The weekend before last, New Epic Theater opened a strikingly beautiful and devastating production of the 1985 Off-Broadway play THE NORMAL HEART about the early days of the AIDS crisis. Last weekend they opened part two of their ambitious spring repertory production, Shakespeare's CORIOLANUS. The two plays share the same terrific eight-person cast, innovative and distinctive director Joseph Stodola, performance space, set, and overall look. Separated in time by about 400 years, THE NORMAL HEART and CORIOLANUS are in some ways similar and in other ways very different. Both continue the trajectory that this new company has set right out of the gate with visually and emotionally impactful work. The two plays will be performed in rep for the next two weekends, culminating in both shows being performed back-to-back on Saturday April 16. Friends, New Epic Theater is an exciting new addition to our bountiful theater community and I urge you to see one or both of these plays to experience their unique vision.
In just their second season as a theater company, New Epic Theater is tackling not one but two challenging and not often performed political plays with THE NORMAL HEART and CORIOLANUS, performed in rep (something that's also not often done). It's an ambitious undertaking for any theater company, much less a young one. But in this short time New Epic has already established themselves as a company that does striking work, both visually and emotionally. The first half of this pair of plays opened last weekend, a strikingly beautiful and devastating production of the 1985 Off-Broadway play THE NORMAL HEART about the early days of the AIDS crisis. Friends, this is a piece of theater not to be missed. The Normal Heart returns on April 7, but in the meantime you can see the other piece of the puzzle, Shakespeare's CORIOLANUS, this weekend, as I will be. Director Joseph Stodola and New Epic Theater have a unique vision, one that deserves to be seen.
The Acting Company in association with The Guthrie Theater presents William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth,' directed by Devin Brain; and 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court,' adapted by acclaimed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher from the novel by Mark Twain, directed by Ian Belknap. Click below to go behind the scenes with the companies from both productions!
The Acting Company in association with The Guthrie Theater presents William Shakespeare's "Macbeth," directed by Devin Brain, Friday, March 20, 8 p.m.; and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," adapted by acclaimed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher from the novel by Mark Twain, directed by Ian Belknap, Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m. Both performances take place at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., on the campus of College of DuPage. There will be a free MAC Chat with the cast led by Brain immediately following both performances. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the company in action below!
The Guthrie Theater and The Acting Company (TAC) reunite for a seventh year to present A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - a satirical story adapted by acclaimed local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher from the novel by Mark Twain - in repertory with Macbeth, Shakespeare's dark and powerful tragedy.
The Guthrie Theater and The Acting Company (TAC) reunite for a seventh year to present A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - a satirical story adapted by acclaimed local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher from the novel by Mark Twain - in repertory with Macbeth, Shakespeare's dark and powerful tragedy.
Performed in four 15-minute quarters with a half-time show, featuring a dance company, a drum corps, and a fully-padded cast, COLOSSAL is an epic event that simultaneously celebrates and attacks our nation's most popular form of theater: football.
The 31st annual PlayLabs new play festival runs Monday, October 20 through Sunday, October 26 at the Playwrights' Center. Audiences are invited to readings of new plays by Playwrights' Center Core Writers, brought to life by top actors and incorporating design elements-elevating the staged reading to an intimate art form all its own.
Performed in four 15-minute quarters with a half-time show, featuring a dance company, a drum corps, and a fully-padded cast, COLOSSAL is an epic event that simultaneously celebrates and attacks our nation's most popular form of theater: football.
I have seen a few different versions of AS YOU LIKE IT over the years. I think when watching Shakespeare it's gets easier and more enjoyable each time you see it, since you understand what is happening. However, I think this production does such a good job of telling the story through the actions they chose to go along with the dialogue, that someone who knew nothing about the story could tell you what it was about.
What do the phrases, 'all the world's a stage' and 'too much of a good thing' have in common? They are both quotes from Shakespeare's pastoral comedy 'As You Like It.' As is true of that genre, the play, which was written early in 1600, deals with shepherds and the rustic life, but, also concerns love, in its various forms.
It's two minutes to curtain on a Wednesday's opening night performance of the Guthrie's annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL and I'm running through a parking garage. Who gets invited to see A CHRISTMAS CAROL and says, no? Nobody, that's who.
Tuesday, October 22 marks the first day of rehearsal for the Guthrie Theater's 2013 production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, presented by U.S. Bank. The perennial holiday favorite, now in its 39th year at the Guthrie, features a script by British playwright Crispin Whittell and is directed by Joe Chvala. Chvala is the founder and artistic director of the Flying Foot Forum and has previously served as both director and movement director for the production. Longtime Guthrie actor J.C. Cutler will reprise the role of grubby miser Ebenezer Scrooge. Cutler has been involved in 30 productions at the Guthrie since 1993, including five productions of A Christmas Carol - appearing as Ebenezer Scrooge (2011), Bob Cratchit (1995, 1997), Banker (1996) and Young Scrooge (1993, 1994) - and was last seen on a Guthrie stage in this past summer's original romantic comedy Pride and Prejudice. Check out a first look at highlights below!
Tuesday, October 22 marks the first day of rehearsal for the Guthrie Theater's 2013 production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, presented by U.S. Bank. The perennial holiday favorite, now in its 39th year at the Guthrie, features a script by British playwright Crispin Whittell and is directed by Joe Chvala. Chvala is the founder and artistic director of the Flying Foot Forum and has previously served as both director and movement director for the production. Longtime Guthrie actor J.C. Cutler will reprise the role of grubby miser Ebenezer Scrooge. Cutler has been involved in 30 productions at the Guthrie since 1993, including five productions of A Christmas Carol - appearing as Ebenezer Scrooge (2011), Bob Cratchit (1995, 1997), Banker (1996) and Young Scrooge (1993, 1994) - and was last seen on a Guthrie stage in this past summer's original romantic comedy Pride and Prejudice. Check out a first look below!
The Guthrie Theater today announced the full cast and creative team for the Theater's 2012 production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, presented by U.S. Bank. The perennial holiday favorite, now in its 38th year at the Guthrie, will feature a script by British playwright Crispin Whittell and be directed by Joe Chvala. Chvala is the founder and artistic director of the Flying Foot Forum and has previously served as movement director for the production. Longtime Guthrie actor J.C. Cutler will take on the role of grubby miser Ebenezer Scrooge. Cutler has been involved in 30 productions at the Guthrie since 1993, including five productions of A Christmas Carol - appearing as Ebenezer Scrooge (2011), Bob Cratchit (1995, 1997), Banker (1996) and Young Scrooge (1993, 1994) - and was last seen on a Guthrie stage in this past spring's American premiere of Conor McPherson's The Birds.
The Guthrie Theater today announced complete casting for its first-ever production of Hay Fever, Noel Coward's sensational and highly entertaining comedy of manners, playing March 10 - April 22, 2012, on the Wurtele Thrust Stage.
Television, film and stage actress Harriet Harris (Television: 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Frasier;' Film: Nurse Betty, Memento; Guthrie: The Glass Menagerie, A Midsummer Night's Dream; Broadway: Thoroughly Modern Millie) and stage and film actor Simon Jones (Television: 'Brideshead Revisited;' Broadway: Blithe Spirit; Guthrie: Shadowlands, The Home Place) will lead the cast as Judith and David Bliss-the matriarch and patriarch of the peculiar Bliss family. Rounding out the family are John Skelley as Simon (Guthrie: Charley's Aunt) and Cat Walleck in her Guthrie debut as Sorel.
Check out the cast photos below!
The Guthrie Theater today announced complete casting for its first-ever production of Hay Fever, Noel Coward's sensational and highly entertaining comedy of manners, playing March 10 - April 22, 2012, on the Wurtele Thrust Stage.
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