The Receptionist - 2007 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 9

The Peace Center, in collaboration with Artisphere, is proud to present recording star Suzanne Vega at the Dow Brands Amphitheater on May 8th. Vega, who has sold over 7 million albums worldwide, is best known for her hit songs 'Luka' and 'Tom's Diner.'

After a 48 year absence, Bye Bye Birdie will return to Broadway this fall presented by Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) in a production starring John Stamos (Albert Peterson), Gina Gershon (Rose Alvarez), Bill Irwin (Mr. Harry MacAfee) and Jayne Houdyshell (Mrs. Mae Peterson). Directed & choreographed by Robert Longbottom, Bye Bye Birdie has a book by Michael Stewart, lyrics by Lee Adams and music by Charles Strouse. Roundabout is proud to welcome back three artists who have previously worked at the theatrical institution: John Stamos, Gina Gershon and Bill Irwin.

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.

La Jolla Playhouse productions heading for national exposure fared well as the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle on Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, presented the annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, honoring the best local stage work of 2008. Noel, the 93-year-old founding director of the Old Globe Theatre, was in attendance for his namesake awards, which were presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, in La Jolla, attended by some 350 theater industry members and supporters. Moises Kaufman's '33 Variations,' about to open on Broadway with Jane Fonda in the lead role, was honored for David Lander's lighting and Derek McLane's set. The Playhouse's premiere of Joe DiPietro and David Bryan's 'Memphis' (now in production at Seattle's Fifth Avenue Theatre) was honored as outstanding new musical and for Chad Kimball's lead performance. A fresh staging of 'Xanadu,' which Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley first directed on Broadway, was named outstanding resident musical, and Bill T. Jones won for his choreography in the Playhouse's hip-hop musical 'The Seven.' Old Globe productions garnered four mentions, including Steven Drukman's boxing-themed drama about Joe Louis, 'In This Corner,' which was named outstanding new play. 'Dancing in the Dark,' a debut musical with Broadway aspirations (based on the classic film 'The Band Wagon'), won for Patrick Page's featured performance and Larry Hochman's orchestrations. A revival of 'The Women,' directed by Old Globe resident artistic director Darko Tresnjak, was honored for Anna Oliver's costumes. And the national touring production of 'Spring Awakening,' produced by Broadway/San Diego, a Nederlander Organization, won for best touring show.

Casting has been announced for the much anticipated San Francisco return of the smash hit musical WICKED, which begins Tuesday, January 27, 2009 for an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre. This production is a significant homecoming for WICKED, which premiered in San Francisco before casting its spell on Broadway, winning 20 major awards, including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.

Casting has been announced for the much anticipated San Francisco return of the smash hit musical WICKED, which begins Tuesday, January 27, 2009 for an open-ended engagement at the Orpheum Theatre. This production is a significant homecoming for WICKED, which premiered in San Francisco before casting its spell on Broadway, winning 20 major awards, including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) announced full casting for the upcoming Broadway premiere of Richard Greenberg's THE AMERICAN PLAN which will be directed by Tony nominee David Grindley (Journey's End). The previously announced Lily Rabe and Mercedes Ruehl will be joined by Benjamin Eakeley (Sweeney Todd), Austin Lysy (A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Delacorte), and Brenda Pressley (The First Breeze of Summer).

13, A New Musical, with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, officially opens at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre tonday, Sunday, October 5, 2008.

Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer; Daniel Sullivan, Acting Artistic Director 2007-2008) has announced the 2008 recipients of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Initiative commissions.

13, A New Musical, with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, will begin previews on Tuesday, September 16, 2008 and officially open at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 W. 45th Street) on Sunday, October 5, 2008.

Arena Stage will once again make history with ARENA RESTAGED, a massive, two-year festival celebrating the rich mosaic of our nation's voices.

MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer; Daniel Sullivan, Acting Artistic Director 2007-2008 Season) is pleased to announce upcoming productions and casting for its 2008-2009 season.

The Drama League (Jano Herbosch, President; Roger T. Danforth and Gabriel Shanks, Executive Directors) proudly announces the roster of presenters scheduled to appear for the The 74th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, May 16, 2008 (noon) at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square (1535 Broadway at 46th Street).

The Drama League (Jano Herbosch, President; Roger T. Danforth and Gabriel Shanks, Co-Managing Directors) proudly announces nominations for the 2007-08 Drama League Awards, to be awarded at The 74th Annual Drama League Awards Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, May 16, 2008 (noon) at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square (1535 Broadway at 46th Street).

MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer; Daniel Sullivan, Acting Artistic Director 2007-2008 Season) is pleased to announce upcoming productions for its 2008-2009 season, including two shows on Broadway at MTC's Biltmore Theatre (261 West 47th Street) and two productions at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street).

THE LEAGUE OF OFF-BROADWAY THEATRES AND PRODUCERS today announced the nominations for THE 23rd ANNUAL LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT OFF-BROADWAY, which will be presented on Monday, May 5th at the Union Square Theatre (100 East 17th Street).

Playwrights Horizons is about to open the fifth production of its 2007/2008 Season, the New York City Premiere of The Drunken City, a new play by 2007 Obie Award winner Adam Bock (The Receptionist).

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is now accepting entries for its popular online lottery LIVEforFIVE for $5 tickets to its next production, The Drunken City, a new play by 2007 Obie Award winner Adam Bock (The Receptionist, The Thugs, Swimming in the Shallows). A total of 40 tickets will be available for the show via the lottery.

Playwrights Horizons has announced full casting of the New York City Premiere of The Drunken City, a new play by 2007 Obie Award winner Adam Bock. Directed by Trip Cullman The Drunken City will begin previews on Thursday, March 13 with an official opening on Wednesday, March 26 at 7PM. Performances will continue through Sunday, April 20 at Playwrights Horizons' Peter Jay Sharp Theater

Office politics, Industrial shows, TV Reality shows and corporate team building exercises are just some of the targets in Funny Business, a new musical that attracted great acclaim earlier this summer at The Fringe Festival. It's called FUNNY BUSINESS. And it is very funny. * * * * (OUT OF 5)

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), now in its fourth year, is a three-week event in NYC that has premiered over 90 musicals in its first three years, becoming the largest musical theatre event in America. Tickets for NYMF productions are available at www.nymf.org or by calling 212-352-3101. This year's Festival will run from September 17 through October 7 with the following schedule of events...

MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer; Daniel Sullivan, Acting Artistic Director 2007-2008 Season) is pleased to announce upcoming productions for its 2007-2008, including the two shows on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre (261 West 47th Street) and the four productions at MTC's Off-Broadway theatres at Stage I and Stage II at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street).

Manhattan Theatre Club will premiere two new productions in their 2007-08 Off-Broadway season - The Receptionist by Adam Bock and The Four of Us by Itamar Moses - with newly-announced award-winning casts and directors.

Kate Shindle, the current co-star of Broadway's Legally Blonde, will play the title role in Sympathy Jones, a new musical which will debut at this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) is pleased to announce the first 18 new musicals selected for this year's fourth-annual New York Musical Theatre Festival, September 17 through October 7, 2007.