The Public Theatre News

Actor's Choice starts the new year with Suzan-Lori Parks' highly celebrated play depicting the adult lives of two African-American brothers, Lincoln and Booth, as they cope with women, work, poverty, gambling, racism, and their troubled upbringings.

One of Kansas City's most acclaimed actors, Gary Neal Johnson, is set to star as the iconic Willy Loman in Kansas City Repertory Theatre's production of Arthur Miller's Tony Award-winning Death of a Salesman. The Rep's artistic director Eric Rosen will direct the production, which runs January 18-February 10 at Spencer Theatre. Miller's classic play about a down-on-his-luck salesman searching for his American Dream remains one of the most profound dramas in the canon of American theatre.

Jack Viertel, Artistic Director of New York City Center's Encores! series, today announced the directors and choreographers of the Encores! 20th Anniversary season, opening on January 30, 2013. The Tony Award-winning series welcomes back directors Gary Griffin, John Rando and Warren Carlyle, choreographers Alex Sanchez and Joshua Bergasse, and Guest Music Director Rob Fisher.

Tony Award winner Idina Menzel will perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on New Year's Eve, and recently stopped by the KTLA studios to discuss the concert, her career and more - view the interview below!

Dallas Theater Center will conclude its four-year Shakespeare cycle with one of the playwright's greatest tragedies King Lear, a co-production with Trinity Repertory Company and directed by DTC artistic director Kevin Moriarty. King Lear opens for previews on Friday, January 18 and runs through Sunday, February 18.

On today's episode of 'Katie', Katie Couric made holiday wishes come true for some of the people who need it most this year. The studio audience, filled with women from some of the communities that were hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, were surprised with a holiday giveaway. Among those assisting the big reveal was Broadway star Idina Menzel. Click below to watch!

New Repertory Theatre announces Becky Mode's wry comedy, FULLY COMMITTED, tonight, December 19 through 30, 2012, performing in the Black Box Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, MA.

MTC MainStage, Music Theatre of Connecticut's Professional Equity Acting Company, presents an encore of its' Moss Hart Award-Winning production of 'It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.' Adapted for the stage by Joe Landry and directed by MTC MainStage Artistic Director Kevin Connors, this beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. Two benefit performances are today, December 15 at 2pm and 8pm and take place at MTC MainStage Studio Theatre in Westport, CT. All proceeds to benefit Music Theatre of Connecticut and its programming.

Black Swan State Theatre Company presents The Motherf**ker with the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis, 17 January - 3 February 2013.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival continues to expand its ongoing commitment to the development and production of new work with five new commissions. American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle adds Ayad Akhtar, Kirsten Greenidge, Stephen Karam, Lisa Loomer and Karen Zacarias to its list of commissioned writers.

Additional casting has been announced for LUCKY GUY on Broadway. The production stars two-time Academy Award-winner Tom Hanks, making his Broadway debut, in a new play by three-time Academy Award-nominee Nora Ephron and directed by two-time Tony Award-winner George C. Wolfe.

GLEE icon and Broadway megastar Idina Menzel will be in the house on ELLEN, today, December 12th. The superstar will discuss life with her husband Taye Diggs, their family, and her brand new PBS concert event! Check local listings for air times in your area. (Ellen airs on NBC, Channel 4, at 4 PM ET in the New York area)

Idina Menzel appeared on Good Day LA to talk about her upcoming New Year's Eve concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall, as well as her husband, fellow stage star Taye Diggs, her son Walker, and more. Click below to watch the interview!

MyFOXLA does a daily hangout on Google+ to give its viewers behind the scenes access to the making of a TV news broadcast. After their interviews on set, the program invites special guests to come back to the Social Media Desk with Maria Quiban to chat with viewers. Click below to watch Tony Award winning actress Idina Menzel talk about her upcoming show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA on New Year's Eve and more!

Broadway legend Andrea McArdle has two new albums set for release on Broadway Records. The first, '70s and Sunny: Live At 54 BELOW', was recorded during her triumphant debut at the new Broadway hotspot 54 BELOW and will be released today, December 11, 2012. The second recording, 'Calendar Dream', is an exciting new project that teams Andrea up with a stellar array of Broadway's most awarded writers to journey though a year of a woman's life.

This week rehearsals begin for Katori Hall's magical new play, The Mountaintop. Already a worldwide sensation-winner of London's Olivier Award and recently hailed in a star-studded Broadway production-the play receives its highly anticipated Baltimore premiere on January 9, 2013. Tickets are selling quickly, with some performances nearly sold out.

GLEE icon and Broadway megastar IDINA MENZEL will be in the house on ELLEN, Wednesday, December 12th. Check local listings for air times.

A holiday treat, not for the whole family! Now at the forefront of play development, with local writers, KTC presents their 13th World Premiere in only two years. Chosen from several new works, and fresh out the INKubator (SoloMojo) program, this World Premiere production by David Trudell will be directed by Michael Kearns at the Skylight Theatre Complex.

Prospect Theater Company will present a staged reading of Rob Urbinati's original play Death By Design, a witty and wonderfully mysterious whodunit inspired by Noel Coward and Agatha Christie, today, December 8, 2012 at 2:15pm.

Cygnet Theatre will continue its 10th Anniversary Season by presenting the San Diego Premiere of August Wilson'sGem of the Ocean. The first play, chronologically, in Wilson's epic Century Cycle, Gem of the Ocean is set to perform January 24ththrough February 24th, 2013, at Cygnet's Old Town Theatre. Press Opening is scheduled for February 2nd, 2013.