Wendy Kesselman News

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will kick off this summer's Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series with the world premiere of Zakiyyah Alexander's 10 Things To Do Before I Die. Directed by Jackson Gay, 10 Things To Do Before I Die will feature Francois Battiste, Natalie Venetia Belcon, Kyle Beltran, Dion Graham, and Tracie Thoms. Opening night is Thursday, May 28 at 7:00pm.

THE HIROSHIMA PROJECT -- a 4-week cultural event featuring the premieres of American and Japanese plays, an award-winning film documentary, and open forums about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima 60 years later -- will be presented May 8 through 30 at The Ohio Theater (66 Wooster Street) in Manhattan, it has been announced by the co-producers of this world-premiere event, the Off-Broadway theater companies Voice & Vision and Crossing Jamaica Avenue.

Voice & Vision and Crossing Jamaica Avenue present a special 4-week event re-examing 1945 atomic attacks and aftermath THE HIROSHIMA PROJECT Featuring the world premiere of I HAVE BEEN TO HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR, a new American play by Chiori Miyagawa ('America Dreaming'), about finding love amid the ravages of war, directed by Jean Wagner starring Joel de la Fuente ('Law & Order: SVU'), Obie-winner Juliana Francis-Kelly and Sue Jean Kim May 8-30 at The Ohio Theatre (66 Wooster Street)

Following the Gypsy Rock Opera fusion of Viva Patshiva, the chairs will be cleared and the Metrofolk Band will take the stage to teach and play traditional Hungarian Gypsy folk dance and music.

Abingdon Theatre Company has announced that it will present the world premiere of Romulus Linney's LOVE DRUNK, directed by Kelly Morgan and featuring Austin Pendleton and Kristina Valada-Viars on March 28, 2009. The official opening will be on Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 5:00 PM in the Abingdon Theatre Company's Dorothy Strelsin Theatre.

Following the Gypsy Rock Opera fusion of Viva Patshiva, the chairs will be cleared and the Metrofolk Band will take the stage to teach and play traditional Hungarian Gypsy folk dance and music.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) has announced the two plays which will be presented as part of the company's seventh annual Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series this summer: Zakiyyah Alexander's 10 Things To Do Before I Die, directed by Jackson Gay, and Lila Rose Kaplan's Wildflower, directed by 2008 Callaway Award winner Giovanna Sardelli.

Abingdon Theatre Company has announced that it will present the world premiere of Romulus Linney's LOVE DRUNK, directed by Kelly Morgan and featuring Austin Pendleton and Kristina Valada-Viars on March 28, 2009. The official opening will be on Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 5:00 PM in the Abingdon Theatre Company's Dorothy Strelsin Theatre.

Long Live The Party! Drink and Dance, Gypsy Style! 'Bacchanalian gypsy sounds pulse at the heart, but these folks are clearly caught up in punk, ska, jazz and seedy cabaret, all elements of which they knit into a convincingly schizophrenic whole. Patshiva's main weapon is a trio of singers who are all extreme personalities, inflated egos that deliver in-character with complete conviction.' - Martin Longley, Spannered.org

The Humana Festival of New American Plays, Actors Theatre of Louisville's main venue for producing new work, is an annual event held in February and March.

Long Live The Party! Drink and Dance, Gypsy Style! 'Bacchanalian gypsy sounds pulse at the heart, but these folks are clearly caught up in punk, ska, jazz and seedy cabaret, all elements of which they knit into a convincingly schizophrenic whole. Patshiva's main weapon is a trio of singers who are all extreme personalities, inflated egos that deliver in-character with complete conviction.' - Martin Longley, Spannered.org

INTAR (Eduardo Machado, Artistic Director/John McCormack, Executive Director/Alina Troyano, Associate Artistic Director), which was scheduled for two engagements, winter and spring, at the now suddenly shuttered Zipper Factory Theater, has found its new home for this season at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street). Performances will begin February 15th and run through March 7th. Opening Night is set for February 18th.

INTAR (Eduardo Machado, Artistic Director/John McCormack, Executive Director/Alina Troyano, Associate Artistic Director) is scrambling today to salvage its season, which was scheduled for two engagements, winter and spring, at the now suddenly shuttered Zipper Factory Theater. The first engagement was to begin February 11th and run through March 7th. Rehearsals for the two one-acts have already begun. In a statement today, Artistic Director Eduardo Machado said, ' we are deeply saddened by these sudden developments. We had no idea this was even a possibility. Tickets were about to go on sale, the cast is in rehearsal, and we are suddenly out on the street. For a non-profit company like us, this is a devastating blow!' He went on to say 'INTAR continues to look for a permanent home since the demolition of it's City owned theatre of 35 years to make way for the long aborning Clinton Green Project. INTAR anticipated a new home in the complex, but after it became clear the small company was expected to raise $12 million for the new space, they had to withdraw. The search for a permanent new home continues.'

The Humana Festival of New American Plays, Actors Theatre of Louisville's main venue for producing new work, is an annual event held in February and March.

South Ark Stage (Rhoda Herrick, Producing Artistic Director) has announced that it will present the world premiere of the new chamber musical The Black Monk, with book, lyrics and music by Wendy Kesselman. Under the direction of Kevin Newbury, the four-member cast features Austin Pendleton as the Monk, Scott Robertson as Igor, Elon Rutberg as Andrei, and Sarah Ziegler as Tanya.

Patrons of the third annual Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival will be in for a treat when they have the opportunity to enjoy coffee with veteran stage and screen stars Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson!

Patrons of the third annual Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival will be in for a treat when they have the opportunity to enjoy coffee with veteran stage and screen stars Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson!

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will continue this summer's Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series with the world premiere of Rajiv Joseph's Animals Out of Paper, directed by Giovanna Sardelli. Beginning previews Monday, July 14 at Second Stage Theatre's uptown home, the McGinn/Cazale Theatre on Broadway at 76th Street, Animals Out of Paper will feature Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kellie Overbey, and Jeremy Shamos.

Second Stage Theatre will present 'The Second Stage Theatre New Works Festival' on Friday, June 13 at 11am at Second Stage Theatre.

'The Bully Pulpit' a new play written and performed by Michael O. Smith begins performances on April 29th. Taking place on Teddy's 60th birthday, surrounded by mementos of his adventures as a rancher, Rough Rider, naturalist and President, Roosevelt re-examines the events of his colorful life from humorous and characteristically blunt perspective.