Springtime Festivities: An Inside Look at the Downtown Urban Arts Festival
Both as a playwright and as a critic, I frequently get invited to review many shows – and also get chances to present my own plays – in many theatre festivals in New York. Many of these shows that I’ve seen featured in these festivals are a beautiful tribute to the diversity and multiculturalism that is reflected throughout America. However, it’s not every day that I see a festival that not only commits itself to capturing such vibrant diversity through the works that they curate, but also does so through film, music, and poetry, in addition to theatre. Yet over the next five weeks in lower Manhattan, that’s exactly what the Downtown Urban Arts Festival is aiming to achieve.
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Shakespeare and Gender Relations: An Inside Look at “The Will to Fight”
It goes without saying that throughout history, very few playwrights are as renowned, studied and frequently produced as William Shakespeare. Some of the most famous comedies, tragedies and love stories in theatre have been credited to his name. Even just over the past year, I’ve probably reviewed more plays by Shakespeare than by any other playwright.
However, a new production coming to Brooklyn this weekend seeks to get audiences to view his work in a very specific lens, in the hopes of starting a conversation on issues that have been getting more and more attention, specifically over the past couple of years.
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Free Open House March 28 Offers Sneak Preview of Spring Acting Classes
On Wednesday, March 28, Howard Meyer’s Acting Program (aka HMActing) is hosting a free, no obligation Open House to introduce adults and youngsters to the variety of acting classes offered for all ages and levels. An affiliate of Axial Theatre, a professional company in Pleasantville (N.Y.), HMActing was founded 20 years ago by Mr. Meyer, an award-winning playwright, as well as an actor and director, who serves as artistic director of Axial Theatre.
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An Inside Look at “Past Perfect”, Manhattan Rep’s Latest Charity Production for the LGBTQ Community
Since 2005, Manhattan Repertory Theatre has made a name for itself as being a home for playwrights craving to find space to bring their original work to life in the heart of New York City. Under the leadership of co-founder and Artistic Director Ken Wolf, thousands of one-act and full-length plays have been presented and produced through Manhattan Rep’s wide variety of programming, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
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When Headlocks and Theatre Collide: An Inside Look at “Conquer Pro-Wrestling: We Don’t Play Fight”
For many people, professional wrestling can often come across as so theatrical and over the top, they are led to believe that it is actually just actors faking it for the sake of pure entertainment. Indeed, many people have actually argued that wrestling – in and of itself – can be considered a genuine form of “pop theatre”, so to speak. Yet a new show being produced down in Orlando, Florida, seeks to cast aside that notion, by merging these two forms of art and entertainment together in a brand new show.
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"Gypsy" Opens at The Secret Theatre
Secret Theatre Musical’s Richard Mazda [Hair, King Lear, A Chorus Line] proudly presents the ‘Mother of All Musicals’ GYPSY! The Secret Theatre recent winning musical streak includes stunning productions of Cabaret, A Charlie Brown Christmas & A Chorus Line and we are thrilled to add this iconic musical to our ever-growing list!
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THE PIERRE CELEBRATES THE BEST OF BROADWAY WITH NEW MONTHLY CABARET SERIES
The Pierre New York is bringing the best of Broadway to guests and local residents alike with its popular new cabaret series, Broadway At The Pierre. On Wednesday January 24th, the hotel is teaming up with award-winning Broadway Sings For Pride creative director Neal Bennington for a special evening with some of Broadway's brightest stars.
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NBC and Educational Theatre Foundation Awarding $10,000 Grants to 50 US High School Theatre Programs
American schools are full of incredibly talented and hardworking students lead by dedicated faculty. These students and teachers often don’t get the recognition and support that they deserve. There are so many arts programs that suffer from loss of funding.
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Frog & Peach Returns to The Sheen Center with Shakespeare's Beloved Comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream
The renowned Frog & Peach Theatre Company follows up their record breaking Sheen Center debut of 2017’s Macbeth with A Midsummer Night's Dream. William Shakespeare's rollicking romp of romance, wizardry, and show biz runs February 1 – 25, with Opening Night slated for Saturday, February 3 at the Sheen Center Black Box Theatre.
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Casting Announced for Gracie Gardner's Athena at JACK 2/15-3/3
THE HEARTH tells the stories of women. We nurture and celebrate female and non-binary artists (playwrights, directors, actors, and designers) and develop plays that represent the complex and vast spectrum of womanhood.
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'Boeing Boeing' opens Jan 12th at CNY Playhouse
This 1960's French farce adapted for the English-speaking stage features self-styled Parisian lothario Bernard, who has Italian, German, and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent "layovers." He keeps "one up, one down, and one pending" until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris, and Bernard's apartment, at the same time.
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Works & Process at the Guggenheim presents The New Group: Jerry Springer-The Opera
Prior to the Off-Broadway premiere of Jerry Springer-The Opera, co-creatorRichard Thomas (Music, Book, Lyrics; Book & Additional Lyrics by Stewart Lee) and director John Rando discuss the process behind this gleefully profane musical that outrageously celebrates the ritual of public humiliation and redemption. Cast members perform highlights, illuminating the chaos and unrestrained id of our times.
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