Maria, Maria Photos Page 2 - New York

Signature Theatre presents Elmer Gantry, a musical version of Sinclair Lewis' best-selling novel, directed by Signature's Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Follies, Million Dollar Quartet). Schaeffer collaborated on the last production of Elmer Gantry at Marriott's Lincolnshire Theatre in Chicago with authors John Bishop (book), Mel Marvin (music) and Bob Satuloff (lyrics) in 1998; the show has not been produced since then. This will be the 5th production in the show's history. Running in the MAX Theatre October 7 - November 9, Signature's production will include several brand new songs by Mel Marvin and Bob Satuloff and a reimagined script that John Bishop worked on until his death in 2006. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsal below!

South Portland's Mad Horse Theatre Company ended its season with a poignant and ambitious production of the Tony-award-winning musical, Grey Gardens. A musical is a bit of a departure for the small theatre company and its tiny black box space, but they acquitted themselves with both substance and aplomb. Premiered in New York in 2006 with music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie, and book by Douglas Wright, the play tells the heartbreaking story of Jacqueline Kennedy's reclusive aunt and cousin, whose eccentric lives descend into disarray and squalor. With a script that is part Long Day's Journey into Night and a score that is part Stephen Sondheim, Grey Gardens is laden with pathos and a bittersweet humor. The lyrics are mordant; the music through composed as an extension of the dialogue, it is a theatre piece which calls for sensitive singing-actors and a director who can plumb its depths. Fortunately, the Mad Horse Theatre has both!

The Huntington's production of Harold Pinter's BETRAYAL opens on Wednesday, November 14 at 7pm, Avenue of the Arts / BU Theatre. The production is directed by Maria Aitken. The cast includes Alan Cox, Mark H. Dold, Gretchen Egolf, and Luis Negrón. Check out production photos inside!

The return of 'PERFECT HARMONY,' a hit of the 2006 New York International Fringe Festival and a 2008 sold-out summer run on Theatre Row is now back on track after a dispute between the theatre manager at 45 Bleecker Theatres (the show's recent home) and the space's landlord resulted in a closing of that complex on October 13. Theatre Row General Manager Erika Feldman came to the show's rescue and offered the production a new home - The Acorn Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues) in the Theatre Row complex. 'PERFECT HARMONY' is conceived and directed by Andrew Grosso, and written by Grosso and The Essentials. Performances resume at The Acorn on Thursday, October 21 and the official opening performance is set for Wednesday, October 27 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the Off Broadway run are available through Telecharge at 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com, and on sale through November 13, 2010. (The producers are planning to move the show to another space following this run at The Acorn.)

Four-time Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally ('Master Class', 'Kiss of the Spiderwoman') was formally introduced to revered Filipino film and television actress Cherie Gil at the writer's home in Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Gil recently received rave reviews from both media critics and theatre-goers when she essayed the larger-than-life role of 'La Divina' Maria Callas thrice (two seasons in Manila and a touring production in Dumaguete City, Southern Philippines) in Mr. McNally's 1996 Tony Award-winning play 'Master Class'.

NIGHT SKY, a play by Susan Yankowitz, will be presented Off-Broadway this spring with previews beginning May 22 prior to its official opening June 2 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (55 Lexington Ave.) in Manhattan.

Patrick Barlow's adaptation of The 39 Steps, directed by Maria Aitken, will celebrate its second birthday this month as over 140,000 tickets are released for a new booking period, until 6 September 2009. On 13 October 2008 Tessa Churchard will join current cast members Jo Stone-Fewings, Alan Perrin and Nigel Betts at the Criterion Theatre to play the three female roles - Annabella Schmidt, Pamela and Margaret - in this hilarious 100 minute whodunnit.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. is continuing its 2006-2007 season with its first-ever production of William Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus.