Wanamaker News

Creative Entrepreneur, Howard Panter, the co-founder, Joint CEO and Creative Director of the Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd (ATG) has received a Knighthood in The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2013 for services to theatre.

The 78th season of summer stock theater along the shores of Green Bay opens in Juen when the Peninsula Players raises the curtain on 'Saloon' by Terry Twyman. Summer stock theaters sprang up in the early decades of the 20th century in empty barns, old mills and haylofts across the country. They became venues for movie studio producers to scope out new talent.

Two-time Tony Award-winner Mark Rylance (Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing) will star on Broadway in two startlingly different performances in repertory: as the suddenly love struck noblewoman Olivia in Twelfth Night and as the ruthless and conniving title monarch in Richard III. The critically heralded all-male Shakespeare's Globe productions of Twelfth Night and Richard III, which delighted audiences and broke all box office records in London's West End earlier this year, will openSunday, November 10 at the Belasco Theatre (111 West 44th Street), with previews beginning October 15. The productions, directed by Tim Carroll, designed byJenny Tiramani and with music by Claire van Kampen, will play a limited engagement for 16 weeks. Tickets are on sale now through www.telecharge.com. For a schedule of performances and more information, please visit www.ShakespeareBroadway.com.

Panic! Productions closes its second season with the musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, tonight, June 1 through 16, at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. The popular musical farce, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, is directed by Broadway veteran Joshua Finkel, with music direction by Diann Alexander and choreography by Mona King.

As we reported yesterday, it's now official that the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), the UK's largest theatre owner/operator and a multi award winning theater production group, has through its subsidiary, Lyric Theatre LLC, acquired The Foxwoods Theatre from Live Nation Entertainment.

Panic! Productions closes its second season with the musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, June 1 through 16, at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts in Thousand Oaks. The popular musical farce, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, is directed by Broadway veteran Joshua Finkel, with music direction by Diann Alexander and choreography by Mona King.

Owen Teale, Samantha Bond, Oliver Cotton, Sian Thomas and Annabel Scholey join star Zoe Wanamaker in a new production of Peter Nichols' Passion Play, Peter Nichols' celebrated black comedy about love and infidelity. Directed by David Leveaux, Passion Play opens on 7 May at the Duke of York's Theatre with previews from tonight, 1 May.

The 78th season of summer stock theater along the shores of Green Bay opens in Juen when the Peninsula Players raises the curtain on 'Saloon' by Terry Twyman. Summer stock theaters sprang up in the early decades of the 20th century in empty barns, old mills and haylofts across the country. They became venues for movie studio producers to scope out new talent.

With a new leadership team of Gregory Doran, Artistic Director, and Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director, at the helm, the Royal Shakespeare Company returns to New York this spring with two productions, Julius Caesar and Matilda The Musical. Both began their lives at the RSC's Stratford-upon-Avon home and reflect the Company's continuing commitment to Shakespeare and the work of contemporary playwrights and theatre artists, as it celebrates one hundred years of touring work from Shakespeare's birthplace to the US.

According to the New York Times, Shakespeare's classic romatic tradgedy Romeo and Juliet is coming back to Broadway this summer. Helmed by David Leveaux, the production will star Tony nominee Condola Rashad and Orlando Bloom- making his Broadway debut in the role. Joining them in the play, which is set to open on September 19 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, will be Jayne Houdyshell as the Nurse and Joe Morton as Lord Capulet.

Owen Teale, Samantha Bond, Oliver Cotton, Sian Thomas and Annabel Scholey have joined previously announced star Zoe Wanamaker in a new production of Peter Nichols' Passion Play, Peter Nichols' celebrated black comedy about love and infidelity, according to the Daily Mail.

During the ceremony Central's current President Michael Grandage made the presentation and citation in the School's Embassy Theatre.

Opera Company of Philadelphia (OCP) has been opening its doors since 1975 when it committed itself to delivering outstanding productions of both traditional repertoire and new operatic works. The company assembles the finest international artists to educate, deepen and diversify the opera audience in the greater Philadelphia area. The company produces both large scale and more intimate chamber performances at the Academy of Music and in the Perelman Theater respectively. In addition to these two spaces the company frequently performs throughout the community. The OCP is so committed to new works that the General Directors David B Devan, OCP launched in 2011 the American Repertoire Program to produce a new American work in each of the next ten seasons as well as the nation's first collaborative Composer In Residence Program with New York's Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group.

Chicago Sinfonietta continues its milestone 25th Anniversary Season with its Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebrating the universal lessons of Dr. King with music from the American South to the African plains. Before 2013's special guest - Grammy Award-winning bass-baritone Eric Owens - takes the stage as a vocalist, he will first pick up the baton to make his debut as conductor. Led for a second year by Sinfonietta Music Director Mei-Ann Chen, the annual MLK concert has been a cherished Sinfonietta tradition since its founding in 1987 by Dr. Paul Freeman. The 2013 Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is presented at Wentz Concert Hall of North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Avenue in Naperville, Sunday, January 20 at 3 p.m. and at Orchestra Hall of Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, Monday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m. (the official MLK holiday). The Sinfonietta is proud to have Fifth Third Bank as the Lead Sponsor of this concert.

Voting is now underway for Atlanta and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January.

Voting is now underway for Atlanta and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below.

Voting is now underway for Atlanta and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the live standings below.

Chicago Sinfonietta continues its milestone 25th Anniversary Season with its Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., celebrating the universal lessons of Dr. King with music from the American South to the African plains. Before 2013's special guest - Grammy Award®-winning bass-baritone Eric Owens - takes the stage as a vocalist, he will first pick up the baton to make his debut as conductor. Led for a second year by Sinfonietta Music Director Mei-Ann Chen, the annual MLK concert has been a cherished Sinfonietta tradition since its founding in 1987 by Dr. Paul Freeman. The 2013 Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is presented at Wentz Concert Hall of North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Avenue in Naperville, Sunday, January 20 at 3 p.m. and at Orchestra Hall of Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago, Monday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m. (the official MLK holiday). The Sinfonietta is proud to have Fifth Third Bank as the Lead Sponsor of this concert.

Voting is now underway for Atlanta and continues until December 31, 2012. Winners will be announced in early January. Check out the latest standings below!

Today, Shakespeare's Globe unveiled the official name of their new indoor theatre as The Sam Wanamaker Theatre. The space is named after the organisation's founder, pioneering American actor and director Sam Wanamaker. Also announced were the full team behind this unique performance and research space as well as plans for foyer redevelopment to enhance the on-site experience for visitors.