TheatreWorks News

Tanya Barfield's provocative drama The Call completes San Jose Repertory Theatre's 2014-2015 seven-show anniversary season in the sixth show slot (May 14 - June 7). This sensitive drama boldly tackles multi-racial adoption, identity and parenthood with razor sharp honesty and respect. When Annie and Peter decide to adopt a child they look toward Africa. But it isn't long before their anxiety over adoption and identity threaten their fantasies of parenthood in this powerful yet intimate look at the yearnings of motherhood, doubts and good intentions.

Kevin Toner returns to Belfast to confront his father after a 15-year absence. He has a bone to pick, and he is determined to have a conversation that will leave no stone unturned. There's only one problem. His father is dead. And lying in a coffin in the front room. Fly on The Wall Theatre's critically acclaimed FRINGE hit COLD COMFORT plays today, April 24-May 4, 2014 at the Tarragon Near Studio.

On Friday, May 2, TheatreWorks New Milford will debut Alfred Uhry's 1997 comedy-drama, THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO, winner of the Tony Award for Best Play. The curtain goes up at 8:00 p.m. on this four-week run.

Bay Street Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for the World Premiere of CONVICTION (May 27-June 15) by Carey Crim and directed by Scott Schwartz, Bay Street's new Artistic Director. The production is co-produced by Bay Street Theatre, Rubicon Theatre in California, Dead Posh Productions, London and Canada's Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

San Jose Repertory Theatre presents the Bay Area premiere of the critically-acclaimed The Big Meal, by Dan LeFranc, the 2010 New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award Winner. This razor sharp portrait of a modern American family runs May 8 through June 1, and is directed by Kirsten Brandt, San Jose Rep's Associate Artistic Director.

To be or not to be is no longer the question - critics and audiences agree that WITTENBERG is a hit. Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will add an additional 7 performances of the Bay Area Premiere of WITTENBERG, David Davalos' audacious comedy about reason versus faith. Josh Costello (San Francisco Playhouse, Marin Theatre Company, Impact Theatre) directs this smarty-pants celebration of history, language, academia, and religion, featuring Dan Hiatt (The Arsonists), Elizabeth Carter (Trouble in Mind), Jeremy Kahn, and Michael Stevenson. WITTENBERG plays now through May 11 (added performances: Tuesday, May 6, 7pm; Wednesday, May 7, 8pm; Thursday, May 8, 8pm; Friday, May 9, 8pm; Saturday, May 10, 8pm; Sunday, May 11, 2pm and 7pm) at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($32-50) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

For the twelfth year in a row, the North Wildwood Beach Writers' Conference (NWBC), now in conjunction with Atlantic Cape Community College, brings together prestigious and inspiring speakers who discuss the craft of writing. This year, the dates are Tuesday, June 3, and Wednesday, June 4 and the location is the Wildwoods Convention Center, 4501 Boardwalk.

MR. IRRESISTIBLE - A New Sci-Fi Musical Comedy Thriller - described as 'The Terminator meets Ugly Betty' - directed by Jonathan J. Carpenter, with book & lyrics by D'Arcy Drollinger (Shit & Champagne / Project: Lohan)and music by Christopher Winslow (OMFG!), make its West Coast premiere June 4 - 8, 2014 for a very limited engagement of 5 performances only, running Wed., Thurs., Fri. & Sat. 8:00 pm / Sun. 7:00 pm. (Preview Wed. 6/4 / Opening Thurs. 6/5) at the Alcazar Theatre - 650 Geary St. (btw'n. Jones & Leavenworth Sts.) in SF.

4@15: Four New Fifteen-Minute Musicals, performed in conjunction with University of California, Irvine, will commence performances Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19, for three performances only at the Playroom Theater. Tammy Holder serves as Music Director; Brian Blythe directs.

Aurora Theatre Company presents its first fully staged production in the company's second stage performance space, Harry's UpStage. Award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson returns to the company to direct this sixth addition to the season, the Professional Bay Area Premiere of John W. Lowell's suspenseful psychological thriller THE LETTERS, featuring Beth Wilmurt (The Eccentricities of a Nightingale) and Michael Ray Wisely (The Arsonists). THE LETTERS plays today, April 17 through May 25 at Harry's UpStage, located in the Nell and Jules Dashow Wing at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley.

Sleeping Cutie: A Fractured Fairy Tale Musical with Music by Doug Katsaros and Lyrics / Book by Diane Sampson will have its world premiere in this exclusive Off a Cliff / PlayGround co-production in San Francisco for a limited engagement, running four weeks only.

The Group Rep presents the world premiere musical 'The Ghost of Gershwin,' with music by Wayland Pickard, book by Doug Haverty, lyrics by Laura Manning, directed by Jules Aaron, choreographed by Michele Bernath, and produced by Richard Alan Woody. The play runs May 9 through June 22, 2014, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm at the Lonny Chapman Theatre at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre continues the second half of its season with Tribes, a sophisticated and moving family drama by celebrated British playwright Nina Raine. Her profound and powerful new play became an award-winning hit in London and New York. Now renowned director Jonathan Moscone brings it to Berkeley Rep this April for its Bay Area premiere. Tribes follows Billy, a young man who was born deaf into a loquacious and highly opinionated academic family who raised him to lip-read and integrate into the hearing world. When he meets Sylvia - raised by Deaf parents and going deaf herself - Billy decides it's time to speak on his own terms and to be heard. Playing out in words, sign language, and sometimes mesmerizing silence, this penetrating drama examines familial love, notions of belonging, and the intersections of communication. Tribes began previews Friday, April 11, opens tonight, April 16, and closes on Sunday, May 11, 2014.

'NCIS: Los Angeles' star and Broadway veteran Barrett Foa (Mamma Mia!, Avenue Q, ...Spelling Bee) will begin performances as Alex More in the smash hit comedy Buyer & Cellar on Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street). For the past five seasons, Barrett Foa has co-starred opposite LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell as tech geek Eric Beale on CBS' top-rated hit series 'NCIS: Los Angeles' which is currently the #2 show on television.

The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center presents Theatreworks USA's family friendly production of the mooooo-ving musical, Click, Clack, Moo on Saturday, May 3 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $15, $20, $25 and are available online at www.whbpac.org.

Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Kathleen Chalfant (Angels in America, Wit, 'House of Cards'), Teal Wicks (Jekyll and Hyde, Wicked), Stephen DeRosa (HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire'), Josh Grisetti (Enter Laughing) and Matthew Schechter (Act One) have joined the roster of performers set to appear in the one-night-only benefit concert of the new musical THE LIGHTNING THIEF on Monday, April 21, 2014 at 7 p.m. at Off-Broadway's Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street).

Talie Melnyk presents Maison des Reves at the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Maison des Reves is written and performed by Talie Melnyk and directed by Gretchen Cryer. Performances are Wednesday, May 21 at 7:00pm, Friday, May 23 at 7:00pm, and Saturday, May 24 at 4:00pm at the Paradise Factory in NYC. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at www.planetconnections.org.

Due to popular pre-sale demand, Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will add an additional week of performances of John W. Lowell's suspenseful psychological thriller THE LETTERS, the first fully staged production in the company's second stage performance space, Harry's UpStage. Award-winning Bay Area auteur Mark Jackson (The Arsonists, Salomania) returns to the company to direct this sixth addition to the season, featuring Beth Wilmurt (The Eccentricities of a Nightingale) and Michael Ray Wisely (The Arsonists). THE LETTERS now plays April 17 through June 1 (added performances: Wednesday, May 28, 8pm; Thursday, May 29, 8pm; Friday, May 30, 8pm; Saturday, May 31, 8pm; Sunday, June 1, 2pm) at Harry's UpStage, located in the Nell and Jules Dashow Wing at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($28, $32) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Provocative. Intense. Engrossing. These are all words that have been used to describe Rajiv Joseph's exciting new play THE NORTH POOL, which closes the Playhouse's 2013-14 season May 3 to June 1. The two-person thriller is a riveting psychological drama that promises to keep audiences guessing until its final moments.