William H. Grant III News

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Artistic Director, Lauren Schmiedel, Managing Director) will present the World Premiere of the musical Langston in Harlem, featuring a book by Langston Hughes, Walter Marks and Kent Gash, with music by Walter Marks, lyrics by Langston Hughes and directed by Kent Gash, with musical direction by Barry Levitt and choreography by Byron Easley. Langston in Harlem opened on Thursday, April 15, 2010 and will initially run through May 2, 2010.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Artistic Director, Lauren Schmiedel, Managing Director) will present the World Premiere of the musical Langston in Harlem, featuring a book by Langston Hughes, Walter Marks and Kent Gash, with music by Walter Marks, lyrics by Langston Hughes and directed by Kent Gash, with musical direction by Barry Levitt and choreography by Byron Easley. Langston in Harlem will begin previews on Friday, April 9; opening on Thursday, April 15, 2010 and will initially run through May 2, 2010.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Artistic Director, Lauren Schmiedel, Managing Director) will present the World Premiere of the musical Langston in Harlem, featuring a book by Langston Hughes, Walter Marks and Kent Gash, with music by Walter Marks, lyrics by Langston Hughes and directed by Kent Gash, with musical direction by Barry Levitt and choreography by Byron Easley. Langston in Harlem will begin previews on Friday, April 9; opening on Thursday, April 15, 2010 and will initially run through May 2, 2010.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Artistic Director, Lauren Schmiedel, Managing Director) will present the World Premiere of the musical Langston in Harlem, featuring a book by Langston Hughes, Walter Marks and Kent Gash, with music by Walter Marks, lyrics by Langston Hughes and directed by Kent Gash, with musical direction by Barry Levitt and choreography by Byron Easley. Langston in Harlem will begin previews on Friday, April 9; opening on Thursday, April 15, 2010 and will initially run through May 2, 2010.

he irresistible, finger-snappin' and toe-tappin' Tony® Award-winning musical revue, Ain't Misbehavin', a celebration of the music of Thomas "Fats" Waller, shimmies onto San Jose Repertory Theatre's stage March 13.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Artistic Director, Lauren Schmiedel, Managing Director) will present the World Premiere of the musical Langston in Harlem, featuring a book by Langston Hughes, Walter Marks and Kent Gash, with music by Walter Marks, lyrics by Langston Hughes and directed by Kent Gash, with musical direction by Barry Levitt and choreography by Byron Easley. Langston in Harlem will begin previews on Friday, April 9; opening on Thursday, April 15, 2010 and will initially run through May 2, 2010.

Looking for rollicking tunes, heartfelt love songs, skilled dancing, raunchy fun and one of the best casts assembled at the Cleveland Play House in ages? You can get all that and more at the smash hit Ain't Misbehavin', now in its final weekend.

he irresistible, finger-snappin' and toe-tappin' Tony® Award-winning musical revue, Ain't Misbehavin', a celebration of the music of Thomas "Fats" Waller, shimmies onto San Jose Repertory Theatre's stage March 13.

Though Tennessee Williams' Cat On A Hot Tin Roof certainly has its share of humor, mostly of the tragicomedy variety, you wouldn't expect a revival of the play to be the laff riot of the Broadway season. But this production has been mounted by Debbie Allen, who may be a neophyte when it comes to stage drama, but has an impressive resume when it comes to directing television sitcoms (from serious comedy like A Different World, to lighter fare such as Everybody Hates Chris). The night I attended, the vocal audience was lapping up her swift-moving production, which often sacrifices tension and dramatics for the sake of comic timing, like thirsty kittens. And while it was fun to be among people who were so into what they were seeing - and I'll certainly take this one over the lethargic Broadway mounting of four years ago - I found the evening emotionally hollow. Despite large patches of good work from her cast, Allen's production as a whole, while entertaining, lacks urgency and bite.

Celebrated American author and playwright Quiara Alegr?a Hudes returns to the Alliance Theatre in March, bringing with her a tender and funny new play about family. A finalist in the National Endowment for the Arts New Play Development Program, 26 Miles takes audiences on a road trip with a teenage daughter and her mother in an '83 Buick Regal. Along the way, they discover plenty about themselves, their relationship and what family really means. Alliance Theatre Associate Artistic Director Kent Gash is thrilled to direct this remarkable and very humorous World Premiere presented in association with the National New Play Network on the intimate and decidedly underground Hertz Stage.

Celebrated American author and playwright Quiara Alegr?a Hudes returns to the Alliance Theatre in March, bringing with her a tender and funny new play about family. A finalist in the National Endowment for the Arts New Play Development Program, 26 Miles takes audiences on a road trip with a teenage daughter and her mother in an '83 Buick Regal. Along the way, they discover plenty about themselves, their relationship and what family really means. Alliance Theatre Associate Artistic Director Kent Gash is thrilled to direct this remarkable and very humorous World Premiere presented in association with the National New Play Network on the intimate and decidedly underground Hertz Stage.

Returning to Cleveland after acclaimed performances in The Color Purple on Broadway and Gone with the Wind in London?s West End, NaTasha Yvette Williams takes the stage in the lead role of The Cleveland Play House production of Mahalia: A Gospel Musical. Since 1997, when she performed in The Play House production of (I Could) Stop On a Dime and Get Ten Cents Change, Williams has also played in several Broadway national tours and performed her gospel music all over the world. Kent Gash, Associate Artistic Director of The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA, is directing Williams in this musical tribute to the most celebrated gospel singer of all time. Mahalia: A Gospel Musical begins in the Bolton Theatre at The Cleveland Play House on Friday, January 30 and runs through Sunday, February 22, 2009. Tickets are on sale now at The Cleveland Play House box office by calling 216.795.7000 ext 4 or online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com. Mahalia: A Gospel Musical is presented in promotional partnership with Time Warner Cable and The Kulus Foundation. The media sponsor for Mahalia: A Gospel Musical is 107.3 FM The Wave WNMV.

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of HOME will begin previews on Tuesday, November 11. HOME is the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of HOME will begin previews on Tuesday, November 11. HOME is the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 Season, celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Tickets go on sale today for Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) production of HOME, the second production of Signature's 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC).

Renowned actor Delroy Lindo returns to Berkeley Repertory Theatre with the play that netted him a nomination for the Tony Award - but this time, he's in the director's chair. Following last year's triumph with Tanya Barfield's Blue Door, Lindo takes on August Wilson's African-American epic, Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this show begins previews on October 31, opens November 5, and closes December 14.

Renowned actor Delroy Lindo returns to Berkeley Repertory Theatre with the play that netted him a nomination for the Tony Award - but this time, he's in the director's chair. Following last year's triumph with Tanya Barfield's Blue Door, Lindo takes on August Wilson's African-American epic, Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this show begins previews on October 31, opens November 5, and closes December 14. Joe Turner is produced in association with the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, thanks to executive producers Wayne Jordan and Quinn Delaney and Felicia Woytak and Steve Rasmussen. BART and Wells Fargo are the season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre.

Renowned actor Delroy Lindo returns to Berkeley Repertory Theatre with the play that netted him a nomination for the Tony Award - but this time, he's in the director's chair.