The Public Theatre News

MANIPULATION, a world-premiere play by Victoria E. Calderon about one woman's struggle for freedom and self-discovery, begins previews on June 21, prior to an official Off-Broadway press opening on June 28 at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street) in Manhattan. Will Pomerantz directs.

'Streep Tease,' an evening of Meryl Streep monologues that parodies her movies as performed by an all-male cast, will transfer from Bang Improv Theatre in Los Angeles to a one-night-only performance at Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre in New York City on June 27.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT), concludes its 2011 Nutmeg Summer Series with My Fair Lady, running July 7 - 17 in the Harriett S. Jorgensen Theatre (lower Jorgensen Auditorium) on the UConn Storrs campus. CRT is delighted to have soap opera legend Eileen Fulton, who portrayed Lisa Miller Grimaldi on As the World Turns for almost 50 years, starring as Mrs. Higgins in My Fair Lady.

The Community Theatre of Little Rock presents its Summer Musical production of 'The Great American Trailer Park Musical' on July 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th at 7:30 pm and July 17th, 24th and 31st at 2:00 pm, at the Public Theatre, located at 616 Center Street, next to Horn's in downtown Little Rock. Admission is $16 for adults, $14 for military, students and seniors age 65 and over, $14 for groups of 10 or more. Due to Adult Themes, this show is not recommended for children.

FST will present the regional premiere of Our Son's Wedding. The new play had its world premiere at Gloucester Stage Company, and went on to a recent run at Lake George Dinner Theatre in New York. New York actress Marina Re returns to FST as the wife, Mary, after appearing as the mother in both The Miamians and Boleros for the Disenchanted. She also appeared in Our Son's Wedding at Lake George Dinner Theatre and Gloucester Stage in the same role. Marina's husband, actor Paul D'Amato, will join her on stage in what will surely be a chemistry filled portrayal of the couple Angelo and Mary Lo Presto.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival expands its ongoing commitment to the development and production of new work with five new commissions announced today.

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 65th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 3, 2011 by Tony Award winning actor Matthew Broderick and Tony Award winning actress Anika Noni Rose, at the Tony Award Nominations Announcement sponsored by IBM.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents the Penumbra Theatre production of I Wish You Love written by Dominic Taylor and directed by Lou Bellamy. Following its world premiere at Penumbra Theatre in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the drama with music runs June 11 to 19, 2011 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. I Wish You Love is produced with the assistance of the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays. The press opening for I Wish You Love will take place on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. The production features Dennis W. Spears as Nat -King? Cole, singing more than 20 of Cole's beloved songs. Additional casting includes Kevin D. West as Oliver Moore, Eric Berryman as Jeffrey Prince, and Michael Tezla as Bill Henry.

Donna Hanover and Colman Domingo hosted a luncheon yesterday, June 9 at the National Arts Club. A benefit for the Vineyard Theatre's artistic and education programs, playwright Branden Jacobs Jenkins was presented with the Vineyard Theatre's 4th annual Paula Vogel Playwriting Award, given each year to a gifted emerging playwright. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the event and brings you photo coverage below.

Donna Hanover and Colman Domingo will host a luncheon on Thursday, June 9 at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South in Manhattan).

Berkshire Theatre Festival has announced additional casting for this summer's productions. The new cast members include Tony winners and nominees, multiple veterans of Broadway and Off Broadway as well as many returning BTF alumni. Husband and wife Stephen R. Buntrock and Erin Dilly will be working together on the world premiere of In the Mood. Jenny Powers and Angela Robinson have joined the cast of The Who's Tommy. Rachel Bay Jones of Broadway's Hair will take on the famed title character in Sylvia. Tony Winner Mia Dillon is joining Broadway and BTF alum C.J. Wilson and the previously announced Rebecca Brooksher in Tennessee Williams's serious comedy Period of Adjustment. Film actors Christian Coulson and Amari Cheatom will take on the world premiere two-hander Dutch Masters.

MANIPULATION, a world-premiere play by Victoria E. Calderon about one woman's struggle for freedom and self-discovery, will resume previews on June 21, prior to an official press opening on June 28 at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street) in Manhattan.

Community Theatre of Little Rock Announces Open Auditions for it's Summer Musical "The Great American Trailer Park Musical", Words and Music by David Nehls and Book by Betsy Kelso

The 5th Avenue Theatre is thrilled to announce casting for the highly anticipated premiere of Disney's Aladdin, a new stage musical. The show will feature Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Jasmine, James Monroe Iglehart as the Genie, and Seattle mainstay Seán G. Griffin as the Sultan. Jonathan Freeman takes the stage to embody the role he originally voiced for the film, the Royal Vizier Jafar. He is joined by comedic favorite Don Darryl Rivera as Iago. Aladdin restores a trio of characters originally conceived by the film's creators: Omar, Babkak, and Kassim, played by Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Brian Gonzales, and Brandon O'Neill, respectively. Broadway's Casey Nicholaw will direct. With book by Chad Beguelin and hit songs including 'Friend Like Me,' 'Prince Ali,' and the Oscar-winning 'A Whole New World' by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, Aladdin will enchant audiences of all ages.

Streep Tease: An Evening of Meryl Streep Monologues performed by an All-Male Cast, critically acclaimed by the LA Times, the LA Weekly and Daily Variety, will make its New York debut, Mon., June 27 at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, it was announced today by the show's Creator & Co-Executive Producer Roy Cruz.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) has announced that DAVID WILSON BARNES (Second Stage's hit Becky Shaw), JUSTIN BARTHA (The Hangover, Broadway's Lend Me a Tenor), ANNA CAMP (Second Stage's The Scene, 'True Blood'), and KRYSTEN RITTER (Confessions of a Shopaholic, Second Stage's All This Intimacy) will appear in the world premiere comedy, ALL NEW PEOPLE, written by ZACH BRAFF and directed by PETER DuBOIS. ALL NEW PEOPLE will begin previews on Tuesday, June 28 and officially open on Monday, July 25 at 7:00pm at Second Stage's Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd street). For tickets or more information, please visit www.2ST.com.

Magic Futurebox is proud to present the second in the Playwright Spotlight series of works by LARK PONY fellow Tommy Smith, the NYC premiere of DEMON DREAMS: a children's musical (for all audiences) featuring music by Paul D. Miller AKA DJ Spooky.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director; Jaynie Saunders Tiller, Managing Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, will present "THE GERM PROJECT," featuring the work of playwrights Kara Lee Corthron (directed by Kara-Lynn Vaeni), Lynn Rosen (directed by Shoshana Gold), Kathryn Walat (directed by Portia Krieger), and Anna Ziegler (directed by Beatrice Terry).

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Jessica R. Jenen, will honor legendary actor, director and CSC veteran Austin Pendleton at this year's annual benefit gala Monday, May 23 at Bridgewaters at South Street Seaport.

New Repertory Theatre, in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, will conclude its 27th Season with the Tony Award-winning musical Passing Strange. Directed by Kate Warner, with music direction by Todd C. Gordon, and choreography by Kelli Edwards, Passing Strange begins performances on May 1 and runs through May 22, 2011.