Thornton Wilder News

Lipscomb University Theatre kicks off its spring semester this February with Eric Overmyer's On the Verge, running February 16-25 in Shamblin Theatre.

To coincide with Geva Theatre Center's production of The Diary of Anne Frank, by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, newly adapted by Wendy Kesselman, the theatre is hosting a special exhibit and a series of post-show conversations. These events allow Geva's audiences to further understand the characters and the social context of this play. In addition, Geva has partnered with an area high school for The Stage Door Project: The Diary of Anne Frank.

Gamut Theatre Group continues their 25th Anniversary Season with Our Town. Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town has been captivating and inspiring audiences for nearly a century. By deliberately chipping away at traditional theatrical devices, this play presents a humorous, touching, and intimate look at American small town life as the Gibbs and the Webb families discover, over time, they are connected in ways they never thought were possible. Through this fresh and engaging interpretation of the text, Our Town once again reminds us that nothing is quite as precious as the present moment.

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, continues its 2017/18 season with the world premiere of The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder, adapted for the stage by and starring David Greenspan, directed by Ken Rus Schmoll. Performances will begin in Two River's Marion Huber Theater, 21 Bridge Avenue, on Saturday, February 17 and continue through Sunday, March 18. The opening night performance is Friday, February 23 at 7pm. Tickets are available from 732.345.1400 or tworivertheater.org. The lead production sponsor is Brookdale Community College.

Elizabeth Birnkrant, known for her roles in JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN for Eclipse Theatre, 1984 at Steppenwolf, VICES AND VIRTUES: THE GREAT WAR at Profiles Theatre and other roles with Sideshow, First Floor and Roadworks theatre companies, has been cast in the leading role of L'il Bit in The Artistic Home's production of Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize winning HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE. The Artistic Home co-founder John Mossman will play Uncle Peck, the family member who has a sexual relationship with his niece Li'l Bit during her pre-teen and teenage years. Mossman, who directed The Artistic Home's BY THE BOG OF CATS last year, as an actor has most recently appeared as Leontes in THE WINTERS TALE and O'Trigger in THE RIVALS at Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre.  He has also appeared with The Artistic Home as MACBETH and as Shannon in NIGHT OF THE IGUANA. He played Atticus Finch in Oak Park Festival Theatre's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and performed in the Steppenwolf production of THE MARCH.

Due to popular demand, The Wilbury Theatre Group announces additional performances of THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH, now running through Saturday, February 11. Running to popular acclaim and full houses since previews, THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH broke from established theatrical conventions when it premiered and walked off with the 1943 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

National UBU ROI Bake-Off - a one-of-a-kind playwriting workshop by Paula Vogel, open to participation to the general public - will take place on Presidents' Day, Monday, February 19 when hundreds of aspiring and accomplished writers across the country will present their own short works based on Alfred Jarry's 1896 revolutionary drama UBU ROI, about a despot king awash in murder, genocide, a war with Russia and the revolt of his own countrymen and women. Paula Vogel is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, and had her first Broadway production last season with her Tony Award-winning work, INDECENT.

Artists Rep presents the World Premiere of Magellanica, by E.M. Lewis, directed by Damaso Rodriguez from January 20 through February 18 on the theatre's Morrison Stage. Magellanica is a five-part epic play written by Oregon playwright E.M. Lewis. This production is made possible through major funding from the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) Creative Heights Initiative and the Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. Magellanica is a part of Portland's Fertile Ground Festival of New Works.

In this hilarious restoration comedy, a British Captain comes to a small town to raise recruits only to fall desperately in love with the daughter of a local country Justice. Farquhar brings a whole new level to the metaphor of love as war with scintillating dialogue, seductive strategizing, and even sword fighting! The ensemble cast will lead the audience through the play's intricate twists and turns as we ride through the rollercoaster of love, schemes, and inheritances.

The Wilbury Theatre Group launches into 2018 with a bold new staging of Thornton Wilder's tragicomic masterpiece The Skin of Our Teeth directed by Wilbury Founder/Artistic Director Josh Short with music direction by Matt Requintina (Spring Awakening), January 18 through February 4 at their new home and performance space at 40 Sonoma Court, Olneyville.

Based on true events, Desert Warrior is an autobiographical tale of an actor's involvement in the most controversial film of the decade. After a critically acclaimed run at the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival, this award-winning solo performance returns to the stage January 19th - February 3rd, 2018; Today and Saturday performances, at 8pm; tickets on-sale at http://desertwarrior.brownpapertickets.com/. A special PRESS PREVIEW night on January 13th 8 pm for the media. Please email: miranda@mirandaspigener.com for press credentials.

'As a theatre artist I have always been drawn to work that explores issues of social justice, often featuring strong and vibrant female characters,' Pamela Sterling said. Sterling has been engaged to direct the week-long workshop and staged reading, January 14-19, of Jeanmarie (Simpson) Bishop's internationally celebrated one-woman show, The Joy.

The Artistic Home will continue its 2017-18 season with Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize winning HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, to be directed by The Artistic Home's Associate Artistic Director Kayla Adams. It will open to the press Sunday, March 25 at 7:00 pm, following previews from March 21-24. HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, which premiered in 1997, was a Pulitzer Prize winner and a pioneering drama for its examination of pedophilia and sexual abuse of women. It follows a young woman, named L'il Bit, from age 11 to age 18 and her friendship and sexual affair with her uncle. Director Adams says, this courageous and surprising script reminds me again and again of the healing power of storytelling. In reviewing the 2017 production by the Cleveland Playhouse, the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER said, We can rejoice that 'How I Learned to Drive' feels as fresh and fearless as it did two decades ago - and mourn for the same reason.

Based on true events, Desert Warrior is an autobiographical tale of an actor's involvement in the most controversial film of the decade. After a critically acclaimed run at the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival, this award-winning solo performance returns to the stage January 19th - February 3rd, 2018; Friday and Saturday performances, at 8pm; tickets on-sale at http://desertwarrior.brownpapertickets.com/. A special PRESS PREVIEW night on January 13th 8 pm for the media. Please email: miranda@mirandaspigener.com for press credentials.

The Shubert Theatre may be getting a fresh marquee this week, with Bernadette Peters' name in lights, but 54 years ago today, Dolly Gallagher Levi made her very first appearance on Broadway.

THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH at Constellation Theatre is a thought-provoking, skillfully-rendered reminder that chaos and uncertainty are not unique to our time or to any single time. In the sure directorial hands of Mary Hall Surface, Thornton Wilder's masterpiece is a wild time-traveling, allegorical tragicomedy, without the Pepperidge Farm and Hallmark overtones we've now come to associate with the OUR TOWN playwright.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that filming trucks spotted outside the Shubert Theatre over the weekend were on hand to capture a performance of Hello, Dolly! for the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive. This weekend marked the final performances for many of the show's original cast members, including Taylor Trensch, Beanie Feldstein, David Hyde Pierce, and Tony winner Bette Midler.

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that along with departing cast members Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce and Taylor Trensch, Beanie Feldstein will also play her final performance this evening as Minnie Fay.

Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce and Taylor Trensch will take their final bows in Hello, Dolly! today, January 14. As BroadwayWorld has previously announced, Bernadette Peters will be assuming the title role beginning January 20. Victor Garber will be taking over as Horace Vandergelder and Charlie Stemp will be playing Barnaby Tucker.

As previously announced, the critically acclaimed Beautiful Soup Theater Collective will present the world premiere production of Steven Carl McCasland's Memorare this winter. The new drama, featuring an all female ensemble, will bow at St. John's Lutheran Church on Christopher Street in January of 2018. Set to star in the production is Helen Hayes Award-winner Patti Mariano as Sister Mary Cecelia (Broadway: Original Cast of The Music Man, George M!, The Full Monty and more) and newcomer Ashleigh Awusie as Sister Mary Azu (Ain't Never Been Easy). Award-winning director Peter Darney (5 Guys Chillin') directs the limited engagement.