Vivien Leigh News

Artists' Exchange has announced its upcoming camps, productions and events. Details below!

NYC based theatre company Mississippi Mud Productions announces its first production in Lido Beach, NY located about 25 miles outside of NYC. The company produces Tennessee Williams' one-acts Moony's Kid Don't Cry, directed by Jen Danby; The Lady of Larkspur Lotion, directed by Daniel Capalbo, Jr, with Miss Danby as Mrs. Hardwicke-Moore, an early sketch of Blanche DuBois; and Interior: Panic, an early sketch of A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Edward Bergen and starring Jen Danby and Colleen Leone as sisters Blanche and Grace. Three plays, music, raffles and refreshments. Tickets on sale online @ http://shotguncottage.brownpapertickets.com - $25 General Admission, $15 Student/Senior, $10 Under 18.

Independent Theatre began its theatrical life at the Adelaide Fringe in 1984, and celebrates its 30th birthday this year. To start the year, it is mounting Bernard Shaw's seldom-seen, but scintillatingly topical political comedy, CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA, about the aging Julius Caesar's attempts to educate Egypt's 16-year-old queen in the politics of power. Their relationship is very like that of Shaw's Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle.

Imagine a festival with some of the world's most illustrious superstars of a certain age gathered together in one room. But instead of classics like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman and Vivien Leigh - all unquestionably stars for the ages - the marquee names are eight of the world's most celebrated and rare Stradivarius violins brought together for the first time ever.

A stellar group of literary, theater and musical talent will gather for the 2014 Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, marking its 28th anniversary, today, March 19-23.

vTalkback dates with director Austin Pendleton and Jen Danby have been confirmed for tonight, March 14 and March 16 & 22nd. The March 16th talkback will be led by Sissy Gamache of The Sissy Gamache Show.

Independent Theatre began its theatrical life at the Adelaide Fringe in 1984, and celebrates its 30th birthday this year. To start the year, it is mounting Bernard Shaw's seldom-seen, but scintillatingly topical political comedy, CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA, about the aging Julius Caesar's attempts to educate Egypt's 16-year-old queen in the politics of power. Their relationship is very like that of Shaw's Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle.

With the reopening of one of the country's oldest community theaters and some unique staging in unexpected venues, New Orleans' historic French Quarter will pulse with productions of Tennessee Williams' works, as well as some inspired by or dedicated to the legendary playwright and his life in the city he considered his "spiritual home."

Imagine a festival with some of the world's most illustrious superstars of a certain age gathered together in one room. But instead of classics like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman and Vivien Leigh - all unquestionably stars for the ages - the marquee names are eight of the world's most celebrated and rare Stradivarius violins brought together for the first time ever.

Sharon Tate in Heaven is a one woman odyssey about model and actress Sharon Tate. Sharon did some television work and made six films, her last with Orson Welles, and was on her way to international stardom. She met director Roman Polanski in 1967 when she was hired to play the lead in his film The Fearless Vampire Killers, fell madly in love, and married him. Two years later while pregnant with his child, a boy, she and four others were savagely killed by members of the Charles Manson 'family' in August 1969 when Manson, a frustrated musician who wanted to get revenge on the Establishment that rejected him, and with paranoid delusions about a Helter Skelter race war he wanted to start, set it in motion. At the home Sharon and Roman rented on Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon, Sharon passed before being able to say goodbye to her husband or loved ones. In this one woman show, written and performed by Jen Danby (The Blonde Bombshell Project: Marilyn Monroe), and inspired by research into books, pictures, interviews, films, virtual explorations, and more, Sharon Tate is interviewed in Heaven moments after her death to talk about her life, acting, and love, as a Valentine message to her husband. At the juncture of an American Tragedy that is cultural memory, this is the story of the real Sharon Tate and it is a Love Story. Tickets on sale now at SharonTate.brownpapertickets.com

Following international shows celebrating the 100th year of Vivien Leigh's birth, actress Susie Lindeman brings her highly acclaimed performance Vivien: Letter to Larry to Sydney for one special night at the Independent Theatre on Sunday February 23.

The Associated Press reports that Alicia Rhett, who played India Wilkes in the 1939 film GONE WITH THE WIND, passed away on January 3, 2014. She was 98 and one of the oldest surviving cast members from the classic film, which also starred Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable.

A Noise Within (ANW), the acclaimed classical repertory theatre company, presents a free reading of Jean Anouilh's Antigone. Robertson Dean, a resident artist with the company, translated and directs the piece. Admission for the reading is free. Please RSVP via phone to 626-356-3100 x1 to reserve your seat.

The Broadway production of Shakespeare's timeless love story ROMEO AND JULIET, starring international film star Orlando Bloom in his Broadway debut opposite two-time Tony Award nominee Condola Rashad, closes today, December 8, 2013, after 27 previews and 93 regular performances at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). Directed by five-time Tony Award nominee David Leveaux, Romeo and Juliet began previews on Saturday, August 24, 2013 and opened on Thursday, September 19, 2013.

Today we are showcasing this week's Fathom movie theater presentation of one of the most celebrated comedies of the 21st century as recently captured live onstage in the West End, Noel Coward's PRIVATE LIVES, starring Anna Chancellor and Toby Stephens.

It was announced today that the Broadway production of Shakespeare's timeless love story ROMEO AND JULIET, starring international film star Orlando Bloom in his Broadway debut opposite two-time Tony Award nominee Condola Rashad, will play two weeks past its originally announced 14-week limited Broadway engagement - with a final performance set for Sunday, December 8, 2013, after 27 previews and 93 regular performances at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street).

A stellar group of literary, theater and musical talent will gather for the 2014 Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, marking its 28th anniversary, March 19-23. The five-day fete honors the legendary Tennessee Williams, his works, and literary life in the adopted city he called his "spiritual home" and features two days of master classes; a roster of lively discussions among distinguished panelists; celebrity interviews; theater, food and music events; a scholars' conference; short fiction, poetry and one-act play competitions; a breakfast book club; French Quarter literary walking tours; a book fair; and special evening events and parties.

TWELFTH NIGHT and RICHARD III, starring the Tony-winning, incomparable Mark Rylance, have adopted a creative leniency with the characters' gender - though Shakespeare's staple to command his characters to don the garb of a member of the opposite sex, for reasons interwoven in love and lust, greed and vengeance, is a common thread running throughout his romantic repertoire.

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Vivien Leigh's birth in November, actor Susie Lindeman will portray the screen legend in the play Letter to Larry in London and Los Angeles.

A previously unseen and newly acquired photograph of one of Britain's most important actresses, Vivien Leigh, and her husband Laurence Olivier, taken at the height of their celebrity status will go on display at the National Portrait Gallery tomorrow (Friday 1 November 2013). The photograph will be shown alongside two rarely seen portraits of the couple to mark the start of the Gallery's programme celebrating the centenary of Leigh's birth.