reasons to be pretty - 2008 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 10

Shaleeha G'ntamobi's stirring new play about an alcoholic black mother and her card sharp son trying to get out of the projects has just been accepted into the nation's preeminent theater festival. Trouble is, Shaleeha G'ntamobi doesn't exist, except in the imagination of wannabe-playwright Danny Larsen (Jonathan Groff), who created her as a kind of affirmative-action nom-de-plume.

MCC THEATER today announced that John Behlmann (The 39 Steps), MCC Theater founding member Patrick Breen (The Normal Heart), Gideon Glick (Spring Awakening), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Catch Me If You Can), Tony Award-winner Alice Ripley (Next To Normal), and Daniel Stewart Sherman (Desire Under the Elms) will star in the world premiere production of Wild Animals You Should Know, by Thomas Higgins. The production will be directed by Trip Cullman (A Small Fire, Bachelorette). Tickets go on-sale October 3, 2011. Performances begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on November 3, 2011 and continue through December 11, 2011. An official opening is set for Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.

Philadelphia Theatre Company opens its 2011-2012 season with the Philadelphia premiere of John Logan's Tony Award-winning drama Red October 14-November 13 at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre (Broad and Lombard Streets). Directed by Anders Cato, the two-person cast features Broadway veteran Stephen Rowe and Oscar nominee Haley Joel Osment.

The Studio Theatre follows up its 2008 hit production of The History Boys with Alan Bennett's next play, The Habit of Art. Deep in the bowels of London's National Theatre, rehearsals for a new play go apace: Benjamin Britten is having trouble with his latest opera and seeks out his collaborator, poet W. H. Auden, after a twenty-five year separation. Between visits by a rent boy and a biographer-whom Auden briefly mistakes for the rent boy-these aging artists wrestle with their desires, their jealousies, the ephemeral connection between creativity and inspiration, and all the reasons their friendship fell apart.

MCC Theater presents the first production of their 2011-2012 season: Jeff Talbott's The Submission, directed by Walter Bobbie. Performances of this funny and furiously intelligent new play begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on September 8, 2011 and continue through October 22, 2011. An official opening is set for September 27, 2011. In the video below, Jonathan Groff chats about staying in shape in preparation for the show. Click below to hear what he has to say!

Profiles Theatre announces new dates for the run of A Behanding in Spokane by Martin McDonagh, directed by Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder.

The fast-paced comedy Boeing-Boeing, a Tony Award winner for Best Revival in its 2008 Broadway production, launches TheatreSquared's Season 6 next Thursday, September 1 at Walton Arts Center's Nadine Baum Studios.

ACT Theatre joins The Beebo Brinker Chronicles Festival, a 1950's lesbian pulp festival spanning seven months, involving the work of over 50 of Seattle's most talented actors, musicians, designers and neo-burlesque performers, produced by Cherry Manhattan Presents.

The fast-paced comedy Boeing-Boeing, a Tony Award winner for Best Revival in its 2008 Broadway production, launches TheatreSquared's Season 6 next Thursday, September 1 at Walton Arts Center's Nadine Baum Studios.

The Studio Theatre follows up its 2008 hit production of The History Boys with Alan Bennett's next play, The Habit of Art. Deep in the bowels of London's National Theatre, rehearsals for a new play go apace: Benjamin Britten is having trouble with his latest opera and seeks out his collaborator, poet W. H. Auden, after a twenty-five year separation. Between visits by a rent boy and a biographer-whom Auden briefly mistakes for the rent boy-these aging artists wrestle with their desires, their jealousies, the ephemeral connection between creativity and inspiration, and all the reasons their friendship fell apart.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) has announced that tickets will go on-sale today, August 9, 2011 at 3:00 p.m.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director) has announced that tickets will go on-sale today, August 9, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. for the company's first production of their 2011-2012 season: Jeff Talbott's The Submission, directed by Walter Bobbie. Performances of this funny and furiously intelligent new play begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on September 8, 2011 and continue through October 22, 2011. An official opening is set for September 27, 2011.

The cast of MCC Theater's Submission, starring Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, 'Glee'), Will Rogers (When the Rain Stops Falling), Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie, HBO's 'How to Make It in America'), and Rutina Wesley ('True Blood,' The Vertical Hour) met the press today, August 8. The production will be directed by Tony Award-Winner Walter Bobbie (School for Lies, Chicago). Performances begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on September 8, 2011 and continue through October 22, 2011. An official opening is set for September 26, 2011. Check out photos from the event below!

Comedian Colin Quinn will bring his incisive one-man exploration of world history, Long Story Short from Broadway to Long Wharf Theatre.

The cast of MCC Theater's Submission, starring Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, 'Glee'), Will Rogers (When the Rain Stops Falling), Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie, HBO's 'How to Make It in America'), and Rutina Wesley ('True Blood,' The Vertical Hour) met the press today, August 8. The production will be directed by Tony Award-Winner Walter Bobbie (School for Lies, Chicago). Performances begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on September 8, 2011 and continue through October 22, 2011. An official opening is set for September 26, 2011. Check out a photo from the event below!

The 2010 Tony Award-winning Best Musical MEMPHIS announced casting today for the U.S. national tour of the critically acclaimed production. The national tour of MEMPHIS will star Bryan Fenkart (Huey) and Felicia Boswell (Felicia) with Quentin Earl Darrington (Delray), Rhett George (Gator), Julie Johnson (Mama), Will Mann (Bobby), and William Parry (Mr. Simmons).

ACT Theatre joins The Beebo Brinker Chronicles Festival, a 1950's lesbian pulp festival spanning seven months, involving the work of over 50 of Seattle's most talented actors, musicians, designers and neo-burlesque performers, produced by Cherry Manhattan Presents.

As previously reported, the musical revival of CARRIE, which recently finished up a development lab at MCC on June 7, will get at off-Broadway run at MCC next year. Directed byt Stafford Arima, choreographed by Matt Williams and musical directed by Mary Mitchell-Campell, preview performances will begin at MCC on January 31, 2012. Carrie will be led by the previously announced Tony Award nominee Marin Mazzie (Next to Normal, Kiss Me Kate) as Carrie's evangelical mother, Margaret White, and Molly Ranson (Jerusalem, August: Osage County) as the lonely, vengeful, yet fragile girl at the center of it all.

MCC THEATER today announced that Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening, 'Glee'), Will Rogers (When the Rain Stops Falling), Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie, HBO's 'How to Make It in America'), and Rutina Wesley ('True Blood,' The Vertical Hour) will star in the world premiere production of The Submission, by Jeff Talbott, directed by Tony Award-Winner Walter Bobbie (School for Lies, Chicago). Performances of this funny and furiously intelligent new play begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on September 8, 2011 and continue through October 22, 2011. An official opening is set for September 26, 2011.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director; Jaynie Saunders Tiller, Managing Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, will present 'THE GERM PROJECT,' featuring the work of playwrights Kara Lee Corthron (directed by Kara-Lynn Vaeni), Lynn Rosen (directed by Shoshana Gold), Kathryn Walat (directed by Portia Krieger), and Anna Ziegler (directed by Beatrice Terry). The four 'germs' of full-length plays of scope and adventure commissioned by New Georges for this project will be presented together, fully produced, in a cohesive and satisfying ninety-minute intermission-less evening. There will be a connective thread to the pieces that will take place with visuals and storytelling. 'THE GERM PROJECT' will be performed at 3LD Art & Technology Center, 80 Greenwich Street (just south of Rector). Previews will begin on June 11, and the official Opening Night will be Monday, June 20 at 8:00 p.m. Performances will run through July 9.

As previously reported, the musical revival of CARRIE, which recently finished up a development lab at MCC on June 7, will get at off-Broadway run at MCC next year. Directed byt Stafford Arima, choreographed by Matt Williams and musical directed by Mary Mitchell-Campell, preview performances will begin at MCC on January 31, 2012. Carrie will be led by the previously announced Tony Award nominee Marin Mazzie (Next to Normal, Kiss Me Kate) as Carrie's evangelical mother, Margaret White, and Molly Ranson (Jerusalem, August: Osage County) as the lonely, vengeful, yet fragile girl at the center of it all.

Comedian Colin Quinn will bring his incisive one-man exploration of world history, Long Story Short from Broadway to Long Wharf Theatre.

According to an audition notice, the musical revival of CARRIE will hold a development lab at MCC from May 25, 2011 through June 7, 2011. Stafford Arima will direct, Matt Williams will choreograph, and Mary Mitchell-Campell will musical direct.

In the center of the New York City Theater District, Tony Award-winning set designer Christine Jones, in association with LOT-EK® Architects, True Love Productions and Times Square Arts, presents "Theatre for One", a four foot by eight foot portable theater with one performer playing to one audience member.

New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Associate Director; Jaynie Saunders Tiller, Managing Director), the OBIE Award-winning downtown theater company founded in 1992, will present "THE GERM PROJECT," featuring the work of playwrights Kara Lee Corthron (directed by Kara-Lynn Vaeni), Lynn Rosen (directed by Shoshana Gold), Kathryn Walat (directed by Portia Krieger), and Anna Ziegler (directed by Beatrice Terry).