Come Back, Little Sheba - 2008 - Broadway Articles Page 11

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) announced today that their production of THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER has been extended by popular demand one week from Sunday, September 28th to Sunday, October 5th. THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, by Leslie Lee and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, is the first production of the 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). The show began performances on August 5th and opened August 21st at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) will celebrate opening night for their upcoming world premiere production of Nick Whitby's TO BE OR NOT TO BE. The play, based on the 1942 motion picture To Be or Not To Be, is directed by three-time Tony Awardâ nominee Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone, Monty Python's Spamalot).

American Theater Company (ATC) continues its ambitious Season 24 with the Chicago Premiere of 'Celebrity Row' written by Itamar Moses and directed by David Cromer. The production will run October 16- November 9, 2008 at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago.

Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) will stage John Steinbeck's classic drama, 'Of Mice and Men,' directed by Mark Lamos, October 7 through November 1. Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 and the Pulitzer Prize for his 1939 novel 'The Grapes of Wrath.'

A sold-out audience of over 550 people attended the annual benefit, 'Footlights and Film: A Celebration of the Great Musicals from Stage and Screen,' hosted by Julia Roberts and featuring a special tribute to Angela Lansbury presented by Bernadette Peters, at Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, CT (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director) on Monday evening, September 15. The fundraiser grossed $1,407,610, including revenue from tickets, donations and silent auctions.

Golden Globe winner and Emmy Award nominee Dylan McDermott has joined the cast of Playwrights Horizon's first production of the new season, the World Premiere of THREE CHANGES, a new play by Nicky Silver. Directed by Tony Award nominee Wilson Milam (The Lieutenant of Inishmore), the production will begin previews on Friday, August 22, 2008 with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, September 16. The limited engagement will run through Sunday, September 28 at Playwrights Horizons Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Golden Globe winner and Emmy Award nominee Dylan McDermott has joined the cast of Playwrights Horizon's first production of the new season, the World Premiere of THREE CHANGES, a new play by Nicky Silver. Directed by Tony Award nominee Wilson Milam (The Lieutenant of Inishmore), the production will begin previews on Friday, August 22, 2008 with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, September 16. The limited engagement will run through Sunday, September 28 at Playwrights Horizons Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

THREE CHANGES a new play by Nicky Silver, will open at Playwrights Horizons on September 16th, 2008. Directed by Tony Award nominee Wilson Milam (The Lieutenant of Inishmore) in his Playwrights Horizons debut, the production began previews on Friday August 22nd.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) is pleased to announce full casting for their upcoming world premiere production of Nick Whitby's 'To Be or Not To Be.' The play, based on the 1942 motion picture of the same name will be directed by three-time Tony Award nominee Casey Nicholaw ('The Drowsy Chaperone,' 'Monty Python's Spamalot').

Signature Theatre Company (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) announced today that THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER has been extended for a second time by popular demand after receiving glowing reviews and playing to sold out houses since beginning performances on August 5th. The limited engagement, initially slated to conclude Sunday, September 28th, will now run through Sunday, October 19th. THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, by Leslie Lee and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, is the first production of the 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). The show opened August 21st at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced that, due to popular demand, it will extend its World Premiere production of THREE CHANGES, a new play by Nicky Silver (Fit to Be Tied at Playwrights Horizons, The Food Chain, Pterodactyls, Raised in Captivity). In addition to the extension starting Tuesday, September 30, the theater company is also adding two special Wednesday matinees on September 10 and September 24, both at 2:30 PM. Tickets for all new performances are now on sale.

Award-winning actors Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Lithgow and other celebrities will offer one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences in a silent auction to benefit Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director), at the historic Westport, Connecticut theatre's annual fundraising gala on Monday, September 15. In addition to celebrity auction items, there will be sports, vacation, fashion and jewelry auction packages. Full details of all silent auction items are available at www.westportplayhouse.org

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has issued a mayoral proclamation declaring today, September 4, 2008 to be 'Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Day.'

Writers' Theatre Artistic Director Michael Halberstam and Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma announce William Inge's Picnic directed by David Cromer. The production runs September 16-November 16, 2008, at Writers' Theatre, 325 Tudor Court in Glencoe.

Craig Bierko has departed the upcoming Broadway production of TO BE OR NOT TO BE.

Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) announced today that their production of THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER has been extended by popular demand one week from Sunday, September 28th to Sunday, October 5th. THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, by Leslie Lee and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, is the first production of the 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC). The show began performances on August 5th and opened August 21st at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

Broadway talents Tituss Burgess ('The Little Mermaid'), Kerry Butler ('Xanadu'), Gavin Lee ('Mary Poppins'), Nedra McClyde, Julia Murney, Q. Smith and Aurelia Williams will join previously announced Laura Benanti ('Gypsy'), Raúl Esparza ('Company') and Steven Pasquale ('The Light in the Piazza') on Monday, September 15, at the annual gala for the venerable 78-year-old Westport Country Playhouse (Joanne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director), Westport, Connecticut.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced complete details for the first production of its 2008/2009 Season, the World Premiere of THREE CHANGES, a new play by Nicky Silver (Fit to Be Tied at Playwrights Horizons, The Food Chain, Pterodactyls, Raised in Captivity).

THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, the first production of Signature Theatre Company's (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) 2008-2009 season celebrating the historic Negro Ensemble Company (NEC), will begin previews tomorrow, August 5th. THE FIRST BREEZE OF SUMMER, by Leslie Lee and directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson, officially opens on Thursday, August 21st and continues through September 28th at the Peter Norton Space located at 555 West 42nd Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues).

It has just been announced that Peter Maloney will replace Brian Murray as 'Dowasz' in the cast of TO BE OR NOT TO BE. Mr. Murray's departure was amicable and by mutual agreement.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) is pleased to announce full casting for the upcoming world premiere of ROMANTIC POETRY, a new musical by John Patrick Shanley and Henry Krieger.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) presents the world premiere Broadway production of Nick Whitby's TO BE OR NOT TO BE. The play, based on the 1942 motion picture To Be or Not To Be, will be directed by three-time Tony Award nominee Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone, Monty Python's Spamalot).

Tickets for the Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) upcoming world premiere Broadway production of Nick Whitby's TO BE OR NOT TO BE are now on sale.

Wednesday, August 13 at 10AM, Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) will be accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to its next production, the World Premiere of THREE CHANGES, a new play by Nicky Silver (Fit to Be Tied at Playwrights Horizons, The Food Chain, Pterodactyls, Raised in Captivity).

Yaya Dacosta is a formidable young actress who is making her mark in film with stand out performances in Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas and Honeydripper where she co-starred along with Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton. On television she was last seen in a breakout performance in the Lifetime motion picture Racing for Time, as well as a recent featured role on All My Children. Fans of America's Next Top Model will remember her as a favorite contestant in the popular series third season. In the Signature Theatre Company's The First Breeze Of Summer, Miss Dacosta essays the pivotal role of 'Lucretia'. BroadwayWorld.com spoke with Yaya about winning the emotional role and bringing the powerful drama to life on stage.