Abigail's Party

‘Kisses on a Postcard’ is a thrilling World War Two musical, an intensely moving portrait of an extraordinary episode in British history, packed with memorable songs, danger and humour.

Jay McGuiness, Kimberley Walsh and Daniel Casey will star as Sam, Annie and Walter respectively in SLEEPLESS, A Musical Romance, based on the original screenplay Sleepless in Seattle. They are joined by Harriet Thorpe as Eleanor, Tania Mathurin as Becky and Jake Sharp as Rob. SLEEPLESS will premiere in London on 1 April 2020 at the newly opened Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London, with previews from 24 March.

Artistic Director Brigid Larmour today announces programming to complete Watford Palace Theatre's season for September 2019 - June 2020, following the world première of Mushy: Lyrically Speaking earlier this month. The co-production with Rifco Theatre Company is now on tour across the UK until 5 October.

With SS Mendi, a co-production with Isango Ensemble, opening this week at Royal Opera House, Director of Nuffield Southampton Theatres, Samuel Hodges, today announces the full cast for a new staging of Peter Morgan's The Audience. Samuel Hodges directs Lizzie Hopley as Margaret Thatcher and Bobo MacDonald, Paul Kemp as all other Prime Ministers, Sharon Singh as The Equerry and Fay Burwell and Maddie Farmer share the role of Young Elizabeth, joining the previously announced Faye Castelow as Queen Elizabeth II. The production opens on 30 May, with previews from 24 May, and runs until 22 June.

The Pond Theatre Company, an American home for contemporary British and Irish playwrights, presents the world premiere of The Naturalists by Irish writer Jaki McCarrick. Directed by The Pond co-founders Colleen Clinton and Lily Dorment, The Naturalists marks the professional New York debut of McCarrick, best known for her play Belfast Girls, which was developed at the National Theatre Studio in London and was shortlisted for the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. McCarrick's play, Leopoldville, won the 2010 Papatango Prize for New Writing.

The Pond Theatre Company, an American home for contemporary British and Irish playwrights, presents the world premiere of The Naturalists by Irish writer Jaki McCarrick. Directed by The Pond co-founders Colleen Clinton and Lily Dorment, The Naturalists marks the professional New York debut of McCarrick, best known for her play Belfast Girls, which was developed at the National Theatre Studio in London and was shortlisted for the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. McCarrick's play, Leopoldville, won the 2010 Papatango Prize for New Writing.

A Red Orchid Theatre presents a special summer engagement of Victims of Duty by Eugene Ionesco and directed by Shira Piven. Victims of Duty runs July 11 - August 5, 2018 at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N Wells in Chicago. Press performances are scheduled for Saturday, July 14 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Classic Spring announces Olivier-Award winner Sophie Thompson as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, from 20 July at the Vaudeville theatre. Directed by Michael Fentiman, the production also stars Jeremy Swift in the role of Reverend Chasuble and Sinead Matthews as Gwendolyn Fairfax.

Wiltshire Creative - the new organisation that brings together Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury International Arts Festival and Salisbury Playhouse - today announces its first season of programming for 2018/19, marking a landmark moment for the arts in Salisbury and the South of England.

Esther and Schmuli are shy young Orthodox Jews embarking on an arranged marriage, despite barely knowing each other. Abe and Julia are high-profile celebrities embarking on a dangerously flirtatious correspondence, despite being married to other people. On the surface, the lives of these two couples couldn't be more different. But Anna Ziegler's funny, insightful, and mysterious new drama explores the hidden connections between seemingly disparate people, drawing audiences into an intriguing puzzle and a deeply sympathetic look at modern love.

The New Group has announced today that Terrence Mann and Will Swenson will star in the company's Off-Broadway premiere of Jerry Springer - The Opera, as 'Jerry Springer' and 'Warm-Up / Satan,' respectively.

The critically acclaimed Shakespeare's Globe production of Farinelli and the King, starring three-time Tony Award-winner (Twelfth Night, Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing) and Academy Award-winner (Bridge of Spies) Mark Rylance, begins tonight, December 5, 2017 in advance of an opening night on Sunday, December 17, 2017 at Broadway's Belasco Theatre (111 West 44th Street).

Break out the cheesecake and eggnog Chicago's favorite gals are headed back to Andersonville for the holidays, where it all began! Following an 18-week sell-out run, including six-weeks at Lakeview's Stage 773, Hell in a Handbag Productions' campy world premiere parody THE GOLDEN GIRLS THE LOST EPISODES will return to Mary's Attic (5400 N. Clark St., Chicago) for six additional performances from December 6, 2017 January 10, 2018. Written by David Cerda and directed by Shade Murray, AJ Wright and David Lipschutz, the campy parody of one of TV's most beloved sitcoms will feature the best of the original run plus a new holiday-themed episode! THE GOLDEN GIRLS will run in conjunction with the return of Handbag's holiday favorite RUDOLPH THE RED-HOSED REINDEER. Tickets for both productions are currently available at www.handbagproductions.org or by calling (800) 838-3006.

An exciting all-female cast have been announced for Inside Pussy Riot the new immersive theatre show from Les Enfants Terribles, the creators of Olivier nominated hit Alice's Adventures Underground, Bird&Carrot (Brodsky/Baryshnikov) and Pussy Riot's co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova.

The New Group has announced additional casting and production dates for David Rabe's Good for Otto, with F. Murray Abraham, Rileigh McDonald, Rosie O'Donnell and Michael Rabe joining, as previously announced, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan in this New York premiere directed by Scott Elliott.

Final casting is announced to join multi award-winning Josie Lawrence, one of the UK's best-loved actors and comedians, in a new production of Mother Courage and her Children.

Black Girl Magic Show! is an absurdist dance theatre lecture by playwright/performer nicHi douglas on Black female identity. Utilizing African Diasporan histories, Black feminist theory, and a lot of stuff douglas made up, she attempts to unpack, re-pack, and de-pack the Black female experience in America as witnessed by one Black woman - The Professor. As the audience follows The Professor, they discover what might happen if the one Black girl without 'Black Girl Magic' takes matters into her own hands. Before the show ends, the audience experiences a TED-type talk, modern dance, a magic routine, and a concert, often simultaneously. And they probably see at least 20 wigs.

Producers Sonia Friedman, Shakespeare's Globe and Paula Marie Blackare have announced complete casting for the critically acclaimed Shakespeare's Globe production of Farinelli and the King, starring three-time Tony Award-winner (Twelfth Night, Jerusalem, Boeing-Boeing) and Academy Award-winner (Bridge of Spies) Mark Rylance.

The Old Globe today announced the culminating presentation of award-winning San Diego scenic and costume designer David Israel Reynoso's project for the The San Diego Foundation Creative Catalyst program.

Previews begin tonight, August 18, for the Playwrights Horizons New York premiere production of For Peter Pan on her 70th Birthday, a new play by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee Sarah Ruhl (Stage Kiss, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Playwrights; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; The Clean House).

The Barrow Group Theatre Company, recipient of the Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel Awards, has announced its lineup for the 2017-2018 season with the New York premiere of Muswell Hill, a play by Torben Betts, followed by the world premiere of The Thing With Feathers, a new play by Scott Organ, the revival of A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing, and a special benefit performance of the award-winning solo play The Tricky Part by Martin Moran at The Barrow Group Mainstage Theatre (312 West 36th Street, 3rd Floor).

A friendly reminder! Previews begin this Friday, August 18 at 7:30 PM for the Playwrights Horizons New York premiere production of For Peter Pan on her 70th birthday, a new play by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award nominee Sarah Ruhl (Stage Kiss, Dead Man's Cell Phone at Playwrights; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play; The Clean House). 

The Old Globe today announced that due to popular demand, the exciting Globe-commissioned world premiere comedy Ken Ludwig's Robin Hood! has now extended again, through September 10! This is the second and final extension for the hit show, which previously announced a one-week addition through September 3. The production plays in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Single tickets start at $45 and are on sale now.

Asshole is a bracing new play by Justin Kuritzkes about a doctor who works for the government and is obsessed with the smell of his own asshole. He has a patient whom he can't seem to get out of his mind. In fact, he finds her continued presence to be a little...disturbing. Directed and designed by Knud Adams, this world premiere features Polly Lee and Ikechukwu Ufomadu. 

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) begins accepting entries today, Monday, August 7 at 12 Noon, for the LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to the New York premiere production of FOR PETER PAN ON HER 70th BIRTHDAY