Wilma Theater News

From March 12 to April 9, 2016, SpeakEasy Stage Company will present the New England Premiere of BOOTYCANDY, a shockingly funny and saucy spin on race, sex, and sexuality, written by award-winning playwright and director Robert O'Hara.

Gulfshore Playhouse (www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org) - Southwest Florida's premier professional theatre - presents Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo, a madcap comedy from the author of The Fox on the Fairway and The Game's Afoot, beginning today, February 13 through March 13 at The Norris Center in Naples.

Cleveland Play House's (CPH) monumental 100th Season continues with the regional premiere of LUNA GALE. CPH welcomes back film and stage legend Austin Pendleton to direct this contemporary drama that begs the question 'To whom do you belong?' Written by Rebecca Gilman, recipient of the 2015 Roe Green Award, LUNA GALE runs February 27 - March 20 in the intimate Allen Theatre.

Gulfshore Playhouse (www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org) - Southwest Florida's premier professional theatre - presents Ken Ludwig's MOON OVER BUFFALO, a madcap comedy from the author of The Fox on the Fairway and The Game's Afoot, scheduled for February 13 through March 13 at The Norris Center in Naples.

The Old Globe presents the West Coast premiere of THE METROMANIACS by supremely clever playwright David Ives (All in the Timing, Time Flies). This uproarious new 'translaptation' of a classic French farce, Alexis Piron's La Metromanie, will be directed by one of America's most renowned stage directors, Michael Kahn, presented in association with Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Gulfshore Playhouse (www.GulfshorePlayhouse.org) - Southwest Florida's premier professional theatre - is pleased to announce the cast of its upcoming production of Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo, a madcap comedy from the author of The Fox on the Fairway and The Game's Afoot, scheduled for February 13 through March 13 at The Norris Center in Naples.

The Vilcek Foundation just announced the winners of its annual Vilcek Prizes, recognizing immigrant contributions to the American arts and sciences. The 2016 Vilcek Prize in Theatre, presented to an immigrant artist with a record of major achievement in his/her field, is awarded to Blanka Zizka, the recipient of a $100,000 prize.

Bristol Riverside Theatre continues the 2015-2016 Season with the Neil Simon farce Rumors, running March 22-April 17.  Directed by Keith Baker, the ensemble cast features Bruce Graham, Leonard Haas, Eleanor Handley, Valerie Leonard, Sean Thompson, Jo Twiss, Danny Vaccaro, Jessica Wagner, and Paul Weagraff.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of THE METROMANIACS by supremely clever playwright David Ives (All in the Timing, Time Flies). This uproarious new 'translaptation' of a classic French farce, Alexis Piron's La Metromanie, will be directed by one of America's most renowned stage directors, Michael Kahn, presented in association with Shakespeare Theatre Company.

The University of the Arts' Ira Brind School of Theater Arts announces the 2016 lineup for Polyphone, a "festival of the emerging musical" on the UArts campus in Philadelphia.  Running March 20-27, the 2016 the Polyphone festival produces staged concerts of new musicals and re-imagined canonical works offering professional composers, librettists and directors an opportunity to develop their work among the rich creative community of the Brind School at UArts.  The festival will program five musicals, including both classical and new works, with three performances each.  

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced it is investing $2.5 million in support of O, Opera Philadelphia's innovative new season-opening festival. Set to launch in September 2017, O will be a 12-day experience that will attract both opera buffs and new audiences to Philadelphia as a vital destination for experiencing opera in an exciting urban setting.

Waterwell, one of the Village Voice's Best Arguments for Devised Theater and creators of GOODBAR and #9, continues its annual series of developmental workshop productions with a commission by Dael Orlandersmith (Forever, Yellowman, Beauty's Daugther) for its senior Drama Class of 2016 at the Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS). The new play, Some of the Things Inside, will be directed by Allison Talis and will premiere at PPAS in April 2016.

The gulf between what's said and what isn't is at the heart of the sweet and whimsical comedy The Language Archive by Julia Cho, next up at Bristol Riverside Theatre on January 26-February 14.  Directed by Adam Immerwahr, the ensemble cast features Keith Baker, Irungu Mutu, Jo Twiss, Tiffany Villarin, and Julianna Zinkel.

The Wilma Theater invites members of the Philadelphia community to join us here at the Wilma for a community gathering and reception on January 11, 2016, where we will announce and celebrate significant new initiatives that will transform the Wilma's future.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, has announced the recipients for the latest round of Global Connections.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the West Coast premiere of THE METROMANIACS by supremely clever playwright David Ives (All in the Timing, Time Flies). This uproarious new 'translaptation' of a classic French farce, Alexis Piron's La Metromanie, will be directed by one of America's most renowned stage directors, Michael Kahn, presented in association with Shakespeare Theatre Company.

Tom Stoppard's first new play since Rock 'n' Roll introduces us to Hilary, a 22-year-old psychology student applying for a coveted position with the Krohl Institute for Brain Science. As Hilary prays for strength to move beyond personal regrets, she passionately explores the blurred lines between science and psychology with her colleagues and her sometimes-lover Spike. Ethics are called into question as they delve into the 'hard problem' of consciousness versus gray matter, and debate whether altruism even exists. Following a sold-out run at the National Theatre in London, the Wilma-'America's foremost interpreter of the playwright's work' (Philadelphia Magazine)-is proud to be among the first to bring The Hard Problem to U.S. audiences.

Robin Tunney (CBS's THE MENTALIST) and Julia Garner (GRANDMA) will join Zachary Quinto for MCC Theater's produciton of SMOKEFALL in 2016.

The Trap Door Theatre is proud to announce a two-week extension for THE FAIRYTALE LIVES OF RUSSIAN GIRLS, written by Meg Miroshnik and drected by Nicole Wiesner. The production will now close on Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 8PM.

The Old Globe's GLOBE FOR ALL returns to bring free professional Shakespeare directly to diverse, multigenerational audiences in underserved communities around San Diego County. This second year of GLOBE FOR ALL follows a highly successful inaugural production in 2014. One of the Bard's most charming comedies, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, will be directed by renowned Shakespearean Rob Melrose, Artistic Director of San Francisco's Cutting Ball Theater, who makes his Globe debut. He directs a cast of local professional actors, including recent graduates of the Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program.