The Public Theatre News

How do you discuss the undiscussable? Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the Philadelphia premiere of David Mamet's provocative play Race, running January 21 through February 13, 2011 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).

Upcoming Theatre Communication Group Member Shows - 12/26 for Maine

Robi Hager, of the Tony Award-winning musical Spring Awakening, will make his solo debut January 18th at Joe's Pub.

Victory Gardens continues its 2010/11 Season with the world premiere of The Boys Room by Ensemble Playwright Joel Drake Johnson, directed by Associate Artistic Director Sandy Shinner. The Boys Room marks Shinner and Johnson's sixth collaboration-A Guide For The Perplexed, Four Places, The End of the Tour, Before My Eyes, all at Victory Gardens, and Tranquillity Woods for Steppenwolf's First Look series. The production runs January 21 - February 20, 2011 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The Press Opening is Monday, January 31, 2011, at 7:30 pm.

With gaseous energy and outrageous jokes, the first rehearsals of The Imaginary Invalid at Portland Center Stage are underway, in a new adaptation by Constance Congdon of the classic comedy by Molière. The Imaginary Invalid previews on Tuesday, January 11, 2011, with opening night set for January 14, and performances through February 6. Performance times are Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30 pm, with matinees at 2:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and some Thursday matinees at noon. Tickets start at $33 for full adult prices, with student and under age 30 discounts available. Rush tickets may be available for some performances at $20 each. For a full calendar of performances and ticket availability, visit the show page at http://www.pcs.org/invalid.

The first show of 2011 on the Hubbard Stage is Yasmina Reza's Tony Award- winning God of Carnage, directed by Wilson Milam.

Upcoming Theatre Communication Group Member Shows - 12/19 for Maine

La Jolla Playhouse presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined, by Lynn Nottage (Intimate Apparel, Crumbs from the Table of Joy), directed by South Africa native Liesl Tommy, in the Mandell Weiss Theatre November 16 - December 19 (media night: Sunday, November 21 at 7:00 pm).

Obie Award-winning director Annie Dorsen (PASSING STRANGE, DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA) returns to New York - after having spent the last year creating theatre and dance throughout Europe - with the U.S. premiere of her ground-breaking, human-less new play for computers HELLO HI THERE, as a part of PS122's 6th annual COIL festival, their annual winter festival of contemporary performance featuring hits from past, present and future seasons of PS122.

Since COIL began in 2006, 50+ companies from NYC, the US, UK, Australia, continental Europe, Latin America and Asia have been presented as part of this mid-winter festival.

Steppenwolf is pleased to announce ensemble member and three-time Tony® and Emmy® nominee Martha Plimpton will be the guest of honor at the 2nd annual Steppenwolf Salutes WOMEN IN THE ARTS fundraising luncheon on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 12:00 pm at The W Chicago - City Center, 172 West Adams St. Ms.

The Hive Theatre Company is pleased to present The Hive Exposed Series; staged readings of new and underexposed plays. The second in this series is a benefit staged reading of Amina Henry's AN AMERICAN FAMILY TAKES A LOVER at the cell theatre on Tuesday, December 14th at 7pm.

Upcoming Theatre Communication Group Member Shows - 12/12 for Maine

Philadelphia Theatre Company spells F-U-N when it opens its 35th Anniversary mainstage season with the multiple Tony Award winner The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, and conceived by Rebecca Feldman, running November 12-December 12 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets).

The Flea Theater presents On the Square Productions's World Premiere of Monroe, Illinois:to take place in December at their downstairs venue. On the Square Over Here/Townie Productions is an award winning 501(c)3 theatre company. Monroe, Illinois: Over Here/Townie is written by up and coming playwright Aaron Wigdor Levy (This Is Not a Time Bomb, Central). Levy is a member of The Public Theatre's Emerging Writers Group. Deborah Wolfson (Drums in the Night, Williamsburg: The Musical, America, A Problem Play) will direct. Monroe, Illinois: Over Here/Townie is written as two separate one-act plays. Both plays are set in fictional, working class town of Monroe, Illinois. Over Here revolves around a widowed matriarch, Patty, and her two children, Nora and Danny, all of whom are coping with the death of their husband/father who was killed in Iraq. Townie tells the story of one Woman through 30 years of her life, from her engagement to her marriage, the birth of her children, infidelity, and divorce. The deterioration of the traditional American family is the tie that binds.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full company of the new Broadway production of Anything Goes, starring Tony Award winner Sutton Foster as 'Reno Sweeney' and Tony and Academy Award winner Joel Grey as 'Moonface Martin.'

Tonight, Decmber 6, MERCHANT OF VENICE star Al Pacino will appear on Larry King Live to discuss 'his one regret, his roles, and more.' Click below to watch a preview of his appearance!

Upcoming Theatre Communication Group Member Shows - 12/05 for Maine

Playwright, screenwriter, and 'Friday Night Lights' actor Steven Michael Walters' new Southern Gothic tragedy opened Friday, December 3 at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre in the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex (312 West 36th Street at 8th Avenue).

Next Theatre Company is proud to announce the Midwest premiere of Julie Cho's The Piano Teacher, directed by Lisa Portes, November 8 - December 5, 927 Noyes Street in Evanston.