TheatreWorks News

Tonight, April 25 at 8:00 p.m., 'In My Life: The John Lennon Tribute' will be performed at New Milford High School as a one-night-only fundraiser for TheatreWorks New Milford.

Premiere Stages will celebrate its 11th Anniversary as Kean University's professional Equity theatre with a dynamic lineup of events, featuring a season of topical plays that focus on people of the region, both past and present. Enhanced by award-winning premieres, engaging musical presentations for young audiences, captivating summer camps for middle-school and high-school students, and collaborations with like-minded organizations both on and off campus, the 2015 season promises to be the most successful to date. In describing the season, John J. Wooten, Premiere Stages' producing artistic director, stated, 'The power of the human spirit takes center stage at Premiere as we celebrate those who refuse to be beaten by the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, as well as those centuries before in Seneca Village who fought to keep what was rightfully theirs. The season typifies Premiere's unique commitment to presenting ground-breaking and socially relevant work, while partnering with the community to raise awareness about issues of social change that profoundly impact and empower the local community.'

The Ensemble Studio Theatre Marathon of One-Act Plays, the original festival of its kind, returns for its 35th incarnation Wednesday, May 13, at 7:00pm at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street. 

FIREBONE THEATRE has announced the world premiere production of Don Nguyen'sRED FLAMBOYANT, directed by Laura Savia. RED FLAMBOYANT will play a limited engagement at Anderson Hall at Calvary St. George's (61 Gramercy Park North, New York, NY 10010). Performances begin Today, April24 and continue through Saturday, May16. Opening Night is Saturday, April25 (8 p.m.).

Berkeley Playhouse at the historic Julia Morgan Theater continues their seventh season with Hairspray, directed by Producing Artistic Director Daren A.C. Carollo (Broadway: A Time to Kill; Off-Broadway: bare The Musical; Regional: Diablo Theatre Company, Solano College Theatre, Napa Valley Opera House, Ohlone College, Town Hall Theatre Company, DRAA's On Broadway, El Campanil Theatre, Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Missouri Street Theatre, Role Players Ensemble) and choreographed by Alyssa Bond (Diablo Theatre Company, San Francisco State University, Golden State Theatre Productions, and Alameda Civic Light Opera). Previews begin April 23. Show runs from April 25 to May 17, 2015 at the Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. in Berkeley. Tickets are now available through the Box Office, call (510) 845-8542 x351 or visit berkeleyplayhouse.org.

The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center revealed the 2015-16 Bemis Company Education Series last night to a group of educators from the Fox Cities and Northeast Wisconsin. The series of daytime performances is comprised of titles that connect with grades PreK-12 curriculum. Highlights include  Junie B. Jones' Essential Survival Guide to School, Dallas Children's Theater's The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) and Ballet Folklorico "Quetzalli" de Veracruz. 

The recording of TOKIO CONFIDENTIAL, a new musical with words and music by Eric Schorr that had its Off-Broadway world premiere in 2012, will be released by Broadway Records and is now available for pre-order on the Broadway Records website at http://www.broadwayrecords.com/cds/tokio-confidential and select retailers. The album will be released on CD and digitally on May 12, 2015.

San Francisco playwright Lauren Gunderson's dark and delightful revenge comedy Exit, Pursued by a Bear comes to the South Bay for the first time this spring, opening at City Lights in May.

Salt Lake Acting Company (SLAC) closes out its 20th season of the New Play Sounding Series (NPSS) with a free reading of HARBUR GATE by Kathleen Cahill, directed by Cohen Ambrose on Monday, April 27, 2015 at 7:00 p.m.

Marin Theatre Company continues its 48th Season with the West Coast premiere of Mona Manour's The Way West, winner of the company's 2013 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize.

Long Wharf Theatre's inaugural Contemporary American Voices Festival, a weekend of new play readings, will take place this weekend, April 18 and 19, 2015.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the world premiere of Shining Lives: A Musical. Directed by Jessica Thebus and developed through Northlight's Interplay Series, the musical is adapted from the Northlight-commissioned play These Shining Lives. The production will run at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, from May 8 - June 14, 2015. Shining Lives: A Musical opens May 15 and 16, 2015.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre proudly welcomes MacArthur 'Genius' Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney for the West Coast premiere of Head of Passes, a poignant and poetic story about the journey of family and faith, trial and tribulation. In a dilapidated house near the ever-shifting mouth of the Mississippi, Shelah's family gathers on a stormy night for her birthday -- bringing ghosts and secrets of the past with them. As her roof buckles under the weight of the rain, Shelah's convictions begin to wash away, leaving her to excavate the truths buried below. Directed by Tina Landau, the riveting Head of Passes comes to the Bay Area straight from its critically lauded world premiere in Chicago. Head of Passes is a co-production with the Public Theater in New York. It begins previews on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage today, April 10, opens today, April 17, and runs through Sunday, May 24, 2015. Press night for Head of Passes will be held today, April 17, 2015.

Lanford Wilson's 'Talley Trilogy' continues on the Aurora Theatre Company main stage with FIFTH OF JULY. Aurora Artistic Director Tom Ross (A Bright New Boise, This Is How It Goes, Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, The Shape of Things) helms FIFTH OF JULY, featuring Craig Marker (The Shape of Things, The Persians), Elizabeth Benedict, John Girot, Jennifer Le Blanc, Oceana Ortiz, Harold Pierce, Josh Schell, and Nanci Zoppi. FIFTH OF JULY plays tonight, April 17 through May 17 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

On Friday, May 1, TheatreWorks New Milford will debut its production of SOUVENIR, a heartwarming musical comedy, by Stephen Temperley. The curtain rises at 8:00 p.m. on a four-week run.

Marin Theatre Company continues its 48th Season with the West Coast premiere of Mona Manour's The Way West, winner of the company's 2013 Sky Cooper New American Play Prize.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) just announced the fourth annual Roundabout Underground Reading Series, a five-night event that includes nightly readings of new plays written and directed by emerging artists, curtain speeches by Roundabout Underground artist alumni and post-show receptions.

Tony and Emmy Award winner Tyne Daly, Tony Award winner Harriet Harris, Sierra Boggess and Lisa Howard head an outstanding cast in It Shoulda Been You, the hilarious and heartwarming new musical comedy that proves when it comes to wedding day insanity, everything is relative. It Shoulda Been You, which had a sold-out premiere at New Jersey's George Street Playhouse, officially opens tonight, April 14, 2015 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Scroll down to learn more about the cast, plus watch interviews with the company!

Penguin Rep Theatre, under the leadership of founding artistic director Joe Brancato and executive director Andrew M. Horn, announces its 2015 season, the professional Equity company's 38th at its home in Stony Point (Rockland County), New York.

TheatreWorks' Kids (TW Kids) registration is now open for a ONE WEEK INTENSIVE program for students ages 7 to 19. Each student will have the opportunity to shine in this energetic musical, which follows the adventures of plucky advice-giver extraordinaire Edwina Spoonapple as she directs the neighborhood kids in a series of buoyant production numbers as part of the latest edition of her weekly 'Advice-A-Palooza' extravaganza.