Verona News

The Stratford Festival was saddened to learn of the passing on Wednesday, October 22, of Bernard Hopkins, whose theatre career spanned half a century, including 24 seasons as a beloved member of the Festival company.

Brandon Jovanovich has agreed at short notice to step into the role of Don José in this evening's performance of Carmen, replacing Aleksandrs Antonenko, who is ill. Jovanovich is currently rehearsing for next month's revival of Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at the Met. He sang the October 13 performance of Carmen substituting for Antonenko as well.

Angels in America by Tony Kushner will be revived by Toneelgroep Amsterdam an directed by Ivo van Hove at BAM's Howard Gilman Opera House (30 Lafayette Ave) tonight, October 23 & 24 at 7 p.m. and October 25 at 6 p.m.

Feinstein's at the Nikko is proud to announce the upcoming lineup for December 2014. Performers include Tony Award nominee Tovah Feldshuh, Tony Award winner John Lloyd Young, "American Idol's" Kimberley Locke, Tony Award nominee -- and San Francisco legend -- Sharon McNight, "America's Got Talent's" Shawn Ryan, Dave Damiani & the No Vacancy Orchestra with special guest Renee Olstead & Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., San Francisco's favorite Russian redhead Katya-Smirnoff-Skyy, crooner Russ Lorenson, Bay Area jazz singer Yvonne Flores and more!

Shipwrecked romantics get washed ashore in Seattle Shakespeare Company's sparkling comedy Twelfth Night directed by Jon Kretzu at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center. Performances are October 21-November 16, 2014 (Previews October 21-23, Opening Night Friday October 24). Performance times: Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 PM with selected Saturdays at 2PM and selected Sundays at 2PM and 7:30PM

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE opens tonight off-Broadway and Seth Rudetsky launches his new book series!

LOVE & PROZAC, the smash-hit dirty love comedy, returns to Cape Town for a run at the Kalk Bay Theatre. A hysterical com­edy on the horrors of dating in your thirties, directed by John Trengove and starring Sonia Esgueira, one of SA's funniest commediennes.

Shipwrecked romantics get washed ashore in Seattle Shakespeare Company's sparkling comedy Twelfth Night directed by Jon Kretzu at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center. Performances are today, October 21-November 16, 2014 (Previews October 21-23, Opening Night Friday October 24). Performance times: Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 PM with selected Saturdays at 2PM and selected Sundays at 2PM and 7:30PM

Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's Pulitzer Prize-winning play YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU opened on September 28, 2014, at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). The production is directed by six-time Tony Award-nominee and Drama Desk Award winner Scott Ellis (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Twelve Angry Men, 1776). Scroll down to learn more about the full cast and watch interviews with the company below!

The Geffen Playhouse production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord, is now performing at the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Due to popular demand, the production has extended now through November 23.

Tony Award nominee Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) has joined the cast of the Encores! Special Event The Band Wagon in the role of Jeffrey Cordova, an egotistical British director. (Roger Rees, previously announced in the role, is no longer available.) The Band Wagon cast stars Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell, seven-time Emmy Award winner Tracey Ullman, Academy Award nominee Michael McKean, Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes, Tony Award nominee Michael Berresse and Don Stephenson. The Band Wagon will open on Sunday, November 8.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) will present its first indoor production as Theatre Company in Residence at Babson College, Samuel Beckett's classic Happy Days featuring Brooke Adams* (Lend Me A Tenor, CSC's The Last Will) and Tony Shalhoub* (Act One, Monk) November 18 - 23 at the Carling-Sorenson Theater at Babson College.

Pat Barker's Booker-nominated novel, REGENERATION, has been adapted for the stage by Olivier Award-winning playwright Nicholas Wright (His Dark Materials, Vincent in Brixton), it opened at Royal & Derngate, Northampton on 29 August 2014 prior to a national tour. The production plays Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 4 - 8 November 2014.

The Geffen Playhouse announces its production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Discord began previews on October 7 with the press opening tonight, October 15. The closing date is currently scheduled for November 16.

Shrunken Shakespeare Company will host a launch party for its upcoming world premiere production-What We Know: An American Retelling of Chekhov's Three Sisters-on November 9, 2014 at Hurley's (232 W 48th Street, between 8th Avenue and Broadway).

Brandon Jovanovich has agreed at short notice to step into the role of Don José in this evening's performance of Carmen, replacing Aleksandrs Antonenko, who is ill. Jovanovich is currently at the Met rehearsing for next month's revival of Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.

Jacob Langfelder in association with Burt Rock and Broadway the Hardway present DEARLY BELOVED... A 30th Anniversary Concert Tribute to His Purple Majesty, tonight, October 13th at 8pm at the new 42West (514 West 42nd Street).

The Old Globe invites your participation and coverage as it begins presenting shows through an exciting new producing platform, Globe for All. This free-of-charge tour of a professional production of Shakespeare will allow the theatre to serve more communities throughout San Diego by collaborating with a diverse range of local organizations. Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein directs the first production, Shakespeare's fascinating romance All's Well That Ends Well. He has cast local professional actors, including recent graduates of the Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program. The first Globe for All free Shakespeare tour will begin October 28 and will culminate in three low-cost performances on November 7 to 9 in the Globe's Hattox Hall, part of the Karen and Donald Cohn Education Center in the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.

Simon Paisley Day (Musketeers, Doctor Who, Titanic, Sherlock, Spartacus, Being Human) will be reprising his critically-acclaimed role as the tyrannical Caldwell B. Cladwell, the machiavellian Head of UGC (Urine Good Company) in the West End transfer of Jamie Lloyd's ground breaking, splash hit production of URINETOWN The Musical.

The Geffen Playhouse announces its production of The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord. Written by Scott Carter, executive producer and writer for Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect and Real Time, this whip-smart philosophical comedy features Larry Cedar (Deadwood, PBS's Square One TV), David Melville (Travel Channel Lawrence of America, film Ironclad) and Armin Shimerman (Quark on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Associate Artistic Director at The Antaeus Company) and will be again helmed by director, Matt August (Broadway How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Discord begins previews tonight, October 7 with the press opening on October 15. The closing date is currently scheduled for November 16.