Willy Holtzman News

I suppose the main difference between a violent protest and an act of terrorism is whether you're on the side of the person who set off the bomb or the person who was killed by it.  In Primary Stages' premiere production of Willy Holtzman's drama, Something You Did, the person responsible for the bomb going off is played by the charismatic and understatedly graceful and eloquent Joanna Gleason, making the evening's morality conflict hardly a fair fight.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), Off-Broadway's preeminent theater company, will honor Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone and The Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group at this year's Primary Stages 24th Anniversary Gala Benefit to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel (109 East 42nd Street) on Monday, October 27, 2008.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer), by arrangement with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder and Executive Producer, Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director, Elliot Fox, Managing Director), will present Horton Foote's critically acclaimed new play, DIVIDING THE ESTATE, directed by Michael Wilson this fall on Broadway at The Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street). The production is scheduled to begin performances Thursday, October 23 and open on Thursday, November 20 for a limited engagement.

Last night, Tuesday October,14th Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) the New York premiere of A Body of Water by Lee Blessing. BroadwayWorld's cameras were on hand during the curtain call and after party.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), in association with Martin Hummel, present the New York premiere of the new comedy, Love Child, written and performed by Daniel Jenkins (Mary Poppins, Big River) and Robert Stanton (The Coast of Utopia, All in the Timing), as an added event of the 2008-2009 season. Under the direction of Carl Forsman, performances are set to begin Sunday evening, October 12, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. and will run in repertory with A Body of Water by Lee Blessing for a limited engagement through November 19, 2008. Opening night is October 26, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

Lincoln Center Theater (under the direction of Andre Bishop, Artistic Director, and Bernard Gersten, Executive Producer), by arrangement with Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder and Executive Producer, Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director, Elliot Fox, Managing Director), will present Horton Foote's critically acclaimed new play, DIVIDING THE ESTATE, directed by Michael Wilson this fall on Broadway at The Booth Theatre (222 West 45 Street). The production is scheduled to begin performances Thursday, October 23 and open on Thursday, November 20 for a limited engagement.

A.R. Gurney returned to Primary Stages last night with a comedy that centers around Amanda, a once successful television personality whose star is now fading.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), Off-Broadway's preeminent theater company, will honor Tony Award-winning actress Patti LuPone and The Baruch-Routh-Frankel-Viertel Group at this year's Primary Stages 24th Anniversary Gala Benefit to be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel (109 East 42nd Street) on Monday, October 27, 2008.

With apologies for a little self-promotion, I will be a guest on 'Mid-Day with Dan Rodricks' radio program between 1-2 p.m. (WYPR-FM, 88.1) on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 for a discussion on theater coming this spring to the Baltimore/Washington area and Broadway. You can access the program live on www.wypr.org or for about a month after the program on the WYPR web site. I hope to hear from many of my readers. You may call during the program at 410-662-8780 or long-distance at 866-661-9309.

Primary Stages officially opened 'Something You Did' on April 1st, 2008. The five-member cast features Tony Award-winner Joanna Gleason (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Into the Woods) as Alison, a sixties radical, with Jordan Charney (Hearts) as Arthur, Alison's attorney, Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox (Doubt) as Lenora, Portia (McReele) as Uneeq and Victor Slezak (Sabina) as Gene.

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), in association with Nancy Cooperstein and Betty Ann Besch Solinger, present the New York premiere of Something You Did by Willy Holtzman (Sabina). The five-member cast features Tony Award-winner Joanna Gleason (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Into the Woods) as Alison, a sixties radical, with Jordan Charney (Hearts) as Arthur, Alison's attorney, Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox (Doubt) as Lenora, Portia (McReele) as Uneeq and Victor Slezak (Sabina) as Gene. Carolyn Cantor (Pumpgirl) directs the final production of this current 23rd Primary Stages season of new works by American playwrights. Performances begin March 18 for a limited run through April 26, 2008, at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Opening night is Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. Willy Holtzman returns to Primary Stages with his latest work, the story of a notorious Sixties radical that has served nearly 30 years in prison for her part in the accidental killing of an African-American police officer during an explosive war protest. Now she is eligible for parole in a post 9/11 world where bombing is terrorism and dissent, treason. How much can she be faulted for having a conscience? Is she guilty of bringing the war home? Something You Did is a powerfully topical and provocative drama that examines the responsibility of citizens for the actions of their government. The creative team includes Eugene Lee (sets), Jenny Mannis (costumes), Jeff Croiter (lighting), and Lindsay Jones (sound). The Production Stage Manager is Samone B. Weissman. Single tickets are priced at $60 with a specially priced $20 ticket is available to patrons 35 and under for all performances. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.ticketcentral.com. For group sales inquires, please email Kara Hennessey at kara@primarystages.com. Earlier this season, Primary Stages presented the New York premieres of Opus by Michael Hollinger, and Dividing The Estate by Horton Foote, and the world premiere of Hunting and Gathering by Brooke Berman. Primary Stages recently announced the schedule of new plays for its 24th season. The 2008-2009 season will have three New York premieres: Buffalo Gal by A.R. Gurney, A Body of Water by Lee Blessing, and Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told By Himself) by Donald Margulies, and the world premiere of Chasing Manet by Tina Howe at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street). 4-play subscription packages are now available by calling TicketCentral at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.TicketCentral.com. For additional information about Primary Stages, please visit the website at www.primarystages.com.

In conjunction with the New York premiere of the new drama, Something You Did, Primary Stages has organized a special series of post-performance forums on the topic of 'The Prison Nation.' Titled 'The SOMETHING Forums,' these intimate conversations will take place on four Tuesdays during the play's run, and has been curated (and will be moderated) by David Rothenberg, founder of The Fortune Society (and WBAI radio host).

Willy Holtzman returns to Primary Stages with his latest work, the story of a notorious Sixties radical that has served nearly 30 years in prison for her part in the accidental killing of an African-American police officer during an explosive war protest. Now she is eligible for parole in a post 9/11 world where bombing is terrorism and dissent, treason. How much can she be faulted for having a conscience? Is she guilty of bringing the war home? Something You Did examines the responsibility of citizens for the actions of their government.

On Tuesday, February 19 the cast and creatives of Something You Did held a press meet and greet at the Primary Stages rehearsal studio. The New York premiere of Something You Did by Willy Holtzman features the previously announced Tony Award-winning Joanna Gleason and Jordan Charney with Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox, Portia and Victor Slezak. Carolyn Cantor directs.

Primary Stages has announced the full cast to the New York premiere of Something You Did by Willy Holtzman (Sabina). The five-member cast features the previously announced Tony Award-winning Joanna Gleason (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Into the Woods) as Alison, a sixties radical, and Jordan Charney (Hearts) as Arthur, Alison's attorney. They will be joined by Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox (Doubt) as Lenora, Portia as Uneeq and Victor Slezak as Gene.

Primary Stages is pleased to announce partial casting for the New York premiere of Something You Did by Willy Holtzman with Joanna Gleason and Jordan Charney. Carolyn Cantor directs.

Playwright Willy Holtzman joins his father and director Tim Vasen regarding play dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome

NEW THIS WEEK! Several local theatres to present holiday fare for families and adults! PLUS: Free Theatre for BWW Readers!

NEW THIS WEEK! An EXCLUSIVE, FREE PREVIEW FOR BWW READERS! Best Bet at Spotlighters! Readers Write: Are Audiences Shrinking? New shows open at MET and Onstage! Discounts and much more!