Boston Theatre + Broadway News

Commonwealth Shakespeare Holds Contest for Role of 'Crab' in THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, 5/18

(5/7/2013) - Does your dog dream of a life on the stage, performing for tens of thousands of people? Does your pup have what it takes to tackle Shakespeare? Is s/he easy-going, able to take direction, and comfortable around strangers? Bring your pooch out to Bark Place on Saturday May 18th to audition with Larry Coen, playing Launce in our 2013 Free Shakespeare on the Common production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. We're looking for medium to large-sized dogs to interview with Larry to determine which barkers have that special 'it' quality that we know will make a successful 'Crab.'

OBERON Announces May Events

(5/7/2013) - OBERON, the American Repertory Theater's second stage and club theater venue, continues its mission to bring exciting and original programming. A destination for theater and nightlife on the fringe of Harvard Square, OBERON is the home of the A.R.T.'s hit productions of Beowulf, The Lily's Revenge, Futurity, The Donkey Show, Cabaret, andPrometheus Bound and Ryan Landry's Rocky Horror Show, OBERON is also a thriving incubator for local and visiting talent.

Jayne Atkinson Joins Treat Williams in Berkshire Theatre's THE LION IN WINTER

(5/7/2013) - Berkshire Theatre Group Company Member, Jayne Atkinson, who appeared as Edith Bolling Galt Wilson in last summer's world premiere of Edith, will join the cast of The Lion in Winter, in the role of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Actor's Inc. Presents Female Version of THE ODD COUPLE, 5/12

(5/7/2013) - ACTORS inc will present 'The Odd Couple (Female Version)' by Neil Simon at Harmony Hall, 1660 Lakeview Avenue, Dracut, MA.

BWW Interviews: Ramin Karimloo Hosts Master Class at University of Texas Austin

(5/7/2013) - On Monday, April 29, Ramin Karimloo visited the University of Texas Austin Campus and spent time with some students doing a Master Class. Ramin and I got a chance to catch up and find out what his plans for this tour are and what the future holds for him.

OBERON Announces May Events

(5/7/2013) - OBERON, the American Repertory Theater's second stage and club theater venue, continues its mission to bring exciting and original programming. A destination for theater and nightlife on the fringe of Harvard Square, OBERON is the home of the A.R.T.'s hit productions of Beowulf, The Lily's Revenge, Futurity, The Donkey Show, Cabaret, andPrometheus Bound and Ryan Landry's Rocky Horror Show, OBERON is also a thriving incubator for local and visiting talent.

Franklin School for the Performing Arts to Present 2013 Spring Concert, 5/18-19

(5/6/2013) - Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA) presents its annual Spring Concert on Saturday, May 18 at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday, May 19 at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. at Franklin's Thomas D. Mercer Auditorium, 224 Oak Street.

BWW Reviews: Into the World of D&D with Company One's SHE KILLS MONSTERS

(5/6/2013) - She Kills Monsters has the feel of a comic book, while telling the story of Agnes, an average woman who gets to know her late sister by acting out her created game of Dungeons and Dragons.

Keith Lockhart Discusses the Boston Pops 2013 Season

(5/6/2013) - Everyone has heard of the recent tragic events in Boston. Hearts around the world were touched by what happened at this year's Boston Marathon. As a result there's been an incredible outpouring of help and kindness to those who were directly affected by the two explosions on April 22, 2013. Monetary donations are pouring in and the likes of Neil Diamond have lent their support in various ways.

BWW Review: UMass' CASANOVA - 'Nothing is Real Here; Everything is Appearance'

(5/6/2013) - There are a few things I have learned about the UMass theatre department this semester. One, they love using the aisles of the theatre to make entrances and exits, two they are extremely fond of nudity (no matter the show), and finally they love modernizing stories. These things are what make me love all of the shows I have seen this semester, and Casanova by Constance Congdon was no exception.

Boston Teen Acting Troupe Opens RED, 5/22

(5/6/2013) - The first ever teen production of John Logan's 2010 Tony Award winning drama, Red is being produced by the Boston Teen Acting Troupe this May. This will be the first time in the show's history that RED will be acted, directed, produced, designed and run completely by teenagers.

Tony Yazbeck, Elizabeth Stanley, Jay Armstrong Johnson and More Set for ON THE TOWN at Barrington Stage

(5/6/2013) - Barrington Stage Company has announced principal casting for the Bernstein/Comden/Green musical On the Town from June 12 through July 13 on the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage, 30 Union Street, Pittsfield. The press opening is Sunday, June 16 at 5pm.

BWW Review: ALMOST BLUE Almost Works

(5/5/2013) - Theatre on Fire creates the noir ambiance in the intimate confines of the Charlestown Working Theater, but lethargic pacing and lack of chemistry hamper fine individual acting efforts.

Now Playing Onstage in Boston - Week of 5/05/2013

(5/5/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 5/05/2013 for Boston

Sara Jean Ford, Tyrick Wiltez Jones and NaTasha Yvette Williams Set for FPAC's BROADWAY ENCORE Tonight

(5/4/2013) - Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) presents Broadway Encore tonight, May 4 at 6 p.m. at the Putnam Club, Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. FPAC's Gala fundraiser features Broadway headliners Sara Jean Ford, Tyrick Wiltez Jones and NaTasha Yvette Williams in an exclusive one-night-only show that brings the magic of 42nd Street to Boston's MetroWest suburbs. The evening also features silent and live auctions, performances by Electric Youth and the Franklin Performing Arts Company, special guests and dancing until midnight with Boston's popular R&B band, Soul Kitchen.

American Repertory Theater's 2013-14 Season Will Feature THE TEMPEST With Magic by Teller, Diane Paulus-Helmed WITNESS UGANDA and More

(5/3/2013) - The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the Artistic Direction of Diane Paulus, is pleased to announce its 2013/14 Season, which includes the previously announced Robert Schenkkan's play All the Way and the world premiere of the musical Witness Uganda.

Moonbox Productions Announces 2013-2014 Season

(5/3/2013) - Moonbox Productions has announced its 2013-2014 Season - Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, to be performed at the BCA Plaza Theatre from November 22 - December 14, and Stephen Sondheim's Company, to be performed at the Roberts Studio Theatre at the Calderwood Pavilion from February 7 - March 1, 2014.

American Repertory Theater Announces Full 2013/14 Season

(5/3/2013) - The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, under the Artistic Direction of Diane Paulus, has just announced its 2013/14 Season, which includes the previously announced Robert Schenkkan's play All the Way and the world premiere of the musical Witness Uganda.

BWW Review: LOOPED Tour Banks on Stefanie Powers

(5/2/2013) - Stefanie Powers is a trouper who stepped into the role of Tallulah Bankhead, which was originated by Valerie Harper, when Harper's untimely diagnosis of brain cancer forced her to withdraw from the national tour of LOOPED. Although the circumstances are bittersweet, Powers' performance is informed by her working and personal relationship with the film legend. Playwright Matthew Lombardo goes to great lengths to show and tell as much detail about Bankhead as possible in the limited span of this one long afternoon in the waning months of her life.

Voting Opens for the 2013 BroadwayWorld Awards! Vote Now for the Best of the 2012-13 Theatre Season...

(5/2/2013) - The Tony Awards Nominators had their say earlier this week and now it's your turn! We're pleased to announce that voting has now opened for the 11th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Awards!

BWW INTERVIEW: STAGE AND SCREEN STAR STEFANIE POWERS DRAWS ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FOR 'LOOPED'

(5/2/2013) - Beloved actress best known for television's 'Hart to Hart' steps into 'Looped' tour as the legendary stage and screen diva Tallulah Bankhead. Powers co-starred with Bankhead in the 1965 cult thriller 'Die! Die! My Darling!' which serves as inspiration for this Matthew Lombardo comedy.

Cape Rep Theatre Presents ANNA CHRISTIE, Now thru 6/2

(5/2/2013) - Cape Rep Theatre presents Anna Christie, Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize winning classic tonight, May 2 through June 2nd, 2013.

The Critically-Acclaimed Solo Play PATTI ISSUES to Play in Chicago, Fire Island Pines and Provincetown

(5/1/2013) - 'PATTI ISSUES' - the hit solo play hailed as 'ecstatically vivid' by The New York Times and praised for its 'wit, feeling and conviction' by Time Out New York - will be performed in Chicago, Fire Island Pines and Provincetown this summer after its sixth extension in New York and recent performances in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Berkeley. The show can be seen at Mary's Attic in Chicago on June 13; in the Fire Island Pines at The Blue Whale and the Pavilion on select Fridays from May 17 to August 9; and at the Crown & Anchor in Provincetown, MA on July 2, 3 and 4 with a special benefit performance for the Family Equality Council on August 4. After more rave reviews and a host of awards, the New York production of 'PATTI ISSUES' will now run through June 29 at The Duplex in the West Village. See below for full listings information. Tickets for all shows can be purchased at PattiIssues.com.

Boston's August Wilson Monologue Competition Finalists to Compete on Broadway, 5/6

(5/1/2013) - Boston high school students Antonio Stroud of Boston Day and Evening Academy, Iliana Mendez of Brighton High School, and Derek Lindesay of Codman Academy Charter Public School will compete in the National Finals of the August Wilson Monologue Competition this coming Monday, May 6 at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre.

MRT Productions Take Home 5 IRNE Awards

(5/1/2013) - Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) would like to congratulate winners of the awards in the Large Theater category by the Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE). It was an exciting evening for everyone who attended, and MRT is proud to announce the following winners in the Large Theater category. Rebecca Harris won for Best Supporting Actress for Mrs. Whitney, while Megan McGinnis won for Best Actress in a Musical for Daddy Long Legs. Laura Berquist won Best Musical Director for Daddy Long Legs, and John Caird won for Best Director of a Musical for Daddy Long Legs. Lastly, Daddy Long Legs took home the award for Best Musical.

F.U.D.G.E Theatre Company Presents ASSASSINS, 7/12-7/20

(5/1/2013) - Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman examine the motivations of the men and women who have killed - or attempted to kill - United States Presidents throughout history. John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley and others meet and interact in this award-winning-ground-breaking musical.

BWW Review: Merrimack Rep's GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS Closes the Deal

(5/1/2013) - David Mamet's 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play resonates nearly thirty years later in Merrimack Repertory Theatre's crisp, dark, funny, riveting production. In the capable hands of Director Charles Towers and an accomplished group of actors, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is a total entertainment package and a great way to conclude the 34th season in Lowell.

Barrington Stage Names Joshua Bergasse, Gretchen Egolf, Jeff McCarthy and John Rando Associate Artists

(5/1/2013) - Barrington Stage Company (BSC), under the leadership of Julianne Boyd Artistic Director and Tristan Wilson Managing Director, announces four new Associate Artists, all who are working at Barrington Stage in 2013 - award-winning choreographer Joshua Bergasse, actors Gretchen Egolf and Jeff McCarthy, and award-winning director John Rando.

CHESS Opens Friday at the Cambridge YMCA Theater

(5/1/2013) - Experience the epic sound of CHESS. Based on the 1972 'Match of the Century' between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, CHESS details the trials of two champions and one female assistant who become pawns wrapped up in political plots, competitive gamesmanship, and romantic rivalries. Follow the cast from Bangkok to Budapest as players, lovers, politicians, and spies manipulate and are manipulated to the pulse of a monumental rock score by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA.

Christine Lahti, Treat Williams and More Set for Berkshire Theatre Group's 85th Season; Full Cast Announced!

(4/30/2013) - Berkshire Theatre Group and Artistic Director/CEO Kate Maguire have announced the complete casting for Berkshire Theatre Group's 85th summer season.

Barrington Stage Company Presents the American Premiere of BASHIR LAZHAR, 5/22-6/8

(4/30/2013) - Barrington Stage Company, the award-winning theatre in downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Julianne Boyd Artistic Director and Tristan Wilson Managing Director, will present the American Premiere of Bashir Lazhar, from May 22 through June 8. The Press Opening is Sunday, May 26 at 3pm.

Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival's Wine Women and Williams Gala Honors Elizabeth Ashley, 6/1

(4/30/2013) - Tony award-winning actor Elizabeth Ashley, well-known as one of the definitive interpreters of Tennessee Williams' women, will share stories of her friendship with the great American playwright and the classic roles she played at this year's fundraising Gala to launch the 8th season of the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival: 50% Illusion: Tennessee Williams and Women.

THE RASCALS: ONCE UPON A DREAM to Launch North American Tour, May 24

(4/29/2013) - Producers Steven Van Zandt and Maureen Van Zandt, Marc Brickman, Larry Magid and BASE Entertainment have announced that the sold-out Broadway engagement THE RASCALS: ONCE UPON A DREAM will embark on a tour to play venues across North America. The tour kicks off May 24, 2013 at Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

A.R.T. to Present PIRATES OF PENZANCE, 5/10-6/2

(4/29/2013) - American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), in association with the Loeb Drama Center, begins performances of the runaway hit of the 2012 Emerging AmericaFestival, Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, in a new adaptation by Sean Graney and Kevin O'Donnell, arranged by Kevin O'Donnell and the Cast. Performances begin on May 10, 2013 with press opening on Wednesday, My 15, and runs through June 2, 2013.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Dedicates This Summer's Free Shakespeare on the Common To Mayor Thomas M. Menino and First Lady Angela Menino

(4/29/2013) - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company announces the official dedication of this summer's Free Shakespeare on the Common performances of The Two Gentlemen of Verona (July 6 - 28, 2013) to Mayor Thomas M. Menino and First Lady Angela Menino.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Dedicates FREE SHAKESPEARE ON THE COMMON to Mayor

(4/29/2013) - Commonwealth Shakespeare Company announces the official dedication of this summer's Free Shakespeare on the Common performances of The Two Gentlemen of Verona (July 6 - 28, 2013) to Mayor Thomas M. Menino and First Lady Angela Menino.

Cathy Rigby Concludes PETER PAN Run in Boston

(4/29/2013) - Cathy Rigby took her final flight as PETER PAN to Neverland on Sunday, April 28th in the city where it all began - Boston.

WAM Theatre Announces Summer Benefit

(4/29/2013) - WAM Theatre has announced the Northeast Regional Premiere of Emilie: La Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight by Lauren Gunderson as its fall production. The production will run November 7-24 at Barrington Stage Company's St. Germain Stage at 36 Linden Street in Pittsfield. Auditions will be held May 13 at Barrington Stage Mainstage from 4-9pm.

BWW Review: I Cannot Tell a Lie - PORNOCCHIO is a Hoot

(4/28/2013) - Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans do what they do bestand then some. The troupe's musical theater skills are evolving with every production. Grace Carney is a real boy as the title character. Don't bring your kids, but prepare yourself for a visit with your inner child.