This is the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, who are returning to their summer home on Golden Pond for the forty-eighth year. He is a retired professor, nearing eighty, with heart palpitations and a failing memory—but still as tart-tongued, observant, and eager for life as ever. Ethel, ten years younger, and the perfect foil for Norman, delights in all the small things that have enriched and continue to enrich their long life together. They are visited by their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiancé, who then go off to Europe, leaving his teenage son behind for the summer. The boy quickly becomes the “grandchild” the elderly couple have longed for, and as Norman revels in taking his ward fishing and thrusting good books at him, he also learns some lessons about modern teenage awareness—and slang—in return. In the end, as the summer wanes, so does their brief idyll, and in the final, deeply moving moments of the play, Norman and Ethel are brought even closer together by the incidence of a mild heart attack. Time, they know, is now against them, but the years have been good and, perhaps, another summer on Golden Pond still awaits.
WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director Terry Martin is set to direct the Michele Riml comedy SEXY LAUNDRY, which will be presented on the Main Stage November 20 - December 13, 2015. Veteran actors Wendy Welch and Bob Hess will co-star as Alice and Henry.
Due to critical acclaim and popular demand, Playwrights Horizons has announced a second extension of their New York premiere production of HIR, a new play by Obie Award-winning theater artist Taylor Mac (A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, The Lily's Revenge, The Walk Across America for Mother Earth, The Be(a)st of Taylor Mac, The Young Ladies Of).
'[Thank you] to an incredible cast of British and American actors who make the Atlantic look like a little creek you can just kind of pop across,' said Dame Helen Mirren upon receiving her 2015 Tony Award. The stage and screen star reprised her critically-acclaimed performance in THE AUDIENCE after a West End run in 2013, and she was just one of many to 'pop across' an ocean for a stab at Broadway. An unprecedented amount of British talent took over Broadway last year, bringing us such productions as THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME, WOLF HALL: PARTS 1 & 2, and SKYLIGHT.
It doesn't seem like the trend is ending anytime soon.
This fall, Broadway will welcome a slew of British actors- some of whom will be making their US stage debuts in incoming productions. And it's not just performers. We're getting some complete British imports in shows like A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE and KING CHARLES III. Below, we're taking a moment to shine a spotlight on this season's British imports.
Just last night, the American Theatre Wing hosted its annual Gala at The Plaza Hotel (Fifth Avenue at Central Park South), honoring legendary actor James Earl Jones. Mr. Jones is a two-time Tony Award winner, two-time Obie Award winner and alumnus of the American Theatre Wing Professional School. CeCe Black, Anki Leeds, and Marva Smalls will serve as Gala Chairs.
The American Theatre Wing hosts its annual Gala tonight, September 28, 2015 at The Plaza Hotel (Fifth Avenue at Central Park South), honoring legendary actor James Earl Jones. Mr. Jones is a two-time Tony Award winner, two-time Obie Award winner and alumnus of the American Theatre Wing Professional School. CeCe Black, Anki Leeds, and Marva Smalls will serve as Gala Chairs.
Shakespeare was a clear favorite this year at the 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival. Among the award-winning productions was Ryan J. Smith's LOVE LABOURS WON, which received two fringe awards: The International Award and an Encore Producers' Award. Back by popular demand, the show has extended through August 6th and will play Thursday nights at 8pm in the Dorie Theatre. Is it a sequel to Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost like the title might imply? I asked Ryan to tell us about the play, which sounds delightful.
Happy Birthday Leslie Uggams! Uggams starred in Hallelujah, Baby!, which premiered on Broadway in 1967, and won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical. She appeared on Broadway in the revue Blues in the Night in 1982 and in the musical revue of the works of Jerry Herman, Jerry's Girls in 1985. Later Broadway roles include Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie (2003 - 2004) and Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond at the Kennedy Center in 2004 and on Broadway at the Cort Theatre in 2005. In 2001 she appeared in the August Wilson play King Hedley II, receiving a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.
Known to two generations of M*A*S*H fans as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt, Mike Farrell will move from operating theater to live theater when he takes the starring role in the Alhambra Theatre & Dining's production of On Golden Pond. Opening tonight, April 1 for just four weeks, Farrell will join other M*A*S*H legends Gary Burghoff, Jamie Farr and Loretta Switt among Alhambra's prominent list of guest stars.
Known to two generations of M*A*S*H fans as Captain B.J. Hunnicutt, Mike Farrell will move from operating theater to live theater when he takes the starring role in the Alhambra Theatre & Dining's production of On Golden Pond. Opening April 1 for just four weeks, Farrell will join other M*A*S*H legends Gary Burghoff, Jamie Farr and Loretta Switt among Alhambra's prominent list of guest stars.
By now, you may know his voice, and you probably know his face, but you definitely know his name. To the delight of everyone with an internet connection and a Netflix account, 'Benedict Cumberbatch' has finally become more than just an overly abundant collection of silly syllables. It's become a household name (insert obligatory 'no matter how kooky of a name it may be' joke here). Today, he's easily one of the busiest men in Hollywood. A bonafide movie star. An Oscar nominee. And that's great. Because I'm a huge fan. You should be too. Here's why.
Select seats are still on sale for this exciting charity benefit reading!
Today in 1931, Broadway veteran James Earl Jones was born. He has won Tony awards in 1969 for The Great White Hope and in 1987 for Fences. He has acted in many Shakespearean roles: Othello, King Lear, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Abhorson in Measure for Measure, and Claudius in Hamlet. On April 7, 2005, James Earl Jones and Leslie Uggams headed the cast in an African-American Broadway revival version of On Golden Pond, directed by Leonard Foglia and produced by Jeffrey Finn. In February 2008, he starred on Broadway as Big Daddy in a limited-run, all-African-American production of Tennessee Williams's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, directed by Debbie Allen and mounted at the Broadhurst Theatre. In October 2010, Jones returned to the Broadway stage in Alfred Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy along with Vanessa Redgrave at the Golden Theatre. In November 2011, Jones starred in Driving Miss Daisy in London's West End, and on November 12 Jones received his honorary Oscar in front of the audience at the Wyndham's Theatre, which was presented to him by Ben Kingsley.
Celebrated Broadway and Off-Broadway actors Tonya Pinkins (Caroline, or Change, Radio Golf), Kathleen Chalfant (Angels in America, Wit), Brian Murray (The Crucible, The Play About The Baby), Jay O. Sanders (Pygmalion, The Apple Family Plays) and Nilaja Sun (No Child) will do a Benefit reading for The International Theatre and Literacy Project (ITLP) itlp.org on Monday February 9th at 7:30pm at The Daryl Roth Theatre 101 East 15th Street, New York City. They will be joined by actors James Williams (Radio Golf, The Piano Lesson), Peter Francis James (The Merchant of Venice, On Golden Pond), Miriam A. Hyman (The Commons of Pensacola, Macbeth) and Devin Haqq (Richard III, Macbeth).
The American Theatre Wing is pleased to announce that its annual Gala, to be held on Monday, September 28, 2015 at The Plaza Hotel (Fifth Avenue at Central Park South), will honor legendary actor James Earl Jones. Mr. Jones is a two-time Tony Award winner, two-time Obie Award winner and alumnus of the American Theatre Wing Professional School. CeCe Black, Anki Leeds, and Marva Smalls will serve as Gala Chairs.
Playwrights Horizons' production of POCATELLO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie, Drama Desk and Lortel awards winner and 2014 MacArthur Foundation 'Genius' grantee Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale at PH, The Few, A Bright New Boise), is directed by Davis McCallum (The Whale at PH, The Few, London Wall, A Bright New Boise, Water by the Spoonful). The play is the third production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season. The production will begin previews tonight, November 21 with an opening night set for Monday, December 15. The limited engagement will play through Sunday evening, January 4, 2015 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).
From Broadway debuts to stage veterans, this season is swarming with big screen stars. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you the backstory on this year's film-to-stage transplants. Scroll down to learn more, and be sure to let us who you're most excited to see on the Great White Way, plus which actors you'd like to make the leap!
Rehearsals begin tomorrow, Tuesday, October 21 for the Playwrights Horizons production of POCATELLO, the world premiere of a new play by Obie, Drama Desk and Lortel awards winner and 2014 MacArthur Foundation 'Genius' grantee Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale at PH, The Few, A Bright New Boise). Directed by Davis McCallum (The Whale at PH, The Few, London Wall, A Bright New Boise, Water by the Spoonful), the play will be the third production of the theater company's 2014/2015 Season.
WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director Terry Martin today announced the directors for the remainder of the Company's 2014-2015 Main Stage season at the Addison Theatre Centre.
Wichita Community Theatre will present On Golden Pond, by Ernest Thompson from Sept. 10-14, 2014. This is a Spotlight production that only plays a one week run.
A.R. Gurney's enduring romance about first loves and second chances, LOVE LETTERS, will have its first Broadway revival, beginning performances Saturday, September 13, 2014, at 8pm, at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41 Street).
In honor of the 1st of June, watch Leslie Uggams perform 'June is Bustin' Out All Over' from CAROUSEL, then check out on the next page an interview in which the singer reveals how she almost had to 'invent a new language to cover the 'slipped' lyrics' in the now You-Tube famous performance of the Rodgers and Hammerstein tune. Click below!
According to The Courant, Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Lesli Uggams will be starring as Mama Rose in the Connecticut Repertory Theatre's upcoming production of Gypsy. The production will run from July 10-20 at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre.
Yale Repertory Theatre, in a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, presents the world premiere of The House that will not Stand by Marcus Gardley, directed by Patricia McGregor. The House that will not Stand will be performed at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street) today, April 18-May 10. Opening Night is Thursday, April 24.
Yale Repertory Theatre, in a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, presents the world premiere of The House that will not Stand by Marcus Gardley, directed by Patricia McGregor. The House that will not Stand will be performed at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street) April 18-May 10. Opening Night is Thursday, April 24.
The USC School of Dramatic Arts, considered one of the world's premier theatre schools, honors cultural icon Jane Fonda with the prestigious 'Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists' at a gala fundraiser on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, 6:30 p.m., at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The multi-Academy Award-winning actress/producer is being recognized for her public commitment to social responsibility, to increasing awareness of global issues and for inspiring and empowering young people, as well as for the exemplary quality, skill and innovation of her vast body of work on screen and stage. The award, created in 2009 is named for its first recipient, Robert Redford. Proceeds from the event provide scholarship support for the next generation of artists at the School.
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