Crazy Now - 1972 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 8

South Coast Repertory kicks off the 2009-10 Season with Putting It Together, a compilation of Stephen Sondheim songs, that the composer put together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, creating a narrative set at a cocktail party in an elegant Manhattan condo. The non-traditional musical, led by Broadway and television star Harry Groener, has a cast of five (a glamorous but slightly jaded couple, a starry-eyed younger couple and a savvy observer) who sing more than 30 songs that reflect their lives, lifestyles and moods of the moment. Some of the songs will be familiar, some less so, a few were even cut from their original musical scores, but they are all sophisticated, smart and drop-dead droll. All, in other words, Sondheim.

The world-renowned Imagination Workshop was founded 40 years ago by Margaret Ladd, the award-winning actress and Founding Artistic Director, and her husband Lyle Kessler, the critically-acclaimed playwright, and Co-Founder of the organization. Today, the Imagination Workshop, a unique theatre company comprised of professional theatre artists collaborating with patients recovering from mood disorders and other mental illnesses, is one of the longest running Arts and Social Institutions in the country.

The world-renowned Imagination Workshop was founded 40 years ago by Margaret Ladd, the award-winning actress and Founding Artistic Director, and her husband Lyle Kessler, the critically-acclaimed playwright, and Co-Founder of the organization. Today, the Imagination Workshop, a unique theatre company comprised of professional theatre artists collaborating with patients recovering from mood disorders and other mental illnesses, is one of the longest running Arts and Social Institutions in the country.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season with John Guare's Rich & Famous, directed by John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical and Wedding Singer on Broadway) in its first major revival since its 1976 New York debut. From the ingenious mind of John Guare, who brought Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves to the American stage, this delicious dark comedy springs to life with twisted humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and outrageous plot twists. The revival script includes significant rewrites to the original text, as well as hilarious songs freshly scribed by Guare himself. In Rich and Famous, playwright Bing Ringling yearns to savor the sweet taste of celebrity, and he's hoping play number 844 will be his lucky break. But on opening night, he slips into a nightmarish phantasmagoria that shows him just how wrong things can go.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2008-09 season with John Guare's Rich & Famous, directed by John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical and Wedding Singer on Broadway) in its first major revival since its 1976 New York debut. From the ingenious mind of John Guare, who brought Six Degrees of Separation and The House of Blue Leaves to the American stage, this delicious dark comedy springs to life with twisted humor, rapid-fire dialogue, and outrageous plot twists. The revival script includes significant rewrites to the original text, as well as hilarious songs freshly scribed by Guare himself. In Rich and Famous, playwright Bing Ringling yearns to savor the sweet taste of celebrity, and he's hoping play number 844 will be his lucky break. But on opening night, he slips into a nightmarish phantasmagoria that shows him just how wrong things can go.

This Veteran's Day, as America takes a moment to remember those brave men and women who have served our country, Roundabout Theatre Company opens David Rabe's award-winning and stirring play, STREAMERS. Brad Fleischer stars as Billy, a wide-eyed and sentimental young man, struggling to understand his new army-life as the Vietnam conflict escalates. Tensions rise over race, sexuality and class, culminating in an explosive act that changes them forever...

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Mara Manus) announced that KICKING A DEAD HORSE, a new play written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard and featuring Tony Award nominee Stephen Rea, has extended its run by two weeks. Following a sold-out run at Ireland's Abbey Theatre, it will preview at The Public on Wednesday, June 25 and run through Sunday, August 10 with an official press opening on Monday, July 14 at 7 PM.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full company joining 3-Time Tony Award Winner Frank Langella as 'Sir Thomas More' in a new Broadway production of Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons, directed by Tony Award Winner Doug Hughes.

It's finally here! The jam-packed end-of-season roundup of CDs from our very own Naomi Plume (so big, it had to be put into two parts)...The good, the bad, the ugly...or to quote from the ad for the upcoming musical A TALE OF A TWO CITIES... 'it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' We're so glad that we got to use that line first! So enjoy this very special two-parter - happy reading, happy listening, happy buying (or not) and good luck to everyone at the TONY Awards on Sunday night from all of us at BroadwayWorld.com. So enjoy this very special two-parter - happy reading, happy listening, happy buying (or not) and good luck to everyone at the TONY Awards on Sunday night from all of us at BroadwayWorld.com.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Mara Manus) announced that KICKING A DEAD HORSE, a new play written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard and featuring Tony Award nominee Stephen Rea, has extended its run by two weeks. Following a sold-out run at Ireland's Abbey Theatre, it will preview at The Public on Wednesday, June 25 and run through Sunday, August 10 with an official press opening on Monday, July 14 at 7 PM.

The Public Theater concludes its 2007-2008 downtown season with the U.S. premiere of 'Kicking a Dead Horse', a new play written and directed by Pulitzer Prize winner Sam Shepard and featuring Tony Award nominee Stephen Rea.

Now that the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony is history, and before the Tony Awards season sneaks up on us, it might be a good time to do a little investigating into the relationship between the category that both award shows recognize-Best Musical, of course.

The no-holds-barred production of the classic stage musical Cabaret, which has been running at the No Exit Café in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, deserves many kudos for bringing this show to life. And what a life!

We talk to, and hear from, the wonderful Stephanie Block! Most recently seen as Grace O' Malley in The Pirate Queen, you might also remember her as Liza Minnelli from The Boy from Oz, with Hugh Jackman. Add to that a 2006 Helen Hayes award for Outstanding Actress for her performance as Elphaba in the First National Touring Company of Wicked, Stephanie is it -- what we love about our leading ladies: ever graceful, humble, and sharp as a tack. Oh yes, and she can sing pretty well, too We also play songs from two of her shows: 'She Loves to Hear the Music' from The Boy from Oz, and 'Woman' from Pirate Queen

Happy Holidays Everyone! Well ... here it is ... our BIGGEST CD coverage EVER and just in time for some last minute 'stocking-stuffer' inspiration ... even though a few of these are better used as coal, if you know what I mean.

David Wiltse of Weston, Westport Country Playhouse playwright-in-residence, was awarded an Artist Fellowship by The Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism.

Just off of a history-making concert run in Las Vegas, Liza Minnelli will play Mohegan Sun's Arena on December 10, 2006

Ralph Bryan, President of the Board of Trustees of La Jolla Playhouse today announced that Artistic Director Des McAnuff will not be renewing his contract, scheduled to expire in 2007.

Liza Minnelli told talk show host Larry King that while she is not likely to return to the long runs of Broadway musicals, she is developing a show and album dedicated to the work of her godmother Kay Thompson

Broadway's Lost Treasures III, which will premiere on PBS on August 7th, will offer up a treasure trove of Tony Awards rarities from the past

BroadwayWorld.com recently sat down with the New York Post's always controversial theater columnist - Michael Riedel. Read on to hear what he has to say about growing up *not* singing show tunes, Bernadette Peters, the current state of Broadway, and lots more...