Tony Kushner News

The Metropolitan Opera's 2011-12 season will feature the world's leading singers, conductors, and stage directors in seven new productions, including a world premiere, a Met premiere, and the first complete performances of a new Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle conducted by Music Director James Levine and directed by Robert Lepage.

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is pleased to partner with Theater of War Productions, a social impact company that presents readings of ancient Greek plays to military communities as a catalyst for town hall discussions, to present Theater of War on February 28 and March 7.

An evocative critique of modern family and religious life, The First Ladies examines what can happen when three unfulfilled women become possessed by their own fantasies. Guest director Zeljko Djukic brings his unique and vibrant voice to Trap Door with his staging of Werner Schwab's devastatingly modern play that juxtaposes two worlds, the dream world and the low-class world, in order to tell and show us that happiness is impossible, even when dreaming. The play utilizes hyperrealism not to represent the naturalistic world, but to put the world in quotation marks and expose its exploitative nature and cruelty. With its sophisticated nuances in movement and speech, this riveting, highly poetic play poses exciting emotional demands for both actors and audience.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) has added two additional performances to the world premiere production of Rinne Groff's COMPULSION, directed by Oskar Eustis and featuring Hannah Cabell, Matte Osian and Mandy Patinkin. COMPULSION, which opens on Thursday, February 17 and must close on Sunday, March 13, has added two additional weekend performances on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the added performances are on sale now at (212) 967-7555 or www.publictheater.org.

Signature Theatre Company presents Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, directed by Michael Greif. The show will now offer student rush tickets and though originally slated to run through December 19, 2010 and extended initially through January 30, 2011 and a second time through February 20, 2011, will now play an additional five weeks through Sunday, March 27, 2011.

Terry Angel Mason, the African-American author who is rapidly becoming internationally acclaimed, is highly regarded for his ability to overcome adversity. Many would go so far as to say Mason is a Maverick of an angel since his life reads like an excerpt from Tony Kushner's Angels in America. He has a momentous quest, having overcome two life threatening-illnesses. Mason's thought-provoking articles, life-changing stories, and sensual romantic poetry about the Black gay experience touches and inspires millions of lives worldwide as is evidenced by the numerous distributors who carry his much sought-after literary masterpiece, LOVE WON'T LET ME BE SILENT.

Today the American Repertory Theater announced that Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theater in New York, will be the recipient of the A.R.T.'s 2011 Robert Brustein Award.

According to Variety, stage veterans Andrew Garfield, Jennifer Garner and Marcia Gay Harden are set to star in Back Roads. The film is based on the novel of the same title by Tawni O'Dell. Adrian Lyne is on board to direct.

Signature Theatre Company presents Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, directed by Michael Greif. The production, originally slated to run through December 19, 2010 and extended initially through January 30, 2011 and a second time through February 20, 2011, will now play an additional five weeks through Sunday, March 27, 2011. Here's a first look at the show's exciting new cast!

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) will begin previews Tuesday, February 1 for the world premiere production of Rinne Groff's COMPULSION, directed by Oskar Eustis.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents William Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET, directed by Shana Cooper, at the University Theatre (222 York Street) March 11-April 2, 2011.

According to People.com, stage and screen star Cynthia Nixon and her fiance Christine Marinoni have welcomed a son to the family. Marinoni delivered Max Ellington Nixon-Marinoni, on February 7. The couple has been engaged since 2009.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) will begin previews Tuesday, February 1 for the world premiere production of Rinne Groff's COMPULSION, directed by Oskar Eustis. The cast features Hannah Cabell, Matte Osian, and Mandy Patinkin, with puppet design and puppetry supervision by Matt Acheson. COMPULSION runs through Sunday, March 13 at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street) with an official press opening on Thursday, February 17. Tickets are on sale now.

Acclaimed actor/writer JEREMY LAWRENCE has just been added to the performers taking part in the sold-out "A Celebration of Tennessee Williams" this Monday night, February 7th at the 92nd Street Y.

On Monday, February 7, the 92nd Street Y in collaboration with New Directions Publishing and the Tennessee Williams Festival will celebrate Tennessee William's 100th birthday with performances from actors such as Alec Baldwin, Olympia Dukakis, Jessica Lange, and more.

Harold Bloom, America's leading literary critic and author of the best-seller 'Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human," will join Classic Stage Company Artistic Director Brian Kulick in a rare public appearance on Monday evening, February 7 at 7 pm at CSC (136 East 13th Street) as a special one-night-only event to benefit CSC's ongoing Shakespeare programming.

Having appeared on Broadway in FOOTLOOSE, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF co-starring James Earl Jones and Phylicia Rashad, and snagging a Tony Award for her work on Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner's CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, Anika Noni Rose cites the stage as her first love.

Acclaimed actor/writer JEREMY LAWRENCE has just been added to the performers taking part in the sold-out "A Celebration of Tennessee Williams" this Monday night, February 7th at the 92nd Street Y.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Interim Executive Director Joey Parnes) and Signature Theatre Company (Founding Artistic Director James Houghton; Executive Director Erika Mallin) in association with the Guthrie Theater (Joe Dowling, Director) announces complete casting for the New York premiere of Tony Kushner's THE INTELLIGENT HOMOSEXUAL'S GUIDE TO CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM WITH A KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES. Michael Greif, who directed the world premiere at the Guthrie in April 2009, will direct the New York premiere. Rehearsals begin Monday, February 7 in New York.

The box office will open today, February 4 at 10 a.m. for BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO - the new American play by Rajiv Joseph and starring Robin Williams in his Broadway acting debut - at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 W. 46 St.) on Broadway.