Tony Cisek News

On the eve of a day that would forever change America, an irreverent and mysterious maid visits Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, and inspires the civil rights leader to reexamine his strongest beliefs and dearest hopes.

DISTRICT MERCHANTS, Aaron Posner's new adaptation of Shakespeare's THE MERCHANT OF VENICE, explores the 'other-ness' of being outside the white male stations of power. Setting the work in post-Civil War Washington, D.C., the premiere takes a uniquely American look at race, religion, class and gender. DISTRICT MERCHANTS at the Folger Theatre is an important and compelling work that deftly balances humor among weightier, thought-provoking moments.

The Portland Area Musical Theatre Awards have announced this year's nominations! See the full list below. The ceremony will take place June 6 at 7pm at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts in the Winningstad Theatre.

Arena Stage presents the final production of its 2015/16 season, Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama DISGRACED. Director Timothy Douglas (Arena's King Hedley II) tackles this emotionally-charged play by Akhtar, author of the novel 'American Dervish' and currently the most produced playwright in the United States. DISGRACED runs now through May 29, 2016 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

Akhtar's script is so beautifully complex yet simple, and asks some hard questions. The performances and physical production elements are first-rate. This is one of the strongest productions I've seen all season, and perhaps in recent years in the Washington, DC area.

Concluding its highly successful 2015/16 season, Folger Theatre stages the world premiere of District Merchants, a variation of Shakespeare's play, The Merchant of Venice. Commissioned by Folger Theatre as part of the 2016 celebration of 400 years of Shakespeare and in tandem with the Folger exhibition America's Shakespeare, playwright Aaron Posner sets this new exploration of class and difference in our own political place of power, Washington, D.C., just after the Civil War.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts more than 150 outstanding theater students from colleges and universities across the nation as part of the 48th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF), which runs April 12-16, 2016 in multiple locations throughout the Center. Thousands of student artists from eight regions across the country presented their work at regional festivals from January 5 through February 27, 2016 and more than 150 were selected to travel to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., for an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the national festival.

Arena Stage presents the final production of its 2015/16 season, Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama DISGRACED. Director Timothy Douglas (Arena's King Hedley II) tackles this emotionally-charged play by Akhtar, author of the novel 'American Dervish' and currently the most produced playwright in the United States. DISGRACED runs April 22-May 29, 2016 in the Kreeger Theater. BroadwayWorld has photos from the company's first rehearsal below!

Arena Stage announces casting for the final production of the 2015/16 season, Ayad Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Disgraced. Director Timothy Douglas (Arena's King Hedley II) tackles this emotionally-charged play by Akhtar, author of the novel 'American Dervish' and currently the most produced playwright in the United States. Hailed as 'emotionally shattering, a smart and provocative work of unusual daring that should be seen by anyone who cares about serious theater' by Newsday, Disgraced runs April 22-May 29, 2016 in the Kreeger Theater.

Suzan-Lori Parks has made her name updating Civil War lore in striking modernist terms in Topdog/Underdog, the Pulitzer Prize winner from 2001, the same year she won a MacArthur 'genius' grant.

The Alliance Theatre presents the Atlanta premiere of DISGRACED, the provocative Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-nominated play on culture and identity by Ayad Akhtar. DISGRACED was included in The New York Times Best of 2014 list for theater. As the most produced play in regional theater this season, DISGRACED has received impassioned audience response for its bold exploration of identity, religion, and class in the complex landscape of 21st Century urban America. The Alliance's production will be directed by Artistic Director, Susan V. Booth and runs on the Alliance Stage January 27 - February 14, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

The Alliance Theatre presents the Atlanta premiere of DISGRACED, the provocative Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-nominated play on culture and identity by Ayad Akhtar. DISGRACED was included in The New York Times Best of 2014 list for theater. As the most produced play in regional theater this season, DISGRACED has received impassioned audience response for its bold exploration of identity, religion, and class in the complex landscape of 21st Century urban America. The Alliance's production will be directed by Artistic Director, Susan V. Booth and runs on the Alliance Stage January 27 - February 14, 2016. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the company in rehearsal below!

Happy Holidays! It's the last week to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Portland Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Portland Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

Voting is fully underway for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Portland Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 11. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

The lyrics to the jazz standard "All of Me" beautifully convey the sentiment of two people falling in love.  But when two actors share a stage kiss it is natural for the oxytocin created in our pituitary glands to manifest and make those feelings intensify, but is it love? Now, take two actors, who are former lovers, and each involved in other relationships share a kiss and those hormonal levels are magnified and can bring out the worst or the best in people.

The Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce the Atlanta premiere of Disgraced, the provocative Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-nominated play on culture and identity by Ayad Akhtar. Disgraced was included in The New York Times Best of 2014 list for theater and was described as 'potent...terrific, turbulent, with fresh currents of dramatic electricity... superb.' As the most produced play in regional theater this season, Disgraced has received impassioned audience response for its bold exploration of identity, religion, and class in the complex landscape of 21st century urban America. The Alliance's production will be directed by Artistic Director, Susan V. Booth.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Portland Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld Portland Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

Portland Center Stage hits a home run with fantastic, high-energy production of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'.