Coming Up This Week in Theatre - 8/19/2008

'Fantasticks' Cast and Creative Team To Ring NYSE Closing Bell 8/19 - 8/19/2008

Writer Tom Jones joined by cast members Nick Spangler and Margaret Anne Florence, of the Broadway musical The Fantasticks, will visit the New York Stock Exchange and ring The Closing Bell on Tues., August 19.

The Fantasticks is the longest-running musical in the world. The original production ran for 17,162 performances at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village. The Fantasticks is the only Off-Broadway musical to win a Tony Award (for Excellence in the Theater). It is also the most frequently produced musical with over 11,000 performances in the United States in over 3,000 cities and towns. It has played all fifty states, plus Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. (Source: The Fantasticks)

The Fantasticks is a captivating and simple love story about a boy, a girl, two fathers and a wall. The audience uses its imagination to follow El Gallo as he creates a world of moonlight and magic, and then pain and disillusionment, until the boy and girl find their way back to one other. The score, which includes "Try To Remember," "They Were You" and "Soon It's Gonna Rain," is as timeless as the story itself.

Grey Gardens - 8/20/2008

Grey Gardens (First Post-Broadway Production), Book by Doug Wright, Music by Scott Frankel, Lyrics by Michael Korie. Based on the film Grey Gardens by David Maysles, Al Bert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer, and Susan Froemke. August 20-September 14, 2008 (press opening: August 23). Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

TheatreWorks continues its 39th season with the first post-Broadway production of the scandalously delicious Grey Gardens. Adapted for the stage by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright, this beguiling musical, winner of three Tony Awards and an Outer Critics Circle Award, brings to life a delightfully eccentric tale of fallen American royalty. Once among the brightest names in the pre-Camelot social register, Edith and Edie Bouvier Beale, aunt and cousin to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, became East Hampton's most notorious recluses. Chronicling their journey from giddy fortune in the 1940s to seclusion in the 1970s, this is an alternately hilarious and heartbreaking saga.

TheatreWorks preview performances are at 8PM. Regular performances: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:30PM, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM and 7PM.

TheatreWorks at Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto; TheatreWorks at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View

For information, tickets ($21-$64), or subscriptions ($115-$410), the public can call 650-463-1960, 1-888-273-3752, or visit www.theatreworks.org.

'Wannabe Wicked' To Showcase 15 Finalists 8/20 - 8/20/2008

On Wednesday, August 20 at 7pm, "Wannabe Wicked," the competitive performance series, will showcase the 15 finalists who have made it to the last round of the competition. A Grand Prize Winner will be awarded a walk-on appearance in the Los Angeles production of WICKED.

In addition, Valentine, host of "Valentine In The Morning" on 104.3 MYfm, will be on hand for this thrillifying event. "Wannabe Wicked" is presented by Universal CityWalk and WICKED as part of its free "Summer Block Party" entertainment series. The public is invited and admission is free.

Each of the finalists will sing one song from a list of five suggested songs: "Popular," "Defying Gravity," "Dancing Through Life," "For Good" or "The Wizard and I." The finalists will be judged by theater industry professionals on the basis of vocal quality, performance delivery, vocal accuracy and overall performance.

In conjunction with the "Wannabe Wicked" Finals, beginning August 13, fans of WICKED can log on to www.CityWalkHollywood.com/WickedVote and select the FAN FAVORITE, who will win a great prize package including tickets to WICKED and Universal Studios Hollywood. Fans can vote once a day through August 19 at 12:00am PST. The winner will be announced at the Finals on August 20.

This event is part of CityWalk's "Summer Block Party" featuring free entertainment seven nights a week including live bands, the popular free movie night and talent competitions now through August 31.

WICKED, the smash hit musical that the New York Times called, "one of the most successful shows in Broadway history" continues its long engagement at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through January 11, 2009. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, WICKED's music and lyrics is composed by Stephen Schwartz and includes a book written by Winnie Holzman. The production is directed by Joe Mantello, with musical staging by Wayne Cilento. WICKED is a production of Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Winner of 20 major awards including the Grammy® Award and three Tony Awards®, WICKED is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the Land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. "Wicked" tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch.

WICKED tickets are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com/wicked, by phone at 213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878, in person at the Pantages Theatre Box Office, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Groups of fifteen (15) or more can call 866-755-3075 or online at www.nedgroups.com.

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A., includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex; the Universal CityWalk Cinemas; and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event venue. The theme park features such groundbreaking attractions as "Revenge of the Mummy™ - The Ride," "Shrek 4-D™," "Jurassic Park® - The Ride," the world-renowned Studio Tour, which takes guests behind-the-scenes of such landmark TV and movie locations and sets as Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," and the new mega-attraction, "The Simpsons Ride."

Universal Studios Hollywood (www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com) is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios, a part of NBC Universal. NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May of 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.

Marni Raab Takes Over As Christine in 'Phantom' 8/20 - 8/20/2008

A new leading lady has been announced for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the longest-running show in Broadway history. Produced by Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Group, Inc. and directed by Harold Prince, the musical is in its phenomenal 21st year in New York, playing at The Majestic Theatre (247 West 44th Street).

Marni Raab, who previously starred as 'Christine' across the country and around the world on both the Asian World Tour and the U.S. National Tour, will take over the role on Broadway starting Wednesday evening, August 20. She succeeds current star Jennifer Hope Wills during Ms. Wills' maternity leave. Wills' final performance will be Saturday evening, August 16 and she is expected to return in June 2009. [In between Ms. Wills and Ms. Raab – from Monday evening, August 18 through Wednesday matinee, August 20 – the role of 'Christine' will be played by current 'Christine' Alternate Elizabeth Loyacano.]

Ms. Raab has a long history with PHANTOM. She made her PHANTOM debut with the U.S. Tour in September 2001 as the 'Mirror Bride' and a 'Christine' cover, eventually moving up to the 'Christine' Alternate through December 2003. She originated the role of 'Christine' for the Asian World Tour, which premiered in December 2004 in Shanghai, and continued with the engagements in Seoul, Taipei and Hong Kong through August 2006.

Following her time with the Asian Tour, she rejoined the U.S. Tour, this time as 'Christine,' playing the role across the country from September 2006 to September 2007. Ms. Raab made her Broadway debut in PHANTOM earlier this year with a temporary stint as a 'Christine' cover, prior to rejoining the tour as 'Christine' in June 2008. She's now making her official Broadway 'Christine' debut.

Ms. Raab's additional credits include Cats in Hamburg; Roberta and Have a Heart in New York (both for Musicals Tonight); regional appearances in My Fair Lady (Eliza), Carousel (Julie) and The Fantasticks (Luisa); and concert and recital work nationally and internationally.

Ms. Raab becomes only the thirteenth actress to be cast as 'Christine' in the Broadway production (not including alternates and understudies). She follows, in order: Sarah Brightman, Patti Cohenour, Rebecca Luker, Karen Culliver, Mary D'Arcy, Tracy Shayne,Sandra Joseph, Adrienne McEwan, Sarah Pfisterer, Lisa Vroman,Rebecca Pitcher and Jennifer Hope Wills.

On Broadway, since its debut on January 26, 1988, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has grossed over $695 million, making it the highest-grossing show in Broadway history. The production recently played its milestone 8,500th performance and total New York attendance is over 12.5 million. PHANTOM became the longest-running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006 (surpassing the 7,485-performance run of Cats) and has now played more than 1,000 performances and over two and a half years since breaking that record.

Its internationally success – equally staggering – is represented by a total worldwide box office gross of more than $5 billion, making PHANTOM the most successful entertainment venture of all time, surpassing not only any other stage production, but also far surpassing the world's highest-grossing film Titanic (at $1.2 billion) and such other blockbusters as The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park and Star Wars. Worldwide attendance is over 80 million people, having played over 65,000 performances in 25 countries and 124 cities. It's won over 50 Theater awards including 7 Tonys, and there are currently 8 productions around the world.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and is directed by Harold Prince. Lyrics are by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe) and the book is by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has production design by the late Maria Björnson, lighting by Andrew Bridge, sound design by Mick Potter and original sound design by Martin Levan. Musical staging and choreography is by Gillian Lynne. Orchestrations are by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA currently stars Howard McGillin in the title role and Tim Martin Gleason as 'Raoul.' The musical also co-stars George Lee Andrews ('Monsieur André'), David Cryer ('Monsieur Firmin'), Patricia Phillips ('Carlotta'), Rebecca Judd ('Madame Giry'), Evan Harrington ('Piangi') and Polly Baird ('Meg Giry'). At certain performances, Elizabeth Loyacano plays 'Christine.' Mr. Andrews has been with the production for its entire run. Mr. McGillin, with over 2,000 performances, has played the title role on Broadway more than any other performer.

The regular performance schedule for THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is Monday and Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. For tickets, go online at telecharge.com, call (212) 239-6200 or visit The Majestic Theatre box office (247 West 44th Street).

www.thephantomoftheopera.com

Photo Credit Joan Marcus

Don't Miss Out - Voting Ends for 2008 Fans' Choice Awards 8/20! - 8/20/2008

The Tony Awards are over - but that doesn't mean the final word has been spoken as to who YOU think deserves to be recognized this year. The most comprehensive theater site on the net brings you this years 2008 Fans' Choice Awards - the largest open voting contest of its kind! In 2007, over 300,000 had their say - now it's YOUR turn!

Voting ends August 20, 2008 at 11:59 PM EST, cast your vote now and don't be left out!

The 6th Annual BroadwayWorld.com Theater Fans' Choice Awards is the biggest and most popular online, open (viewable in real-time as the votes are tallying), Broadway polling event of its kind. We want to give Broadway audiences, theater professionals, fans and enthusiasts the opportunity to weigh-in on what they (you!) think is the best of the 2007-2008 theater season. Best of all, you can vote for ANY of your favorite performers and shows - the 2008 Theater Fans' Choice Awards are all-encompassing and don't leave anyone out via a nomination process.

So what are you waiting for? Click now for more information and to vote!

Categories include: Best Book of a Musical, Best Choreography, Best Costume Design, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Direction of a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Featured Actress in a Play, Best Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Leading Actor in a Play, Best Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Leading Actress in a Play, Best Lighting Design, Best Musical, Best Off-Broadway Musical, Best Off-Broadway Play, Best Orchestrations, Best Original Score, Best Play, Best Revival of a Musical, Best Revival of a Play, Best Scenic Design and Best Screen to Stage Adaption.

Summer and Smoke - 8/21/2008

The Big Sky Theatre Company is proud to present Tennessee Williams' SUMMER AND SMOKE at The Clurman Theatre at Theatre Row. Summer and Smoke will be performed Wednesday through Saturday at 8:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $18.00 and are available at Ticket Central, 212-279-4200. The show will run from August 20th-21st 2008 and you can also purchase tickets online at: www.ticketcentral.com.

A sensuous story of longing and rebellion, Tennessee Williams' Summer & Smoke was hailed by The New York Times as "a gently torrid parable of body and soul ... charged with passion and anguish". A lonely minister's daughter, Alma Winemiller (Mary Sheridan), lives in her stifling parent's home in a small-minded Mississippi town. Her only solace: a secret lifelong love for the former boy-next-door, Dr. John Buchanan (Michael Frederic), now a fully-grown, wandering-eye bachelor. Tortured by her unrequited passion, Alma's spiritual devotion becomes pitted against John's sensuous need for physical desire, and their turbulent relationship becomes an emotional battle of wills that will irrevocably alter each of them forever.

In their inaugural production, Big Sky Theater Company presents this under-appreciated classic, written by what many consider to be greatest playwright ever to grace the American stage. "We are following and honoring the inspiration and poetic insight of Tennessee Williams," says cutting-edge director Tlaloc Rivas, already a buzz-name in the regional theater. "It is our endeavor to rediscover this intimate and powerful love story that underscores the contradictions of the human heart." This startlingly modern love story will transport audiences to the poetic and sensual world of Williams' Gothic South.

Last Tango in Paris - 8/21/2008

Dangerous Ground Productions proudly presents LAST TANGO IN PARIS, a world premiere all-new multi-media adaptation of the iconic 1973 Bernardo Bertolucci film, adapted, conceived and directed by Doris Mirescu. The show begins performances on Friday, August 22nd at 8PM at the Paradise Factory (64 East 4th Street), and will play through Saturday, September 6th. The show will play performances Tuesday-Saturday at 8PM. Tickets for all shows are $15 General and $10 for students.

Presented as a multi-media theater piece, Director Mirescu has taken this classic story and made it one of timeless relevance and post-modern significance. Described by the director as "drop by drop sorrow, loneliness and despair pass through the dark empty room where flesh bleeds, sex exudes beauty and sweat and ghosts of the past wander through images of distorted bodies." Mirescu goes on to say, "Many will recall the Marlon Brando film version. This adaptation captures much of the core of that movie's very abyss, in stunning portrayals by startling and courageous young actors, surrounded by live cameras, creating a sexual tragedy haunted by sounds of lost tangos and shadow of myths."

The cast includes: Kira Davies, Patrick Flynn, Angelica Pasquini and William P. Smith. The entire cast also appeared in the recent production of Beware of A Holy Whore at the Visual Arts Theater.

DORIS MIRESCU (Director) is a Romanian born freelance director and writer, and the founder of New York-based theater company Dangerous Ground Productions. Most recent productions include her adaptation of Beware of A Holy Whore at the Visual Arts Theatre, and Madness of Day by Maurice Blanchot and Neil LaBute's The Distance from Here, both at Tom Noonan's Paradise Factory in New York. She directed the American Premiere of Paul Solomon's Aching To Go Home at the Epic Center Theatre (Kalamazoo, Michigan) and Battle of Black and Dogs by Bernard-Marie Koltès as part of Koltès New York 2003, a festival which she also produced (Ohio Theater, New York). Additional credits include Story of Rats, her adaptation of works by French writer Georges Bataille (Chashama, New York) and the European Premiere of Les Nuits Sans Lune by French playwright Véronique Olmi (Parc de La Villette, Paris). New York credits include: Silence of Snow (Soho Rep), Seneca's Trojan Women, Cocteau's The Handsome Hunk and Juliet Montage, a one-woman show based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (all at the Shapiro Theatre). Ms. Mirescu was three times the recipient of Etant Donnés, the French-American Fund for the Performing Arts. She holds a Summa Cum Laude Master of Arts in French Literature from Paris-IV Sorbonne as well as an MFA in Theatre Directing from Columbia University. She is an alumna of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. She is at present teaching acting and directing at The School of Visual Arts. Ms. Mirescu is currently working on Force of Evil, a piece organized around the tropes and obsessions of film noir, which will be performed in the fall of 2008.

Chris NewMAN (Producer and Technical Supervisor) recently collaborated with Doris Mirescu on Beware of A Holy Whore and is credited in over eighty films as a production sound mixer. Some of those films include Tender Mercies, The World According to Garp, Philadelphia, Sophie's Choice, and Klute. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, including his work on The Godfather, The French Connection, Chorus Line, Fame and Silence of the Lambs. Mr. Newman has won three Oscars for The Exorcist, Amadeus, and The English Patient.

Additional production credits include: Live Cameras by: Richard Gartrelll and Patrick Flynn; Live music by Michael Attias; Production Design by: Keri Moskowitz; Sound by: Cory Alllen; Video Consultant: Joe Trammell; and Assistant to the director: Barbara Karney.

LAST TANGO IN PARIS, an adaptation of Bernardo Bertolucci's film, plays TUES-SAT at 8:00PM, at Paradise Factory, 64 East 4th Street (between Bowery & 2nd Avenue) All Tickets are $15 / Students $10, Tickets and Information available by calling (212) 724-5004, and via email at do@dangerousgroundproductions.

Algonquin Presents National Pastime - 8/21/2008

Algonquin Theatre Company and Pierre Weidemann will present "National Pastime," the comedy which has appeared in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, for one week only here in Manhattan August 21st-24th. "National Pastime" is the story of a small 1930's radio station which cannot compete for the rights to broadcast a real baseball team's games....so they create their own team! Written by Algonquin Theater's Artistic Director Tony Sportiello and directed by Nancy Robillard, this popular comedy has appeared twice in Cooperstown at the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and is in the Literature Library. The play features Jessica Arinella, Stephen Bradbury, Ethan Cadoff, Michael Lewis, Kelli Maguire, Joan Pelzer, Matthew Rashid, Len Rella and Angela Stellute.

The Algonquin Theatre Company is a not-for-profit company created to move shows on to the next level. Past productions include Levy Lee Simon's "Same Train", Al M. Tapper's "Sessions" and Shel Silverstein's "The Devil and Billy Markham". For more information visit www.algonquintheater.org.

"National Pastime" runs August 21-24, Thurs. at 9pm, Fri. & Sat. at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and Sun. at 2pm. The Algonquin Theater is located at 123 East 24th Street (between Park & Lexington Aves. -- accessible from the N, R or 6 train at 23rd Street). Tickets are $15, available at 212-730-4664 or www.smartTix.com.

PS 122's Summer Camp - 8/21/2008

Cheer up - it's summertime! And that means another visit to PS 122's CAMP SUMMER CAMP. Come for the spiked punch, stay for the go-go fitness, arts & leather crafts, our we-pay-you barber shop, licorice g-string macramé, the messy hall, and so much more.

Now's your chance to get behind the scenes at the East Village's legendary performance hub – and make one. Explore the nooks and crannies of the wilderness that is PS 122... Just be careful not to wander off alone-there's a killer on the loose!

CAMP SUMMER CAMP is an evening-length, fully immersive, interactive performance party.

Featuring Jessica Delfino (every night!), the Pixie Harlots, World Famous *BoB*, and more surprise special (and tainted) guest performers! With nightly DJ's including: Joro Boro (opening night), Neal Medlyn, and more!

Don't forget to pack insect attractant and SPF 0. Suggested attire includes very loose clothing – accessorize with a tool belt anyway you like it – and end your summer with a bang!

This camp is rated NC-21.

Conceived and Produced by real-life, year-round PS 122 camp counselors and cruise directors : Eileen Goddard, Alex Reeves, and Nick Bixby; in association with Performance Space 122.

Directed by: Nick Bixby; Lighting by: Eileen Goddard; Set Design by: Alex Reeves; Music by: Ryder Pales and Casey Pfeifer.

Featuring the 2008 Camp Summer Camp Faculty: Amy Overman, King Aswad, Ojay Morgan, Lauren Cavanaugh, Tim Bungeroth, Terebi Grey, Annabelle Meunier, and Caitlin Mehner.

PS 122's Camp Summer Camp opens on Thursday, August 21 and plays through Saturday, August 30 on the following schedule: Thursdays – Saturdays at 9:00pm. Tickets are $20, $15 (student/senior), $10 (P.S. 122 members) and are on sale at www.ps122.org or by calling 212-352-3101. Performance Space 122 is located at 150 First Avenue at 9th Street.

CAMP SUMMER CAMP at Performance Space 122 - 8/21/2008

CAMP SUMMER CAMP August 21-30 9pm

Now's your chance to get behind the scenes at the East Village's legendary performance hub – and make one. Explore the nooks and crannies of the wilderness that is PS 122... Just be careful not to wander off alone-there's a killer on the loose!

CAMP SUMMER CAMP is an evening-length, fully immersive, interactive performance party.

Featuring Jessica Delfino (every night!), the Pixie Harlots, World Famous *BoB*, and more surprise special (and tainted) guest performers! With nightly DJ's including: Joro Boro (opening night), Neal Medlyn, and more!

Don't forget to pack insect attractant and SPF 0. Suggested attire includes very loose clothing – accessorize with a tool belt anyway you like it – and end your summer with a bang! This camp is rated NC-21.

Conceived and Produced by real-life, year-round PS 122 camp counselors and cruise directors : Eileen Goddard, Alex Reeves, and Nick Bixby; in association with Performance Space 122.

LIMITED TIME OFFER: Use discount code "MS10" for $10 tickets* (reg $20) Tickets available at ps122.org or call 212.352.3101

Performance Space 122 150 1st Ave at E. 9th St. New York, NY 10009

*offer based on limited availability; may not be combined with other offers or applied to past sales; may be discontinued at any time.

Young@Heart Live in Concert - 8/22/2008

The elderly chorus who captured the hearts of movie-goers everywhere are performing live in NYC for ONE NIGHT ONLY. June 22nd at 8pm in the Beacon Theatre. For tickets visit www.beacontheatre.com.

Last Tango in Paris - 8/22/2008

Dangerous Ground Productions proudly presents LAST TANGO IN PARIS, a world premiere all-new multi-media adaptation of the iconic 1973 Bernardo Bertolucci film, adapted, conceived and directed by Doris Mirescu. The show begins performances on Friday, August 22nd @ 8PM at the Paradise Factory (64 East 4th Street), and will play through Saturday, September 6th. The show will play performances Tuesday-Saturday @ 8PM. Tickets for all shows are $15 General and $10 for students.

Presented as a multi-media theater piece, Director Mirescu has taken this classic story and made it one of timeless relevance and post-modern significance. Described by the director as "drop by drop sorrow, loneliness and despair pass through the dark empty room where flesh bleeds, sex exudes beauty and sweat and ghosts of the past wander through images of distorted bodies." Mirescu goes on to say, "Many will recall the Marlon Brando film version.

This adaptation captures much of the core of that movie's very abyss, in stunning portrayals by startling and courageous young actors, surrounded by live cameras, creating a sexual tragedy haunted by sounds of lost tangos and shadow of myths."

The cast includes: Kira Davies, Patrick Flynn, Angelica Pasquini and Benjamin Sinclair. Many of the cast also appeared in the recent production of Beware of A Holy Whore at the Visual Arts Theater.

DORIS MIRESCU (Director) is a Romanian born freelance director and writer, and the founder of New York-based theater company Dangerous Ground Productions. Most recent productions include her adaptation of Beware of A Holy Whore at the Visual Arts Theatre, and Madness of Day by Maurice Blanchot and Neil LaBute's The Distance from Here, both at Tom Noonan's Paradise Factory in New York. She directed the American Premiere of Paul Solomon's Aching To Go Home at the Epic Center Theatre (Kalamazoo, Michigan) and Battle of Black and Dogs by Bernard-Marie Koltès as part of Koltès New York 2003, a festival which she also produced (Ohio Theater, New York). Additional credits include Story of Rats, her adaptation of works by French writer Georges Bataille (Chashama, New York) and the European Premiere of Les Nuits Sans Lune by French playwright Véronique Olmi (Parc de La Villette, Paris).

New York credits include: Silence of Snow (Soho Rep), Seneca's Trojan Women, Cocteau's The Handsome Hunk and Juliet Montage, a one-woman show based on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (all at the Shapiro Theatre). Ms. Mirescu was three times the recipient of Etant Donnés, the French-American Fund for the Performing Arts. She holds a Summa Cum Laude Master of Arts in French Literature from Paris-IV Sorbonne as well as an MFA in Theatre Directing from Columbia University. She is an alumna of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. She is at present teaching acting and directing at The School of Visual Arts. Ms. Mirescu is currently working on Force of Evil, a piece organized around the tropes and obsessions of film noir, which will be performed in the fall of 2008.

Chris NewMAN (Producer and Technical Supervisor) recently collaborated with Doris Mirescu on Beware of A Holy Whore and is credited in over eighty films as a production sound mixer. Some of those films include Tender Mercies, The World According to Garp, Philadelphia, Sophie's Choice, and Klute. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, including his work on The Godfather, The French Connection, Chorus Line, Fame and Silence of the Lambs. Mr. Newman has won three Oscars for The Exorcist, Amadeus, and The English Patient.

Additional production credits include: Live Cameras by: Richard Gartrelll and Patrick Flynn; Live music by Michael Attias; Production Design by: Keri Moskowitz; Sound by: Cory Alllen; Video Consultant: Joe Trammell; and Assistant to the director: Barbara Karney.

LAST TANGO IN PARIS, an adaptation of Bernardo Bertolucci's film, plays

TUES-SAT at 8:00PM, at Paradise Factory, 64 East 4th Street (between Bowery & 2nd Avenue) All Tickets are $15 / Students $10, Tickets and Information available by calling (212) 724-5004, and via email at do@dangerousgroundproductions.

Aurora Theatre Co To Open Season With 'Best Man' - 8/22/2008

Just in time for the fall election, Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company opens its 17th season with Gore Vidal's fascinating political nail-biter THE BEST MAN. Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross helms this seminal satirical political drama, called "elegant and damnably entertaining" by The New Yorker, starring Tim Kniffin, Charles Shaw Robinson, and Charles Dean, and featuring Elizabeth Benedict; Michael Cassidy; Jackson Davis; Deb Fink; Michael Patrick Gaffney; and Emily Talbot. THE BEST MAN plays August 22 through September 28 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets and information ($28-50) the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Due to the historic nature of the upcoming Democratic National Convention, which closes on Aurora Theatre Company's opening night performance of THE BEST MAN on August 28, there will be a special early curtain time of 7pm; a special post-show reception and screening of the Democratic nomination acceptance speech will be shown in the theatre immediately following the performance.

Shedding light on some of the issues surrounding today's bid for the White House, THE BEST MAN is a timely morality tale that takes place during a national political convention. Two front runners vie for a political party nomination and one of them will almost certainly be the next President of the United States. Each candidate is in possession of some serious mud to sling and each has to decide just how dirty to play the game. Written with the deep insight of a true political insider (Vidal ran for Congress in 1960, the same year he penned THE BEST MAN), this witty, sophisticated play, hailed as "Gore Vidal's best play" by New York Magazine, calls into question public versus private morals and captures the seemingly incompatible virtues of being a good person while being a good politician.

Aurora Theatre Company has assembled an extraordinary ensemble for THE BEST MAN. Charles Shaw Robinson returns to Aurora Theatre Company as Secretary William Russell in THE BEST MAN; he most recently appeared in the Company's acclaimed production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal (directed by Tom Ross), as well as productions of The Persians, The Weir, and The Mystery of Irma Vep. Additional credits include productions at American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Magic Theatre, and California Shakespeare Theatre, among others. Tim Kniffin returns to Aurora Theatre Company as Senator Joseph Cantwell in THE BEST MAN. He previously appeared in the Company's critically lauded production of Permanent Collection. Additional credits include Summer and Smoke, directed by Lee Sankowich, at Center REPertory, and Betrayal and A Streetcar Named Desire at Pacific Alliance.

Charles Dean returns to Aurora Theatre Company as President Hockstader in THE BEST MAN. Dean previously appeared at Aurora Theatre Company in Hysteria, Private Jokes, Public Places, The Price, The Entertainer, and The Philanderer. A 20-year company member and associate artist at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Dean has acted in more than 80 productions, and has performed at American Conservatory Theatre, Seattle Repertory, Guthrie Theater, Old Globe Theatre, San Jose Repertory, Marin Theatre Company, and Magic Theatre, among others.

Emilie Talbot returns to Aurora Theatre Company as Alice Russell. She most recently appeared in the Company's production of The Trojan Women and has been featured in productions at American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Mark Taper Forum, among others. Deb Fink makes her Aurora debut as Mabel Cantwell; additional credits include productions at Thick House, where she was featured in Dead Mother, Magic Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre, SF Playhouse, Center REPertory, and Playwrights Horizons.

Also featured in THE BEST MAN is Jackson Davis as Sheldon Marcus; credits include productions at TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, and American Conservatory Theatre. Elizabeth Benedict (Aurora Theatre Company, TheatreWorks, A Traveling Jewish Theatre), Michael Cassidy (42nd Street Moon, Mountain Play), and Michael Patrick Gaffney (Thick House, 42nd Street Moon) round out the cast.

For six decades, Gore Vidal has explored a wide variety of sociopolitical, sexual, historical, and literary themes. A novelist, essayist, playwright, and provocateur, Vidal was born in 1925 with high political and social connections: his father worked for the Roosevelt administration, his maternal grandfather was Senator Thomas Prior Gore of Oklahoma, and his mother married Hugh D. Auchincloss, Jr., who became the stepfather of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy; Vidal is a fifth cousin of Jimmy Carter, and a distant cousin of former Vice President Al Gore. As a political activist, Vidal was the Democratic candidate for Congress (running as Eugene Gore) in 1960.

Gore Vidal began his writing career at the age of 19 with the publication of the military novel Williwaw, based upon his Alaskan Harbor Detachment duty. A few years later, his novel The City and the Pillar caused a furor for its presentation of homosexuality. In the early 1950s, he produced three mystery novels under the pseudonym "Edgar Box;" he was also hired as a contract screenwriter for Metro Goldwyn Mayer. In the 1960s, Vidal wrote three highly successful novels, Julian (1964), which dealt with the apostate Roman emperor, Washington, D.C. (1967), which focused on a political family during the Franklin D. Roosevelt era, and the satirical comedy Myra Breckinridge (1968). After the novel Two Sisters (1970), Vidal focused on essays and fiction dealing with American history and the nature of national politics; he won the National Book Award for his collection of essays United States (1952–1992).

Two plays, Visit to a Small Planet (1957) and THE BEST MAN (1960) were both Broadway and film successes. Other plays include On the March to the Sea (1960–1961, 2005); Romulus (1962); Drawing Room Comedy (1970); and An Evening with Richard Nixon (1972). Additionally, Vidal penned the screen plays for The Catered Affair (1956), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), Ben Hur (1959), and THE BEST MAN (1964). Vidal's recent critiques of American expansionism, the military-industrial complex, and the current administration include the pamphlets Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace, Dreaming War: Blood for Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta, and Imperial America.

Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross inaugurated Aurora Theatre Company with Barbara Oliver in 1992. He has directed 18 productions for the Company, including last season's hit production of Mae West's SEX, The Birthday Party, Blue/Orange, Betrayal, and Lobby Hero, which went on to be presented as a co-production between Aurora Theatre Company, Jonathan Reinis, Inc., and the Napa Valley Opera House. For Aurora Theatre Company, Ross has also directed acclaimed productions of The Shape of Things, The Entertainer, The Weir, Death Defying Acts, The Homecoming, Abigail's Party, The Mystery of Irma Vep (co-directed with Danny Scheie), and The Aspern Papers, among others. He also wrote and directed A Karen Carpenter Christmas in both San Francisco and Seattle. Prior to coming to the Bay Area, he worked for eight years at New York's Public Theatre as Executive Assistant to Joseph Papp and as co-Director of Play and Musical Development. While in New York, Ross also penned the book adaptation of the New York Drama Desk nominated musical Up Against It, based upon Joe Orton's screenplay for The Beatles.

Following THE BEST MAN, Aurora Theatre Company continues its 17th season in October with THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE, George Bernard Shaw's comedy set during the American Revolution, directed by Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver, followed by the West Coast Premiere of George Packer's provocative recent Off-Broadway hit BETRAYED in January. Mark Jackson, who directed Aurora Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Salome, returns to the Company to helm August Strindberg's MISS JULIE in April. Bob Glaudini's unconventional romantic comedy JACK GOES BOATING, directed by Joy Carlin, rounds out the season in June.

Aurora Theatre Company continues to offer challenging, literate, intelligent stage works to the Bay Area, each year increasing its reputation for top-notch theatre. Located in the heart of the Downtown Berkeley Arts District, Aurora Theatre Company has been called "one of the most important regional theaters in the area" by the San Francisco Chronicle, while The Wall Street Journal has "nothing but praise for the Aurora." The Contra Costa Times stated, "perfection is probably an unattainable ideal in a medium as fluid as live performance, but the Aurora Theatre comes luminously close," while the San Jose Mercury News affirmed "[Aurora Theatre Company] lives up to its reputation as a theater that feeds the mind," and the Oakland Tribune declared "it's all about choices, and if you value good theater, choose the Aurora."

Much Ado About Nothing - 8/22/2008

Reisterstown Theater Project's Inauguaral performance. Outside at Hannah More School , 12039 Reisterstown Rd, Reisterstown. 8 pm Friday and Saturday, 2pm Sunday. August 22- Sept 5. $10 Adults, $8 students, Seniors. (443) 226-6401

The Best Man - 8/22/2008

Just in time for the fall election, Berkeley's acclaimed Aurora Theatre Company opens its 17th season with Gore Vidal's fascinating political nail-biter THE BEST MAN. Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross helms this seminal satirical political drama, called "elegant and damnably entertaining" by The New Yorker, starring Tim Kniffin, Charles Shaw Robinson, and Charles Dean, and featuring Elizabeth Benedict; Michael Cassidy; Jackson Davis; Deb Fink;Michael Patrick Gaffney; and Emily Talbot. THE BEST MAN plays August 22 through September 28 at theAurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets and information ($28-50) the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

Due to the historic nature of the upcoming Democratic National Convention, which closes on Aurora Theatre Company's opening night performance of THE BEST MAN on August 28, there will be a special early curtain time of 7pm; a special post-show reception and screening of the Democratic nomination acceptance speech will be shown in the theatre immediately following the performance.

Shedding light on some of the issues surrounding today's bid for the White House, THE BEST MAN is a timely morality tale that takes place during a national political convention. Two front runners vie for a political party nomination and one of them will almost certainly be the next President of the United States. Each candidate is in possession of some serious mud to sling and each has to decide just how dirty to play the game. Written with the deep insight of a true political insider (Vidal ran for Congress in 1960, the same year he penned THE BEST MAN), this witty, sophisticated play, hailed as "Gore Vidal's best play" by New York Magazine, calls into question public versus private morals and captures the seemingly incompatible virtues of being a good person while being a good politician.

Aurora Theatre Company has assembled an extraordinary ensemble for THE BEST MAN. Charles Shaw Robinson returns to Aurora Theatre Company as Secretary William Russell in THE BEST MAN; he most recently appeared in the Company's acclaimed production of Harold Pinter's Betrayal (directed by Tom Ross), as well as productions of The Persians, The Weir, and The Mystery of Irma Vep. Additional credits include productions at American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Magic Theatre, and California Shakespeare Theatre, among others. Tim Kniffin returns to Aurora Theatre Company as Senator Joseph Cantwell in THE BEST MAN. He previously appeared in the Company's critically lauded production of Permanent Collection. Additional credits include Summer and Smoke, directed by Lee Sankowich, at Center REPertory, and Betrayal and A Streetcar Named Desire at Pacific Alliance.

Charles Dean returns to Aurora Theatre Company as President Hockstader in THE BEST MAN. Dean previously appeared at Aurora Theatre Company in Hysteria,Private Jokes, Public Places, The Price, The Entertainer, and The Philanderer. A 20-year company member and associate artist at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Dean has acted in more than 80 productions, and has performed at American Conservatory Theatre, Seattle Repertory, Guthrie Theater, Old Globe Theatre, San Jose Repertory, Marin Theatre Company, and Magic Theatre, among others.

Emilie Talbot returns to Aurora Theatre Company as Alice Russell. She most recently appeared in the Company's production of The Trojan Women and has been featured in productions at American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Mark Taper Forum, among others. Deb Fink makes her Aurora debut as Mabel Cantwell; additional credits include productions at Thick House, where she was featured in Dead Mother,Magic Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre, SF Playhouse, Center REPertory, and Playwrights Horizons.

Also featured in THE BEST MAN is Jackson Davis as Sheldon Marcus; credits include productions at TheatreWorks, Marin Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, and American Conservatory Theatre. Elizabeth Benedict (Aurora Theatre Company, TheatreWorks, A Traveling Jewish Theatre), Michael Cassidy (42nd Street Moon, Mountain Play), and Michael Patrick Gaffney (Thick House, 42nd Street Moon) round out the cast.

For six decades, Gore Vidal has explored a wide variety of sociopolitical, sexual, historical, and literary themes. A novelist, essayist, playwright, and provocateur, Vidal was born in 1925 with high political and social connections: his father worked for the Roosevelt administration, his maternal grandfather was Senator Thomas Prior Gore of Oklahoma, and his mother married Hugh D. Auchincloss, Jr., who became the stepfather of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy; Vidal is a fifth cousin of Jimmy Carter, and a distant cousin of former Vice President Al Gore. As a political activist, Vidal was the Democratic candidate for Congress (running as Eugene Gore) in 1960.

Gore Vidal began his writing career at the age of 19 with the publication of the military novel Williwaw, based upon his Alaskan Harbor Detachment duty. A few years later, his novel The City and the Pillar caused a furor for its presentation of homosexuality. In the early 1950s, he produced three mystery novels under the pseudonym "Edgar Box;" he was also hired as a contract screenwriter for Metro Goldwyn Mayer. In the 1960s, Vidal wrote three highly successful novels, Julian (1964), which dealt with the apostate Roman emperor, Washington, D.C. (1967), which focused on a political family during the Franklin D. Roosevelt era, and the satirical comedy Myra Breckinridge (1968). After the novel Two Sisters (1970), Vidal focused on essays and fiction dealing with American history and the nature of national politics; he won the National Book Award for his collection of essays United States (1952–1992).

Two plays, Visit to a Small Planet (1957) and THE BEST MAN (1960) were both Broadway and film successes. Other plays include On the March to the Sea (1960–1961, 2005); Romulus (1962); Drawing Room Comedy (1970); and An Evening with Richard Nixon (1972). Additionally, Vidal penned the screen plays for The Catered Affair (1956), Suddenly, Last Summer (1959), Ben Hur (1959), and THE BEST MAN (1964). Vidal's recent critiques of American expansionism, the military-industrial complex, and the current administration include the pamphlets Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace, Dreaming War: Blood for Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta, and Imperial America.

Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross inaugurated Aurora Theatre Company with Barbara Oliver in 1992. He has directed 18 productions for the Company, including last season's hit production of Mae West's SEX, The Birthday Party, Blue/Orange,Betrayal, and Lobby Hero, which went on to be presented as a co-production between Aurora Theatre Company, Jonathan Reinis, Inc., and the Napa Valley Opera House. For Aurora Theatre Company, Ross has also directed acclaimed productions of The Shape of Things, The Entertainer, The Weir, Death Defying Acts, The Homecoming,Abigail's Party, The Mystery of Irma Vep (co-directed with Danny Scheie), and The Aspern Papers, among others. He also wrote and directed A Karen Carpenter Christmas in both San Francisco and Seattle. Prior to coming to the Bay Area, he worked for eight years at New York's Public Theatre as Executive Assistant to Joseph Papp and as co-Director of Play and Musical Development. While in New York, Ross also penned the book adaptation of the New York Drama Desk nominated musical Up Against It, based upon Joe Orton's screenplay for The Beatles.

FollowingTHE BEST MAN, Aurora Theatre Company continues its 17th season in October with THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE, George Bernard Shaw's comedy set during the American Revolution, directed by Aurora Theatre Company founding Artistic Director Barbara Oliver, followed by the West Coast Premiere of George Packer's provocative recent Off-Broadway hit BETRAYED in January. Mark Jackson, who directed Aurora Theatre Company's acclaimed production of Salome, returns to the Company to helm August Strindberg's MISS JULIE in April. Bob Glaudini's unconventional romantic comedy JACK GOES BOATING, directed by Joy Carlin, rounds out the season in June.

Aurora Theatre Company continues to offer challenging, literate, intelligent stage works to the Bay Area, each year increasing its reputation for top-notch theatre. Located in the heart of the Downtown Berkeley Arts District, Aurora Theatre Company has been called "one of the most important regional theaters in the area" by theSan Francisco Chronicle, while The Wall Street Journal has "nothing but praise for the Aurora." The Contra Costa Times stated, "perfection is probably an unattainable ideal in a medium as fluid as live performance, but the Aurora Theatre comes luminously close," while theSan Jose Mercury News affirmed "[Aurora Theatre Company] lives up to its reputation as a theater that feeds the mind," and the Oakland Tribune declared "it's all about choices, and if you value good theater, choose the Aurora."

Weekend - 8/23/2008

Written and set during the 1968 presidential campaign, 'Weekend' is a witty comedy about a Republican Senator who is about to announce his candidacy for his party's nomination when his son arrives with shocking—and potentially politically damaging—news. Prejudice, blackmail, self-righteousness and opportunism become a potent mix as the candidate and his handlers conspire with well-calculated maneuvers to save the day.

Written by Runs Gore Vidal and directed by Damon Kiely

Runs August 23 – October 12, 2008 at TimeLine's home inside the Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ, 615 W. Wellington Ave., Chicago, near the corner of Wellington and Broadway in the Lakeview East neighborhood.

FlexPass Subscriptions for TimeLine's 2008-09 season will go on sale in April. For more information about subscriptions, ticket availability and group sales, call (773) 281-TIME (8463) or visit timelinetheatre.com.

Babalu-cy-the art of Desi Arnaz - 8/23/2008

Award-winning producers, Michael & Barbara Ross, will present the 2008 Back Stage Bistro Award Winning Greg Purnhagen in BABALU-CY – the art of Desi Arnaz, Off-Broadway, at the Actors Temple Theater, beginning August 23rd. Conceived & written by Greg Purnhagen, BABALU-CY takes a look at Arnaz' career from his tremendous success as a bandleader/singer to his relationship with America's favorite red-head. Complete with a seven-piece Latin band led by Musical Director/Arranger David Cook, BABALU-CY is directed by Leonard Peters.

Greg Purnhagen was born in Manhattan & raised on Long Island in Massapequa Park, where he did not know Jerry Seinfeld, the Baldwin Brothers or Joey Buttafuoco. A classically-trained singer (NYU, Mannes College of Music), Greg, along with his long-time musical director, David Cook, has created several well-received shows at clubs in New York, As a cast member of Rendezvous - An Evening With Piaf, Brel, Aznavour& Friends (2008 MAC Nominee), he appeared at Feinstein's at Loews Regency & the Metropolitan Room. BABALU-CY – the Art of Desi Arnaz, debuted at the Metropolitan Room in July 2007, winning a 2008 Back Stage Bistro Award for "Best Theme Show." Purnhagen has toured extensively in the US, Europe, the Far East, Australia & Russia, working with such avant-garde luminaries as Philip Glass, Mary Zimmerman, Robert Wilson, Meredith Monk & John Kelly. He has appeared in several Off-Off Broadway shows & during the 90's, he was a BMG recording artist as a member of the á cappella quartet Toby Twining Music. His recordings include the Glass works he has premiered; Avant-Garde Opera, Early Music, New Music & several Original Cast Albums. He is especially proud to have been a guest vocalist on Bjork's CD, Medulla.

Leonard Peters has been directing, coaching & teaching in New York City for the past 35 years. He has worked with the finest diversity of talents in the business, including Joanna Gleason, Theodore Bikel, Lilia Skala, Bill T. Jones, Amanda Plummer, Penny Arcade, Lois Nettleton, Robert Joy, Craig Wasson, Michael Learned, Dennis Boutsikaris, John Randolph, Elizabeth Franz, John Heard & the list goes on. He is the director of the Obie Award winning Craig's Wife.

New York City pianist/composer David Cook has played with a number of world-class vocalists, including Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson, Marianne Faithfull, Broadway stars Billy Porter, Darius DeHaas & Shoshana Bean. He has toured with several multi-platinum pop acts, beginning with NSYNC (2000-2002), JC Chasez (2003), American Idol (2004) & Disney's High School Musical (2007). In 2007, David was selected to represent the US in the American Music Abroad program with the band Exegesis, sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center & the US State Department, traveling to Bahrain, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates & Kuwait, giving performances to audiences across the region.

MICHAEL & Barbara Ross produced the Broadway show PIAF - A Remembrance, which won the Theater World Award for Juliet Koka. Off-Broadway, they are the award-winning producers of Jelly Roll! (starring Vernel Bagneris - Lucille Lortel Award, Obie Award, Outer Critic's Circle Award, Drama Desk Award Nominee), The World Of Kurt Weill, Piaf Remembered, We'll Meet Again, Two Hearts Over Easy & Mamelah! They also produced the pre-Broadway tryouts of Bingo Long & His Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (book by Ossie Davis, music by George Fishoff), Song & Dance, A Celebration of Gene Kelly, Princess Grace & the Fazzari's (with Dorothy Loudon & Lois Nettleton), Never Too Late (starring Eddie Bracken), Millions Of Miles (starring Rue McClanahan & Milo O'Shea, directed by Barry Nelson) & The Kid From Brooklyn, (a one-man show about Danny Kaye). They also produced Comedy Tonight! at Foxwoods, starring Dick Capri, Professor Irwin Corey & Henny Youngman, plus the National & International Tour of The Duke Ellington Orchestra, conducted by the late Mercer Ellington.

What To Do When You Hate Your Friends - 8/23/2008

Four Chairs Theatre Company proudly announces an extension for What To Do When You Hate All Your Friends, an anti-social comedy written by award-winning playwright Larry Kunofsky and directed by Jacob Krueger (The Matthew Shepard Story). Originally slated to run through August 9, the new hit comedy has been extended through August 23 on Theatre Row, at The Lion Theatre located at 410 West 42 Street between 9 & 10 Avenues in NYC.

Performances run Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are now $25 and can be purchased online at http://www.TicketCentral.com or by calling 212-279-4200. For more information on the play visit http://www.HateAllYourFriends.com.

Variety's Sam Thielman raves saying "Just hilarious…a surprisingly wise exercise in reducing an audience of grown men and women to wheezing, hyperventilating laughter over the frustrations of adult relationships. Kunofsky has an intensely theatrical gift for comedy, and his cast and crew have risen to the challenge in this smart, heartfelt play. Kunofsky and Krueger should see if they can at least get a grant to hand out bullhorns to the audience so they can spread the word as they leave, massaging their aching sides." Complete Review: http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117937828.html?categoryid=33&cs=1

TimeOut NY's Amanda Cooper gave it 4 stars and went on to call it "a fun, even refreshing tale with a happyish ending. Director Jacob Krueger and his hugely talented cast get it: When we chuckle here, we're truly laughing at ourselves." Complete Review: http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/theater/43641/what-to-do-when-you-hate-all-your-friends

Back Stage's Mark Peikart dubbed it a PICK OF THE WEEK and went on to describe it as "Hilarious and heartbreaking."

Matt is a guy who hates all his friends. Celia is a woman at the center of The Friends, a secret group that has perfected friendship through special rules and a rigid ranking system. Can a guy who hates all his friends and a woman who needs friendship to go by-the-book figure out a way to spend time together without going mental? Set in a world of secret hottub parties, craigslist hookups, and the myriad of ways people try to control intimacy by keeping it away, this edgy and witty new comedy looks at how romance and friendship works – or doesn't work - in the way we live now.

Director Jacob Krueger is the co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Four Chairs Theatre. His first movie, The Matthew Shepard Story (2002), won him the Writers Guild of America Paul Selvin Award and a Gemini Nomination for Best Screenplay. The NBC film, directed by Roger Spottiswoode (And the Band Played On), and produced by Goldie Hawn, was based on the life of gay hate-crime victim Matthew Shepard. Jacob is a member of Lincoln Center Directors Lab.

The cast includes Todd D'Amour (Obie Award-Winning Nita and Zita at HERE, Stanley at HERE, Red Tide Blooming at PS122), Carrie Keranen, Josh Lefkowitz (Help Wanted and Now What? at Ars Nova, Centerstage/Baltimore & Woolly Mammoth), Susan Louise O'Connor (2007 NYIT Best Actress Award for The Silent Concerto, Walk Two Moons at Lucille Lortel, Marion Bridge at Urban Stages) and Amy Staats (Drama Desk nominated Hell House, EST member, Clubbed Thumb's One Thing I Like To Say Is).

Larry Kunofsky, co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Four Chairs Theatre, is a New York-based playwright whose play A Guy Adrift in the Universe marked the first ever production for the company. He has been a resident at the Edward Albee Foundation, and is a three-time winner of the John Golden Award for Drama and a member of The Dramatists Guild.

Founded by award-winning writers Larry Kunofsky and Jacob Krueger in 2006, Four Chairs is more than just a Production Company. They're an artistic home for an ensemble of theatre creatives that includes both permanent and rotating members. In 2008, Four Chairs embarked on an ambitious new season, including the "Just Chairs" reading series (designed to foster the development of new work by emerging playwrights) and the upcoming production of What To Do When You Hate All Your Friends.

The 2008-2009 season will also mark the first year of a unique project with Interborough Repertory Theatre (IRT). Beginning in October 2008 Four Chairs will host an ensemble of four writers, four designers, four directors and four actors in a yearlong collaboration. Working in a cross-disciplinary mode, the ensemble will spend a full year exploring a theme to develop four new plays, which will ultimately be produced in Repertory at IRT.

The design/production team consists of Co-Producer ElizaBeth Dembrowsky, Ryan Maeker (Sound Design/NYIT Award Winner for Dancing Vs. The Rat Experiment), Niluka Hotaling (Set Design), Gina Scherr (Lighting Design), Melissa Trn (Costume Design) and Sally Jane Kerschen-Sheppard (Production Manager).

Adult content - appropriate for ages 16 and up. Trains: A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, N, Q, R, S, W to 42 St.

NCTC To Present Kelly's 'Friend are Forever' - 8/23/2008

NCTC is proud to once again feature the work of San Francisco Playwright Tom W. Kelly. This rollicking new comedy is a sexy celebration of gay couples where sometimes, it's only one degree of separation

Friends Are Forever follows three gay couples as they explore friendship, love, fidelity, and infidelity as well as the occasionally awkward repercussions. Friendships between the couples are humorously tested when indiscretions and secrets are unexpectedly exposed. But despite all obstacles, our shared humanity far outweighs our differences. Witty dialogue, likeably eccentric characters, and quick-fire pacing all merge into a provocatively fun-filled evening.

Preview are August 15th through 22nd. Opening night is August 23rd. NCTC's special "pay what you wish night" is August 21st. For ticket purchase call the box office at 415-891-8962

NCTC To Present Kelly's 'Friends are Forever' - 8/23/2008

Preview are August 15th through 22nd. Opening night is August 23rd. NCTC's special "pay what you wish night" is August 21st. For ticket purchase call the box office at 415-891-8962

Sporknotes presents "The Improv Book Club" - 8/24/2008

In July we answered the question, "What if Charlotte's Web had been written by George Orwell?" What do we do next month? You get to choose! Come Under Saint Marks on August 24th at 7:00 prepared with a book you want us to perform!

Italian Jewish Therapy Closes Off Broadway - 8/24/2008

Steve Solomon's hit comedy, MY MOTHER'S ITALIAN, MY FATHER'S JEWISH & I'M IN THERAPY!, will conclude its nearly two-year New York run on Sunday, August 24th at The Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street, between 9th & 10th Aves.) after 724 performances (including 40 previews). One of New York's longest-running one-man shows, the New York production currently stars Eddie Mekka.

While the show ends its record-breaking run in New York, Steve Solomon, the show's creator and original star, continues to play the show to sold-out houses in cities around the United States.

"We couldn't be more thrilled with our New York run," says Solomon. "When we first announced the New York engagement, the plan was to stay for only three months before taking the show on the road. But the audiences just kept coming back and bringing their families with them. So here we are, finally wrapping up after almost two years, two different theatres, three different actors and over 700 performances. Only in New York could audiences need so much therapy! Thank you New York!"

Twice the holidays! Twice the hollering! Twice the guilt! After sold-out engagements around the country, Rodger Hess, Abby Koffler, Howard Rapp, Arnold Graham and Ed Frankel present Steve Solomon's MY MOTHER'S ITALIAN, MY FATHER'S JEWISH & I'M IN THERAPY!, now starring Eddie Mekka. (television's "Laverne & Shirley"). One part canoli, one part kreplach and two parts prozac, ITALIAN+JEWISH=THERAPY is written by Steve Solomon is directed by John Bowab (Legends!, The Unsinkable Molly Brown).

Regis Philbin of ABC TV's "Live with Regis & Kelly" calls ITALIAN+JEWISH=THERAPY "beautifully written and hysterically funny! Non-stop laughs all the way!" WOR Radio raves "The show's a big hit! It's an hour-and-a-half of laughter!" while Joe Franklin of Bloomberg Radio calls the show "the sleeper hit of the season!" WCBS-TV heralds the show as "A funny look at family relationships" that WWOR-TV raves "brings down the house!"

Though best known to audiences for his seven seasons on "Laverne & Shirley," Eddie Mekka began his career as a New York trained actor earning Tony and Drama Desk Award-nominations for his performance as the title character in "The Lieutenant." Other Broadway credits include Stephen Schwartz's The Magic Show and Tom Stoppard's Jumpers. Most recently, Mekka starred in national tours of Grease with his television co-star Cindy Williams, Fiddler on the Roof and The Goodbye Girl. On film, Mekka has been seen in Dreamgirls, Beaches, A League of Their Own and Top Of the World. His recent television credits include "24," "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "The Bold and the Beautiful," "The Big Easy," "The Jamie Foxx Show" and as Detective Murdoch in the Fox T.V. movie "Catch Me If You Can".

Having headlined throughout the United States and Europe for over twenty years, creator Steve Solomon and stories relate to the wacky side of the human condition, combining comic voices, sound effects and astounding characters - bringing alive a myriad of people from all walks of life. ITALIAN+JEWISH=THERAPY has toured in over 50 cities around the United States, Canada and Bermuda, playing to sold out audiences and return engagements.

MY MOTHER'S ITALIAN, MY FATHER'S JEWISH & I'M IN THERAPY! features a scenic design by Ray Klausen, lighting design by Brian Nason and sound design by Carl Casella.

Steve Solomon's MY MOTHER'S ITALIAN, MY FATHER'S JEWISH & I'M IN THERAPY! plays at The Westside Theatre (407 West 43rd Street, between 9th & 10th Aves.). Via subway, take the 1/2/3/7/A/C/E/N/R/Q/W/S trains to 42nd Street/Times Square. Performances are Tuesday at 7:00PM, Wednesday – Saturday at 8:00PM with matinees Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 3:00PM. Tickets are $61.25 - $71.25. For tickets call Telecharge.com, (212) 239-6200. Visit www.ItalianJewishTherapy.com.

Algonquin Hosts Franken at Benefit - 8/25/2008

Algonquin Theater Productions (www.algonquinproductions.org) announced it will present standup comedy sensation Will Franken and five other comics at a fundraiser at The Algonquin Theater on Monday evening, August 25th at 8 p.m. Tickets for the event are $10 with no drink minimum.

Franken, selected "Best Comedian" by SF Weekly and "Best Alternative to Psychedelic Drugs" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, is among the nation's most recognized absurdist comics.

After achieving notoriety in his native San Francisco, Franken has played to sold out audiences in New York at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and other venues. His solo show, "Good Luck With It," debuted here at the International Fringe Festival to rave reviews by the New York Times.

"What elevates Mr. Franken above your garden-variety comedian," wrote The Times' Jason Zinoman, "is an erudite wit."

Other featured comics at the Algonquin fundraiser will be host Joseph Rocha, Stacia Jensen, Ryan Hamilton, Vicki Ferentinos and Rory Scovel.

The Algonquin Theater is located at 123 East 24th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues.

Tickets for the event can be purchased via SmartTix, 212-868-4444 or www.smarttix.com – or through the Algonquin box office, 212-730-4664.

Algonquin Theater Productions is a not-for-profit company moving plays to next-level production, including Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theater, film and television.

Simon MacCorkindale is West End's New Captain von Trapp - 8/25/2008

Simon MacCorkindale will star as 'Captain Von Trapp' opposite Summer Strallen playing 'Maria' in the smash hit West End musical "THE SOUND OF MUSIC" at the London Palladium from Monday 25 August. Best known for his starring role as 'Harry Harper' in three series of the hugely popular and successful "Casualty" on television, his other television credits include "Obsessive Love", "Falcon's Gold", "Quatermass", "Jesus of Nazareth", "Gemini" and "Dynasty". He has starred in films including "Juggernaut", "Death on the Nile" and "The Riddle of the Sands". He has directed a number of theatre productions including "The Dark Lady of the Sonnets" at the Royal National Theatre and "Pygmalion" at the Albery Theatre.

"THE SOUND OF MUSIC" will continue to feature Margaret Preece as 'Mother Abbess', Fiona Sinnott as 'The Baroness' and Paul Grunert as 'Max'. Rebecca Lucie and Nadim Naaman will take over the roles of 'Liesl' and 'Rolf ' on 25 August.

The smash hit new production of the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein musical opened to rave reviews and sell-out business at the London Palladium in November 2006. The production has now been seen by well over a million people. "THE SOUND OF MUSIC" originally premiered on Broadway in 1959, when it won six Tony Awards, including "Best Musical". The show first opened in London in 1961 and its last London revival was in 1981, both productions having record-breaking runs. The 1965 Hollywood film, which starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, won five Oscars, including "Best Picture". "THE SOUND OF MUSIC" has music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by "The Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta Trapp.

"THE SOUND OF MUSIC" is directed by Jeremy Sams, with choreography by Arlene Phillips, design by Robert Jones, sound by Mick Potter, lighting by Mark Henderson and musical supervision by Simon Lee.

"THE SOUND OF MUSIC" is presented by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian, The Really Useful Group and Live Nation.

"THE SOUND OF MUSIC" is booking until 28 February 2009. Performance times at the London Palladium are at 7.30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays – Saturdays, with Tuesday performances at 7.00pm, and Wednesday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets, priced from £25.00 - £55.00 including all booking fees, are available from the London Palladium Box Office on 0870 890 1108 or at www.soundofmusiclondon.com

David Cale To Perform @ Joe's To Benefit Living Theatre - 8/25/2008

David Cale will be performing REVOLUTIONARY ACTS: an evening of cabaret to benefit The Living Theatre, Inc. and to honor its co-founder, the iconic Judith Malina.

Some of New York's brightest and most revolutionary performers come together to help the authentic New York cultural heritage remain LIVING.

MC: Murray Hill, Debbie Harry, Penny Arcade, Justin Bond, Austin Pendleton, Tammy Faye Starlight, Our Lady J, Susan Hwang, Sanda Weigl and members of the Broadway musical Passing Strange and a special performance by Judith Malina will be entertainment at its most electric…$50, $30 for students only

Monday, August 25 at 9:30pm
David Cale
Part of Under the Radar's Incoming Series at Joe's Pub

Obie award recipient David Cale, whose credits include the acclaimed solo shows A Likely Story, Lillian and Deep in a Dream of You and the recently recorded musical Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky, has been writing and performing in New York since the early 80s. His monologues have been featured on NPR's 'This American Life' and 'The Next Big Thing'. His acting credits include the films Pollock and The Slaughter Rule and the recent Mike Leigh play, 2000 Years. As a lyricist for The Jazz Passengers,Cale's songs have been recorded by Deborah Harry, Jimmy Scott and performed in concert by Elvis Costello, $12

McNamara To Be Guest At Splash Bar 8/25 - 8/25/2008

On August 25th, 2008 Splash Bar will present Scott Nevins' Curtain Call with "XL STAR" winner Emily McNamara! Directly following the video madness of Musical Mondays, the uber-talented, bubbly blonde bombshell belter will serve up a full set of Broadway's hottest tunes and a few surprises as well! Get there early to grab a seat to watch these legendary musical numbers on the screens, and then sit tight as this belting beauty performs live in person! Admission is free until 10pm, $5 after. Must be 21 w/ id. Splash is located at 50 west 17th st (b/w 5th and 6th).

LA Gay Men's Chorus To Celebrate 30th Season With Concert - 8/25/2008

Join Della Reese, George Takei, Christine Chavez, Donzaleigh Abernathy, Del Shores, Billy Porter, Erin Hamilton and Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles as they welcome special guests (to be announced) to celebrate the launch of their 30th anniversary season with a choral repertoire of jazz, pop, classical, Broadway and more. Attending the event is support will be cast members of Sordid Lives, including Jason Dottley, Ann Walker, Ted Detweiler, Mary-Margaret Lewis, David Cowgill, Five of the nine members of HGTV's Design Star including: Matt Locke, Michael Stribling, Mikey Verdugo, Stephanie Cook, Trish Beaudet and Carol Burnett.

Highlights of the evening will include:

-Christine Chavez, the grand daughter of Cesar Chavez, participating in a poignant piece reflecting on immigration, racism.
-A tribute to gay marriage with George Takei and his husband, Brad Berliner, which includes pieces from the Kander and Ebb' - "Kiss of the Spider Woman" & "Cabaret."
-Commemorating the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I have a Dream" speech (40 years to the day), Actress/Activist/Author Donzaleigh Abernathy, who was there the day her God father "Uncle Martin" made the historic speech, will be participating.
-The GMCLA is honored to share the stage with the talented Billy Porter, performing "Lush Life" by Billy Strayhorn, the gifted Erin Hamilton will perform "Imagine" and her hit single "One World" and special selections with the legendary Della Reese.

Honorary Chairs for this event include: Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Angela Lansbury, Lily Tomlin, Liz Torres, Dr. Iris Levine, Hon. Diane Feinstein, Hon. Barbara Boxer, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Hon. Antonio Villaraigosa.

WHEN: Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 8:00pm
WHERE: Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 South Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
TICKETS: $25 - $80 by calling Ticketmaster at 800-523-1515 or www.ticketmaster.com

About GMCLA:

On a July night in 1979, a small group of men opened the doors to a room at the Plummer Park Community Center in Los Angeles (now West Hollywood) and waited and wondered if anybody would show up. They had posted flyers around the neighborhood announcing the formation of a new gay chorus and this night was to be its first rehearsal. To their great surprise, 99 men appeared and a chorus was born. Within three months of that rehearsal, founding director Harold Kjellberg led the group through its first major event: the March on Washington, D.C. and the first national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) concert at the Washington Memorial. While public understanding of gay life has evolved much since 1979, there is still fierce resistance to lasting change by opponents to LGBT equality. And the road to today has not always been easy. Through the height of the AIDS crisis, the Chorus lost over 150 members. Only 12 original members remain. As a result, GMCLA has a deep history of service within the LGBT community, singing at countless memorials, making and commissioning music that helps the community to mourn, to celebrate, to dream, and to prepare for victory. For over 30 years, the Chorus has built an international reputation for musical excellence while remaining deeply rooted in service to the Los Angeles community. Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the last important links to a glorious tradition in music," GMCLA has more than doubled in size to 226 singers, added professional and artistic staff, toured nationally and internationally, released thirteen compact discs, commissioned more than 300 new works and arrangements and appeared frequently on national television. The Chorus membership donates over 60,000 volunteer hours annually to make GMCLA's mission of musical excellence and community partnership a reality.

Marisa Tomei To Star In Westport's Reading o 'Golden Boy' - 8/25/2008

Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei and other actors to be announced will read the classic play "Golden Boy" written by Clifford Odets and directed by Jo Anne Woodward, on Monday, August 25, 7 p.m., at Westport Country Playhouse (Jo Anne Woodward and Anne Keefe, artistic directors, and Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, managing director). The reading is part of "The Classical Series," bringing together professional actors to read works by master playwrights.

In "Golden Boy," Joe Bonaparte dreams of becoming a world-famous violinist. When he is coerced into prize fighting by the lovely Lorna (Ms. Tomei), he discovers that he can make easy money. As he wins match after match, he finds himself losing his musical aspirations and becoming consumed by fortune, fame and glorious violence. Written in 1937, "Golden Boy" is the story of a young man who finds himself at the crossroads of his life. If you make the wrong choice, though, can you ever find your way back?

Marisa Tomei won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in "My Cousin Vinny" (1992), and received a second Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for "In the Bedroom" (2001). Ms. Tomei can currently be seen in "War, Inc." a political satire written by and also starring John Cusack. In 2007, she appeared in the Sidney Lumet-directed "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," for which she earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also was in the movie "Unhook the Stars" opposite Gena Rowlands, for which she was honored by her peers with a Screen Actor's Guild nomination. Ms. Tomei was last seen on Broadway in Caryl Churchill's now-classic feminist drama "Top Girls," and prior to that, opposite Al Pacino and Dianne Wiest in Oscar Wilde's "Salome" in the title role. Her previous theatre credits include Clifford Odets' "Waiting for Lefty" and "Rocket to the Moon," both directed by Jo Anne Woodward.

Jo Anne Woodward is currently artistic director of Westport Country Playhouse, following six previous seasons as artistic director (2000-2005). For Westport Country Playhouse, she directed "The Member of the Wedding," "The Constant Wife" and "Three Days of Rain," and co-directed with Anne Keefe "David Copperfield." Ms. Woodward is an Academy Award-winner for "The Three Faces of Eve," and has received three Emmy Awards. She won a Golden Globe Award for "Breathing Lessons" (HallMark Hall of Fame). In addition, she received a New York Critics Award and Oscar nomination for "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge."

Clifford Odets (1906 – 1963) wrote "Waiting for Lefty" (1935), "Awake and Sing!" (1935), "Paradise Lost" (1935), "Rocket to the Moon" (1938), "The Big Knife" (1949) and "The Country Girl" (1950), among many other plays. His screenplays include "Sweet Smell of Success" (1957) and "Wild in the Country" (1961). A Tony Award nomination came posthumously in 1965, sharing a book credit with William Gibson for the musical "Golden Boy," based on his play.

"The Classical Series" is supported, in part, by the White Barn Program of the Lucille Lortel Foundation. An upcoming presentation is scheduled on Monday, November 3, 7 p.m.

Celebrating its 78th season, the venerable Westport Country Playhouse (Jo Anne Woodward and Anne Keefe, Artistic Directors; Jodi Schoenbrun Carter, Managing Director) is creating innovative new works and dynamic revivals. The Playhouse has produced more than 700 plays, 36 of which later transferred to Broadway including "Come Back, Little Sheba" with Shirley Booth; "The Trip to Bountiful" with Lillian Gish; "Butterflies Are Free" with Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner; "Absurd Person Singular" with Sandy Dennis, Geraldine Page and Tony Roberts; and "Our Town" with Paul Newman. The list of actors, directors, and other theatre artists who have worked and continue to perform on The Playhouse's legendary stage reads like a "Who's Who" of the American theatre. Following a multi-million dollar renovation completed in 2005, The Playhouse now produces year-round, welcoming 85,000 audience members annually. In addition to a full season of theatrical productions, The Playhouse presents educational programming and workshops; a children's theatre series; symposiums; music; films; and readings of short fiction, classical works and new plays. Westport Country Playhouse serves as a treasured home for the theatrical arts, its audiences and its artists. For the State of Connecticut, it is a true cultural landmark. Your experience begins at www.westportplayhouse.org.

Tickets to "Golden Boy" are $15. For more information, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Information about The Playhouse is also available at www.westportplayhouse.org.

Marisa Tomei To Star In Westport's Reading of 'Golden Boy' - 8/25/2008

Beechman To Present Luba Mason For One Night Only, 8/25 - 8/25/2008

The Laurie Beechman Theatre is very pleased to welcome Broadway's Luba Mason for a one night only concert, as part of their celebrated Voices from the Great Whit Way Series. The series has just kicked off with sold out engagements from Becca Ayers (South Pacific) and Donna Lynne Champlin (Sweeney Todd). This one night only concert takes place on Monday, August 25th @ 7pm. There is a $25 cover, as well as a $15 food or beverage minimum (a full bar and dinner menu is available). The Laurie Beechman Theatre is located at 407 West 42nd St. (@ 9th Ave), in the heart of New York's theatre district. For reservations, which are recommended, please call 212 695 69 09.

A native New Yorker and first generation American, Luba Mason spent her early youth devoted to training in classical voice, piano and dance. The training paid off with her early acceptance to the Circle in the Square Theatre School and NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Straight out of school, Luba was plucked by Tommy Tune to sing and dance on Broadway in the Tony Award winning, The Will Rogers Follies. She went on to impress Trevor Nunn, who cast her in the American premiere of Sunset Boulevard. But it was director/impressario Des McAnuff who placed Luba front and center in the role of sex bomb Hedy LaRue next to Matthew Broderick's J. Pierpnt Finch in the celebrated Broadway revival of in How to Succeed... A role in Paul Simon's The Capeman preceded Luba's return to Center Stage as she starred in the Broadway production of Jekyll & Hyde, and then as Velma Kelly opposite Brooke Shields' Roxy Hart in the smash Broadway revival of Chicago. Her television credits include Law and Order, NYPD Blue and New York Undercover, and most recently opposite Jeff Goldblum in the psychic detective series, Raines. Her nighclub appearances include SRO engagements at clubs such as LA's famed Catalina Bar & Grill, Vibrato and the Cinegrill, New York's Opia and The Metropolitan Room, Chicago's Davenports and San Francisco's The Exit Theatre.

The Other Side of the Island - 8/26/2008

World premiere! Alpine Theatre Project (ATP) presents Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis in her wild adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest: a tale of love, revenge, and redemption. ATP is located in Whitefish, MT. This production will run August 26-September 7. For tickets or more information visit www.alpinetheatreproject.org or call 406.862.SHOW.

'Alfresco' Starring Thompson to be Released in the U.S. - 8/26/2008

Available to U.S. audiences for the first time, Acorn Media announces the August 26, 2008 home video debut of Alfresco, a hilarious sketch comedy series that launched the careers of Oscar®-winner Emma Thompson, Golden Globe®-winner Hugh Laurie (House), BAFTA-winner Robbie Coltrane (Cracker, the Harry Potter films), Stephen Fry, Ben Elton, among others. The 2-volume boxed set includes all 13 episodes plus a bonus program, the series three-episode pilot. Alfresco showcases soon-to-be-famous talents, full of the energy, irreverence, and audacity of youth.

In the tradition of Monty Python's Flying Circus and Saturday Night Live, Alfresco brought hilariously inventive comedy to British TV in the 1980s. It also introduced an entire troupe of bright young talents—Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Robbie Coltrane, Ben Elton, Stephen Fry, Siobhan Redmond, and Paul Shearer.

Wild and wacky, Alfresco serves up social satire and delightfully off-the-wall sketches that seem as fresh and funny today as when they originally aired. The laughs fly hard and fast, and no sacred cows escape the skewer when these versatile comic actors lampoon bureaucrats, Jesus freaks, self-righteous counterculturists, and even their own show. Now, for the first time, American audiences can enjoy every episode of this British comedy landmark.

Bonus Programs: There's Nothing to Worry About

The three-episode pilot series that led to the creation of Alfresco.

Additional Special Features: The story of the alternative comedy boom in 1980s Britain, and cast biographies and filmographies.

Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British television. Acorn's DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.

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