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THEATRE NEWS FOR SAN FRANCISCO BAY

Posted by:	Richard Connema 05:20 pm EDT 09/21/14

NOEL COWARD’S “BLITE SPIRIT” DIRECTED BY MICHAEL BLAKEMORE ANGELA LANSBURY REPRISES HER TONY AWARD®-WINNING PERFORMANCE FOLLOWING SMASH-HIT WEST END ENGAGEMENTWITH CHARLES EDWARDS, SUSAN LOUISE O’CONNOR, CHARLOTTE PARRY, JEMIMA ROOPER & SANDRA SHIPLEYSHN GOLDEN GATE THEATRE JANUARY 20 – FEBRUARY 1, 2015 – SHN is thrilled to bring television legend, Oscar recipient and five-time Tony Award®-winner ANGELA LANSBURY to San Francisco reprising her role as Madame Arcati, in Michael Blakemore’s revival of Noël Coward’s smash-hit comedy play, BLITHE SPIRIT. Following the internationally acclaimed sold-out engagements on Broadway and London’s West End, BLITHE SPIRIT will play a strictly limited two week engagement January 20 through February 1, 2015 at the SHN Golden Gate Theatre, and San Francisco is one of only four U.S cities presenting this highly anticipated comedy. “SHN is thrilled to welcome Angela Lansbury reprising her Tony Award-winning role to San Francisco,” said Greg Holland, SHN Chief Executive Officer. “BLITHE SPIRIT is one of the many world-class productions we have planned for SHN audiences.” Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 10 at 10am. SHN Members will have first access to purchase tickets beginning Monday, Oct. 6 at 10am. The production will play the SHN Golden Gate Theatre using the playhouse configuration, created by Tony-Award winning, San Francisco based scenic designer Douglas Schmidt. This arrangement, which provides an intimate 1600-seat experience for SHN Audiences, was previously used for the highly acclaimed productions of DOUBT starring Cherry Jones and Viola Davis (2006), WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF starring Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin (2007) and A BRONX TALE starring Chazz Palminteri (2008). The creative team, led by two-time Tony Award®-winner Michael Blakemore, includes scenic and costume designs by Helen Hayes Award-winner Simon Higlett; Ms. Lansbury’s costume designs by two-time Tony Award®-winner Martin Pakledinaz and sound design by Olivier Award-winners Ben and Max Ringham. The North American tour of BLITHE SPIRIT is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Steve Traxler, Lee Dean, John Frost, Charles Diamond and Will Trice in association with JAM Theatricals. For more information, please visit www.BlitheSpiritThePlay.com ####################################### Theatre Bay Area Announces Region-Wide Awards Program Finalists TBA Awards Celebration Nov. 10 Spotlights Excellence in Professional Theatre Tickets on Sale to the Public Sept. 26 Theatre Bay Area (TBA), the nonprofit service organization for theatre and dance in the Bay Area, has announced the finalists (http://www.bit.ly/1wJKIkY) for the inaugural year of the TBA Awards. This new, peer-adjudicated awards program has been created to celebrate artistic achievement in professionally oriented theatre across the entire Bay Area. Awards will be announced in almost two dozen categories in each of three tiers designed to reflect a theatre company’s resources and professional affiliations. Awards will be presented in a glittering celebration at the American Conservatory Theater’s historic Geary Theater on Nov. 10. Tickets for the event, open to the public, go on sale at the A.C.T. Box Office (www.act-sf.org/tba) on Sept. 26. “Our goal is to shine a spotlight on the outstanding caliber of professionally oriented theatre in the Bay Area with awards that are peer-based and encompass theatres of all sizes and localities from San Jose to Santa Rosa, San Francisco and the East Bay,” said Brad Erickson, Executive Director of TBA. Participation in this year’s kick-off program is tremendous, according to Erickson. Some 180 productions from 78 participating theatre companies were evaluated by 270 adjudicators, who recorded close to 3,000 ballots to select the final slate of finalists. Adjudicators are theatre professionals, such as actors, directors, designers, administrators, journalists and educators, who evaluated the productions submitted by participating theatre companies. In addition to the awards themselves, TBA’s program recognizes productions throughout the year selected as “recommended” by the adjudicators. According to Erickson, the TBA Awards program incorporates the best practices of existing systems in LA, Chicago and other major theatre centers and will serve to raise public awareness of the vitality of theatre in the Bay Area, which is the third largest theatre center in the country with more than 400 theatres. This year’s inaugural awards cycle ran from Jan. 1, 2014 through Aug. 31. Future seasons will run a full twelve months from September 1 through August 31 each year. The awards program is managed by Robert Sokol, long-time Bay Area arts writer and creative director of the design and publishing firm VIA MEDIA. For more information about the awards categories, participating companies, and productions considered, visit theatrebayarea.org. TBA thanks the American Conservatory Theater for being an Angel Level Sponsor and hosting the ceremony. Additional ceremony sponsors include Actors Equity Association and Wells Fargo Bank. The launch of the TBA Awards program was underwritten in part by funding from the Fleishhacker Foundation and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. The glittering awards celebration is open to the public at American Conservatory Theater’s historic Geary Theater, 415 Geary St. in San Francisco, beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 10. Tickets will be available through the A.C.T. Box Office, starting Sept. 26 (www.act-sf.org/tba). Ticket prices range from $35 to $125. The list of nominations, here is a link to the PDF with the names of the 2014 nominees: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/theatrebayarea.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/Awards/TBA14_Finalists.pdf ##################################### PIPPIN BEGINS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 PERFORMANCES THROUGH SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19 AT THE SHN GOLDEN GATE THEATRE – SHN is pleased to announce the Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical PIPPIN begins this Tuesday, September 23 at the SHN Golden Gate Theatre with performances through Sunday, October 19. To celebrate PIPPIN’s arrival, SHN will be hosting post-show talkbacks on the first two performances for anyone who purchases tickets. Patrons can stay after the show on Tuesday, September 23 to hear Lucie Arnaz (Berthe) and cast discuss their roles in the show. On Wednesday, September 24, San Francisco native Gypsy Snider (Circus Creation) and cast will talk about their involvement with the show. Matthew James Thomas, who originated the role of PIPPIN in the current 2013 Tony Award winning revival, will perform the role of PIPPIN when the show arrives in San Francisco. The cast also includes Lucie Arnaz as Berthe, Sasha Allen (a finalist on the 4th season on NBC’s “The Voice”) as Leading Player, Tony Award winner John Rubinstein (created the role of “Pippin” in the 1972 original Broadway production) as Charles, Sabrina Harper (Pippin, original Broadway Revival cast) as Fastrada and Kristine Reese (Wicked on tour) as Catherine. This all-new production of Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz’s PIPPIN is directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus, features choreography by Tony Award nominee Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse and circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers). The company also includes Skyler Adams, Sascha Bachman, Bradley Benjamin, Callan Bergman, Dmitrious Bistrevsky, Mark Burrell, Mathew deGuzman, Fernando Dudka, Mirela Golinska, Kelsey Jamieson, Preston Jamieson, Lisa Karlin, Alan Kelly, Melodie Lamoreux, Zachary Mackiewicz, Lucas Schultz, Tory Trowbridge, Mackenzie Warren and Borris York. With a book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, PIPPIN features music supervision and arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo, orchestrations by Tony Award winner Larry Hochman, scenic design by Tony Award winner Scott Pask, costume design by Tony Award nominee Dominique Lemieux, lighting design by Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner, sound design by Tony Award nominees Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm. PIPPIN tells the story of a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence. Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory? The show is noted for many Broadway standards including “Magic To Do,” “Corner of the Sky,” “Glory,” “No Time at All,” “Morning Glow,” and “Love Song.” Join us… for this magical, unforgettable production The New York Times declared “Astonishing! A PIPPIN for the 21st Century.” Ticket Information: Tickets are on sale now through shnsf.com and SHN Audience Services at 888-746-1799. Tickets range from $45-$210. Prices are subject to change. Performance Dates: September 23 – October 19 Tuesday–Saturday at 8:00pm. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm #################################### FIRST-EVER BROADWAY BOBBLEHEAD GIVEAWAY NEWSIES BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT AT THE SHN ORPHEUM THEATRE IN SAN FRANCISCO TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17 AT 8PM – SHN is pleased to announce a first for the Broadway industry – A Bobblehead Giveaway in conjunction with the San Francisco engagement of NEWSIES, coming to the SHN Orpheum Theatre February 17 - March 15, 2015. Customers who purchase tickets to the Tuesday, February 17 at 8pm performance of NEWSIES will receive a complimentary NEWSIES bobblehead, courtesy of SHN. For the last several years, SHN has been pushing Broadway productions to take advantage of the bobblehead craze, and Disney Theatrical Productions is the first to come on board. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with NEWSIES on the first-ever Broadway Bobblehead Night,” said Scott Kane, Chief Marketing Officer at SHN. “The sports industry successfully uses bobbleheads to boost attendance and give their fans a one-of-a-kind souvenir and it’s exciting to do the same for a Broadway production. I’m sure our passionate Bay Area Broadway fans will be clamoring to get their hands on a NEWSIES bobblehead.” “Since its first performance on Broadway, NEWSIES has been supported by fiercely devoted fans, whose passion and enthusiasm for the show remains palpable,” said Jack Eldon, Vice President, Domestic, Disney Theatrical Productions. “We cannot wait to launch the tour in October so that even more fans throughout North America, including San Francisco, will have the opportunity to experience the adrenaline rush that is NEWSIES. This creative initiative will allow the show’s fans to take home something special that will keep the memory alive.” San Francisco was the first city to introduce sports fans to the Bobblehead Giveaway concept back in 1999, when the San Francisco Giants Baseball Club handed out 35,000 Willie Mays dolls to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Candlestick Park. Fifteen years later, bobbleheads (and now Garden Gnomes) are more popular than ever and Bay Area theater fans will be the first to receive a Broadway bobblehead of their own. The NEWSIES bobblehead weighs just over one pound and stands seven inches tall. They will be distributed to fans as they enter the SHN Orpheum Theatre on Tuesday, February 17. Additionally, SHN announced all current 2014-2015 season members will also receive a NEWSIES bobblehead, which will be available to all members at each of the 32 NEWSIES performances. NEWSIES features a Tony Award®-winning score with music by eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, with a book by four-time Tony Award® winner Harvey Fierstein. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, NEWSIES is directed by Tony®-nominee Jeff Calhoun and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, who won a 2012 Tony Award® for his work. Ticket Information: Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 26 at 10am, through shnsf.com and SHN Audience Services at 888-746-1799. Tickets start as low as $50. Prices are subject to change. ################################## PLAYGROUND RECEIVESRECOGNITION FROM THE AMERICAN THEATRE WINGPlayGround wins prized National Theatre Company Grant honorfrom Founder of the Tony Awards – PlayGround is pleased to announce that the American Theatre Wing, best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards, is awarding the Company with one of the 2014 National Theatre Company grants. Created by American Theatre Wing to recognize and support the most promising emerging theatre companies, the 2014 grants are being presented to twelve companies from around the country. Companies chosen to receive the grants have articulated a distinctive mission, cultivated an audience, and nurtured a community of artists in ways that strengthen and demonstrate the quality, diversity, and dynamism of American theatre. “We’re extremely grateful for this recognition by the American Theatre Wing and honored to be in the company of so many outstanding theatres from around the country,” said PlayGround co-founder and Artistic Director Jim Kleinmann. Kleinmann will head to New York later this month to accept the award on behalf of PlayGround and to conference with representatives from the other 2014 National Theatre Company Grant winners. This year’s recipients include: Amphibian Stage Productions (Fort Worth, Texas), Ars Nova (New York, New York), Forum Theatre (Silver Spring, Maryland), Keen Company (New York, New York), PlayGround (San Francisco, California) , Red Bull Theater (New York, NY), Rogue Machine Theatre (Los Angeles, California), The House Theatre of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois), the TEAM (Brooklyn, New York), Theater Wit (Chicago, Illinois), Theatre B (Fargo, North Dakota), and Williamston Theatre (Williamston, Michigan). “We are particularly proud to be able to benefit twelve theater companies this year, and with larger grants,” Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing, commented. “These companies have proven themselves vital to their respective communities, and we know they will put this funding to good use and continue to do great work.” More information about the National Theatre Company grants can be found at http://americantheatrewing.org/program/national-theatre-co-grants/.Information about PlayGround is available at http://playground-sf.org. ############################# PlayGround launches 20th Anniversary Season and new collaboration with Sustainable World Coalition PLANET EARTH NEW PLAY FESTIVAL to premiere at Berkeley Rep and Stanford University OCTOBER 20 AT BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE OCTOBER 21 AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY 2014-15 WRITERS COMPANY ANNOUNCED! – Write A Play, Save the Planet! At PlayGround’s 20th Anniversary Celebration on Monday evening, PlayGround Artistic Director announced plans for the upcoming twentieth anniversary season, including a brand-new collaboration with Berkeley-based Sustainable World Coalition, a project of Earth Island Institute. Sustainable World Coalition and PlayGround will present the inaugural Planet Earth New Play Festival at Berkeley Rep on Monday, October 20 for the opening Monday Night PlayGround and repeat the program on Tuesday, October 21 at Stanford University in partnership with the National Center for New Plays. The Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series continues on third Mondays through March (the January round will take place on the fourth Monday, January 26) and six-admission season subscriptions are available for just $60 (a 50% savings off priority seating individual tickets). For tickets and more information, visit http://playground-sf.org/monday. Planet Earth New Play Festival is a new initiative designed to inspire playwrights to create bold new works for the stage that explore issues of planetary sustainability and social justice. PlayGround’s writers (see below) will participate in a pre-topic announcement prep session on October 7 at the Ecology Center with the topic announcement to follow on Friday, October 10. Writers will have four-and-a-half days to generate their original short scripts and the top six plays will be selected, rehearsed with leading Bay Area directors and actors, and presented on Monday, October 20 at Berkeley Rep. In a recent interview Tony Kushner described climate change as “without question the greatest danger that the human race as ever faced and we have to figure out a way to live on the planet with less negative consequences. Everything that is good about humans will need to be summoned into this fight.” Planet Earth New Play Festival is using the transformative power of theater to awaken, enlighten and move audiences to action and change in their own lives as well as in their communities. “Our vision and mission is to create a body of artistic work that explores and fosters a new understanding of and commitment to a world where people thrive and nature flourishes” says Vinit Allen, founder and Executive Director of the Sustainable World Coalition. Michael Fried, co-founder and Artistic Executive Producer of the Planet Earth New Play Festival explains, “Theater has always been a powerful form for exploring and mirroring the issues each generation faces. We are dedicated to inspiring theater artists and audiences to claim the issue of planetary sustainability as the most important issue of our time.” PlayGround audiences will get to enjoy a unique behind-the-scenes perspective, with a free pre-performance discussion before each Monday Night performance, featuring select playwrights, PlayGround company members and other special guests. Audience members can also experience the thrill of being a producer through the monthly People’s Choice Awards, helping to determine which plays and playwrights go on for consideration in PlayGround’s annual showcase, the Best of PlayGround Festival. The 2014-15 PlayGround Writers Company includes: Terry Anderson, Zara Benner, Bill Bivins, Cass Brayton+, Erin Bregman+, Rachel Bublitz, Madeleine Butler, Ron Campbell, Patricia Cotter, Victoria Der, Dave Garrett, Ruben Grijalva+, Garret Groenveld+, Tanya Grove, Leah Halper, Karen Hartline, Colin Johnson, Melissa Keith, Sang Kim, Elliott Kopstein, Brady Lea+, Jon Lowe, Jonathan Luskin+, Karen Macklin, Katie May+, Genne Murphy, Naomi Newman, Meghan O'Connor, Erin Panttaja, Madeline Puccioni, Takeo Rivera, Mandy Rizvi+, Robin Lynn Rodriguez+, Andrew Saito, Diane Sampson+, Amy Sass+, Kirk Shimano, Cleavon Smith, Martha Soukup, Aimee Suzara, Tom Swift+, Steven Westdahl, Arisa White, Josh Williams, Davern Wright, Zoe Young, Maury Zeff, Lesli Zephyr, and Ignacio Zulueta+. + Resident Playwrights ################################# 2015 DRAGON MAIN STAGE SEASON Show People by Paul Weitz directed by Austin Edgington February 27 – March 22, 2015 Jerry and Marnie are faded Broadway stars hired by Tom, a rich young banker, to pretend to be his parents in order to impress his girlfriend Natalie, a brilliant violinist and daughter of a renowned physicist. This comedy of falsified identities satirizes the indomitable theatricality of theater folk. Written by Academy Award-nominated writer/director Paul Weitz (About a Boy and In Good Company). The Columnist by David Auburn directed by Brandon Jackson May 29 – June 21, 2015 Joseph Alsop, America’s most powerful political commentator, is the subject of The Columnist, a new play by the Pulitzer- and Tony Award–winning author of Proof. Dominating Washington’s political scene in the years between World War II and the Vietnam War, Joe is both feared and admired. But as America enters the turbulent 60s, his unyielding political views and dark personal secrets threaten to destroy his influence. Opened on Broadway in 2012 with John Lithgow. Bay Area premiere. The Voice of the Prairie by John Olive directed by Executive Artistic Director Meredith Hagedorn  August 21 – September 13, 2015 During the early days of radio, Davey Quinn becomes famous as the Voice of the Prairie, telling tales of his adventures with Frankie, a blind girl he once saved from her abusive father. Years later his radio broadcasts reunite him with Frankie, now a school teacher, and their adventures together begin again! One of the most popular contemporary plays, The Voice of the Prairie has been called “endearing” (NY Times) and “first-rate entertainment.” (Torrington Register Citizen) Or, by Liz Duffy Adams directed by Vera Sloan  October 2 – October 25, 2015 This “playful, funny and inventive comedy” (NY Times) offers a fictional peek into the true story of Aphra Behn, Restoration Era spy and pioneering female playwright. Sprung from prison under the secret patronage of King Charles II, Aphra longs to be a giant of the London stage. When opportunity knocks in the form of an eccentric producer, Aphra has just one night to complete her masterpiece, juggle would-be lovers and ex-lovers, and avert a royal assassination before daybreak. Don’t miss this “hilarious history lesson” (SFGate) about a woman centuries ahead of her time. Sunlight by Sharr Whitedirected by Brian Luce November 20 – December 13, 2015 A timely and thought provoking drama by Sharr White (6 Years and The Other Place, Dragon 2008 and 2014 seasons), Sunlight tackles the polarity of the post-9/11 world. A liberal university president wages a ferocious war against a conservative law school dean who writes legal memos justifying torture—and who also happens to be his son-in-law. His daughter, a 9/11 survivor, is caught between her father and husband as the family’s personal and political worlds collide. Pricing and other information: Prices for the the Main Stage shows are: * $35 for general admission * $27 for students and seniors * The VIP box is only $200, seats up to 4 people and includes a bottle of champagne and some chocolates! * Season subscriptions are now on sale and will save you more than 15%!Shows are performed Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8p; Sundays at 2p 2015 2nd Stage Season Dragon's brand new 2nd Stages series launched in 2014. It's intended to give other artists the opportunity to fully produce their passion projects with funding and mentorship from the Dragon's staff. This series works to develop new local theatre makers with the support of an established theatre company. It was so popular in its inaugural year that we've expanded the run of the shows to three weekends. Kid-Simple: a radio play in the flesh by Jordan Harrison produced and directed by Christine Keating January 16 – February 1, 2015 Moll is a girl who invents things. But when she invents a machine that hears sounds that can't be heard, she finds herself battling a shadowy organization which has teamed up with her evil ex-boyfriend. Taking along the last boy-virgin in the eleventh grade, Moll embarks on a quest to retrieve her machine and prove herself. Spanning radio plays, fairy tales, rom coms, and using live sound effects, Kid-Simple tells a story you won't hear anywhere else. The Star Without a Name by Mihail Sebastian, translated and adapted by Ana-Catrina Buchser produced and directed by Ana-Catrina BuchserApril 17 – May 3, 2015 The Star Without a Name is the story of a 12-hour love affair, and of those who were there to witness it. The life of routine in a sleepy country village in 1942 is shaken one night when an express train makes an unexpected stop to unload a mysterious passenger — a glamorous woman who has no money and refuses to say who she is. Translated and adapted from Romanian by director and producer Ana-Catrina Buchser, The Star Without a Name is written by Mihail Sebastian, better known in the US for his journals on surviving fascism and anti-semitism, which were adapted into a play by David Auburn in 2004. Lo speziale by Joseph Haydn, libretto by Carlo Goldoniproduced by: Ewa Nowicka, Carmelo Rosado, Nicole Cooper, and Carmello TringaliJuly 10 – July 26, 2015 A young apprentice dreams of a woman just out of his reach, while he toils away making batches of drugs under the apothecary's watchful eye. A neighborhood boy tries to woo the same woman away, while the apothecary himself plots to accumulate wealth manipulating those around him. A comedic tale of mixed up romance and life in the drug industry. Opera as you've never seen it before, told through the style of the hit TV show, Breaking Bad. Sung in the original Italian with supertitles. Shows are performed Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8p; Sundays at 2p For more information on the Dragon Productions Theatre Company or to purchase your tickets, please visit www.dragonproductions.net or leave the box office a message at 650-493-2006 x 2 and the box office staff will be in touch! ################################## Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble Presents: 43rd Season of Quality Family Entertainment all performances at: Lesher Center for the ArtsMargaret Lesher Theatre 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Acclaimed Family Friendly Theatre Company Announces 43rd Season Walnut Creek based Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble is pleased to announce it’s 43rd season. Productions include LEGEND OF BANBURY CROSS, THE BIGGEST GIFT, PINOCCHIO, and THE CRIMSON PIRATE. The Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble is a nationally acclaimed non-profit organization of men and women who strive to entertain, educate and enrich families, and endeavor to present the highest form of entertainment to the young and young at heart. For over 30 years Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble has been presenting live, quality family musical theatre entertainment that features original scripts, professional actors, and affordable pricing. Many of Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble’s young audience members are able to sit right on the stage and interact directly with the performers. This unique setting is a wonderful introduction to a live theatre experience for many families. Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble produces four musicals a year at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA that draws up to 2,700 patrons to each production. The performances are scheduled throughout the day and early evenings on weekends to accommodate patrons and K-5 school groups. LEGEND OF BANBURY CROSS - October 16 thru October 18, 2014 THE BIGGEST GIFT - December 18 thru October 21, 2014 PINOCCHIO - March 12 thru May 15, 2014 THE CRIMSON PIRATE - May 7 thru May 10, 2014 Tickets are $14, available at 925-943-SHOW(7469), or via the web at www.leshercenter.org, or in person at the Lesher Center for the Arts Ticket Office located at 1601 Civic Drive Walnut Creek, CA 94596 or Ticket Office Outlet located in Barnes & Noble in Walnut Creek. Discounted Group Tickets are also available please contact Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble at 925-934-2133 ####################################### PLAYGROUND RECEIVES RECOGNITION FROM THE AMERICAN THEATRE WING PlayGround wins prized National Theatre Company Grant honor from Founder of the Tony Awards – PlayGround is pleased to announce that the American Theatre Wing, best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards, is awarding the Company with one of the 2014 National Theatre Company grants. Created by American Theatre Wing to recognize and support the most promising emerging theatre companies, the 2014 grants are being presented to twelve companies from around the country. Companies chosen to receive the grants have articulated a distinctive mission, cultivated an audience, and nurtured a community of artists in ways that strengthen and demonstrate the quality, diversity, and dynamism of American theatre. “We’re extremely grateful for this recognition by the American Theatre Wing and honored to be in the company of so many outstanding theatres from around the country,” said PlayGround co-founder and Artistic Director Jim Kleinmann. Kleinmann will head to New York later this month to accept the award on behalf of PlayGround and to conference with representatives from the other 2014 National Theatre Company Grant winners. This year’s recipients include: Amphibian Stage Productions (Fort Worth, Texas), Ars Nova (New York, New York), Forum Theatre (Silver Spring, Maryland), Keen Company (New York, New York), PlayGround (San Francisco, California) , Red Bull Theater (New York, NY), Rogue Machine Theatre (Los Angeles, California), The House Theatre of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois), the TEAM (Brooklyn, New York), Theater Wit (Chicago, Illinois), Theatre B (Fargo, North Dakota), and Williamston Theatre (Williamston, Michigan). “We are particularly proud to be able to benefit twelve theater companies this year, and with larger grants,” Heather Hitchens, President of the American Theatre Wing, commented. “These companies have proven themselves vital to their respective communities, and we know they will put this funding to good use and continue to do great work.” More information about the National Theatre Company grants can be found at http://americantheatrewing.org/program/national-theatre-co-grants/. Information about PlayGround is available at http://playground-sf.org. ################################ Shakespeare’s R&J Written by Joe Calarco Directed by Ben Randle Starring Taj Campbell, James Arthur M., Adam Odsess-Rubin, and Mike Sagun. WHERE: New Conservatory Theatre Center Walker Theatre, 25 Van Ness Ave @Market, San Francisco, CA 94102 WHEN: November 7 – December 14 Wednesday – Sat at 8pm Sundays at 2pm COST: $25-$45 TICKETS AND BOX OFFICE: 415-861-8972, boxoffice@nctcsf.org Special Engagements: Onstage Insight with cast……………..…….……..11/23 Low-Cost Previews…..………………........11/7 - 11/14 Opening Night…..……………………………………..11/15 ############################ CUTTING BALL THEATER HIDDEN CLASSICS READING SERIES “ORESTEIA” October 26, 2014 The Cutting Ball Theater’s Hidden Classics Reading Series opens the company’s 16th season, dedicated to the theme of Injustice, with Aeschylus’ ORESTEIA, translated by Ted Hughes. With this trilogy of Greek tragedies (Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides), Aeschylus took as his subject the bloody chain of murder and revenge within the royal family of Atreus at the end of the Trojan War. When King Agamemnon is murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, their son, Orestes, is commanded by Apollo to avenge the crime by killing his mother. When Orestes returns from exile to do so, he brings upon himself the wrath of the Furies and the judgment of the court of Athens. Moving from darkness to light, from rage to self-governance, from primitive ritual to civilized institution, the ORESTEIA explores the shift from blood justice to the legal system. This marathon reading will be followed by a dinner break and a Theater and Justice lecture by Frank Wu, Chancellor and Dean of UC Hastings Law School. WHEN: Sunday, October 26, 2014 1pm: Marathon reading of ORESTEIA 7pm: Theater and Justice Lecture by UC Hastings Law School Chancellor and Dean Frank Wu WHERE: The Cutting Ball Theater in Residence at EXIT on Taylor, 277 Taylor St., San Francisco TICKETS: Readings free and open to the public. For more information, visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205 ###################### DOUGLAS MORRISSON THEATRE ANNOUNCES FIRST 2014-2015 TELLING TALES – The Douglas Morrisson Theatre (DMT) announces the first night of its new storytelling series Telling Tales on Monday, October 6, 2014, at 8:00pm, at the Douglas Morrisson Theatre, 22311 N. Third St. in Hayward, CA. Tickets are $5 (open seating), and are available through the Box Office at (510) 881-6777,at the door or online at www.dmtonline.org. What’s your story? Douglas Morrisson Theatre invites storytellers of all stripes to come share their real-life STORY AT WORK. Did you know the average person spends 90,000 hours at work during his/her lifetime? We’re looking for storytellers to come spin a tale about something that happened to them while ‘on the job.’ For this, our very first Telling Tales event, we’re especially hoping to feature employees of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District with their own “H.A.R.D LUCK STORIES.” But all are invited to contribute and participate. It’s easy to be a Storyteller on October 6 – just send a story idea to tales@dmtonline.org. For complete “Telling Tales Story Guidelines,” visit the DMT website at www.dmtonline.org and click on the Alt. Mondays image. We’re looking for true personal stories, no scripts in hand, and stories 10 minutes or under in length. ###################### BIANCA DEL RIO IS COMING TO THE CASTRO THEATRE!!! PSST- EARLY BIRD SPECIAL for the HOTTEST show to hit town for the HOLIDAZE Who said Christmas was supposed to be nice? On Friday December 19th Bianca Del Rio, winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6, descends upon the historic Castro Theatre for one night only in the Rolodex of Hate Comedy Tour! This stand up comedy special will headline the hilarious insult comic, Bianca del Rio!!! The evening will also feature Peaches Christ, Pippi Lovestocking, and producer and celebutante, Sasha Soprano/ John Thomas Guiral. Produced in association with Marc Huestis Events. No one is safe in the audience... Not even Santa. Sure to be a sell-out, so buy early and get a good discount! TICKETS ON SALE NOW/EARLY BIRD SPECIAL Til SEPT 30: http://tinyurl.com/mqu2u57 PS- Check out Bianca inthe last episode of IN BED WITH JOAN RIVERS. Joan & Bianca keep us laughing, and what better legacy to leave! http://tinyurl.com/nzgs7uw ####################### Casting speaking roles for "Destination Oz"! Auditions: Saturday, October 4th. 11am-2pm. In addition to casting our upcoming musical revue, "Forever Broadway" for ages 5-25, we are excited to offer our first full scripted musical, which will offer a variety of great leading and featured roles! If you like "Wicked", "The Wiz" and "The Wizard of Oz", you'll love "Destination Oz"! This brand new show combines three classic musicals. Incorporating colorful sets, props and costumes, "Destination Oz" will be performed at the beautiful Marines' Memorial Theater in Union Square. Join us for SFCMT's journey down the yellow brick road! No experience required, and all who audition will be accepted. Ages 8-25. Many characters that do not traditionally sing in the OZ musicals will sing a solo in our production, including the Witch, The Wizard, "Growlie" and even "Spike", a funny flying monkey! All leading roles will be double or triple cast to allow more opportunities for kids to be cast in a leading role. Cast List: Dorothy Scarecrow/Hunk Tin Woodman/Hickory Cowardly Lion/Zeke Wicked Witch of the West Glinda the Good Witch Wizard of Oz Growlie Spike (Lead Flying Monkey) Yoto the Chicken Aunt Em The Punchkins Yellow Brick Road Showgirls Jitterbug/Tornado Dancers Poison Poppy Showgirls Crow Dancers Ozians (People of Oz) Witch's Winkies (Guards) Flying Monkeys Our convenient 11 week program makes participating in our productions fun and easy for busy Bay Area families. 2-3 public performances on Saturday, January 10th at the Marines' Memorial Theater in Union Square. Auditions: Saturday, October 4th. 11am-2pm. For more information or to make your appointment to audition, please visit: www.sfcmt.com #################### Bay Area Children’s Theatre to Feature Tony Award-nominated Songwriters, Esteemed Children’s Playwright at First Annual Artist Showcase on October 12 ((Note: Songwriters Pasek and Paul and playwright McDonald will be available for interviews Monday, Oct. 13))Ever wonder what it takes to create a live musical? Tony Award-nominated composers, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and esteemed children’s playwright-educator Timothy Allen McDonald will share songs, stories and insights from behind the scenes at the Bay Area Children’s Theatre’s first annual Artist Showcase, a fundraiser with performances in Berkeley and San Francisco on Sunday, October 12. The Berkeley performance starts at 11 a.m. at the Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704. The San Francisco performance starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Creativity Theater in the Children’s Creativity Museum, 221 Fourth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Proceeds from the two events benefit BACT’s Youth Education Program and outreach programs that bring theatre education and live theatre to underserved children throughout the Bay Area. In addition to the glimpse into the creative process from McDonald, Pasek and Paul, the Artist Showcase will provide a tuneful introduction to BACT’s upcoming productions, its school tour and its educational programs. Cast members will sing songs from Fancy Nancy, Three Little Birds: A New Reggae Musical for Children, and the new musical, James and the Giant Peach, created by McDonald, Pasek and Paul. Students in BACT’s Young Performers program will present a medley of songs from Peter Pan, Jr. The Artist Showcase is recommended for adults and children aged 5 and up. About the Artists Pasek and Paul are the Tony-nominated songwriters of the Broadway musical, A Christmas Story, which opened November 2012 and enjoyed a record-breaking run at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The duo also wrote the music and lyrics for the award-winning, off-Broadway musical, Dogfight. As television songwriters, their original songs were featured on Season 2 of NBC’s Smash. Tickets: Adults - $25, Children - $22 VIP Tickets: Adults - $50, Children - $40 Tickets are tax deductible as provided by law. For more information and reservations: (510) 296-4433, or www.bactheatre.org ############################ OREGON SHAKESPEARE NEWS Miriam A. Laube Awarded Prestigious Fox Foundation Resident Actor FellowshipLaube and OSF to receive grants to support professional and artistic development —Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) actor Miriam A. Laube has been named a Distinguished Achievement recipient of a Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship. Laube will receive $25,000 as a fellow, while OSF will be awarded a $7,500 support grant. Funded by the William & Eva Fox Foundation and administered by Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the Resident Actor Fellowships program is designed to support actors’ professional and artistic development, to enrich relationships between actors and nonprofit theatres and to ensure continued professional commitment to live theatre. Under the fellowship, Laube will study the classic forms of Ovid’s poetry and Indian classical ragas to create a song cycle based on Ovid’s Heroides in collaboration with women actors of the OSF acting company. She will undertake courses at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Francisco, private study with Myra Melford, associate professor of Music at UC Berkeley, and John Fyler, professor of English at Tufts University, and travel to India to do an intensive course in Indian classical music in conjunction with Theatre Mitu. Laube hopes her work will foster a connection with a South Asian community who might be drawn to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. “I am thrilled and honored to be a recipient of the Fox Fellowship in partnership with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival,” Laube said. “I look forward to having the opportunity to investigate and study other forms of art that will enrich and inform my own creative process. I especially look forward to creating a piece with the women of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Company who were an original inspiration for the Fellowship. I want to thank TCG, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and especially Bill Rauch and Scott Kaiser for their support on this journey.” OSF Artistic Director Bill Rauch said, “Miriam Laube played the female lead in The Clay Cart, the Sanskrit epic I directed as my very first show as artistic director. She was associate director when I directed The Pirates of Penzance, OSF's first-ever Gilbert and Sullivan, a production that we recreated together for Portland Opera. Whether playing Medea or producing our annual AIDS benefit, Miriam is one of the Festival's most accomplished artists and inspiring company leaders. I am proud to be her colleague and eager to see all that will come for her and for our company through this extraordinary new opportunity.”

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