Vanessa A. Jones

BWW Review: The New Musical, TILL by American Theater Group Enthralls at St. Andrew's Church in South Orange

An extraordinary setting for an extraordinary show! The American Theater Group (ATG) is currently presenting the New Jersey premiere of a new musical, Till staged at the historic St. Andrew's Church in South Orange. Directed by Cezar Williams, written by Leo Schwartz and DC Cathro, Till will be performed through March 8.

Alliance Presents World Premiere By Pearl Cleage

The Alliance Theatre is pleased to announce the world premiere of ANGRY, RAUCOUS AND SHAMELESSLY GORGEOUS by acclaimed Atlanta author and playwright, Pearl Cleage.  In this funny and hopeful new play, artists from different generations and worldviews must find a way to reconcile their different beliefs and make peace with lingering ghosts from the past.  The play looks closely at women as they age, their place in society as they age, and how women's voices are heard and when throughout their lives.  Directed by the Alliance Theatre's Artistic Director Susan V. Booth, ANGRY, RAUCOUS AND SHAMELESSLY GORGEOUS will premiere on the Alliance's newly renovated Coca-Cola Stage from March 20 - April 14, 2019.  Opening Night is Wednesday, March 27, 7:30 p.m.   

National Black Theatre Announces The Cast Of THE FIRST DEEP BREATH By Lee Edward Colston II

Dr. Barbara Ann Teer's National Black Theatre [NBT] announces today the cast of the first workshop production for this years cohort of I Am Soul Playwriting Residency by playwright Lee Edward Colston II. Colston's workshop production (February 13 - 17, 2019) will be The First Deep Breath which will be directed by Malika Oyetimein. This production with feature Vanessa A. Jones & C. Kelly Wright. As part of NBT's Soul Series L.A.B. [Liberating Artistic Bravery], The First Deep Breath will conclude an 18-month residency for Lee Edward Colston II as the institution celebrating NBT's 50th season which is themed "Liberation: A Journey Beyond Walls."

Amas Musical Theatre To Present STEALING FREEDOM as Part of 'Dare To Be Different' Series

Amas Musical Theatre in celebration of its 50th season, will present Stealing Freedom: The True, Heroic Life of The Extraordinary Captain Smalls, (formerly "Charleston Harbor") with book, music & lyrics by Scott Sublett, the third of four new musicals in development included in this year's "Dare to Be Different" series. Performances are Thursday, November 29 at 3pm & 7pm and Friday, November 30 at 3pmat A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street - 10th Avenue & 53rd Street.

Barter's AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' Raises Money For BC/EFA

The acclaimed Cast of Aint Misbehavin' at Barter Theatre in Abingdon Virginia has raised over $12,000.00 for BC/EFA.

New Musical CHARLESTON HARBOR Kicks Off Amas Musical Theatre's 'Dare To Be Different' Reading Series Today

Amas Musical Theatre will present Charleston Harbor, the first offering of Dare To Be Different, the previously announced series of new musicals and one-night only special events being held at A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street - 10th Avenue & 53rd Street).

New Musical CHARLESTON HARBOR to Kick Off Amas Musical Theatre's 'Dare To Be Different' Reading Series

Amas Musical Theatre will present Charleston Harbor, the first offering of Dare To Be Different, the previously announced series of new musicals and one-night only special events being held at A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 West 53rd Street - 10th Avenue & 53rd Street).

Photo Flash: Daphne Rubin-Vega in La Jolla Playhouse MISS YOU LIKE HELL

La Jolla Playhouse presents the world-premiere production of Miss You Like Hell, book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegria Hudes (In the Heights, Water by the Spoonful), music and lyrics by acclaimed singer/songwriter Erin McKeown, directed by Lear deBessonet (Public Theatre's The Odyssey) and choreographed by Danny Mefford(Broadway's Fun Home).

STAGE TUBE: Daphne Rubin-Vega in the Studio for La Jolla Playhouse's MISS YOU LIKE HELL

La Jolla Playhouse presents the world-premiere production of Miss You Like Hell, book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegria Hudes (In the Heights, Water by the Spoonful), music and lyrics by acclaimed singer/songwriter Erin McKeown, directed by Lear deBessonet (Public Theatre's The Odyssey) and choreographed by Danny Mefford (Broadway's Fun Home). The musical features two-time Tony Award nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega (RENT, Anna in the Tropics) as 'Beatriz' - click below to watch her perform a song from the show in the studio!

Daphne Rubin-Vega Joins Cast of World Premiere of MISS YOU LIKE HELL at La Jolla Playhouse

La Jolla Playhouse announces the cast and creative team for its world-premiere production of Miss You Like Hell, book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegria Hudes (In the Heights, Water by the Spoonful), music and lyrics by acclaimed singer/songwriter Erin McKeown, directed by Lear deBessonet (Public Theatre's The Odyssey) and choreographed by Danny Mefford (Broadway's Fun Home). Commissioned by the Playhouse and developed during the 2016 DNA New Work Series, the production has been extended by one week, now running October 25 - December 4 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre. Tickets go on sale August 27 at LaJollaPlayhouse.org or by calling (858) 550-1010.

New Drama SATCHEL PAIGE AND THE KANSAS CITY SWING to Play Cincinnati Playhouse

SATCHEL PAIGE AND THE KANSAS CITY SWING, an exciting and inspirational new drama by playwrights Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan, heads to the mound to close the Playhouse's 2015-16 Marx Theatre lineup April 23 through May 21 … just in time for baseball season in Cincinnati. Their collaboration about the Tuskegee Airmen, Fly, was a smash Playhouse hit in 2013.

SATCHEL PAIGE AND THE KANSAS CITY SWING to Wrap The Rep's 49th Season

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing by Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan and directed by Ricardo Khan. This freewheeling take on one of baseball's greatest personalities runs March 16-April 10 on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts. Curtain times are Tuesdays at 7 pm; Wednesdays-Fridays at 8 pm; selected Wednesday matinees at 1:30 pm; Saturday matinees at 4 pm; selected Saturday nights at 8 pm; Sunday matinees at 2 pm; and selected Sunday evenings at 7 pm.

Photo Flash: First Look at Allyson Kaye Daniel, Zonya Love, Nathaniel Stampley and More in Milwaukee Rep's THE COLOR PURPLE

Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2014/15 Quadracci Powerhouse Season kicks off in grand style with an uplifting production of The Color Purple. This hit musical, based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, will be directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements, who reunites with the same creative team behind last season's wildly successful hit production of Ragtime. This will be the fifth musical that Clements has directed at The Rep.

BWW Reviews: Milwaukee Rep's THE COLOR PURPLE Plays Beautiful, Bold and Brilliant

n a revival of Alice Walker's bold novel The Color Purple, the award winning musical opens The Milwaukee Rep's 2014-2015 theater season reprising the WOW in entertainment that began with Ragtime in their 60th season. Walker's Pulitzer Prize winning 1982 story arrives in a re-adaptation of the 1985 film and 2005 Broadway musical redesigned for the Quadracci Powerhouse stage featuring a superb cast, which after almost three hours, "fills the room like a sweet perfume… restoring a belief in trust and tenderness."

Milwaukee Rep's THE COLOR PURPLE Opens Tonight

Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2014/15 Quadracci Powerhouse Season kicks off in grand style with an uplifting production of The Color Purple. This hit musical, based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, will be directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements, who reunites with the same creative team behind last season's wildly successful hit production of Ragtime. This will be the fifth musical that Clements has directed at The Rep.

Milwaukee Rep's THE COLOR PURPLE Opens 9/26

Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 2014/15 Quadracci Powerhouse Season kicks off in grand style with an uplifting production of The Color Purple. This hit musical, based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, will be directed by Artistic Director Mark Clements, who reunites with the same creative team behind last season's wildly successful hit production of Ragtime. This will be the fifth musical that Clements has directed at The Rep.

Zonya Love, Allyson Kaye Daniel, Nathaniel Stampley & More to Lead Milwaukee Repertory Theater's THE COLOR PURPLE this Fall

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced casting today for The Color Purple, the glorious musical saga which opens Friday, September 26, 2014 and runs from September 23 - November 2, 2014.

TDF's Holds Open Doors Graduation Today, 6/11

Over 350 guests including current and past New York City high school students, and the performing arts professional mentors who have participated in TDF's Open Doors, the theatre arts mentoring program that TDF founded in 1998 with playwright Wendy Wasserstein, will attend this year's graduation at 5:30pm tonight, June 11 at The Pershing Square Signature Center - Irene Diamond Stage (480 West 42nd Street, NYC). This year has been Open Doors' biggest year ever with a total of 23 mentors and 7 guest mentors working with 22 groups of students from New York City high schools.

TDF's Open Doors Graduation Set for 6/11

Over 350 guests including current and past New York City high school students, and the performing arts professional mentors who have participated in TDF's Open Doors, the theatre arts mentoring program that TDF founded in 1998 with playwright Wendy Wasserstein, will attend this year's graduation at 5:30pm on Monday, June 11 at The Pershing Square Signature Center - Irene Diamond Stage (480 West 42nd Street, NYC). This year has been Open Doors' biggest year ever with a total of 23 mentors and 7 guest mentors working with 22 groups of students from New York City high schools.

STAGE TUBE: Wendy Wasserstein on the Tony Honored TDF Open Doors Program

As previously reported, the Tony Award's Administration Committee has announced that Theatre Development Fund's Open Doors program will be among those honored with a special 2012 Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre.