The Public Theatre News

It takes a village to create a masterpiece. OBIE Winner, José Rivera ('Marisol' and 'References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot'), premieres another powerful stage-work at the East Village's arts haven, The theater at the 14th Street Y.

Justin Sayre's camp-horror-soap-opera, twelve-episode serial RAVENSWOOD MANOR will take the Celebration Theatre stage beginning October 17, 2019 for a six-week run. Novelist/playwright/TV scripter/performer/host Justin took some time to answer a few of my questioning queries on his various functions as novelist/playwright/TV scripter/performer/host.

Bring Live Theatre into your home or organization with a private performance of Ian Ruskin's acclaimed tour de force one-man play To Begin the World Over Again: the Life of Thomas Paine including a Q&A plus meet and greet after the play. This timely play has been performed at Joe's Pub, at the Public Theatre in NYC, Fanueil Hall in Boston, plus hundreds of noted performances to standing ovations in the US and UK. 

The Public Theatre begins it's 2019-20 Season with the laugh out loud comedy WOMEN IN JEOPARDY playing October 18 - 27.  Imagine Sex and the City meets I love Lucy when middle-aged moms start dating! Longtime friends Liz, Mary and Jo do everything together, until Liz starts dating a creepy guy who may or may not be a serial killer. It's up to her gal pals to bring her to her senses as they trade in their wine glasses for spy glasses and leap to her rescue. Grab your gal pals for this laugh out loud comedy about how ridiculously far we'll go to help our friends.

Today, producers Eden Espinosa, Bridget Elise Yingling, Scott Prisand, Doug Feurring and Jana Shea announced additional stars for the one-night-only 15th Anniversary reunion concert of BKLYN: The Musical. Tony Award nominee Will Swenson (Hair, Les Miserables) will reprise his role as Taylor Collins, and Grammy Award nominee Quentin Earl Darrington (Once On This Island, CATS) will play the role of Streetsinger. Original Broadway cast members Julie Reiber (Come From Away), Horace V. Rogers (Tarzan), Caren Lyn Tackett (High Fidelity) will complete the cast, joining the previously announced Eden Espinosa (RENT, Wicked) as Brooklyn, Karen Olivo (Moulin Rouge, In the Heights) as Faith, and stage star Ramona Keller (The Public Theatre's Hercules, City Center's Little Shop of Horrors) as Paradice. The concert, which benefits Covenant House Foundation (www.covenanthouse.org), will be presented on the 15th anniversary of the show's Broadway opening night, Monday, October 21 at 7:30 PM, at Brooklyn Steel (319 Frost Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222). Tickets can be purchased HERE.

Inis Nua Theatre presents the Philadelphia Premiere of the award-winning play THE NIGHT ALIVE by Tony Award-nominated Conor McPherson. THE NIGHT ALIVE tells the story of Tommy who lives in a filthy studio apartment and survives on odd jobs around Dublin. When he rescues a young woman from her abusive boyfriend, Tommy's dilapidated home becomes a safe haven from her violent past and the tenuous friendship they build forever alters their lives. The production will be directed by Barrymore Award-nominated director and Inis Nua Founder and Artistic Director Tom Reing. Previews begin Wednesday, October 9, with opening night on Friday, October 11. The show runs through October 27, 2019 for a total of 15 performances. All performances will take place at the Louis Bluver Theatre at the Drake, 302 South Hicks Street. Tickets are $15 - $35. For reservations, visit inisnuatheatre.org.

Apollinaire Theatre Company is thrilled to announce its 2019/2020 Season! 

a?oeFall is officially here, which means it's time for the start of The Public Theatre's 2019-20 season!a?? says Christopher Schario, the Artistic Director of Lewiston/Auburn's Professional Theatre. Subscriptions and tickets to all shows throughout the season are currently on sale, and now is the perfect time to stock up on essentials like date nights, time with friends and inspiring theatre to feed your soul during the upcoming winter months.

OBIE Winner, José Rivera ('Marisol' and 'References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot'), premieres another powerful stage-work: Lovesong (Imperfect), running February 8 - 22 at the Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 E 14th Street, New York City

Applications for all 2020 Orchard Project residencies are now open. Artists, writers, ensembles, and companies are encouraged to apply this fall to the program's Professional Lab, Greenhouse program, or Episodic Lab.

Join us at 7:00PM on the evening of September 27th for a feast of gorgeous performances by artists who have worked with JAG in the past and delicious southern home cooking prepared by Piecemeal Pies. Cocktails and dinner begin at 7:00PM at the Newberry Market and performances begin at 8:00PM at Briggs Opera House in White River Junction, VT. 

When the Colonial Theatre of Rhode Island's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream recently won the Westerly Sun Readers Choice Award for Best Live Production of 2019, perhaps no other company member celebrated more fervently than actress Marion Markham.

Today, producers Eden Espinosa, Bridget Elise Yingling, Scott Prisand, Doug Feurring and Jana Shea announced a one-night-only 15th Anniversary reunion concert of BKLYN: The Musical featuring Original Broadway stars Drama League nominee Eden Espinosa (RENT, Wicked) as Brooklyn, Tony Award winner Karen Olivo (Moulin Rouge, In the Heights) as Faith, and stage star Ramona Keller (The Public Theatre's Hercules, City Center's Little Shop of Horrors) as Paradice. The concert, which benefits Covenant House Foundation (www.covenanthouse.org), will be presented on the 15th anniversary of the show's Broadway opening night, Monday, October 21 at 7:30 PM, at Brooklyn Steel (319 Frost Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222). Tickets can be purchased HERE. 

A rocking, lively, faithful rendition of 'Passing Strange,' the unique musical by Stew and Heide Rodewald, created in collaboration with Annie Dorsen, features a flawless ensemble of performers in Firehouse's production, directed by Tawnya Pettiford-Wates.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) will present the East Coast Premiere of Cambodian Rock Band by Lauren Yee, directed by Marti Lyons and featuring the songs of Dengue Fever, Sinn Sisamouth, Voy Ho, and Rose Serey Sothea, from October 16 to November 10 at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre, according to Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas and Interim Artistic Director Terry Berliner. Cambodian Rock Band is a co-production with Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago and City Theatre in Pittsburgh.

Tony Award & Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan will return to Broadway with the second of his two exhilarating dramas celebrating Lyndon B. Johnson's legacy: THE GREAT SOCIETY. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

Deadline reports that a comedy pilot led by Ms. Pat has landed at Hulu. J. Bernard Calloway will star opposite the comedian, while Lee Daniels and Brian Grazer executive produce. 'Fame' alum Debbie Allen directs the pilot.

Get ready to be a film critic and head on over to The Public Theatre September 27 and 28 at 7:30 pm for the 22nd Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival.

Visceral Entertainment is announces private industry readings of Mike Lee's TALL SHIPS, directed by Thomas Caruso (Southern Comfort, The Public Theatre).

Today's top stories: The Lehman Trilogy is headed to Broadway, and more!