Tom Wolfe News

Ten years of planning and $10 million in production costs couldn't prevent the Washington National Opera from pleasing all the gods in its ambitious staging of all four operas in Richard Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung.

Due to popular pre-sale demand, Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will again extend the West Coast Premiere of Sarah Treem's (Netflix's House of Cards, HBO's In Treatment, Showtime's The Affair) thought-provoking THE HOW AND THE WHY, the third fully staged production to be performed in the company's second stage performance space, Harry's UpStage. Acclaimed Bay Area actress and director Joy Carlin (Talley's Folly, After the Revolution, Body Awareness, Jack Goes Boating, Awake and Sing!) helms this intimate and keenly perceptive play. The company will add an additional two weeks of performances to the previously extended run dates. Originally extended through May 8, THE HOW AND THE WHY now plays through May 22nd (added performances: Tuesday, May 10, 7pm; Wednesday, May 11, 8pm; Thursday, May 12, 8pm; Friday, May 13, 8pm; Saturday, May 14, 8pm; Sunday, May 15, 2pm; Tuesday, May 17, 7pm; Wednesday, May 18, 8pm; Thursday, May 19, 8pm; Friday, May 20, 8pm; Saturday, May 21, 8pm; Sunday, May 22, 2pm) at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($35-45) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Aurora Theatre Company presents the West Coast Premiere of Sarah Treem's (Netflix's House of Cards, HBO's In Treatment) thought-provoking THE HOW AND THE WHY. Acclaimed Bay Area actress and director Joy Carlin (Talley's Folly, After the Revolution, Body Awareness, Jack Goes Boating, Awake and Sing!) helms this intimate and keenly perceptive play, featuring Nancy Carlin (The Monster-Builder, Hysteria, Benefactors) and Martha Brigham (San Francisco Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse). The third fully staged production to be performed at the company's second stage performance space, Harry's UpStage, THE HOW AND THE WHY plays March 18 through May 8 at the Aurora Theatre Company in Berkeley. For tickets ($35-45) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. Tonight, September 29, at 6:30PM, The Art Students League of New York (215 W 57th Street) will host a discussion on the art and influence of perhaps the most popular graphic artist of the 20th century.

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. On September 29, at 6:30PM, The Art Students League of New York (215 W 57th Street) will host a discussion on the art and influence of perhaps the most popular graphic artist of the 20th century.

Process Studio Theatre presents the first theatrical adaptation of Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe's epic satirical novel of greed-soaked, ego-fueled New York City, on October 9th and 10th at New York's El Teatro at El Museo del Barrio! With music by Stefania de Kenessey and a libretto and direction by Michael Bergmann, this witty and incisive new opera takes on the universal socioeconomic tensions of New York City with high drama and unforgettable lyrical satire.

The Chicago Public Library Foundation and the Chicago Public Library have announced that the 16th annual Carl Sandburg Literary Award will be presented to legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Universally heralded for his immense contributions to musical theater in a career spanning more than 50 years, Sondheim will be honored at the Carl Sandburg Literary Awards Dinner Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at The Forum (725 W. Roosevelt Road) on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Arnold Scaasi, Canadian fashion designer who created ensembles for the rich and famous, died yesterday, August 4, 2015. He was 85. Scaasi crafted one of his most recognized, and perhaps infamous, outfits for stage and screen star Barbra Streisand. She wore it to the 1969 Academy Awards, where she won the Oscar for her performance in the film FUNNY GIRL. We remember the iconic fashion designer below:

The very first theatrical adaptation of Tom Wolfe's era-defining novel hits the stage this October 9th and 10th at New York's El Teatro at El Museo del Barrio! With music by Stefania de Kenessey and a libretto and direction by Michael Bergmann, this new opera, as large in scope as New York itself, takes on the universal socioeconomic tensions of the island that is home to both Wall Street and Harlem.

Al Hirschfeld gets a tome of his own!

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. This spring and summer, Hirschfeld is being celebrated with the publication of a new book and a major exhibition at the New-York Historical Society.

Classic Stage Company presents DOCTOR FAUSTUS, adapted by David Bridel and Andrei Belgrader from the play by Christopher Marlowe, starring Chris Noth ('Law & Order,' 'Sex and the City,' 'The Good Wife'), and directed by Andrei Belgrader (CSC's production of The Cherry Orchard). The show opens tonight, June 18 at CSC (136 East 13th Street). Let's see what the critics had to say...

Al Hirschfeld gets a tome of his own!

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. This spring, Hirschfeld will be celebrated with the publication of a new book and a major exhibition at the New-York Historical Society.

Due to popular pre-sale demand, a year in advance, Aurora Theatre Company announces that it will extend West Coast Premiere of Sarah Treem's (Netflix's House of Cards, HBO's In Treatment) thought-provoking THE HOW AND THE WHY, the third fully staged production to be performed in the company's second stage performance space, Harry's UpStage. The company will add an additional two weeks of performances to the original run dates. Acclaimed Bay Area actress and director Joy Carlin (Talley's Folly, After the Revolution, Body Awareness, Jack Goes Boating, Awake and Sing!) helms this intimate and keenly perceptive play about which the Washington Post said, "brims with ideas and emotional colors that eddy and refract like rivulets in a lively, plunging stream."

Al Hirschfeld immortalized celebrities, politicians, Broadway productions, films, television shows and beyond with his iconic linear drawings for nine decades, establishing himself as one of the most important contemporary portrait artists. Over a decade since the legendary artist drew his final line drawing, he continues to inspire. This spring, Hirschfeld will be celebrated with the publication of a new book and a major exhibition at the New-York Historical Society.

Nominations for the 5th ANNUAL GUILD OF MUSIC SUPERVISORS AWARDS were announced today. The awards ceremony will take place on Jan. 21 at Mack Sennett Studios in Hollywood.

The Pulitzer Prize winning play Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar makes its Broadway premiere tonight, October 23, starring Hari Dhillon (star of the acclaimed London's Bush Theatre production), Gretchen Mol ('Boardwalk Empire'), Karen Pittman (Domesticated) and Josh Radnor ('How I Met Your Mother'). Let's see what the critics had to say...

Hop on the 4 or the D train and travel north young men and woman to see art in the South Bronx. No, that's not a typo, I did not mean to say go see the Yankees. Like many inner cities including Detroit, the Bronx is best known for high crime, poor health condition and low test scores; However these inner cities are also the breeding ground for countless innovative film makers, music makers, visual artists and thought provoking thinkers. The why and how the tough conditions of these neighborhoods breeds an aesthetic flourishing is perplexing to figure out.

Books-A-Million, Inc. (BAMM) today announced that it continues to proudly sell all Hachette Book Group titles. Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher who's bestselling authors include David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Stephen Colbert, Michael Connelly, Jeffery Deaver, Nelson DeMille, Tina Fey, Malcolm Gladwell, Chelsea Handler, Brad Meltzer, Stephenie Meyer, Joel Osteen, James Patterson, David Sedaris, Nicholas Sparks, Jon Stewart, Scott Turow, Brent Weeks, Tom Wolfe and many, many more.