Tyler Kinney News

Stoneham Theatre celebrates the holidays with the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Mame, Directed and Choreographed by Elliot Norton and IRNE Award-winner Ilyse Robbins. Featuring song favorites Bosom Buddies and If He Walked Into My Life, this unforgettable classic centers on the eccentric Mame Dennis, who lives a carefree life in 1920s New York until she unexpectedly becomes the guardian to her 10-year-old nephew, Patrick. Rather than change her ways, Mame introduces Patrick to all the wonder of her wild bohemian world while discovering the joy of having a family of her own. Performances run from November 25-December 23, 2016. Press Opening is Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 7:00pm.

The winners of the First Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards have been announced. Seventeen arts journalists voted on 120 nominees in 25 categories chosen from artists in the 75 live theatre productions mounted in Berkshire County and adjacent areas between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016.

Actors' Shakespeare Project will bring magic and theatricality to the Bard's The Tempest, returning to Brookline's Willet Hall at United Parish, 210 Harvard Street, the venue for last season's The Winter's Tale, from December 1, 2016 through January 8, 2017 (Press performance Saturday December 3 at 8 PM).

In the last twelve months, more than 300,000 people attended a live theatre production in or around Berkshire County. With 75 stage productions employing hundreds of professionals, making theatre is an important cog in the area's cultural economy. In fact, many consider the region a hot spot for Broadway bound shows, and a popular summer destination for theatre-goers from around the nation.

SpeakEasy Stage Company is presenting the New England premiere of a new comedy by Joshua Harmon (BAD JEWS) prior to its scheduled Broadway run in February, 2017. Under the insightful direction of Producing Artistic Director Paul Daigneault, SIGNIFICANT OTHER offers a cornucopia of talented players (Greg Maraio atop the list), pointed humor, and poignant commentary on the universal human condition.

Stoneham Theatre has a lively hit on its hands with the Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty 1980s musical murder mystery farce, LUCKY STIFF. The rom-com romp stars young company alum Andrew Barbato, with direction by Caitlin Lowans, choreography by Ilyse Robbins, and music direction by Bethany Aiken. It's a madcap journey to Monte Carlo with a rich, dead uncle, mistaken identity, slamming doors, romance, and great songs.

From September 9 to October 8, 2016, SpeakEasy Stage Company will proudly present SIGNIFICANT OTHER, a sharply observed new comedy about the challenges of finding love and letting go, written by Bad Jews playwright Joshua Harmon.

Stoneham Theatre opens its 17th Season with Lucky Stiff, a musical murder mystery farce about love, dogs, diamonds, and death. From the creators of Ragtime and Seussical, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Directed by Caitlin Lowans and Choreographed by Elliot Norton and IRNE Award-winner Ilyse Robbins, Lucky Stiff hilariously tells the story of an unassuming shoe salesman who stands to inherit six million dollars from a recently deceased uncle he never met. There's only one catch: he has to bring his embalmed uncle on a vacation to Monte Carlo. Should he succeed in passing his uncle off as alive, he'll get the inheritance. If not, the money goes to the Universal Dog Home of Brooklyn, or else his uncle's gun-toting ex! Performances run from September 8 - 25, 2016. Press Opening is Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 3:00pm.

From September 9 to October 8, 2016, SpeakEasy Stage Company will proudly present SIGNIFICANT OTHER, a sharply observed new comedy about the challenges of finding love and letting go, written by Bad Jews playwright Joshua Harmon.

Elm Shakespeare Company brings magic to Edgerton Park for it's 21st summer season with Shakespeare's most beloved comedy, presenting 16 free outdoor performances of A Midsummer Nights Dream directed by Tina Packer of Shakespeare & Company, Lennox, MA.

Shakespeare & Company will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Bard during this 39th performance season with a newly configured theatre, and will debut its first production in-the-round with The Merchant of Venice, directed by Founder Tina Packer and featuring Jonathan Epstein as Shylock. This controversial and poignant play opens the Tina Packer Playhouse on July 1, and runs through August 21. 

More than 25 nominations of outstanding actors, directors, designers and ensembles were announced today by The Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA), with winners to be revealed at the 34th Annual Elliot Norton Awards on Monday, May 23, 2016 at 7 PM, at Boston's Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre.

With a book by Todd Almond, with music and lyrics by Matthew Sweet (from the latter's album of the same name plus songs derived from Altered Beats and 100% Fun) and originally produced by Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Berkeley, CA, Girlfriend is now directed by Christopher Ostrom as it comes to WHAT on the Julie Harris Stage. Girlfriend: A Rock Musical tells the story of two young men living in Nebraska, fresh out of high school and each with different plans as to what his future will look like after the summer ends. Michael is ready to move out of his tyrannical father's house but not so adamant about following in his footsteps and becoming a doctor; with a full ride to college, his life is not necessarily the fairy-tale a person could look at him and see unfolding. On the other hand, Will hasn't an idea in the world what to do with himself beyond his high school years. As summer vacation is about to begin, Michael asks Will if he'd like to hang out sometime and from that moment onward, the summer is spent trying to understand the feelings that were already blooming between them from the start; it just took two young men and the chance they gave themselves to see something that needed to be made clear for each of them.

Among this year's nominees for Outstanding Musical Production by a Large Theater are WAITRESS and NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE  GREAT COMET OF 1812, both at American Repertory Theatre. Tony winner Jessie Mueller and Denee Benton also each received nods for their respective performances. 

Actors' Shakespeare Project closes its record-breaking season with Richard Brinsley Sheridan's clever comedy of manners THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, directed by Resident Acting Company member Paula Plum with adaptation by RAC member Steven Barkhimer. The show runs tonight, April 13, through May 8, 2016, at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 2nd Street, Cambridge.

Director/choreographer Ilyse Robbins pays homage to Bob Fosse, but puts her artistic stamp on the 1966 Tony Award-winning musical. You will love Vanessa Dunleavy as the hopeful dance-hall hostess looking for love in all the wrong places. Stoneham Theatre veterans and newcomers comprise a stellar ensemble that delivers the songs and dances with panache.

Stoneham Theatre continues Season 16 with the toe-tapping, Broadway musical hit SWEET CHARITY. Performances run now through April 24, 2016. Press Opening is today, April 2, 2016 at 3:00pm.

Stoneham Theatre continues Season 16 with the toe-tapping, Broadway musical hit SWEET CHARITY. Performances run from March 31 - April 24, 2016. Press Opening is Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 3:00pm.

Actors' Shakespeare Project closes its record-breaking season with Richard Brinsley Sheridan's clever comedy of manners THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, directed by Resident Acting Company member Paula Plum with adaptation by RAC member Steven Barkhimer. The show runs April 13 - May 8, 2016, at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 2nd Street, Cambridge.

Stoneham Theatre continues Season 16 with the toe-tapping, Broadway musical hit SWEET CHARITY. Performances run from March 31 - April 24, 2016. Press Opening is Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 3:00pm.