Michael Rob News

The thirteenth annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature will focus its lens on today's fractious relationship between gender and power. Taking place in New York City, May 1-7, 2017, the weeklong Festival will use literature and the arts to address how gender both enables and impairs full participation in politics and society.

 Tony Award-winning producer Margot Astrachan (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder) is joined by a panel of musical theatre industry veterans on Wednesday, April 19 at 7pm for an insightful discussion about how musicals come together.  Topics will include moving a work from concept to full production, and how musicals are selected for prestigious showcases like the New York Musical Festival.

Tony Award-winning producer Margot Astrachan (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder) is joined by a panel of musical theatre industry veterans on Wednesday, April 19 at 7pm for an insightful discussion about how musicals come together.

Following the Women's Marches around the country, Occupy and other recent protests, we ask ourselves: what next? House Divided unites artists, writers, thinkers, and politicos in a one-of-a-kind event to be held at the historic Great Hall at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art where Lincoln gave his famous address against the expansion of slavery.

Annex Theatre experiments with a slew of collaborators, curated by Artistic Director Catherine Blake Smith & company member James Weidman, in a truly 'Annex' style.

The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center announces the complete line-up of its annual PEN World Voices International Play Festival, running May 1, 2 at The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center (365 Fifth Avenue, New York), and Sunday, May 7 at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe (236 E 3rd St, New, New York).

PEN America has announced that leading Russian and American journalist and author Masha Gessen, will deliver the Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture, followed by a conversation with comedian and political commentator Samantha Bee on the closing night of the PEN World Voices Festival. This year the thirteenth annual Festival, taking place in New York from May 1-7, will address some of the vital issues of the Trump era, with a special focus on the fractious relationship between gender and power. At a moment of historic threats to freedom and truth, Ms. Gessen and Ms. Bee, both activists in their own rights, will speak to Gessen's experience with Russian censorship and suppression of dissent, and parallels between the current administration and other authoritarian regimes.

Following a well-received tour around Minnesota, the powerful one-man play, Thurgood, revisits the Twin Cities from March 9-19 at the Illusion Theater, located on the eighth floor of the Cowles Center, 528 Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis.

The thirteenth annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature will focus its lens on today's fractious relationship between gender and power. Taking place in New York City, May 1-7, 2017, the weeklong Festival will use literature and the arts to address how gender both enables and impairs full participation in politics and society.

Following a well-received tour around Minnesota, the powerful one-man play, Thurgood, revisits the Twin Cities from March 9-19 at the Illusion Theater, located on the eighth floor of the Cowles Center, 528 Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis.

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2016 which I did not cover. This list is based only on what I saw and reviewed. (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) No set, costume, technical awards. I leave that to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out.

Miss Richfield 1981 is running for Governor in her all new show, From the Trailer House to the State House - Santa Style! For her 17th annual holiday show, Miss R will prove why she'll be Minnesota's best commander-in-chiffon, laying out her platform in side-splitting songs, very funny videos and getting the audience involved in the movement: #BigHairMatters. The Midwest maven will be on stage December 2-17 at the Illusion Theater located on the eighth floor of The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis. There's no better time to launch a campaign than the Holidays!

The producers of Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage announced casting today for the third year of the North American Tour, which coincides with the film's 30th anniversary. Christopher Tierney, having originally performed the role of Johnny Castle during the 2015 Toronto engagement, returned to the show during its most recent North American tour and will once again thrill audiences alongside the fast-rising young star Bronwyn Reed as Frances 'Baby' Houseman. Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County beginning November 29 through December 4, 2016. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the show!

Miss Richfield 1981 is running for Governor in her all new show, From the Trailer House to the State House - Santa Style! For her 17th annual holiday show, Miss R will prove why she'll be Minnesota's best commander-in-chiffon, laying out her platform in side-splitting songs, very funny videos and getting the audience involved in the movement: #BigHairMatters. The Midwest maven will be on stage December 2-17 at the Illusion Theater located on the eighth floor of The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis. There's no better time to launch a campaign than the Holidays!

The producers of Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage announced casting for the third year of the North American Tour, which coincides with the film's 30th anniversary. Christopher Tierney, having originally performed the role of Johnny Castle during the 2015 Toronto engagement, returned to the show during its most recent North American tour and will once again thrill audiences alongside the fast-rising young star Bronwyn Reed as Frances "Baby" Houseman. Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County beginning November 29 through December 4, 2016.

For the final concert in this popular community concert season lovers of Mozart's music will be especially well served with three members of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra together with pianist Damien Mansfield performing Mozart's 1st Piano Quartet.

The producers of Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage announced casting today for the third year of the North American Tour, which coincides with the film's 30th anniversary. Christopher Tierney, having originally performed the role of Johnny Castle during the 2015 Toronto engagement, returned to the show during its most recent North American tour and will once again thrill audiences alongside the fast-rising young star Bronwyn Reed as Frances 'Baby' Houseman. Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County beginning November 29 through December 4, 2016. Scroll down for a sneak peek at the show!

Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment, today announced that Sony Music Entertainment CEO Doug Morris will transition from the operational management of Sony Music Entertainment and assume the role of Chairman in April 2017.  Rob Stringer, currently Chairman and CEO of Columbia Records, will become CEO of Sony Music Entertainment.  He will have overall operational responsibility for Sony Music Entertainment globally. He will report directly to Lynton.

The Group Rep extends its well-received production of A Slight Ache written by Harold Pinter, directed by Kevin Dobson, produced by Kevin Dobson and Linda Alznauer.  This tragic-comedy concerns a married couple confronted by a mysterious figure who shakes up their equilibrium and forces them out of their cozy existence.

 The acclaimed ensemble, Transatlantic Love Affair (TLA), tackles a dark tale of ambition, revenge and the seedy underbelly of the criminal world in 105 Proof; or, the Killing of Mack 'The Silencer' Klein. In this original tale, set in Prohibition times - the era of the Tommy gun and the speakeasy - a small-time bootlegger discovers the true cost of moonshine. The new work will be on stage November 5-20 at the Illusion Theater, located on the eighth floor of The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis.