Tony Speciale News

Off-Broadway's acclaimed Classic Stage Company today announced plans for its 2016-17 season, led by incoming Artistic Director John Doyle and Managing Director Jeff Griffin. Doyle, a Tony Award winner for Sweeney Todd and the director of Broadway's highly-praised new production of The Color Purple, assumes the artistic leadership of CSC beginning in July, succeeding Brian Kulick, who has led the company since 2003. For CSC, Doyle has directed Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Passion and Rodgers & Hammerstein's Allegro, and later this season will direct Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt.

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tony Speciale, presents the world-premiere run of A Room of My Own. Written and Directed by Charles Messina, Off-Broadway performances conclude March 13 at Abingdon's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). The cast features Tony Award-nominee Mario Cantone (Sex and the City, Laugh Whore, Steve) and Ralph Macchio (Dancing with the Stars, The Karate Kid, My Cousin Vinny). Check out photos from opening night below!

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tony Speciale, presents the world-premiere run of A Room of My Own. Written and Directed by Charles Messina, the new play has sold-out its run prior to opening tonight, February 25.

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tony Speciale, has added a matinee performance to its world-premiere run of A Room of My Own on Friday, March 4 at 3pm. Written and Directed by Charles Messina, the new play has sold-out its run prior to opening on Thursday, February 25. Off-Broadway performances conclude March 13 at Abingdon's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street), featuring Tony Award-nominee Mario Cantone (Sex and the City, Laugh Whore, Steve) and Ralph Macchio (Dancing with the Stars, The Karate Kid, My Cousin Vinny).

Two-time Tony Award winner Patti LuPone has joined the star-studded Broadway roster for The Ladies Who Sing Sondheim, a gala benefit for Off-Broadway's esteemed Classic Stage Company on Monday, March 14 at Alice Tully Hall (1941 Broadway) hosted and directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle, who will become the company's new Artistic Director in July.  In addition to LuPone, the evening will include performances from Sondheim's canon by Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza), Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), Joaquina Kalukango (The Color Purple), Judy Kuhn (Fun Home, CSC's Passion), Marin Mazzie (Kiss Me, Kate) and Alexandra Silber (Fiddler on the Roof). 

Abingdon Theatre Company continues its Master Class Series with THE STORY WORKSHOP, a three-day intensive workshop with award-winning  writer and actor James Lecesne, whose work includes the Off-Broadway hits The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey and Word of Mouth. The master class is set for March 18-20 at Abingdon Theatre Company (312 West 36th Street).

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tony Speciale, presents the world premiere of A ROOM OF MY OWN, written and and directed by Charles Messina. Currently in previews, and set to open Thursday, February 25 in Abingdon's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street), this new comedy features Mario Cantone and Ralph Macchio, with Nico Bustamante, Kendra Jain, Johnny Tammaro, Joli Trubuzio and Liza Vann. Off-Broadway performances continue through March 13. Check out a first look below!

32 Actors, 8 Writers, and 8 Directors will gather at Abingdon Theatre Company for an entire weekend of pure creativity to produce FETE 24.

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Tony Speciale, has added two performances to its world-premiere run of A ROOM OF MY OWN, written and directed by Charles Messina, on Sundays, February 21 and March 13 at 7pm. Off-Broadway previews are set to begin Saturday, February 13 in the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Opening night is set for Thursday, February 25, with performances through Sunday, March 13.

?Abingdon Theatre Company, in collaboration with The Muse Project, will present STET, a new play inspired by true events, written by Kim Davies and conceived by Kim Davies, Jocelyn Kuritsky and Artistic Director Tony Speciale. A limited Off-Broadway engagement will begin previews in June, as part of Abingdon's 2015-2016 Season. Tony Speciale is set to direct the world-premiere production, which marks his inaugural programming as Artistic Director.

Modern conveniences like smart phones and GPS often make us forget that the journey of life is full of the unexpected. For its 2016 theater season, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater celebrates these unexpected moments: the realization of first love; a town bonded by a bullied teenager; a family finding common ground through music; the censorship of a fictional marriage between two rabbits; the beauty behind the darkness of Edgar Allan Poe; love lost then found again.

Some of Broadway's most talented musical leading ladies will come together in The Ladies Who Sing Sondheim, a gala benefit for Off-Broadway's esteemed Classic Stage Company on Monday, March 14 at Alice Tully Hall (1941 Broadway) helmed by Tony Award winner John Doyle, who will become the company's new Artistic Director in July. The evening will include performances from Sondheim's canon by Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza), Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), Joaquina Kalukango(The Color Purple), Judy Kuhn (Fun Home, CSC's Passion), Marin Mazzie (Kiss Me, Kate) and Alexandra Silber (Fiddler on the Roof). Additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

A Room of My Own, written and directed by Charles Messina is now in rehearsals at Abingdon Theatre Company. Check out photos below!

Veteran New York actor and writer James Lecesne portrays every character in a small Jersey shore town as they unravel the story of Leonard Pelkey, a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant 14-year-old boy who has gone missing. As he interviews the people from Leonard's life, Lecesne transforms himself into each of them with a quick turn of his body, completely changing his voice and physicality as be morphs from male to female, young to old. It is an amazing tour-de-force one-man performance that will enthrall you as several characters are brought fully to life without the use of costumes or props.

The critically acclaimed off-Broadway hit THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY, written by and starring James Lecesne, the writer of the Academy Award-winning film Trevor, begins a limited 23 performance engagement at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, tonight, January 13. The show runs through January 31, 2016 (press opening Thursday January 14).

Abingdon Theatre Company continues its 2015-2016 Season with the world premiere of A ROOM OF MY OWN, written and directed by Charles Messina. A limited Off-Broadway engagement is set to begin previews February 13 in the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Opening night is set for Thursday, February 25, with performances through March 13.

On Monday, December 14, San Francisco-based playwright Jordan Ramirez Puckett received Abingdon Theatre Company's 2015 Christopher Brian Wolk Award for her play Restore. Artistic Director Tony Speciale presented Ms. Puckett with her award and directed a stage reading of the new play about how an unthinkable event affects a young couple and their families. The reading featured Chris Dwan, Yvette Ganier, Ginger Grace, Dominique Fishback, and Michael Winther, with stage directions read by Zach McCoy.

Abingdon Theatre Company proudly announces that San Francisco-based playwright, Jordan Ramirez Puckett is this year's recipient of the Christopher Brian Wolk Award for her play RESTORE.

Abingdon Theatre Company launches its new Master Class Series with THE SOLO STORY WORKSHOP, a three-day intensive workshop with award-winning writer and actor James Lecesne, to be held this weekend, December 11-13 at Abingdon Theatre Company (312 West 36th Street).

Classic Stage Company's production of Bertolt Brecht's MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN, starring Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins, begins performances tonight, December 9 for a limited engagement through January 24. MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN will be directed by Brian Kulick and will feature original music by Tony Award winner Duncan Sheik. The official press opening is Thursday, January 7.