Industry Theatre Newsroom Page 97

BESPOKE PLAYS - a new play reading series - announces LAURA DARRELL (DIETLAND, Frozen) will lead the first New York public readings of MEET CUTE by CHRISTINE BOYLAN (THE PUNISHER, CLOAK AND DAGGER), on November 3rd and 4th at 7pm at Manhattan Theatre Club Studios. Reservations for these industry presentations may be made by emailing BespokePlays@gmail.com. 

TDF, the not-for-profit service organization dedicated to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone, is launching the third season of its TDF Veterans Theatregoing Program.

Not-for-profit History Matters/Back to the Future is accepting applications for this year's Judith Barlow Prize now through December 31st. The Annual Judith Barlow Prize is awarded to a student playwright for an exceptional one-act play inspired by the work of an historic female playwright. Annually, the first place student winner of the prize receives a $2,500 award and a reading of their work in New York City, with a $500 award to the participating professor.

Bated Breath Theatre Company will present a special free industry-only performance of their acclaimed site-specific, environmental production UNMAKING TOULOUSE-LAUTREC, selected as one of the 11 'best immersive plays and interactive theatrical experiences on Broadway and beyond' by Time Out. It will be presented Monday, October 21 at 7:30pm at Madame X in Manhattan's historic Greenwich Village, where performances began on May 8 and continue through January 8, 2020.

The Actors Fund, the national human services organization for everyone in performing arts and entertainment, announced today the launch of The Actors Fund Flu Shot Program for Touring Companies, a partnership with the John Gore Organization. The program is designed to provide flu shots to the cast, crew and traveling family members of all Actors' Equity national touring companies, as well as theatrical venue staff, while also educating them about the programs and services available to them through The Actors Fund.

Seth Bisen-Hersh and Mark Childers' musical, LOVE QUIRKS returns to NYC with an industry reading on Thursday, November 14th at 7:30PM and Friday, November 15th at 2PM at the Dramatists Guild Foundation's The Music Hall (356 W. 40th St., 2nd Floor).  

The Dramatists Guild of America has announced the launch of a new podcast, TALKBACK, available on all your favorite podcast platforms beginning October 21st.

The only African American lead producers on Broadway for the last 13 years they and their company Front Row Productions have blazed a trail of a?oefirsts,a?? Stephen C. Byrd and Alia Jones-Harvey have brought a unique brand of diversity to Broadway and London's West End by mounting new productions featuring non-traditional casting and diverse voices to the stage. Established in 2006, the Olivier Award Winning and Tony-nominated Producers strive to employ diverse talent, creative teams and management for all of their productions.

The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust today announced that Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury and Horton Foote Prize-winning playwright Lauren Yee are the recipients of 2019 Steinberg Playwright Awards.

The MacDowell Colony has awarded fall fellowships to 79 artists, including Jeanine Tesori and Sarah DeLappe, according to American Theatre.

From Oct. 10-13, union leaders, special guests and delegates from across the country will descend on the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles for the fourth biennial SAG-AFTRA National Convention.

CPR - Center for Performance Research, which supports the development of new works in contemporary dance, performance and related forms, welcomes Remi Harris as its Programs Manager.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), the theatrical Union that represents over 4,000 professional stage directors and choreographers kicks off their 4th season of Screen-to-Screen, an exclusive program for SDC Associate Members working in academia on October 7th.

The Drama League has announced that EY is the 2019 recipient of The Drama League's Arts Ally Award, to be presented to Herb Engert at the 36th Annual Drama League Benefit Gala.

The Stage Managers' Association (SMA) presented its annual Del Hughes Awards for Lifetime Achievement in the Art of Stage Management to three stage managers from the worlds of Broadway, Off-Broadway, Touring, Regional Theatre, and Opera - Rich Costabile, Barbara Donner, and Mary K Klinger. In addition to the three Lifetime Achievement Awards, the SMA recognized Janet Friedman with The Founders Award, a special recognition for her many years of service to the SMA and for embodying the values expressed by the Founders of the SMA. The event was celebrated at Connelly's Times Square on September 23rd, 2019. The SMA thanks Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids for their leading sponsorship of the event.

Casting has just been announced for the Equity Lab of the new musical, MEDUSA, led by Kate Shindle and Heidi Blickenstaff

Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International (MTI) has acquired the new musical The Big One-Oh! for its Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) and Broadway Junior libraries of titles. Based on the novel of the same name by Oscar-winning screenwriter, songwriter and novelist Dean Pitchford (Fame, Footloose), The Big One-Oh! is a triumphant new musical about a boy who decides to throw himself the a?oebest birthday party in the history of the worlda?? to celebrate the monumental occasion of turning ten.

NYC & Company Chairman of the Board of Directors Emily K. Rafferty has announced her decision to step down from her chairmanship in February 2020. When Rafferty leaves her post next year, she will have served as Board Chairman of the organization for nearly 12 years and presided over a tourism industry that has enjoyed 10 consecutive years of growth. In accordance with NYC & Company's bylaws, the organization's Executive Committee today voted to elect longstanding Vice Chairman Charles Flateman, Executive Vice President of the Shubert Organization, to fill the remaining portion of Emily Rafferty's term, through February 2021.

Theater Resources Unlimited presents the Writer-Producer Speed Date, a unique opportunity to pitch a project to a roomful of New York producers and artistic directors on Sunday, October 13, 2019 from 4:30pm to 8:30pm at the newly opened 797 Studios, 797 Eighth Avenue (betw. 48th and 49th), 3rd floor, NYC.

Christman Opera Company has announced the cast for the October 27, 2019 NYC reading of UNFOLDED, a new work with music by Theodore Christman and book and lyrics by Donna Gay Anderson. This dramatic musical is based on the life and work of Susie Scott Krabacher.

Twenty-five years ago, Shirley MacLaine and Richard Pryor were onstage together when they were inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame, honoring them for their Lifetime Achievements on Stage, Television, and Film. On October 17, 2019, Richard Pryor Jr. and Shirley MacLaine's daughter, Sachi Parker, will be on stage together, costarring in a staged reading of 'THE INTERRUPTED JOURNEY' at the Actors Temple Theatre, NYC.

Christine Boylan (THE PUNISHER, LEVERAGE), Ellie Pyle (SOURCES, BEGINNINGS), and Ryan McCurdy (ONCE, PIP'S ISLAND) have announced the official addition of a New York chapter to Bespoke Plays, which will make it the only bicoastal production company dedicated to industry readings of new plays. Boylan and Pyle will continue to co-produce Los Angeles with McCurdy as the New York associate.

Jonathan Gray and David F. Schwartz today announced the launch of Gray Schwartz LLP, a boutique entertainment law firm concentrating on documentaries, non-fiction / unscripted content, and live theater.

Celebrating the immortal words and trailblazing work of Lorraine Hansberry, The Circle Series will stage a special 50th anniversary reading of her posthumously-compiled work To Be Young, Gifted and Black on Monday, September 30 at 7pm. Produced by Circle in the Square Theatre School (Paul Libin, Present; Susan Frankel, COO), Pigasus Institute, and Rachel Shuey, the staged reading will be held at Broadway's Circle in the Square and is open to the public.