Annie Baker News

54 Below will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond, including Rent original stars Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, plus many more. 

In January of 2026, 54 Below will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond, including Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, Matthew Morrison and many more. 

Off-Broadway's Cherry Lane Theatre has announced the creation of the Cherry Lane Playwrights Collective, a nonprofit initiative launched in collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and director Annie Baker.

Three-time Tony Award winner Nathan Lane, two-time Tony Award winner Laurie Metcalf, and Christopher Abbott will return to Broadway in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.

The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize has revealed this year's finalists for the prestigious international playwriting award- the largest and oldest award recognising women+ writers for plays of outstanding quality written for the English-speaking theatre. 

Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Youngblood program has announced ten new members for its 2025–2026 season. The OBIE Award-winning collective will welcome Davis Alianiello, Messiah Cristine, Avery Deutsch, Xiaoyan Kang, Carolyn Kettig, Gloria Majule, Max Mooney, Jordan Ramirez Puckett, Eliya Smith, and Rosa Thomas.

Sentinel Theatre, a newly established 501c3 non-profit organization, will present the intimate dramatic comedy CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION from Nov. 14 to 22 at The Hive Collaborative in Provo, Utah, following its opening season productions of DOGFIGHT and BRIGHT STAR Tickets (general admission $25, students $15) are now available at www.sentineltheatre.org/tickets.

After successful runs in Sheffield and London, Kenrex is arriving at The Other Palace in December. The show, written by Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian with music by John Patrick Elliott, tells the tale of Ken Rex McElroy, a criminal who faced the consequences of his actions at the hands of the townspeople of Skidmore, Missouri in 1981. Holden takes on all of the roles, with Elliott accompanying with live music on stage as well.

The title of the devastating and psychologically complex play entitled Everything is Wonderful is considered to be code in the Amish way of life, but it is, concurrently, a bit of an ironic title as well for a play that looks to differing points of view for its appeal (the “English” culture might consider this phrase to be almost ironic). 

CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION will probably hit hardest with those of us who took drama classes at some point, and were subjected to this uniquely silly torture that acting teachers come up with just to knock us all down a few pegs. I imagine those lucky enough to have evaded that will be giggling at the fate they dodged.

Cassie Beck is reprising her performance from the National Tour production. Alongside Beck, the complete cast includes MJ Sieber as ‘Legionnaire’ and local 12th grader Natalie Stephens as ‘Debater.’

The 17th annual Bring A Weasel and A Pint of Your Own Blood Festival will take place this year at the recently reopened Life World in September. Learn more here!

Annie Baker’s (Playwright) 2009 Obie Award winning Off-Broadway play, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION is presented with humour and heart by director Dean Bryant. 

Brenda Pressley will take her first bow as Claudine Jasper in the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of PURPOSE tomorrow, Tuesday, July 15. Pressley will appear in the role through the conclusion of the production’s run on August 31. A photo of Pressley in character has been released ahead of her debut.

Wessex Grove has announced that Ben Power has joined the company in a consulting capacity as Creative Associate. Learn more about Power and his new position here.

Playwrights Foundation has revealed the semifinalists and finalists for the 47th Bay Area Playwrights Festival, which will be presented in a hybrid festival. Learn more!

The 24 Hour Plays revealed this year's company for The 24 Hour Plays Nationals in NYC. Learn more about the events taking place in July and see how to attend!

What can one say about Hunter S. Thompson, the infamous “Gonzo” journalist who wrote about the Hell’s Angels, The Kentucky Derby, who wrote prolifically in Rolling Stone Magazine and who plunged into Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (with drug -fueled adrenalin) and who embraced political passions in Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail? It seems quite a hell of a lot ---especially if one witnesses the jam-packed minutiae and layers of Hunter J. Thompson’s musically embellished narrative, --where autobiography, history and psychological facets of consciousness collide and converge in the explosive Signature Theatre production of The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical.

As a graduate of the Evening Conservatory in 2022, my time at Atlantic provided an ideal environment to hone my craft, consolidate my skills, and springboard into the professional world.

The Canadian premiere of the groundbreaking musical A Strange Loop and a bold new retelling of Mahabharata are the big winners in the 2025 Toronto Theatre Critics Awards (TTCA), each scooping up three prizes.