous time where everything matters and nothing, especially in the arts, feels arbitrary.

Today, AUDELCO (Audience Development Committee) President Jackie Jeffries, SeasonWalk Productions CEO Denise Gray, Marcia Pendelton, President of Walk Tall Girl Productions/Black Theater Online, and the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, LIU Brooklyn Campus (Rodney Hurley, Managing Director) announced THE THEATERMAKERS - A Black Theater Preview: Winter/Spring Edition.

Paper Mill Playhouse is presenting 'Unmasked: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber' from Thursday, January 30 through Sunday, March 1. The show features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is written by Richard Curtis. It is directed and choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter with musical direction by Sam Davis. Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Andrew Kober who is performing in 'Unmasked.'

The Public Theater took to Twitter to announced that their production of The Truth Has Changed, which was part of their Under The Radar Festival, has been cancelled due to playwright/performer/director Josh Fox's 'violations of [the Public's] code of conduct.'

'Parenting is just guessing. Anyone who says different is lying and their children hate them.'

Playwright Mona Mansour and director Scott Illingworth have announced the founding of the new theatre company, Society.

Mabou Mines, the esteemed experimental theater company, and Weathervane Productions, in association with Philip Glass' Days and Nights Festival, present a unique celebration of legendary playwright and director María Irene Fornés, featuring the New York premiere of Philip Glass' transformation of her five-page play Drowning into an opera and a version of Fornés' acclaimed Mud, February 21-March 7 at Mabou Mines (150 First Avenue).

This Week's New Classified Listings on BroadwayWorld for 1/16/2020 include new jobs for those looking to work in the theatre industry.

They'll tell the story of tonight becuase today, January 16, marks the birthday of legendary In the Heights and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. In honor of the ocassion, we're looking back at where the story of the ten-dollar founding father began: The Public Theater. Check out the video to see Lin alongside Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, and more celebrating the show's Off-Broadway opening night!

San Francisco Playhouse announced casting for the second production of their 2019/2020 Sandbox Series of World Premieres: Born in East Berlin, written by Rogelio Martinez. Margarett Perry will direct the world premiere production, presented at The Creativity Theater.

Following a record number of nominations and votes, winners have been announced for the 2019 BroadwayWorld San Antonio Awards, brought to you by TodayTix!! The nominees were set, audiences voted, and now we get to recognize local theatres and performers for their outstanding achievement!

In what has become an annual ritual, a total of 40 established and emerging composers, lyricists, and librettists will converge on the Goodspeed campus from mid-January through mid-February 2020 to participate in the Johnny Mercer Foundation Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals. The writing teams, representing 15 new musicals, will populate the campus, creating a truly exciting environment for discovery and inspiration.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced applications are open to musical theatre writers for nine consecutive weeklong residencies in the Hudson Valley between June 28 and August 30.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, has shared the co-chair and host committee list of the 2020 TCG Gala: Our Stories, which will be held on Monday, February 3, 2020 at The Edison Ballroom, 240 W 47th St, New York, NY 10036. The Gala will honor the National Black Theatre Festival, David Henry Hwang, and TCG's arts advocacy at the federal level.