The Public Theatre News

Australian cabaret artist KIM SMITH returns to Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre with 'MORPHIUM,' a dark and whimsical evocation of the decadence and decay of 1930's Europe. Singing in German, French, and English, Kim Smith reinterprets works by Weimar-era composers, and modern-day artists alike, from Mischa Spoliansky and the Supremes, to Kurt Weill and Kylie Minogue, as he charts a ruinous path through the arrivals and departures of a neo-Weimar, musical misfit. Jerry Steichen accompanies on piano, Christian Coulson directs.

Wizard Oil Productions is proud to present the world premiere of Adam Kraar's new play Empire of the Trees. Directed by Sherri Eden Barber, this magical new play gets a 10-performance limited engagement at The June Havoc Theatre: Thursday, April 22nd - Friday April 30th.

Singing coach Marge Rivingston has written Do You Hear What I Hear? a practice guide for the singing student. With over 40 years in the business, she knows a thing or two about how to prepare yourself for the craft and how to preserve the health of your voice. In our talk, she presents an optimism that resonates with those students who have been lucky enough to put her vast knowledge to profitable use.

Broadway leading man Gavin Creel, who is currently reprising his Broadway role of Claude in the West End's production of HAIR, will appear on May 4 at the London club Ronnie Scott's.

CHESS opened at the Signature Theatre on August 10 and will run through September 26. The cast is lead by Jill Paice (Curtains, The 39 Steps) as Florence Vassy, Euan Morton (Boy George in Taboo, Sondheim on Sondheim) as Anatoly Sergievsky and Jeremy Kushnier (Footloose, Rent) as Freddie Trumper. The rock musical is directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. Written by Mamma Mia! composers Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson with Evita and Lion King lyricist Tim Rice, the 1984 cult musical of Cold War competition in love and chess is being given its first major Washington area production. Chess is being performed in the fabulous intimacy of the 276-seat MAX Theatre.

Penumbra Theatre Company, the nation's preeminent African American theatre, proudly announces the opening of Two Old Black Guys Just Sitting Around Talking, by Gus Edwards, directed by Lou Bellamy on Thursday, April 29, 2010. The production will run April 29 - May 23, 2010.

Broadway needs to begin taking more chances on new kinds of musicals. While 'American Idiot' shows the future of Broadway musicals, 'Million Dollar Quartet' provides the backstory to the long hard journey that the music industry took to get us to this point. Here's hoping U2 can swoop in next season with 'Spider-Man' the musical and reaffirm that rock music belongs on Broadway...

Reprise Records will release The Original Broadway Cast Recording of American Idiot on April 20, 2010, the same day the show will open at the St. James Theatre in New York City. The official album features the 24-member cast accompanied by Green Day, marking another incredible collaboration between the band and the musical. Based on Green Day's chart-topping 2004 album American Idiot, the musical and the cast recording include every song from American Idiot, as well as several songs from the band's GRAMMY® Award-winning current album 21st Century Breakdown.

Mentalist R.J. Williams is set to perform his amazing feats on Jeremy X. Halpern's new weekly variety show, Brooklyn Basement Tuesdays, aired on www.Weirdos.TV. Tuesday nights at midnight, Jeremy X. holds court in the Weirdos.TV studios in lovely hipsterville, a.k.a. Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The SF Playhouse (Bill English, Artistic Director; Susi Damilano, Producing Director) announces the casting for its Regional Premiere of Stephen Adly Guirgis's Den of Thieves.

Chicago Opera Theater (COT) presents the opening production of the 2010 Spring Festival Season - Rossini's Moses in Egypt (Mosè in Egitto) on April 17, 21, 23 and 25 at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park.

Music Theatre International (MTI), the world's leading dramatic performing rights agency, announced today that Deborah Hartnett has joined the company as its new Director of Business and Legal Affairs.

The Theatre School at DePaul University's Showcase Series of Contemporary Plays and Classics presents ELECTRICIDAD, by Luis Alfaro and directed by Lisa Portes. This searing retelling of a Greek classic opens Friday, April 16, and runs through Sunday, April 25, 2010 at DePaul's historic Merle Reskin Theatre.

Rising action theater presents The Sum of Us by David Stevens, runs April 22 - May 30 on Thurs, Fri, Sat at 8pm and Sun at 7pm.

Reprise Records will release The Original Broadway Cast Recording of American Idiot on April 20, 2010, the same day the show will open at the St. James Theatre in New York City. The official album features the 24-member cast accompanied by Green Day, marking another incredible collaboration between the band and the musical. Based on Green Day's chart-topping 2004 album American Idiot, the musical and the cast recording include every song from American Idiot, as well as several songs from the band's GRAMMY® Award-winning current album 21st Century Breakdown.

Samples from the upcoming AMERICAN IDIOT Original Broadway Cast Recording are now available online via Amazon.com. The CD is currently available for pre-order and will be released April 19th.

Tisa Chang, Artistic Producing Director of Pan Asian Repertory Theatre will end its production of CHING CHONG CHINAMAN, a satirical new comedy by Lauren Yee directed by May Adrales on April 11th.

THROUGH THE NIGHT, a solo play written and performed by Obie-Award winner Daniel Beaty, will open off Broadway at The Riverside Theatre, 91 Claremont Avenue on Friday, May 7th (Previews begin on May 4th). THROUGH THE NIGHT, recently premiered as a co-production with the Crossroads Theatre (New Brunswick, NJ) and The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles to great acclaim.

Forced to find a new member just days before an appearance at the White House, the artists of an internationally celebrated string quartet are caught in a crescendo of talent and personality in the regional premiere of Michael Hollinger's OPUS, presented by TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theater of the Silicon Valley.

Tony Award-nominee Jonathan Groff is set to perform two solo concerts at Joe's Pub on June 20th at 7:00pm and 9:30pm.