Michael Barakiva News

Cleveland Play House has revealed its 2024-2025 theatrical season of plays. See the full lineup and learn how to purchase tickets.

59E59 Theaters, wild project productions and ADH Theatricals, LLC have revealed the cast for The Christine Jorgensen Show. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets!

Michael Barakiva has been named the new Artistic Director of Cleveland Play House! Learn more about him here!

59E59 Theaters has revealed additional productions for the 2024 winter season.

Cleveland Play House presents a reimagined adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a haunting and highly theatrical adaptation of the classic horror story. Just in time for Halloween, this sensual, poetic adaptation by David Catlin currently running through November 12 in the Outcalt Theatre, located in the heart of Playhouse Square. Watch a teaser trailer for the production here!

What did our critic think of MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN at Cleveland Play House?

Mary Shelley's shocking classic novel, Frankenstein, receives new life at Cleveland Play House. A haunting and highly theatrical adaptation of the classic horror story. Directed by Michael Barakiva, the production features Josh Bates, Madeline Calais, Ellen Grace Diehl, Gavin Michaels, and Kayodè Soyemi.

October 6-22, Chenango River Theatre will present Katori Hall's beautiful historical drama, The Mountaintop.

Check out the lineup for Cleveland Play House's 108th Season here!

Cleveland Play House will bring its 2022-2023 season to a close with the world premiere production of Ken Ludwig's Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure. Running April 29 through May 21 in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square.

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) has announced  production on the American premiere of pleytem tsuzamen (Refugees Together), a new Yiddish theatrical concert from creator Josh Waletzky and director Michael Barakiva, running for two performances only.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will ring in 2023 with the West Coast Premiere of Ali Viterbi's In Every Generation. This celebration of Jewish tradition, following one family through four millennia of Passover dinners, past, present, and future, was the winner of the National Jewish Playwriting Contest. Check out photos of the production here!

BroadwayWorld talks to acclaimed director Michael Barakiva about his new production of Ali Viterbi's award-winning 'In Every Generation' playing at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley through February 12th.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will ring in 2023 with the West Coast Premiere of Ali Viterbi’s In Every Generation. This celebration of Jewish tradition, following one family through four millennia of Passover dinners, past, present, and future, was the winner of the National Jewish Playwriting Contest. 

Following the success of its inaugural cohort in the summer of 2022, the Leadership Initiative Project is introducing the participants of the program's second iteration, which kicks off on October 10.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley announced its 52nd season, featuring six plays and musicals to be presented November 2022 through August 2023. Three of the season's productions will be mounted at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, and three will be staged at Palo Alto's Lucie Stern Theatre. Subscriptions are now available; single tickets will be available in the coming months at TheatreWorks.org.

​​​​​​Berkshire Theatre Group has announced casting for shows in BTG’s Late Summer 2022 Season. The full season will feature B.R.O.K.E.N code B.I.R.D switching, a world premiere play and an award recipient of the GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS from the National Endowment for the Arts; Once, a Tony Award-winning musical; Songs For a New World, the first musical by a Tony Award winner; Dracula, a classic gothic tale of horrors; and Edward Albee's Seascape, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play. 

This free festival, running May 16–22, explores and celebrates new voices in American Theater. With workshops, a panel discussion, and talk-backs—both in-person and online—the New Work Festival strengthens TheaterWorks Hartford’s commitment to the development of important new plays.

TheaterWorks Hartford is thrilled to present the 2022 edition of its New Work Festival. This free festival, running May 16–22, explores and celebrates new voices in American Theater. With workshops, a panel discussion, and talk-backs—both in-person and online—the New Work Festival strengthens TheaterWorks Hartford’s commitment to the development of important new plays. Participants include playwrights Brooke Berman, Melissa Crespo & Sarah Saltwick, Terry Guest, and James Anthony Tyler who are joined by directors Shariffa Ali, Michael Barakiva, Mikael Burke, and Caitlin Sullivan. Reservations are required and can be made at www.twhartford.org.

Today (April 26) in live streaming: the first episode of Broadway's Masked Singer, Live at the Lortel with Sydney Harcourt, and more!