The Public Theatre News

Making its Midwest premiere in the birthplace of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill W. and Dr. Bob is an inspirational, gripping and timely story about the men and their wives whose relationships pioneered the beginning of Alcoholics Anonymous and the creation of Al-Anon.

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.

Nicholas Martin announced today the remainder of the 2010 Season for Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF), the 56th season, and final one under Martin's tenure as WTF Artistic Director.

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.

New play THE MUMBLINGS by Dan Kitrosser will receive an industry reading April 19th. The reading will be directed by Jess Chayes and starring Tony Nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q) and David Wilson Barnes (Becky Shaw).

Tisa Chang, Artistic Producing Director of Pan Asian Repertory Theatre continues its 33rd season with CHING CHONG CHINAMAN, a satirical new comedy by Lauren Yee directed by May Adrales. The limited engagement runs April 11, 2010 at the West End Theatre. Recently, Mayor David Dinkins and his wife Joyce took in a production, and visited the cast backstage.

Evangelical comedy duo, The Rev. Bill and Betty, are set to appear on Jeremy X. Halpern's Brooklyn Basement Tuesdays, his new weekly variety show aired on www.Weirdos.TV. The Rev. Bill and Betty will join composer and producer Jeremy X. Halpern for a mad mix of improvisational music and comedy.

New York alternative music duo, Die! Die! My Darling!, will make a special appearance on Jeremy X. Halpern's weekly music show aired on www.Weirdos.TV. Katie Madonna Lee and Louis Jordan of Die! Die! My Darling! will join composer and producer Jeremy X. Halpern for a jam session at Halpern's Williamsburg studio on Tuesday April 6, 2010.

Rehearsals begin today, Monday, April 5 for the World Premiere production of PARADISE FOUND, a new musical under the combined direction of Theater legend and 21-time Tony Award winner Harold Prince (the original productions of Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera, Company, Follies, Evita) and 5-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman (Crazy For You, Show Boat, The Producers, Contact). This is their first collaboration since the landmark, Tony Award-winning revival of Show Boat. Following the New York rehearsal period, the production will open at London's acclaimed Menier Chocolate Factory with performances running May 19 through June 26.

The Kennedy Center will end its run of Golden Age, a new play by Terrence McNally, on April 4th. Following its world premiere with the Philadelphia Theatre Company ran in the Kennedy Center Family Theater as part of Terrence McNally's Nights at the Opera, a five-week event featuring three of the playwright's works performed concurrently on three Kennedy Center stages.

Signature Theatre, the current recipient of the Tony Award® for Regional Theatre, presents the world premiere musical Sycamore Trees by Ricky Ian Gordon, composer of the acclaimed opera The Grapes of Wrath and the OBIE Award-winning Orpheus and Euridice, as well as the musicals My Life with Albertine and Dream True.

This spring, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Center Theatre Group present In the Wake, a powerful world premiere from the creators of Broadway's Well. Obie Award-winners Lisa Kron and Leigh Silverman reunite for a searing show which questions whether we as Americans appreciate our freedom.

Miracle Theatre Group and Staged! Portland's Musical Theatre Series present a collaborative production of SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD

'Magnetic North', William Donnelly's play which explores the the faith in faithfulness and the fine line between flirtation and betrayal, will close at The Public Theatre in Maine on March 28.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Founding Executive Directors) today announced plans for an ambitious series of events surrounding the highly anticipated New York premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play, directed by Mark Wing-Davey.

NEW YORK NEO-FUTURISTS' production of THE SOUP SHOW, written and performed by Desiree Burch, Cara Francis & Erica Livingston, directed by Lauren Sharpe, will close on March 27 at HERE Arts Center (145 Avenue of the Americas NY, NY 10013).

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.

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.

Tisa Chang, Artistic Producing Director of Pan Asian Repertory Theatre continues its 33rd season with CHING CHONG CHINAMAN, a satirical new comedy by Lauren Yee directed by May Adrales. The limited engagement plays March 19 - April 11, 2010 at the West End Theatre (263 W. 86th Street between Broadway & West End Avenue in the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew, 2nd floor). Opening night is Wednesday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m.

New York's OBIE Award-winning Epic Theatre Ensemble (Zak Berkman, Melissa Friedman, Ron Russell, Founding Executive Directors) today announced plans for an ambitious series of events surrounding the highly anticipated New York premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Passion Play, directed by Mark Wing-Davey.