Ruined - 2009 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 16

The most wonderful time of the year is underway as rehearsals begin this week for Goodman Theatre's A Christmas Carol, 'a joyous present for the entire family' (Chicago Sun-Times), in its 36th annual production. Directing the holiday favorite for the first time, Henry Wishcamper's production features all-new on stage magic-set elements, special effects and more. The cast of 27 (below, includes 14 new and 13 returning cast members) stars Larry Yando, who most recently appeared in Mary Zimmerman's production of The Jungle Book as Shere Khan, in his sixth turn as Ebenezer Scrooge and 8-year-old Matthew Abraham as Tiny Tim for the second year. A Christmas Carol runs November 16 - December 28 in the Goodman's Albert Theatre.

In Richie's Fantastic Five: Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ozu, Yanagimachi & Kore-eda, Japan Society's Film Program honors Richie's legacy, presenting five timeless classics and hard-to-see gems over five months in glorious 35mm presentations. Curated by Hirano, a former Japan Society Film Program Director, the series highlights five seminal Japanese directors, who first became known throughout the world through Richie's work. Co-presented with The Japan Foundation, the series launches with Akira Kurosawa's High and Low (October 18); continuing with Kenji Mizoguchi's The Life of Oharu(November 16); Yasujiro Ozu's Equinox Flower (December 12), screening on Ozu's birthday and the 50th anniversary of his death; Mitsuo Yanagimachi's Himatsuri (January 24), unavailable on DVD; and Hirokazu Kore-eda's After Life (February 19), marking the one-year anniversary of Richie's death.

In Richie's Fantastic Five: Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, Ozu, Yanagimachi & Kore-eda, Japan Society's Film Program honors Richie's legacy, presenting five timeless classics and hard-to-see gems over five months in glorious 35mm presentations. Curated by Hirano, a former Japan Society Film Program Director, the series highlights five seminal Japanese directors, who first became known throughout the world through Richie's work. Co-presented with The Japan Foundation, the series launches with Akira Kurosawa's High and Low (October 18); continuing with Kenji Mizoguchi's The Life of Oharu(November 16); Yasujiro Ozu's Equinox Flower (December 12), screening on Ozu's birthday and the 50th anniversary of his death; Mitsuo Yanagimachi's Himatsuri (January 24), unavailable on DVD; and Hirokazu Kore-eda's After Life (February 19), marking the one-year anniversary of Richie's death.

Dr. Barbara Ann Teers's National Black Theatre (NBT) will open its 45th Season with the New York Premiere of The Last Saint On Sugar Hill, written by Keith Josef Adkins and directed by Seret Scottannounced NBT's Director of Theatre Arts Program, Jonathan McCrory. Preview performances begin Tuesday, October 29th at NBT, 2031 Fifth Avenue starting at 7:30pm. The opening night is set for Friday, November 1st at 7pm. The production will run through Sunday, November 24th.

Lifelong Chicagoan Roche Edward Schulfer's 40 years of distinguished service to Goodman Theatre-a rarely-exceeded tenure at a single American theater-will be celebrated with a star on the 'Walkway of Stars' beneath the iconic Goodman marquee, and at the 2013/2014 Season Opening Celebration today, September 24.

International film star Orlando Bloom makes his Broadway debut alongside Tony Award nominee Condola Rashad, as Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers in a new Broadway production of the timeless love story Romeo and Juliet, directed by five-time Tony Award nominee David Leveaux. The show opens on Broadway tonight, September 19, 2013 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The production also stars two-time Tony Award nominee Jayne Houdyshell as the Nurse and Tony Award nominee Joe Morton as Lord Capulet.

Stephen Pier has achieved a uniquely rich and varied career as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer. His credits as a performer include many years with the Jose Limon Dance Company where the New York press hailed him as '...one of the most gifted dancers on the modern dance scene today.' He went on to become a leading soloist with the Hamburg Ballet in Germany, performing the title roles in John Neumeier's Othello and Saint Matthew's Passion, and creating numerous other major roles during his nine years with the company. As a member of the Royal Danish Ballet for six years, Mr. Pier had the privilege of dancing leading roles in works of Bournonville, Balanchine, MacMillan, Bejart, and collaborating with many of Europe's finest contemporary choreographers.

Now in its 10th year, Goodman Theatre's 2013 New Stages festival features five FREE new plays-two fully staged workshop productions performed in repertory plus three staged readings-in the Owen Theatre, December 7 - 22. All five plays celebrate Latino playwrights: The Upstairs Concierge, a contemporary farce about celebrity and baseball by Pulitzer Prize finalist (for The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity) Kristoffer Diaz; and The Solid Sand Below, an examination of the intoxicating nature of war which Martin Zimmerman developed during his time as a member of the Goodman's Playwrights Unit, and which was selected for the 2013 National Playwrights Conference at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Connecticut. The three staged readings, which complement the two workshop productions over the December 13 - 15 "Industry Weekend," are TBA. Tickets are free, but reservations are required: 312.443.3800, GoodmanTheatre.org or visit the box office (170 N. Dearborn).

Lifelong Chicagoan Roche Edward Schulfer's 40 years of distinguished service to Goodman Theatre-a rarely-exceeded tenure at a single American theater-will be celebrated with a star on the 'Walkway of Stars' beneath the iconic Goodman marquee, and at the 2013/2014 Season Opening Celebration on September 24.

Rogue Machine continues with World Premiere of ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI... by Kemp Powers, extending through September 15, 2013, playing 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, 3pm on Sundays at ROGUE MACHINE.

The Glimmerglass Festival, Central New York's opera and musical theater company, has announced its 2014 season.

Goodman Theatre presents four free staged readings of new plays developed in the Playwrights Unit, a season-long residency program for local writers who meet twice monthly with members of the theater's artistic staff to discuss their plays in progress. Out of this process emerges four brand new plays, which appear in FREE staged readings: Sleeping with the Prince of Darkness: The Imagined Pillow Talk of FBI Agent John O'Neill by Greg Allen (July 20 at 7:30pm); F(law)less by christopher oscar peña (July 21 at 2:30pm); Prowess by Ike Holter (July 21 at 7:30pm); and Ninth Man Out by Alice Austen (August 16 at 7:30pm).

The newly-formed Goodman Innovation Group unites top-tier entrepreneurs with young theater leaders in a collective that injects the start-up mentality into the business of the theater. The 20-member group was developed by Patricia Cox, Goodman Life Trustee and Immediate Past Chairman, along with Chicago entrepreneur Genevieve Thiers, as an opportunity to share ideas between the established non-profit arts organization and Chicago's brand new companies. The goals of the group are to engage young entrepreneurs in the vision, values and programs of Goodman Theatre; create professional development opportunities for the next generation of theater leaders; and identify initiatives emphasizing new technologies and further insights that advance the Goodman's mission and priorities.

Vassar & New York Stage and Film Powerhouse Theater's second Mainstage production, Mozhan Marno's When The Lights Went Out, directed by Kate Whoriskey has its first performance tonight and will run through Sunday, July 28. Tickets are on sale through the Box Office: (845) 437-5599 orPHTBoxOffice@vassar.edu. The Box Office is located at Vassar in the Powerhouse Theater building. For online sales visit http://powerhouse.vassar.edu/boxoffice. For general season information call 845-437-5907 or visit powerhouse@vassar.edu.

By popular demand, Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) remounts its smash hit production, Home/Land, in a limited summer run at Goodman Theatre, concluding the 2013 Latino Theatre Festival.

"Remixing the March," Goodman Theatre's year-long commemoration of the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, continues this summer: youth participants in General Theater Studies (GTS) combine talents with senior citizens of the GeNarrations writing program to create a performance piece that views the historic event through a contemporary lens. As part of the annual GTS six-week summer program (through August 12), 80 teenage participants initiate discussions with GeNarrations participants about their recollections of the March, including Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech. From these interviews, the students blend their own stories into an original performance piece to be presented almost 50 years to the day.

Goodman Theatre continues its partnership with Chicago Public Library by presenting Stage Chemistry lessons at select branches, as part of each location's ongoing programming. These sessions are a part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's "Summer of Learning" (through August 10), which encourages young people to participate in activities focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). The Stage Chemistry lessons focus on the physics of lighting in the Goodman's production of The Jungle Book (now through August 18).

Playing at 99% of capacity and poised to become the best selling musical in Goodman Theatre history, The Jungle Book extends by popular demand through August 18-marking the first time that three extension weeks have been added to a production in the Goodman's home on Dearborn Street. "A colorful, musically vibrant, family friendly show" (Variety), Tony Award-winner Mary Zimmerman's world premiere stage musical adaptation was critically hailed "eversurprising, winningly whimsical" (Chicago Sun-Times), "classy, sophisticated, visually beautiful" (Chicago Tribune) and "breathlessly entertaining" (Daily Herald). The full 31-member company-19 cast and 12-member band-remains intact for the seven additional performances. Family friendly pricing for The Jungle Book starts at $27, with tickets ranging to $125 (subject to change); discounts available for subscribers, students and military. Visit GoodmanTheatre.org, call312.443.3800, or come to the Goodman box office (170 N. Dearborn). The production runs approximately two hours (including one 15-minute intermission) and is for adults and families with children 6+.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company presents the final Aurora Script Club meeting of the season with Lynn Nottage's RUINED today, July 15, 2013.

Goodman Theatre presents four free staged readings of new plays developed in the Playwrights Unit, a season-long residency program for local writers who meet twice monthly with members of the theater's artistic staff to discuss their plays in progress. Out of this process emerges four brand new plays, which appear in FREE staged readings: Sleeping with the Prince of Darkness: The Imagined Pillow Talk of FBI Agent John O'Neill by Greg Allen (July 20 at 7:30pm); F(law)less by christopher oscar peña (July 21 at 2:30pm); Prowess by Ike Holter (July 21 at 7:30pm); and Ninth Man Out by Alice Austen (August 16 at 7:30pm).

By popular demand, Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) remounts its smash hit production, Home/Land, in a limited summer run at Goodman Theatre, concluding the 2013 Latino Theatre Festival.

Casting highlights for Vassar & New York Stage and Film Powerhouse Theater's second Mainstage production, Mozhan Marno's When The Lights Went Out, and the Martel Musical workshop of the new Simon Rich/Peter Lerman musical inspired by The Brooklyn Hero Supply Company, have been announced. In addition, casting highlights for the season's Inside Look Workshops, Found and Mother of Invention have also been announced. Tickets are on sale through the Box Office: (845) 437-5599 or PHTBoxOffice@vassar.edu. The Box Office is located at Vassar in the Powerhouse Theater building. For online sales visit http://powerhouse.vassar.edu/boxoffice. For general season information call 845-437-5907 or visitpowerhouse@vassar.edu

The Glimmerglass Festival, Central New York's opera and musical theater company, has announced its 2014 season.

Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company presents the final Aurora Script Club meeting of the season with Lynn Nottage's RUINED on July 15, 2013.

The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston hosted Jaston Williams, of GREATER TUNA fame, on Saturday, June 15, 2013 for two command performances of BLAME IT ON VALENTINE, TEXAS. BLAME IT ON VALENTINE, TEXAS, one of four one-man shows crafted by Jaston Williams, had its World Premiere on February 14, 2009 at the Lubbock Civic Center Theater as a benefit for Lubbock Community Theater. To create the show, he pulled several of his autobiographical vignettes from I'M NOT LYING and COWBOY NOISES. He also wrote a new piece, "The Screaming Part of China."