Vichet Chum News

Play On Shakespeare today announces an expansive list of compelling actors and dynamic directors confirmed to participate in the Play on! Festival, presented in association with Classic Stage Company (CSC) and Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). Play on! features 39 readings of new, work-in-progress translations of Shakespeare's plays into contemporary modern English by some of today's most exciting playwrights-May 29-June 30 at the Lynn F. Angelson Theater at CSC (136 E. 13th Street). In 2015, Oregon Shakespeare Festival launched an ambitious 39-play, three-year commissioning project, Play on!, tasking 36 playwrights-more than half of whom were women and playwrights of color, each paired with a dramaturg-to translate Shakespeare's canon in celebration of the enduring impact of the Bard's work. Supported by a generous grant from the Hitz Foundation and inspired by long-time patron Dave Hitz's passion for Shakespeare, the project was and continues to be led by Lue Morgan Douthit. For more information, visit playonfestival.org.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) 's The Haunted Life by Sean Daniels, adapted from the 'lost' novel, and directed by Daniels and christopher oscar peña, in coordination with The Estate of Jack Kerouac, from March 20 to April 14 - is now on stage!

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) will present Molly Smith Metzler's Cry It Out, an insightful comedy about the absurdities of being a new mom, as the final show of its 40th Anniversary Season, from April 24 to May 19, directed by Amanda Charlton at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre at Liberty Hall, according to Artistic Director Sean Daniels and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

It's a different time and a different war, but the protagonist in this coming of age story faces many of the same challenges as would a young person today. What do I want to do with my life? Where do I fit in the world? How can I make my mark? Meanwhile, set in the City of Lowell in 1941-2, as it is struggling to come to terms with a surfeit of immigrants, that city today remains a diverse community in a nation that is roiled by the debate over how to deal with a flood of immigrants and asylum seekers. Artistic Director Sean Daniels has adapted Lowell native Jack Kerouac's unfinished, long-lost novel THE HAUNTED LIFE into a play of the same name, now having its world premiere at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, with Daniels co-directing with christopher oscar peña.

Registration is now open for the MRT Young Company summer program, a professional theatre training program for high school students, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for three weeks, July 15 to August 2, in downtown Lowell. Nationally recognized creative producer, director, and performer Will Rogers will return to lead the program.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) and Pollard Memorial Library will present a free screening of the critically acclaimed documentary King of the Beats, followed by a panel discussion, at 7 p.m. today, March 8, at the Donahue Academic Arts Center at Middlesex Community College, 240 Central Street in downtown Lowell.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) today announced the 2019-20 Season, which features seven plays by women, a world premiere historical drama, two East Coast premieres, and three provocative plays with music, according to Artistic Director Sean Daniels and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) and Pollard Memorial Library will present a free screening of the critically acclaimed documentary King of the Beats, followed by a panel discussion, at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 8, at the Donahue Academic Arts Center at Middlesex Community College, 240 Central Street in downtown Lowell.

The Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) today announced the nominees for the 23rd Annual IRNE Awards, which honor the best of the previous year's actors, directors, choreographers, designers and companies across the full spectrum of large, mid-size and fringe theater companies. Moulin Rouge!, a new musical produced by Global Creatures, and An American in Paris, produced by the Ogunquit Playhouse, led with 12 and 11 nominations, respectively, in the Large Stage Musical Category. The Huntington Theatre led all companies with 31 nominations across seven productions, including 11 for Man in the Ring, the story of six-time world champion prizefighter Emile Griffith.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) and The Luna Theater, in collaboration with The Estate of Jack Kerouac, will present free screenings of two Jack Kerouac films, Big Sur and One Fast Move or I'm Gone, March 5 and 7 at The Luna at Mill No. 5, 250 Jackson Street, in downtown Lowell.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) will present the world premiere of The Heath by Lauren Gunderson, one of the most produced playwrights in America (Silent Sky, I and You, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley) from February 13 to March 10 at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre at Liberty Hall, according to Artistic Director Sean Daniels and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

Boston Ballet major gifts officer Laura Frye, who previously served as Director of Development at Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) for three seasons, will return February 19 to steer the not-for-profit theatre's fundraising efforts, according to Artistic Director Sean Daniels and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) announced that today the cast of the world premiere of Jack Kerouac's The Haunted Life by Sean Daniels, adapted from the "lost" novel, and directed by Daniels and christopher oscar peña, in coordination with The Estate of Jack Kerouac, from March 20 to April 14, according to Artistic Director Daniels and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company's current and highly successful world premiere of La Ruta by Isaac Gomez received a workshop and public reading at Steppenwolf as part of the theatre's new play development initiative, SCOUT, in conjunction with Steppenwolf's multi-genre series, LookOut.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) will celebrate the holidays with the imaginative and radiant Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, written by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, from November 28 to December 23 at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre at Liberty Hall, according to Artistic Director Sean Daniels and Executive Director Bonnie J. Butkas.

We are pleased to announce that Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) was selected to participate in the Barr-Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative - as announced earlier today on The Barr Foundation's blog. A partnership between two Boston-based foundations - Barr and The Klarman Family Foundation - the initiative is a $25 million, six-year investment in 29 arts and cultural organizations from across Massachusetts. Participating organizations receive flexible, multi-year operating support grants, in addition to training and technical assistance from TDC, a nonprofit consulting and research firm. MRT's engagement in the initiative begins with two grants totaling $450,000 from Barr and the Klarman Family Foundation over three years - making it the largest foundation or government grant in the theatre's 40-year history.

Art House Productions announces its full schedule of arts programming from September 2018 until June 2019.  Beginning in September, Art House presents its first Artist-in-Residence: Raven Taisce White. Raven is a trans woman from South Carolina and her company, BIRDHOUSE perform a reimagining of their piece Hot Winter. Hot Winter follows five humans as they struggle to understand one another, unifying in difference and falling apart in sameness and is a surrealistic look at the performers' collective universe.

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA) has announced the winners of the 2018 Princess Grace Awards. The Awards will be presented at the annual Princess Grace Awards Gala and continue the legacy of Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco, who helped emerging artists pursue their artistic goals during Her lifetime. In total, the Foundation is awarding over $1 million to artists in theater, dance, and film. In the presence of Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, this year's Gala will be held at Cipriani 25 Broadway on October 16, 2018. The evening will be co-chaired by Dennis and Phyllis Washington and Anne Sweeney and Phillip Miller.

Vichet Chum has an upcoming show at this year's Ice Factory Festival called 'LOVE.' The two-hander is written and performed by Chum and Laura Gragtmans. Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Chum about his background, career and the upcoming show.

Illustrious alumni will guest-curate this summer's 25-year anniversary edition of Ice Factory 2018, New Ohio Theatre's Obie Award-winning festival. Ice Factory 2018 will present eight new works over eight weeks, June 27 - August 18, at New Ohio Theatre, located at 154 Christopher Street between Greenwich and Washington Streets in New York City.