Tony Kushner News

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts were held today in the UK, and once again, ARGO took home the top two prizes: 'Best Film,' and 'Best Director' for Ben Affleck.

The Ephrata Performing Arts Center is launching its 2013 main stage season with the most ambitious theatrical undertaking in its history - the area's first-ever production of Angels in America in its two-play entirety: Millennium Approaches (March 7-9 and 13-16) and Perestroika (March 28-30 and April 3-6).

Rep. Joe Courtney recently chided LINCOLN director Steven Spielberg on the historical accuracy of the Oscar-nominated film. The movie's screenwriter, Tony Kushner responded to the critique in a letter published in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, February 7th. Read it in full below

BroadwayWorld.com noticed something today as we scoured Facebook and it's something that we really liked, so we wanted to share it with you because it's not so often that you find such generosity for actors. This weekend, all roads lead to St. Louis as actors are headed there from all over the country to audition for the Muny's summer production of LES MISERABLES directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and with music direction by Kevin Stites.

The Theatre School at DePaul University's Showcase Series of Contemporary Plays and Classics presents ANGELS IN AMERICA, PART TWO: PERESTOIKA by Tony Kushner and directed by Jane Drake Brody. The production premieres tonight, February 8, and runs through Sunday, February 17, 2013, at DePaul's historic Merle Reskin Theatre.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced the line-up today for two Public Forum Duets this February, kicking off the spring Public Forum season with an intense focus on music and the way it shapes our lives.

Once in a generation, if we are lucky, an extraordinary talent like no other arises - one who can ceaselessly, effortlessly caress the loftiest heights of comedy and drama onstage (and sometimes onscreen), while, simultaneously, imbuing musical theatre roles with the same skill set, plus a powerhouse, quintessentially unique and resplendent vocal instrument; and, of course, that indescribable 'it' factor, too - such is the tale of Broadway's grand dame, Patti LuPone. Ms. LuPone is a part of that great pantheon of leading ladies of lore led by Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, Angela Lansbury, Elaine Stritch and Bernadette Peters - that is, musical theatre royalty. Taking a look back at many moments in her long and varied career thus far, LuPone candidly opines about a vast array of topics and opens up about many of the remarkable figures who have played roles in her astounding time spent on Broadway, in Hollywood and on TV - among them: Stephen Sondheim, Hal Prince, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman, Steven Spielberg, David Mamet, Ryan Murphy and many more. Most importantly, LuPone discusses various aspects of her ever-expanding new solo show upon which her sensational live album, FAR AWAY PLACES, is based - the songs, the stories, the themes, the collaborators and her future plans for the piece (such as her series of 54 Below shows coming up in February). Additionally, LuPone addresses appearing on GLEE, reflects on working with Jennifer Lopez and Jason Statham on PARKER, shares her thoughts on her favorite films of the year, expounds upon what roles she would like to pursue and teases about her concert with David Yazbek and the debut of her new Carnegie Hall concert as well as a return to London where she made her mark with her Olivier-winning original Fantine in LES MISERABLES - all of that and much, much more!

At BroadwayWorld we pride ourselves in showcasing theater content submitted by our regional contributors from all corners of the globe. Get all your theater news at a glance each Friday with 'Around BWW: Regional Highlights of the Week'!

The Guthrie today announced that actors Greta Oglesby and Sally Wingert will cohost BEHOLD: A Gala Performance. A star-studded performance featuring actors, composers and writers with ties to the Guthrie's past and future, BEHOLD will be held on June 22, 2013, on the Wurtele Thrust Stage and is a part of the Guthrie's 50th season weekend celebration (June 22-23, 2013).

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and Suffolk University present the world premiere of Suffolk University's Distinguished Scholar in Residence Robert Brustein's The Last Will, the final installment of Brustein's trilogy about the life of William Shakespeare. Performance dates are February 13-24, 2013.

Award winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg has been selected by the Board of Directors of the American Cinema Editors (ACE) to be honored with the organization's prestigious ACE Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award.

Fort Point Theatre Channel presents The Good Person of Setzuan written by Bertolt Brecht and adapted by Tony Kushner. Directed by Christie Lee Gibson, designed by Anne Loyer, with music composed and directed by Nick Thorkelson. Performances run February 21-March 9.

Celebrating the release of Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, the New-York Historical Society presents a screening of this monumental film followed by a conversation with screenwriter and playwright Tony Kushner and Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer. Tonight, January 29, 2013 at 6:30 p.m., get ready for an evening commemorating President Lincoln and those who led the courageous fight to pass the 13th amendment.

Writers Guild and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Tony Kushner has been chosen to receive the WGAW's 2013 Paul Selvin Award for his adapted screenplay for Lincoln. Named after the late Selvin, who served as counsel to the Guild, the award is given to the WGA member whose script best embodies the spirit of the constitutional and civil rights and liberties, which are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere. Kushner will be recognized, along with other honorees, at the Writers Guild Awards ceremony on Sunday, February 17, at the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE.

Maggie Siff plays Beatrice and Jonathan Cake Benedick in Theatre for a New Audience's new production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Arin Arbus, beginning previews Saturday, February 2 at 8:00pm for an opening Sunday, February 17, at 3:00pm at The Duke on 42nd Street, 229 West 42nd Street.

Even as his latest book attracts international attention, Pulitzer Prize-winner Lawrence Wright premieres his new play at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. A reporter renowned for his work with The New Yorker - and the bestselling author behind The Looming Tower and Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief - Wright is also the playwright who penned My Trip to al Qaeda and The Human Scale. Now he debuts a fictional play about the last days of legendary journalist Oriana Fallaci. Don't miss this sizzling new script, which is directed by Oskar Eustis, stars Concetta Tomei and Marjan Neshat, and features an incredible team of designers. The 65th world premiere presented by Berkeley Rep, Fallaci begins previews in the Roda Theatre on March 8, opens March 13, and runs through April 21. Below, watch a video of Artistic Director Tony Taccone introducing the play!

La Jolla Playhouse announces a new play development initiative, the DNA New Work Series, entailing a six-week period of workshop productions and public readings of new plays and musicals, taking place today, January 24 through March 3, 2013. The focus of the DNA New Work Series is to allow playwrights and directors the opportunity to develop a script by providing rehearsal time, space and resources, culminating in a workshop production or public reading.

Even as his latest book attracts international attention, Pulitzer Prize-winner Lawrence Wright premieres his new play at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. A reporter renowned for his work with The New Yorker - and the bestselling author behind The Looming Tower and Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief - Wright is also the playwright who penned My Trip to al Qaeda and The Human Scale. Now he debuts a fictional play about the last days of legendary journalist Oriana Fallaci. Don't miss this sizzling new script, which is directed by Oskar Eustis, stars Concetta Tomei and Marjan Neshat, and features an incredible team of designers. The 65th world premiere presented by Berkeley Rep, Fallaci begins previews in the Roda Theatre on March 8, opens March 13, and runs through April 21.