Living Out

Forgive me if it has become too old a cliché, and perhaps even an unintentional racial stereotype, to point out the enrapturing musicality of language the late August Wilson displayed in his landmark decade-by-decade cycle of plays about African-American experiences in the 20th Century. That trait is especially evident in pieces set in the earlier decades (i.e. Gem of the Ocean, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) and seems to decrease as the years go on, demonstrating an assimilation into the established (Eurocentric) culture of the country.

The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center today announces several additions to the creative team for Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure. According to producer Judith Lisi, president and CEO of TBPAC, Marguerite Derricks will choreograph the production and Ron Melrose will serve as music supervisor and provide vocal and dance arrangements as well as incidental music. Susan Hilferty, Neil Patel and Paul Gallo will design the costumes, sets and lights respectively, while Jon Weston will design the sound and Sven Ortel will design video and projections.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) concludes its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES features Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES will feature Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol and will begin preview performances on Thursday, July 2. Opening night is Thursday, July 16 at 6:30pm

?Foreclosure,? a one-act play about a middle-class family caught up in the calamity of today?s fierce economic downturn, has been selected from over 700 plays to be one of the ?Final 40? during the week-long Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival beginning July 14, 2009. It will be presented at 9:00PM on Thursday, July 16th at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre (416 West 42nd Street) in Manhattan.

The Showboat Majestic will continue the 87th summer season with Beth Henley's 1981 Pulitzer Prize winning play, Crimes of the Heart. Performances run August 5 - August 23, 2009.

?Foreclosure,? a one-act play about a middle-class family caught up in the calamity of today?s fierce economic downturn, has been selected from over 700 plays to be one of the ?Final 40? during the week-long Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival beginning July 14, 2009. It will be presented at 9:00PM on Thursday, July 16th at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre (416 West 42nd Street) in Manhattan.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES will feature Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol and will begin preview performances on Thursday, July 2. Opening night is Thursday, July 16 at 6:30pm

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey. With musical staging by Dan Knechtges, VANITIES will feature Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles, and Anneliese van der Pol and will begin preview performances on Thursday, July 2. Opening night is Thursday, July 16 at 6:30pm

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will present the world premiere of FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9), the fifth and final play of the 2008-2009 Public LAB season. Written by Public Theater Master Writer Chair Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Jo Bonney, FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8, & 9) will begin performances on Friday, June 5 and run through Sunday, June 28.

Life and love are not so simple, as three couples with six different perspectives discover in the Chicago premiere of Rebecca Gilman's The Crowd You're In With at Goodman Theatre. Wendy C. Goldberg, a frequent Gilman collaborator and artistic director of the acclaimed National Playwrights Conference at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center-where The Crowd You're In With was developed-directs this intimate and relevant new play.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced complete casting and creative team today for FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9), the final play of the 2008-2009 Public LAB season. Written by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Jo Bonney, FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9) will begin performances on Friday, June 5 and run through Sunday, June 28. Tickets are $10 for all performances and are on-sale now.

American Theater Company proudly announces Season 25, which includes the Chicago Premiere of Yeast Nation (the triumph of life) by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, directed by Artistic Director PJ Paparelli; the Chicago Premiere of Lisa Loomer's Distracted, also directed by PJ Paparelli; and the World Premiere of Welcome to Arroyo's, written by Kristoffer Diaz and directed by Jaime Castañeda. Back for the holiday season is It's a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play, directed by Jason Gerace.

Following a critically acclaimed season which included the Pulitzer Prize finalist Becky Shaw and the Broadway transfer of its musical hit Next to Normal, Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) has announced three of the four plays scheduled for its upcoming 31st Season.

A new play written and directed by Paul Weitz and the rain-check run of the latest Douglas Carter Beane play are set for the 2009-10 season at Off Broadway's Second Stage Theater according to a report in Variety.

Life and love are not so simple, as three couples with six different perspectives discover in the Chicago premiere of Rebecca Gilman's The Crowd You're In With at Goodman Theatre. Wendy C. Goldberg, a frequent Gilman collaborator and artistic director of the acclaimed National Playwrights Conference at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center-where The Crowd You're In With was developed-directs this intimate and relevant new play.

Life and love are not so simple, as three couples with six different perspectives discover in the Chicago premiere of Rebecca Gilman's The Crowd You're In With at Goodman Theatre. Wendy C. Goldberg, a frequent Gilman collaborator and artistic director of the acclaimed National Playwrights Conference at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center-where The Crowd You're In With was developed-directs this intimate and relevant new play.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Wednesday, May 6, 2009.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will present the world premiere of FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9), the fifth and final play of the 2008-2009 Public LAB season. Written by Public Theater Master Writer Chair Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Jo Bonney, FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8, & 9) will begin performances on Friday, June 5 and run through Sunday, June 28.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will conclude its 30th Anniversary mainstage season with the New York premiere of VANITIES, a new musical written by Jack Heifner, featuring music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum, directed by Judith Ivey.

Broadway favorite Sherie Rene Scott is not the 'Sherie Rene Scott' diva character appearing in EVERYDAY RAPTURE, but that doesn't mean everyone knows that yet.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's LET ME DOWN EASY. Conceived, written, and performed by Ms. Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, LET ME DOWN EASY will begin preview performances on Tuesday, September 15 and will officially open in early October.

Completing its 30th Anniversary Season, Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will present EVERYDAY RAPTURE, written by Dick Scanlan (Tony nominee for Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Sherie Rene Scott (Tony nominee for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), with musical supervision by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, High Fidelity), directed by Michael Mayer (Tony Award winner for Spring Awakening).

TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, closes its 39th season with the regional premiere of DISTRACTED, the off-beat modern comic drama that tells the story of a worn-out mother looking for answers about her son. Does he have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or not? Insightful, poignant and funny, DISTRACTED was hailed as 'a passionate emotional journey...with impressive comic swiftness' by the Los Angeles Times. Directed by Armando Molina, DISTRACTED will feature TheatreWorks favorite Rebecca Dines as the mother, and TheatreWorks veterans Suzanne Grodner, Gabriel Hoffman, Tara Blau, Elizabeth Carter, Cassidy Brown, and making their TheatreWorks debut, Robert Yacko and Dena Martinez. DISTRACTED plays April 1 -26, 2009 (press opening: April 4) at TheatreWorks at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in Mountain View. For tickets ($23-$61) and information, the public may call (650) 903-6000 or visit TheatreWorks.org

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) will present EVERYDAY RAPTURE, written by Dick Scanlan (Tony nominee for Thoroughly Modern Millie) and Sherie Rene Scott (Tony nominee for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), with musical supervision by Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, High Fidelity), directed by Michael Mayer (Tony Award winner for Spring Awakening).

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) has announced the two plays which will be presented as part of the company's seventh annual Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series this summer: Zakiyyah Alexander's 10 Things To Do Before I Die, directed by Jackson Gay, and Lila Rose Kaplan's Wildflower, directed by 2008 Callaway Award winner Giovanna Sardelli.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is presenting Terrence McNally's Master Class, which is currently running at the Millburn theatre through April 5, 2009. Barbara Walsh stars as opera diva Maria Callas, the Press Opening was Sunday, March 8th.

TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, closes its 39th season with the regional premiere of DISTRACTED, the off-beat modern comic drama that tells the story of a worn-out mother looking for answers about her son. Does he have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or not? Insightful, poignant and funny, DISTRACTED was hailed as 'a passionate emotional journey...with impressive comic swiftness' by the Los Angeles Times. Directed by Armando Molina, DISTRACTED will feature TheatreWorks favorite Rebecca Dines as the mother, and TheatreWorks veterans Suzanne Grodner, Gabriel Hoffman, Tara Blau, Elizabeth Carter, Cassidy Brown, and making their TheatreWorks debut, Robert Yacko and Dena Martinez. DISTRACTED plays April 1 -26, 2009 (press opening: April 4) at TheatreWorks at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in Mountain View. For tickets ($23-$61) and information, the public may call (650) 903-6000 or visit TheatreWorks.org

Due to a scheduling conflict with Director Scott Ellis, Douglas Carter Beane's new comedy, Mr. & Mrs. Fitch, has been postponed from Second Stage Theatre's season, announced Artistic Director Carole Rothman. A new mainstage summer production will be announced shortly. Mr. and Mrs. Fitch had been scheduled to begin previews on June 16.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for Terrence McNally's Master Class which will run at the Millburn theatre from March 4 through April 5, 2009. Barbara Walsh will star as opera diva Maria Callas replacing the previously announced Kate Mulgrew who will not be appearing in the production due to a schedule chan

This spring, the Denver Center Theatre Company will complete an extraordinary journey through the decades of the Twentieth Century with director Israel Hicks and August Wilson's Radio Golf, remember the story of faith in a stage adaptation of John Irving's sweeping novel in A Prayer for Owen Meany, and laugh with the Serrano family in the world premiere of Sunsets and Margaritas.

Our Lady of the Underpass by Teatro Vista Resident Playwright Tanya Saracho will be produced at the Greenhouse Theatre Center, Teatro Vista Ensemble Member Sandra Marquez will direct. The play will run from February 19th through March 29th in the Downstairs Mainstage at the Greenhouse Theatre Center, 2257 N Lincoln, Chicago, IL 60614. Opening night (press) is Monday, February 23. The play features Charin Alvarez (Teatro Vista Ensemble), Chris Catelmi, Ilana Faust (Teatro Luna Artistic Associate), Suzette Mayobre (Teatro Luna Ensemble Member), Rosie Newton, and Juan Gabriel Ruiz (Teatro Vista Junior Ensemble).

Our Lady of the Underpass by Teatro Vista Resident Playwright Tanya Saracho will be produced at the Greenhouse Theatre Center, Teatro Vista Ensemble Member Sandra Marquez will direct. The play will run from February 19th through March 29th in the Downstairs Mainstage at the Greenhouse Theatre Center, 2257 N Lincoln, Chicago, IL 60614. Opening night (press) is Monday, February 23. The play features Charin Alvarez (Teatro Vista Ensemble), Chris Catelmi, Ilana Faust (Teatro Luna Artistic Associate), Suzette Mayobre (Teatro Luna Ensemble Member), Rosie Newton, and Juan Gabriel Ruiz (Teatro Vista Junior Ensemble).

The Magrath sisters have gathered to await news of their grandfather, who is living out his last hours in the local hospital. The oldest, Lenny is unmarried at thirty and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast; while Babe, the youngest, is out on bail after having shot her husband in the stomach.

Yale Repertory Theatre (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the east coast premiere of Lydia by Octavio Solis, directed by Juliette Carrillo at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) beginning February 6 through February 28. Opening Night is Thursday, February 12. Lydia features music composed by Chris Webb; sets by Andrew Boyce; costumes by Amanda Seymour; lighting by Jesse Belsky; sound design, additional music, and arrangements by David Molina; voice and dialect by Beth McGuire; fight direction by Rick Sordelet; dramaturgy by Matt Cornish; and stage management by Donald E. Claxon.

Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee-Artistic Director, Mark W. Jones-Executive Director) is proud to announce casting for Terrence McNally's Master Class which will run at the Millburn theatre from March 4 through April 5, 2009. Barbara Walsh will star as opera diva Maria Callas replacing the previously announced Kate Mulgrew who will not be appearing in the production due to a schedule chan

In conjunction with its world premiere production of Not Enough Air by Masha Obolensky, TimeLine Theatre Company will present a series of concert readings of the landmark play that inspired Obolensky's work, MACHINAL by Sophie Treadwell. Machinal will be directed by Rachel Walshe and will run for eight performances only, opening Sunday, February 8 at 7 p.m. and running Sundays and Mondays at 7 p.m. through March 2, 2009. Performances will be held at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. The Press Opening performance is Sunday, February 8 at 7 p.m.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is proud to announce the full cast for the upcoming New York premiere of Distracted, by Lisa Loomer, directed by Mark Brokaw. Distracted will begin previews on Saturday, February 7th and open officially on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street).

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the east coast premiere of LYDIA by OCTAVIO SOLIS, directed by JULIETTE CARRILLO at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) beginning February 6 through February 28. Opening Night is Thursday, February 12. LYDIA features music composed by Chris Webb; sets by Andrew Boyce; costumes by Amanda Seymour; lighting by Jesse Belsky; sound design, additional music, and arrangements by David Molina; voice and dialect by Beth McGuire; fight direction by Rick Sordelet; dramaturgy by Matt Cornish; and stage management by Donald E. Claxon. The cast of LYDIA includes Carlo Alb?n, Christian Barillas, Stephanie Beatriz, Armando Dur?n, Catalina Maynard, Onahoua Rodriguez, and Tony Sancho.

In conjunction with its world premiere production of Not Enough Air by Masha Obolensky, TimeLine Theatre Company will present a series of concert readings of the landmark play that inspired Obolensky's work, MACHINAL by Sophie Treadwell. Machinal will be directed by Rachel Walshe and will run for eight performances only, opening Sunday, February 8 at 7 p.m. and running Sundays and Mondays at 7 p.m. through March 2, 2009. Performances will be held at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago. The Press Opening performance is Sunday, February 8 at 7 p.m.

TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, is proud to present the regional premiere of TWENTIETH CENTURY by Ben Hecht-Charles MacArthur, based on a play by Charles Bruce Milholland in a new adaptation by Ken Ludwig. Broadway and Hollywood collide in this classic screwball comedy set in the 1930s, in which a rapidly declining Broadway impresario looks to revive his sagging career. Using mistaken identity, chicanery, and catastrophe, he attempts to coax his unforgiving former flame (now a mercurial silver screen starlet) into starring in his next stage production while aboard a train roaring across the U.S.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE (James Bundy, Artistic Director; Victoria Nolan, Managing Director) presents the east coast premiere of LYDIA by OCTAVIO SOLIS, directed by JULIETTE CARRILLO at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street, at York Street) beginning February 6 through February 28. Opening Night is Thursday, February 12. LYDIA features music composed by Chris Webb; sets by Andrew Boyce; costumes by Amanda Seymour; lighting by Jesse Belsky; sound design, additional music, and arrangements by David Molina; voice and dialect by Beth McGuire; fight direction by Rick Sordelet; dramaturgy by Matt Cornish; and stage management by Donald E. Claxon. The cast of LYDIA includes Carlo Alb?n, Christian Barillas, Stephanie Beatriz, Armando Dur?n, Catalina Maynard, Onahoua Rodriguez, and Tony Sancho.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) continues its 30th Anniversary Season with the New York premiere of Gina Gionfriddo's play, BECKY SHAW, directed by Peter DuBois.

Queen Latifah, who appeared in the 'Hairspray' and 'Chicago' movie musicals, will host the upcoming People's Choice Awards, reports Variety.