Woody Allen News

Legendary gypsy guitarist/composer Dorado Schmitt from the Lorraine area of France, in the tradition of Manouche gypsy life and culture, taught his 3 sons to follow in his footsteps and become jazz afficionados in the style of the great late Django Reinhardt, renowned gypsy guitarist. Schmitt is known for his harmonious melodies, brilliant improvisations and extraordinary technique. He has performed at festivals around the world and with top Jazz luminaries Oscar Peterson, The Pizzarelli's , George Benson, Paquito D'Rivera, James Carter and more.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center today announced FREUD'S LAST SESSION, New York's long-running hit play by Mark St. Germain, is set to open in Los Angeles this winter starring Judd Hirsch as Sigmund Freudand Tom Cavanagh as C. S. Lewis under the direction of Tyler Marchant, who helmed the original New York production. Presented by The Broad Stage and CRC Productions, FREUD'S LAST SESSION will begin preview performances January 11(th) through January 15(th). Opening Night is Wednesday, January 16(th) and will run for a limited engagement through February 10(th) at The Broad Stage.

AdA (Author directing Author)-an evening comprised of new one act plays by American playwright Neil LaBute and Italian playwright Marco Calvani, in which each playwright will direct the other's work-will be presented by La MaMa at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.) in Manhattan, with preview performances starting tonight, September 28 prior to an official press opening Sunday, September 30. The celebrated stage and film actor Larry Pine stars in Mr. LaBute's play LOVELY HEAD, directed by Mr. Calvani. The Oscar winning actress and four-time Tony nominee Estelle Parsons stars in Mr. Calvani's play THINGS OF THIS WORLD directed by Mr. LaBute.

FREUD'S LAST SESSION will feature a post-show talkback series in October to discuss Love, Sex, the Meaning of Life and the Existence of God at the Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport in Chicago. Winner of the 2011 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Play, the Midwest Premiere of FREUD'S LAST SESSION has received rave reviews and three Jeff Award nominations, including Best Play. The production has been extended multiple times and is now in final weeks, ending its successful Chicago run on November 11. Written by Mark St. Germain, under the direction of Tyler Marchant, the production stars local theater legend, Mike Nussbaum (Emmy, Drama Desk Award, four-time Jeff Award winner, and recent Sarah Siddons Award recipient), as "Sigmund Freud" and Coburn Goss (Vigils at the Goodman Theatre, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Off Broadway When the Messenger is Hot at 59E59) as "C.S. Lewis."

Sunday, September 23rd marked the 60th anniversary of Richard Nixon's political game-changing 'Checkers speech,' and today, September 24th at 10 a.m. tickets go on sale for the Vineyard Theatre's world-premiere production of CHECKERS, a play by Douglas McGrath about Nixon, his wife Pat and that historic speech. CHECKERS is directed by Terry Kinney. Preview performances begin at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St.) on October 12; October 31 is opening night. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Vineyard box office at 212 353 0303 or online at

Sometimes once is just not enough, so, today, we have a super-special encore conversation with a recent InDepth InterView participant who shares even more candid tales from her impossibly colorful, genre-spanning career on Broadway and in Hollywood - star of properties as diverse as the Broadway musicals MR. PRESIDENT, KELLY and THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG, to movies like MOONSTRUCK and SHALL WE DANCE to her numerous TV appearances on everything from MATCH GAME to QUINCY to 30 ROCK - chameleon-like comedienne and actress Anita Gillette. Discussing some of the more ribald and hilarious stories from her idiosyncratic showbiz career - such as the riotous backstage goings-on out of town at the tryout of one of Broadway biggest bombs, KELLY - as well as spine-tingling "you had to be there"-type memories of the Golden Age - like Irving Berlin stopping by the Winter Garden every Wednesday just to see her Act One showstopper in ALL AMERICAN - Gillette paints a vivid picture of an era gone by, and, also, looks ahead to exciting future endeavors - especially the upcoming Ed Burns-directed feature film, THE FITZGERALD FAMILY CHRISTMAS, opening wide later this year. Of course, Gillette returns to the NYC stage the next two Mondays - September 24 and October 1 - with her new Birdland show, AFTER ALL, so in this all-encompassing conversation we also discuss the themes, style, songs and stories we can anticipate from that intimate solo piece, as well, and she generously shares her recollections of working with some of the men who penned many of the sensational songs she will be performing and figure in to some of the tales she will tell - Charles Strouse, Marvin Hamlisch, Jule Styne, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and the aforementioned Irving Berlin included. All of that and much, much more!

Strand Theater Company welcomes for one night only (tonight, September 23rd) an award-winning playwright and comedian Dylan Brody, with his critically acclaimed one-man show More Arts/Less Martial.

Gary Naylor sees a play that hits and misses.

Emmy award-winning pianist, music director, and composer Dick Hyman and his daughter, the Emmy award-winning violinist and composer Judy Hyman, will perform an album-release concert titled "Diversatility" on Tuesday, October 9th at 8 pm at Barnes Hall on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York.

Sunday, September 23rd marks the 60th anniversary of Richard Nixon's political game-changing 'Checkers speech,' and on Monday, September 24th at 10 a.m. tickets go on sale for the Vineyard Theatre's world-premiere production of CHECKERS, a play by Douglas McGrath about Nixon, his wife Pat and that historic speech. CHECKERS is directed by Terry Kinney. Preview performances begin at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St.) on October 12; October 31 is opening night. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Vineyard box office at 212 353 0303 or online at www.vineyardtheatre.org.

The 64th Primetime Emmy Awards aired live coast to coast on Sunday, September 23 (8:00 - 11:00 p.m. ET) on ABC and originated from the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. The telecast was produced by Don Mischer Productions and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. This was Kimmel's first time hosting the Primetime Emmy telecast. And the winners are...

The 16th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, presented by the Los Angeles Times, announce that Academy Award winning actress Marion Cotillard will receive the 'Hollywood Actress Award' for her distinguished performance in Jacques Audiard's 'Rust and Bone,' a Sony Pictures Classics release, at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala ceremony on October 22.

Tony Award-winner Scarlett Johansson returns to Broadway to star as Maggie, with Ciaran Hinds as Big Daddy, Benjamin Walker as Brick and Tony and Emmy Award-winner Debra Monk as Big Mama in Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning classic CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. Directed by Tony and Emmy Award-winner Rob Ashford, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF will begin preview performances Tuesday, December 18 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street). Opening night is Thursday, January 17.

Strand Theater Company presents its inaugural show of its 2012 -13 season, Mother, May I by Dylan Brody, previewing on September 20th, with an opening night set for September 21 and running through October 12. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the production photos below.

Tony nominated Winnie Holzman, Craig Pospisil, Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning (an inspiration to Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson, How Do I Love Thee?), and some of today's most recognizable actors are making sure that LOVE will bring us together for a "not to be missed" event at one of LA's hottest theatre company's, Rogue Machine (BEST PRODUCTION-two years in a row).

The Strand Theater Co. presents the inaugural season conceived and developed by new artistic director Rain Pryor for 2012-13. It will feature six incredible shows, including one world and four Baltimore premieres, plus special events, performances, classes and more.

Strand Theater Company has announced the inaugural show of its 2012 -13 season, Mother, May I by Dylan Brody.

After a 29-year absence from the Lyric Opera of Kansas City repertoire, the Company presents Verdi's Il Trovatore November 3, 7, 9, 11, 2012 at the Kauffman Center of the Performing Arts.

On October 15th at 9:30pm CAROL WOODS moonlights from the Broadway musical Chicago to appear in concert in Broadway to Blues at 54 Below, 254 West 54th Street. Directed by Leslie Dockery, Broadway to Blues features Shelton Becton on piano and as musical director.

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel welcomes one of the finest and most noted cabaret stars, Andrea Marcovicci, in her long-awaited Cafe Carlyle debut. Ms. Marcovicci's four week engagement at the Carlyle's iconic venue runs October 2nd through October 27th.