William Finn News

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) announced today that Parker Posey has had to withdraw from the cast of THIS, a new play by Obie Award winner Melissa James Gibson (Suitcase, [sic]), due to developing a case of Lyme Disease. A replacement actress for the lead role of Jane will be announced shortly.

The National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) will present a one-night-only all Asian-American performance of Terrence McNally's LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION!, directed by Alan Muraoka, on Monday, September 14 with a 6:00pm cocktail reception and a 7:00pm performance at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street) to benefit NAATCO.

Los Angeles...Celebration Theatre presents the first show of their 2009-2010 season, the Los Angeles intimate theatre premiere of the heavenly smash-hit, musical comedy sensation, ALTAR BOYZ.

South Ark Stage and kef productions will present the World Premiere of Lyric is Waiting by Michael Puzzo, directed by Adam Fitzgerald. This production will begin Thursday, July 30; Opening on Sunday, August 2 and will run through August 22, 2009 and take place at The Irish Repertory Theatre.

Meet gossip columnists MR. & MRS. FITCH. When the social circuit no longer provides any scandalous news, they find that great celebrity can appear out of thin air. Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane's wicked new comedy is a scathing look at who is in, who is out and who may not even exist at all.

The Vineyard Theatre will host a private memorial service for actor T. Scott Cunningham - a founding member of Drama Dept. and The Vineyard Community of Artists, who died at age 47 due to pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome on June 20 - today (Monday, August 17) at 4:00pm at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street).

The Willows Theatre Company proudly presents the D-E-L-I-G-H-T-F-U-L musical comedy The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Willows Cabaret at the Campbell Theatre in Martinez, August 17-September 13.

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, launches its 40th Anniversary season with a vibrant world premiere musical, TINYARD HILL, by Tommy Newman and 2009 Jonathan Larsen Award-winning composer Mark Allen.

Award-winning NYC cabaret performer Hector Coris brings his debut solo show Life is Wonderful. at Don't Tell Mama (343 West 46th Street, NYC - 212-757-0788; www.donttellmamanyc.com). Show dates are Tuesday, September 8th @ 7:15PM and Sunday, October 11th @ 6:30PM.

Tony® Award-winner Lillias White will join the cast of Fela!, the new Broadway musical based on the life and music of African composer and performer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, playing the role of the iconic artist's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.

Mason Street Warehouse's third and final show in this year's 2009 Summer Season is THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. MSW is very excited to bring this show to Saugatuck, MI because it is one of only six professional regional theatres that received the rights to produce the show this summer. SPELLING BEE runs from August 14 to 30, 2009 (closed Mondays).

Mason Street Warehouse's third and final show in this year's 2009 Summer Season is THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. MSW is very excited to bring this show to Saugatuck, MI because it is one of only six professional regional theatres that received the rights to produce the show this summer. SPELLING BEE runs from August 14 to 30, 2009 (closed Mondays).

Barrington Stage Company, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd, Artistic Director, and Richard M. Parison, Jr., Producing Director, announce the theatre?s 15th Anniversary Season. Opening on the Mainstage will be Rodgers and Hammerstein?s musical masterpiece Carousel from June 17 through July 11. BSC will present its first thriller, the Tony Award-winning play Sleuth by Anthony Shaffer, from July 16 through August 1. Tennessee Williams? landmark play A Streetcar Named Desire will conclude the Mainstage summer season from August 6 through 29. The Mainstage fall show will be announced at a later date. On Stage 2, receiving its world premiere is Mark St. Germain?s Freud?s Last Session from June 10 through 28. Glen Berger?s hit Off-Broadway play Underneath the Lintel will play on Stage 2 from July 8 though 26.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is now accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to its next production, the World Premiere of THE RETRIBUTIONISTS, a new play by Daniel Goldfarb (Modern Orthodox, Adam Baum and the Jew Movie, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me). At least 50 tickets will be available via the online lottery.

Selladoor theatre company welcomes audiences to Falsettoland at the Fringe and Robert Gould exaamines this festival of Finn.

CityRep has the answer for economic recovery! We're bringing you FIVE knockout comedies for the same price you paid for FOUR productions in previous seasons. Plus, if you order by August 31, 2009, we'll offer you ADDITIONAL SAVINGS!

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open on Wednesday, October 7 at 6:45pm.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES will feature Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol and will begin preview performances on Thursday, July 2. Opening night is Thursday, July 16 at 6:30pm

Find out what happens after 'happily ever after' when Pittsburgh CLO presents Into the Woods. Once Upon a Time, a Baker and his wife embarked on a quest to break a witch's spell. On their journey 'into the woods' they cross paths with Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Cinderella and a host of other hysterically flawed fairy tale characters.

Barrington Stage Company's Musical Theatre Lab, under the mentorship of Tony winning composer/lyricist William Finn, continues its fourth season, with The Longing and Short of It - Songs by Daniel Mate; as part of the theater's 15th Anniversary Season. Christopher D. Littlefield is music director, with direction by William Finn.