Verona News

Lynn Cohen and Jake Robards set to headline the cast of the world premiere of Rivka Beekerman-Greenberg's EAVESDROPPING ON DREAMS, presented Off-Broadway by Barefoot Theatre Company with previews beginning April 20 prior to an official press opening of Friday, April 27 at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre (38 Commerce Street) in Manhattan. Ronald Cohen will direct.

Lantern Theater Company is set to present William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet under the direction of the Lantern's Artistic Director Charles McMahon as part of its record-breaking 18th season.

Court Theatre Artistic Director Charles Newell and Executive Director Stephen J. Albert present Tony Kushner's Tony Award-winning Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches and Part Two: Perestroika, directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell. Angels in America will run March 30 - June 3, 2012 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. Press Opening is Saturday, April 14, 2012; Part One: Millennium Approaches at 3PM and Part Two: Perestroika at 8PM.

Tragedians of the City make their premiere outing with an all-male version of ROMEO AND JULIET, William Shakespeare's tale of young passion, directed by Anya Saffir.

The Public Theater announced today that Tituss Burgess, John Ellison Conlee, Lili Cooper, Matt Doyle, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Greg Hildreth, Eli James, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Justin Levine, Norm Lewis, Betsy Morgan, Jessica Phillips, Bobby Steggert, and Katie Thompson will join the star-studded PUBLIC SINGS! benefit on Monday, March 5 at Joe's Pub. A limited number of $250 tickets for the performance only are available now by calling (212) 539-8554.

The 39 Steps hits Arizona Theatre Company's stage at the Temple of Music and Art. Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps plays from January 14 - February 4, 2012 and continues its run in Phoenix at the Herberger Theater Center through February 26, 2012.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will launch its third annual Lend Us Your Ears play reading series on Monday, March 12 at 7 p.m. with Eve of Ides, a new play by author David Blixt. The series also includes readings of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part Two on July 16 and the comedy Wittenberg by David Davalos on September 24. All readings will be held at 7:00 pm at the Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage, the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. The Lend Us Your Ears discount subscription series, featuring tickets to all three readings, is $36 for adults and $24 for students. Individual tickets are $15 each for adults and $10 for students. For tickets or more information, call the box office at 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

Lantern Theater Company will honor Ceal Phelan and Gayle Smith with the 2012 Luminary Award at its Annual Benefit on Friday, February 24, 2012, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. An Evening in Verona will be held at the elegant Down Town Club at 6th & Chestnut Streets in Center City, and will include entertainment, cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, dinner and dessert, plus live music from the Alex Hiele Trio and a Silent Auction featuring exclusive vacations, fine dining, entertainment, adventures, sports, and other unique items.

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts continues its 2011-12 Programs for Young Audiences series with ArtsPower's national tour of Are You My Mother?, an enchanting musical about Baby Bird's courageous adventure. This 55-minute, original musical based on P.D. Eastman's endearing children's classic is recommended for audiences ages 4 and up. Performances are Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Opera Columbus presents Denyce Graves at the Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.) on Friday, March 25, at 8 pm. Tickets are $38-$98 at the Ohio Theatre Ticket Office (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase by phone, please call (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000.

A trio of international stars will sing the leading roles in a revival of Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore, opening March 5. Juan Diego Florez will sing his first Met performances of Nemorino, the simple country boy who falls in love with the beautiful Adina, sung by Diana Damrau in her house role debut. Mariusz Kwiecien adds a new role to his Met repertory as Belcore, Adina's posturing fiance, and Alessandro Corbelli reprises his acclaimed interpretation of Dulcamara, the traveling quack whose phony love potion creates real romantic intrigue among the three characters. Donato Renzetti returns to the Met for the first time in more than 20 years to conduct this revival of John Copley's colorful 1991 production.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County presents a special two-night-only engagement showcasing the critically-acclaimed dance troupe, PILOBOLUS dance theatre. World-renowned for their innovative mix of the human imagination and corporeal dexterity, and memorable performances on widely televised programs such as the Academy Awards and "The Oprah Winfrey Show," PILOBOLUS is destined to create a wondrous dance spectacle for South Florida audiences. The troupe will make its Arsht Center debut on March 2 and 3, 2012 at 8 p.m., in the Ziff Ballet Opera House as part of the Knight Masterworks Season, Sanford and Beatrice Ziff Dance Series.

Today in 1957, The Taming of the Shrew openend at the Phoenix Theatre, where it ran for 23 performances. A comedy by William Shakespeare, the play is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591. The main plot depicts the courtship of Petruchio, a gentleman of Verona, and Katherina, the headstrong, obdurate shrew. Initially, Katherina is an unwilling participant in the relationship, but Petruchio tempers her with various psychological torments-the 'taming'-until she becomes a compliant and obedient bride. The subplot features a competition between the suitors of Katherina's more desirable sister, Bianca.

Kansas City Rep is set to extend their family-friendly production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain's classic coming-of-age story about a boy growing up in a small Missouri town on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents Ten Chimneys by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones. The production runsMarch 9 - April 15, 2012 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. The press opening is on Friday, March 16, 2012.

San Diego REPertory Theatre (San Diego REP) has announced the fifth production of the company's 36th season, In the Wake.

Falcon Theatre will present Troubadour Theater Company's Two Gentlemen of Chicago, directed by Matt Walker, the final production of its 2011-2012 Subscription Season.

This version of Willy's 16th century exploration of family expectations, courtship rituals, marriage as an institution, identity, love, and sex is a fun, physical, social exploration of what it means to be a woman - in 1590, 1950, and 2012.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will launch its third annual Lend Us Your Ears play reading series on Monday, March 12 at 7 p.m. with Eve of Ides, a new play by author David Blixt. The series also includes readings of William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part Two on July 16 and the provocative comedy Wittenberg by David Davalos on September 24. All readings will be held at 7:00 pm at the Shakespeare Theatre's Main Stage, the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. (at Lancaster Road) in Madison. The Lend Us Your Ears discount subscription series, featuring tickets to all three readings, is $36 for adults and $24 for students. Individual tickets are $15 each for adults and $10 for students. For tickets or more information, call the box office at 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) Mainstage Musical Theatre Series continues its 2011-12 season with Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. The award-winning pairing of new and existing fairy-tales with Sondheim's witty music and lyrics runs Feb. 23-26 and March 1-4 in Patricia Corbett Theater in CCM Village.