Thornton Wilder News

Hello, Dolly! taught us long ago that it takes a woman to bring us the sweet things in life, but that's not a message that the New York Times is willing to put into the world this November. According to Politico, the newspaper rejected an ad from the Broadway musical for a special 'For President' section. The ad read: 'IT TAKES A WOMAN,' and included comparatively small text listing the show's opening date and website.

In a new interview with Billboard, star of stage and screen Bette Midler discusses taking on the iconic role of Dolly Levi in the Broadway revival of HELLO DOLLY.

The Pulitzer Prize winning American classic OUR TOWN  by Thornton Wilder comes to life in a vibrant new production directed by Bruce McLeod for Foothill Theatre Arts.  Proclaimed 'One of the finest achievements of the current stage.

Artists Repertory Theatre, in collaboration with Staged!, presents A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL CELEBRATION for the holidays.

David Hyde Pierce talked with Kelly Ripa and guest co-host Matt Bomer about his current Off-Broadway project, A LIFE, at Playwrights Horizons and his starring role in the upcoming production of HELLO DOLLY opposite, Bette Midler.

Producer Scott Rudin announced that, with the addition to the company of Beanie Feldstein, in the role of 'Minnie Fay,' principal casting is now complete for the upcoming Broadway revival of Michael Stewart (book) and Jerry Herman's (music and lyrics) Hello, Dolly!, starring the legendary Bette Midler. Directed by four-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Tony Award winnerWarren Carlyle, Hello, Dolly! will begin performances at Broadway's Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) on March 15, 2017, with an official opening night of April 20, 2017.

Welcome back! This week's article features an art form that a production of Our Town would not be complete without: PANTOMIME! For those who don't know what pantomime is, I decided to give you the gift of the Oxford Dictionary definition:

OUR TOWN:  ActorsNET continues its 21st season with a reimagined staging of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winning classic, Our Town.  Jarad Benn co-directs and stars as "The Stage Manager," who both narrates and interacts with the residents of Grover's Corners.  Eddie Honan co-directs.  The large ensemble cast includes Madison Kornarowski, Matt Robertson, Eddie Honan, Hannah Rappaport-Stein, Scott Karlin, Tami Amici, Libby Honan, Tim Brown, Sydney Gilmore, Anthony Rita, Seth Pollock, Daniel Booda, Tyler Brennan, Jim Palmer, Jim Cordingley, John Gilmore, Jack Bathke, Mollie Karlin, Rosie Karlin, Griffin Kemp, Marilyn Licciardello, Michael O'Hara and Olivia Schanbacher.  Produced by Victoria Benn.  Stage managed by Colby Langweiler.  Costume design by Ruth Schanbacher.  Lighting and set by Stephen Hoppe.  Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Mamai Theatre Company announces its 2017 summer season will take place in downtown Cleveland at Playhouse Square in the Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre. Mamai Board of Directors President David Schiopota states, "The steady and unfaltering work of Co-Artistic Directors Bernadette Clemens and Christine McBurney to fulfill their vision and follow their artistic passions has enthused Northeast Ohio audiences and pushed the bounds of classical theatre in Cleveland. I am elated to announce that Mamai Theatre Company's next season will be presented at Playhouse Square."

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore are thrilled to announce the cast and creative team for William Shakespeare's bloody tale of unbridled ambition, Macbeth. Directed by Les Waters, Macbeth will preview on October 4 and October 5, open on October 6, and run through October 26 in the Pamela Brown Auditorium as part of the Brown-Forman Series. Tickets are available at502.584.1205, online at ActorsTheatre.org, or in person by visiting the Actors Theatre Box Office at 316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY, 40202.

The Storm Theatre and Blackfriars Repertory Theatre present 'Divine Comedy,' two heavenly one-act comedies directed by Storm Artistic Director Peter Dobbins, tonight, Sept. 30, through Oct 22, Grand Hall (at St. Mary's Parish), 440 Grand Street, New York, NY, for 16 performances.

Welcome back! Now, the first article was called a first look , the second was meet the director , and I suppose you can guess what the third will be Stage Managers! This show is graced with four. One stage manager, two assistant stage managers, and an actor. In the name of metatheatricality, Thornton Wilder constructed a stage manager character that acts as the narrator. I was lucky enough to get the chance to discuss the show and their roles, with Kate Herr (the stage manager) and Zach Fontanez (who plays the stage manager).

Tickets are now on sale for Temple Theaters 2016-2017 season of performances at Temple University - dramas by acclaimed American playwrights, two Broadway hit musicals and a new play by Pulitzer Prize nominee Kristoffer Diaz and more.

Actors Co-op (Ovation Award-Winner 2014 Best Intimate Theatre Musical for 110 in the Shade) presents the first show in its celebratory 25th Silver Anniversary season with OUR TOWN, by Thornton Wilder and directed by Richard Israel.  OUR TOWN will preview on Wednesday, September 14 and Thursday, September 15 at 8pm and will open on Friday, September 16 at 8pm and run through Sunday, October 23 at the Actors Co-op David Schall Theatre, 1760 N. Gower St. (on the campus of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood) in Hollywood.

Producer Scott Rudin announced the much anticipated Broadway revival of Michael Stewart's (book) and Jerry Herman's (music and lyrics) masterpiece Hello, Dolly!, starring legendary performer Bette Midler. Directed by four-time Tony Award winner Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle, Hello, Dolly! will begin performances at Broadway's Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) on March 15, 2017, with an official opening night of April 20, 2017.  Tickets go on sale, via Telecharge.com, tomorrow, Saturday, September 17, at 10:00 A.M. (EST).

Well Hello Dolly! Yesterday, Bette Midler took to Twitter to announce that tickets for the upcoming Broadway revival of Hello Dolly! will go on sale this Saturday, September 17 at 10 AM ET.

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore are thrilled to announce the cast and creative team for William Shakespeare's bloody tale of unbridled ambition, Macbeth. Directed by Les Waters, Macbeth will preview on October 4 and October 5, open on October 6, and run through October 26 in the Pamela Brown Auditorium as part of the Brown-Forman Series. Tickets are available at502.584.1205, online at ActorsTheatre.org, or in person by visiting the Actors Theatre Box Office at 316 West Main Street, Louisville, KY, 40202.

School is back in session at the University of New Haven. One week of classes is officially in the books as we look forward to the rest of the semester that lies ahead of us. In the theatre department, we are particularly excited to begin the process for our Fall Production of Thorton Wilder's Our Town which is the first show of this season. We have an exciting season lined up so far and more announcements to come!

The Kennedy Center hosts its 15th annual Page-to-Stage New Play Festival from Today, September 3 to Monday, September 5, 2016, featuring more than 50 theaters from the D.C. metropolitan area, all with a mission to produce and support new work.

Acclaimed playwright Steven Carl McCasland (Little Wars, What Was Lost, neat & tidy) has debuted his new online anthology of monologues,The Bone Orchard Monologues. Inspired by the classic Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, McCasland has combined his love of history and monologues for this new anthology.