The Stratford Shakespeare Festival News

Marcus Nance and Friends return to the Metropolitan Room Perform in concert for one night only on Monday, September 10 at 9:30 pm.

Composer/lyricist Neil Bartram and book writer Brian Hill, Drama Desk Nominated authors of Broadway's The Story of My Life, will workshop their newest musical Something Wicked This Way Comes, adapted from the novel by Ray Bradbury, with the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre at the University of Oklahoma in October 2012.

In the video interview below, actors Tom Rooney and Robin Hutton describe the new Canadian musical Wanderlust, based on the poems of Robert Service. The show is playing through September 28 as part of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival's 60th season. Watch the video below!

Hartford Stage, under the leadership of Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak and Managing Director Michael Stotts, today announced the full cast and creative team for Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, the season opener of the Tony Award-winning theatre's 49th season, on stage from August 30 through September 23.

Court Theatre kicks off its 2012-13 season with August Wilson's Jitney directed by Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson.Jitney is the fourth play in Wilson's Century Cycle to be produced at Court Theatre under Parson's direction. The production will runSeptember 6 - October 14, 2012 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. The press opening will be Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 8:00 p.m.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces casting for the 2012 Fall Season. The Tony Award® and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Sunday in the Park with George by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine will be staged by CST Associate Artistic Director Gary Griffin, September 26-November 4, 2012 in CST's Courtyard Theater. The season continues with The School for Lies by David Ives, adapted from Moliere's The Misanthrope and staged by CST Artistic Director Barbara Gaines, December 4, 2012-January 20, 2013 in CST's Courtyard Theater.

Trinity Repertory Company has announced a one-night-only engagement with award-winning television, stage and screen actor Brian Dennehy tonight, July 30 at 7:00pm in Trinity Rep's Dowling Theater. Together onstage with Trinity Rep resident actor Fred Sullivan, Jr., the pair will discuss and perform the work of America's premier playwright Eugene O'Neill.

Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM's Artistic Director, will teach a workshop today, July 22 from 1pm-4:30 at Eleven in Great Barrington where she will share what she learned while recently working at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada. The cost is $49 and a portion of proceeds will go towards WAM's fall world premiere production of 'The Old Mezzo' by Susan Dworkin.

Trinity Repertory Company has announced a one-night-only engagement with award-winning television, stage and screen actor Brian Dennehy on Monday, July 30 at 7:00pm in Trinity Rep's Dowling Theater. Together onstage with Trinity Rep resident actor Fred Sullivan, Jr., the pair will discuss and perform the work of America's premier playwright Eugene O'Neill.

Anthony Freud, general director of Lyric Opera of Chicago, announced today the creative team and performance dates for Oklahoma! The classic American musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II will receive its Lyric Opera premiere in May 2013, following the company's regular opera season.

A celebration of the life of John Neville will be held in Stratford today, July 15. Mr. Neville, who was Artistic Director of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival from 1986 to 1989, died on November 19. He was 86.

In the scene below from the Stratford Shakespeare Fesival production of Henry V, King Henry V (Aaron Krohn) answers the French dauphin's mocking gift of tennis balls in response to the young monarch's claim to certain dukedoms in France. Watch the video below!

Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM's Artistic Director, will teach a workshop on Sunday, July 22 from 1pm-4:30 at Eleven in Great Barrington where she will share what she learned while recently working at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada. The cost is $49 and a portion of proceeds will go towards WAM's fall world premiere production of 'The Old Mezzo' by Susan Dworkin.

Humber River Shakespeare Co., now in its fifth season of touring Shakespeare, presents the supernatural tragedy of MACBETH accross Toronto and York from today, July 10 to August 5. Full listings below.

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival continues to mark its 60th season this week with the world premieres of three Canadian plays and the opening of Artistic Director Des McAnuff's production of Henry V.

Tonight, July 9 at 9:30 pm, the Metropolitan Room will present "Marcus Nance and Friends" - an elegant evening of jazz, cabaret, theatre and opera of the finest kind. As a fan of both the classy era of Johnny Hartman and Sarah Vaughan and the impressive showmanship of the opera and theatre worlds, Marcus Nance celebrates these traditions together in this regular series of cabarets featuring New York's finest singers and musicians. Marcus Nance's guests will include Roosevelt Andre Credit from The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, Miss Fresno County Valerie Salcedo, Canadian Idol winner Melissa O'Neil, and Katrina Reynolds and Julius Sermonia from Broadway's Jesus Christ Superstar. Also featured will be pianists Rick Fox and Doug Martin and bassist Jonas Tauber.

On Sunday July 8th, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR's Chilina Kennedy will bring 'What You Find In A Bottle' to the Metropolitan Room at 7pm. Special guest stars will include Paul Nolan and Josh Young, with Rick Fox, Michele Fox, Kevin Ramessar and Jaz Sealey playing in the band.

On Monday, July 9 at 9:30 pm, the Metropolitan Room will present "Marcus Nance and Friends" - an elegant evening of jazz, cabaret, theatre and opera of the finest kind. As a fan of both the classy era of Johnny Hartman and Sarah Vaughan and the impressive showmanship of the opera and theatre worlds, Marcus Nance celebrates these traditions together in this regular series of cabarets featuring New York's finest singers and musicians. Marcus Nance's guests will include Roosevelt Andre Credit from The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, Miss Fresno County Valerie Salcedo, Canadian Idol winner Melissa O'Neil, and Katrina Reynolds and Julius Sermonia from Broadway's Jesus Christ Superstar. Also featured will be pianists Rick Fox and Doug Martin and bassist Jonas Tauber.

Following celebrated runs at the Toronto Stratford Shakespeare Festival, the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, and on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR takes its final Broadway bow tonight, July 1. Upon closing, the show will have played 116 regular performances and 24 preview performances. One of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most famous shows, the Stratford production undeniably had a great run and introduced some exciting new stars to the Great White Way, including Tony nominee Josh Young, Jesus himself Paul Nolan, and Chilina Kennedy. Below, BroadwayWorld revisits the journey of SUPERSTAR!

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival has announced that Artistic Director Des McAnuff has been appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada.