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THEATRE NEWS FOR SAN FRANCISCO BAY

Posted by:	Richard Connema 04:19 pm EDT 09/06/15

SAN FRANCISCO PLAYHOUSE RECEIVES RECOGNITION FROM THE AMERICAN THEATRE WING San Francisco Playhouse wins prized National Theatre Company Grant honor from Founder of the Tony Awards –San Francisco Playhouse 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 2015 National Theatre Company grants. Created by American Theatre Wing to recognize and support the most promising emerging theatre companies, the 2015 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. “This award from the American Theatre Wing is humbling and exciting,” said Bill English, Artistic Director of San Francisco Playhouse. “As we enter our 13th Season, it is a tremendous honor to be recognized for our work alongside these eleven remarkable theatres.” More information about the National Theatre Company grants can be found at http://americantheatrewing.org/program/national-theatre-co-grants/. San Francisco Playhouse has been described in the New York Times as “a company that stages some of the most consistently high-quality work around.” Founded by Bill English and Susi Damilano in 2003, it is located right in the heart of the Union Square Theater District, it is the city’s Off-Broadway style company, an intimate alternative to the larger more traditional Union Square theater fare. The San Francisco Playhouse provides audiences the opportunity to experience professional theater with top-notch actors and world-class design in a setting where they are close to the action. The company has received multiple awards for overall productions, acting, and design including the SF Weekly Best Theatre Award and the Bay Guardian’s Best Off-Broadway Theatre Award. Presenting a diverse range of plays and musicals, San Francisco Playhouse produces new works as well as re-imagining classics, “making the edgy accessible and the traditional edgy.” The San Francisco Chronicle raved: “On the verge of opening its 10th season, the company that lived a hand-to-mouth existence for its first few years has become 'the little playhouse that could.' It quickly established a reputation for attracting some of the Bay Area's best acting and directing talent, as well as for its exciting play choices. And with its bold Sandbox Series, it's become a player in developing new works as well.” San Francisco Playhouse is committed to providing a creative home and inspiring environment where actors, directors, writers, designers, and theater lovers converge to create works that celebrate the human spirit . The American Theatre Wing is dedicated to advancing artistic excellence and nurturing theatre’s next generation: on the stage, behind the scenes, and in the audience. For nearly a century, the Wing has pursued this mission with programs that span the nation to invest in the growth and evolution of American Theatre. As the founders of The Tony Awards®, the American Theatre Wing has developed the foremost national platform for the recognition of theatrical achievement on Broadway. Additionally, Off-Broadway’s Highest Honor, the OBIE Awards are co-presented annually to salute excellence in off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theatre. The Wing develops the next generation of theatre professionals through professional development programs, incubates innovative and excellent theatre through grants and awards, and illuminates the creative process through its media programs. For more information go to www.sfplayhouse.org. Follow the Wing on Facebook.com/TheAmericanTheatreWing and Twitter.com/TheWing ############################# PlayGround announces Monday Night PlayGround “Alumni Night” finalists to be performed September 21 at Berkeley Repertory TheatreSix Short Plays on “Race Matters” – PlayGround has selected the six alumni and plays to be featured in the Monday Night PlayGround season opener, Alumni Night, on Monday, September 21 at Berkeley Rep. PlayGround alumni, more than seventy strong and representing some of the Bay Area’s most distinguished new playwrights from the past two decades, were invited earlier this summer to generate original short plays inspired by the topic “Race Matters.” The top six plays will be performed in PlayGround’s signature Monday Night PlayGround script-in-hand staged reading style, performed by twenty-five leading Bay Area actors. Also that evening, PlayGround will introduce the recently-selected 2015-16 PlayGround Writers Pool and Resident Playwrights. Advance tickets for Alumni Night are $15 (7-event subscriptions start at just $70 and include admission to a private Subscribers-only reception before the show) and can be purchased online at http://playground-sf.org/monday. The 6 finalists are: Puncturing the Dream by William Bivins The Garden by Rachel Bublitz White Guilt Anonymous by Ruben Grijalva Lesson One by Genevieve Jessee Archive by Kenneth Prestininzi Sunday Mourning by Mercedes Segesvary\ ######################## Youth Auditions for Cinderella! Are you interested in having your child take center stage? Auditions are approaching for the upcoming season production of Cinderella. Make sure you get a time slot. African-American Shakespeare is seeking vibrant, energetic, and creative youths that can take direction. The following roles are available: YOUNG CINDERELLA (possibly dance), female (age 4 – 8) Younger version of Cinderella after mother has just died. Young Cinderella seeks comfort from her father and they share a special dance together. GRANDDAUGHTERS, female (age 8 – 13) Two young sisters who are consistently fighting with each other. PAGE, male (age 8 – 15) Precocious, smart, and witty male child that thinks on his feet. He works at the Palace, and looks up the Prince, but has a habit of telling the truth at the wrong time. Date Auditions: Saturday, September 12th from 12pm to 3pm Callbacks: Monday, September 14th from 6pm to 8:30pm Location African-American Art & Culture Complex 762 Fulton Street (cross at Webster) in San Francisco How to dress: Auditions will include a physical group warm-up and exercise. Please dress your child in comfortable clothing appropriate to move. Acting Preparation: Prepare a monologue or tell a fairytale Vocal Preparation: If your child sings please ask them to prepare 16 bars to sing without music Format of Audition: Group auditions; time slots 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, or 3pm. Be prepared to stay for one hour How we evaluate: We are seeking for the youths to be creative, open, take direction, and the ability to project vocally. African American Shakespeare Company AFRICAN-AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE 762 Fulton Street, Suite 306San Francisco, CA 94102 Phone: 415-762-2071 ################################ Theatre Bay Area Announces TBA Awards Recommended Productions for the week of September 2, 2015 – Each week, hundreds of adjudicators attend and evaluate eligible productions from all over the Bay Area on behalf of the TBA Awards. Based on the overall production scores from their peers, Theatre Bay Area issues a weekly list of productions that have reached the required threshold of scoring to be deemed "recommended." This week, two new productions are recommended through the TBA Awards process, which involves more than 250 industry volunteers attending shows and logging scores within 48 hours of viewing the performances. The productions receiving TBA Awards Recommended status this week are: By the Way, Meet Vera Stark / Douglas Morrisson Theatre / Hayward Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/1986 The Real Thing / Masquers Playhouse / Richmond Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/1814 Productions previously recognized with TBA Awards Recommended status that are still running: Black Virgins Are Not for Hipsters / The Marsh / San Francisco Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/1233 REVIEW IS UP ON SF REGIONAL Company / San Francisco Playhouse / San Francisco Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/1539 REVIEW IS UP ON SF REGIONAL Eat the Runt / Altarena Playhouse / Alameda Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/809 Freedomland / San Francisco Mime Troupe / Bay Area Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/1571 REVIEW IS UP ON SF REGIONAL The Mystery of Irma Vep / California Shakespeare Theater / Orinda Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/876 REVIEW IS UP ON SF REGIONAL West Side Story / Broadway by the Bay / Redwood City & Monterey Information: awards.theatrebayarea.org/listings/event/1757 #################### The Mountain Play Association Announces Director for its 103rd season : WEST SIDE STORY Directed by Jay Manley Show Dates: May 22, 29, June 5, 11, 12, & 19, 2016 -- The Mountain Play - ‘A Great Outdoor Theatre Adventure’ and the San Francisco Bay Area’s most magical outdoor theater experience - is proud to present the Tony Award© winning musical West Side Story directed by Jay Manley for its 103rd season in 2016. “We are delighted to have Jay Manley back leading our artistic team this season,” says Sara Pearson, Mountain Play Executive Director & Producer. “He took the helm in a groundbreaking transitional year at the Mountain Play, bringing to life the classic Sound of Music for our 100 year anniversary in 2013. Jay led us through the Mountain Play’s transition into its second century seamlessly and with an amazing amount of grace and professionalism. Not only that, but his talent and experience as a director was exhibited in the production itself, which was one of the most popular in Mountain Play history. Jay is an asset to the Mountain Play family and we are thrilled that he is returning to direct West Side Story.” Based on Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare’s infamous play about ill-fated young love, West Side Story is a Broadway classic written by Arthur Laurents, with some of the most unforgettable songs Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim ever wrote. Made famous by the 1961 Academy Award winning film of the same name, the musical is known for one of the most complicated and beautiful scores in musical theater history, as well as some of the most impressive and athletic choreography (initially by Jerome Robbins). West Side Story explores racial tensions playing out on the streets of the Upper West Side in the 1950’s. The story centers around turf wars between the Sharks and the Jets, two rival street gangs, one white and one Puerto Rican. When Tony, a member of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, whose brother is the leader of the Sharks, the young lovers must stand up to their families, their communities, and the very social order of the world they inhabit. “I was thrilled to be asked back to the Mountain Play to direct the 103rd play on Mount Tamalpais,” says Manley. “The Mountain Play is such a special community, and directing in an outdoor amphitheater on such a large scale is an incredibly unique, challenging, and rewarding experience. I loved my first experience directing on the mountain, and I can’t wait to get back up there to work on West Side Story!” ######################



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