Scenes From American Life - 1971 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 13

Triad Stage opens its 2009-2010 Season - 'A Season Together' - with Picnic, William Inge's portrait of life in the American heartland. The greatest risk is love. It's a peaceful time for a quiet Kansas town in the early 1950s and summer is drawing to a close with the excitement of the annual Labor Day picnic. But the sudden arrival of Hal Carter, a handsome young drifter, stirs the emotions of a group of neighbors as he develops an instant attraction with Madge, one of the most beautiful girls in town. As Hal hides deep insecurities with grand shows of bravado, Madge is torn between her heart and her head in this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama where passions turn one small community upside down. Picnic runs September 6 through 27, 2009. Opening Night is Friday, September 11.

Notoriously scandalous British playwright Sarah Kane radically reworks Seneca's classical tragedy of incest and unrequited lust in the highly anticipated production of Red Letter Theater's Phaedra's Love, a brutal dark comedy exploring the themes of obsession, desire, and honesty. First debuted at the Gate, London in 1996, this regional premiere is directed and designed by Red Letter Theater Artistic Director David Hanzal, and features a host of some of the Twin Cities' favorite actors plus some wonderful new faces.

Notoriously scandalous British playwright Sarah Kane radically reworks Seneca's classical tragedy of incest and unrequited lust in the highly anticipated production of Red Letter Theater's Phaedra's Love, a brutal dark comedy exploring the themes of obsession, desire, and honesty. First debuted at the Gate, London in 1996, this regional premiere is directed and designed by Red Letter Theater Artistic Director David Hanzal, and features a host of some of the Twin Cities' favorite actors plus some wonderful new faces.

Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media, has announced an innovative and diverse programming lineup for Outfest 2009: The 27th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The nation's leading LGBT festival and the oldest continuously running film festival in the city will be held July 9 to 19.

Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing, showcasing and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media, has announced an innovative and diverse programming lineup for Outfest 2009: The 27th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The nation's leading LGBT festival and the oldest continuously running film festival in the city will be held July 9 to 19.

Alan Gilbert, who will become Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2009, returns to New York to lead two weeks of programs with the Orchestra. The first series of concerts ? Thursday, April 30, 2009, at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, and 8:00 p.m., and Tuesday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. will comprise Dvorák?s The Golden Spinning Wheel; Saint-Saëns?s Violin Concerto No. 3, with Joshua Bell as soloist; and Martin's Symphony No. 4.

Alan Gilbert, who will become Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2009, returns to New York to lead two weeks of programs with the Orchestra. The first series of concerts ? Thursday, April 30, 2009, at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, and 8:00 p.m., and Tuesday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. will comprise Dvorák?s The Golden Spinning Wheel; Saint-Saëns?s Violin Concerto No. 3, with Joshua Bell as soloist; and Martin's Symphony No. 4.

Winner of the 1967 Pulitzer Prize, Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance comes to Arena Stage in a contemporary and provocative new staging under the direction of experienced Albee collaborator Pam MacKinnon. Featuring Broadway stars Kathleen Chalfant (Wit, Angels in America), Terry Beaver (Henry IV, The Last Night of Ballyhoo), Ellen McLaughlin (Angels in America) and Carla Harting (Eurydice),joined by Helen Hedman and James Slaughter, A Delicate Balance runs February 6-March 15, 2009 at Arena Stage in Crystal City. The press opening performance is Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. 'Albee is fearless about writing stories that get us in the solar plexus, and he does so with his brilliant wit, dynamic storytelling and rigorous use of language,' shares Artistic Director Molly Smith. 'His work draws the best artists, and with this production audiences are fortunate to have an enormously strong cast and creative team-approved by Albee himself.' A frequent director of Albee plays, MacKinnon has directed The Play About the Baby, the world premieres of Peter and Jerry: Homelife and The Zoo Story (now titled At Home at the Zoo) and Occupant, as well as the U.S. regional and European premieres of The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, powers up this January with a new version of one of television's most beloved children's series, The Electric Company. The new series, designed to combat the literacy crisis America's second graders are facing, has been re-energized with 35 half-hour episodes for today's media-driven generation with a truly interactive experience. The series launches on PBS KIDS GO! January 19th with a special two hour sneak peek marathon before it settles into its regular weekly timeslot on Fridays beginning January 23rd (check local listings).

Winner of the 1967 Pulitzer Prize, Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance comes to Arena Stage in a contemporary and provocative new staging under the direction of experienced Albee collaborator Pam MacKinnon. Featuring Broadway stars Kathleen Chalfant (Wit, Angels in America), Terry Beaver (Henry IV, The Last Night of Ballyhoo), Ellen McLaughlin (Angels in America) and Carla Harting (Eurydice),joined by Helen Hedman and James Slaughter, A Delicate Balance runs February 6-March 15, 2009 at Arena Stage in Crystal City. The press opening performance is Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. 'Albee is fearless about writing stories that get us in the solar plexus, and he does so with his brilliant wit, dynamic storytelling and rigorous use of language,' shares Artistic Director Molly Smith. 'His work draws the best artists, and with this production audiences are fortunate to have an enormously strong cast and creative team-approved by Albee himself.' A frequent director of Albee plays, MacKinnon has directed The Play About the Baby, the world premieres of Peter and Jerry: Homelife and The Zoo Story (now titled At Home at the Zoo) and Occupant, as well as the U.S. regional and European premieres of The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, powers up this January with a new version of one of television's most beloved children's series, The Electric Company. The new series, designed to combat the literacy crisis America's second graders are facing, has been re-energized with 35 half-hour episodes for today's media-driven generation with a truly interactive experience. The series launches on PBS KIDS GO! January 19th with a special two hour sneak peek marathon before it settles into its regular weekly timeslot on Fridays beginning January 23rd (check local listings).

Ryan Ward, a welcome new addition to the theatre community, wields a mean chainsaw-arm as Ash in Off-Broadway's Evil Dead: The Musical