(From "Witness"/the BBC World Service, 12/30; use link below or paste it into your browser.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00cmm0d/Witness_Hamlet
Monthly Archives: December 2010
LYNN REDGRAVE: THE LIFE SHE LIVED · Dec 30th
(Daphne Merkin’s article appeared in The New York Times Magazine, 12/21.)
BORN INTO A FAMILY of regal thespians, the youngest of three children, she was the tall, chubby, slightly awkward girl who loved her nanny and her chestnut pony, Rosalinda. Lynn Redgrave may never have been quite the hapless ugly duckling she would play in the era-defining 1966 movie “Georgy Girl,” but she was a lonely, sickly child, forever afraid of her “perfectionist” father, Sir Michael Redgrave (who failed to note her birth in his long diary entry for March 8, 1943), and dazzled by her good-looking and self-possessed siblings, Vanessa and Corin. In one of the childhood games they played together, Lynn recalled in her memoir-cum-diet-book, “This Is Living,” Vanessa was president of the United States, Corin was prime minister of England and Lynn had to make do with impersonating the royal dog.
via www.nytimes.com
See a PBS interview with Lynn Redgrave and Tavis Smiley at: http://video.pbs.org/video/1484436103/
‘MACBETH’*RUPERT GOOLD*PATRICK STEWART*GREAT PERFORMANCES · Dec 29th
Watch the full episode. See more Great Performances.
MACBETH
Following a London West End run in December 2007, a sold-out limited engagement at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in March 2008, and an eight-week run on Broadway, director Rupert Goold's stage production of Macbeth was filmed for television at the end of 2009 with Patrick Stewart in his Tony-nominated performance as the ambitious general, and Tony-nominated Kate Fleetwood as his scheming wife.
Visit OpenSource Shakespeare for complete text:
***** ‘MATILDA’ (U.K. REVIEW) · Dec 28th
(Charles Spencer’s article appeared in the Telegraph 12/10.)
I turned up to the RSC’s new musical version of Roald Dahl’s Matilda expecting a pretty classy children’s show. What I wasn’t anticipating was the best British musical since Billy Elliot and a smash hit that will surely be the toast of the West End once its run in Stratford is over.
Dahl was a terrific story teller and his Matilda, about a little girl with magical powers, horrible parents and an even more horrific head teacher, is highly entertaining.
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‘NEW YORKER’ THEATRE LISTINGS, PLAYDECK, 1/3 · Dec 27th
Openings and Previews
Event: Blood from a Stone
Venue: Acorn
The New Group presents the première of a play by Tommy Nohilly . . .
Event: Dracula
Venue: Little Shubert Theatre
Michel Altieri, Emily Bridges, and George Hearn star in this adaptation of . . .
Event: The Importance of Being Earnest
Venue: American Airlines Theatre
Brian Bedford directs Oscar Wilde’s farce from 1895, for the Roundabout Theatre . . .
Event: The Mikado
Venue: Symphony Space
The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players present the classic operetta, about . . .
Event: NEWSical the musical
Venue: Kirk Theatre
A comedy revue lampooning the current headlines returns, with music and lyrics . . .
Event: Other Desert Cities
Venue: Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater
Stockard Channing, Stacy Keach, Linda Lavin, Thomas Sadoski, and Elizabeth Marvel star . . .
Event: A Small Fire
Venue: Playwrights Horizons
Trip Cullman directs a new play by Adam Bock, about the dramatic . . .
Event: Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark
Venue: Foxwoods Theatre
Julie Taymor directs a musical based on the Marvel Comics series, with . . .
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THE PLANET CONNECTIONS THEATRE FESTIVITY IN NY—ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS UNTIL 2/1 · Dec 27th
The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, New York's premiere eco-friendly/socially conscious, not-for-profit theatre festival, is currently accepting submissions for its 2011 season. The festivity accepts all topics and subject matters including but not limited to: new works, revivals, musicals, adaptations, one-acts, and solo shows. No matter what form or length your show is, it is eligible. For details and an application, please visit:
www.planetconnectionsfestivity.com.
The deadline is February 1st. The festivity will take place in June 2011 at Robert Moss Theater (440 Lafayette Street), The Gene Frankel Theatre (24 Bond Street) and Bleecker Street Theater (45 Bleecker Street).
The Festivity is designed to utilize art to promote social consciousness, inspiring people to become involved in their community. Live theater can ignite social change. Through theatre, audiences view the world from a new perspective, exploring the unique connection of humanity.
Fostering a community of like-minded artists is fundamental to the success of the festivity as the relationships formed throughout allow talented artists to find new audiences and partner with new teams opening doors to creative outlets beyond their previous scope.
Executive Director, Glory Kadigan, is “looking forward to the third year of the festivity with eager anticipation. As I meet with the returning artists and new artists I am confident that this year will continue our tradition of coupling high-quality productions with vital philanthropy. The festival has been featured on the Sundance Channel, and has been written up in the NY Times, Clyde Fitch Report, Broadway World, Theatre Is Easy, and The Happiest Medium. Productions have received favorable reviews from Back Stage, Broadway World, Fab Marquee and more.
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PIERRE BEAUMARCHAIS: ‘THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO’ (LISTEN ON BBC RADIO 3 UNTIL JAN. 2—LINK BELOW) · Dec 26th
As a prelude to The Genius of Mozart, Radio 3's major new season in the new year, a rare chance to hear Beaumarchais' original play. Bristling with social and political conflict, behind the comic intrigues of da Ponte's libretto lies a drama that was considered too dangerous to be allowed to be performed in its own time. It is edgy, political, dealing with class and stroppy servants sensing the smell of Revolution in the air.
Paste the following into your browser or listen at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wlj9b
The author, Beaumarchais, led a life as colourful as the world of his plays. At the height of the French Revolution, as he had been a royal servant, he was brought before the Revolutionary council. His life was spared when he declared in his defence that he was the creator of Figaro. This character epitomised the underdog striving to be free and was hugely popular with the revolutionaries. Napoleon realised its power when he declared it to be 'the Revolution in action'.
Cast:
Figaro ….. Rupert Degas;
Count ….. Nicholas Rowe;
Suzanne ….. Joannah Tincey;
Countess ….. Clare Wille;
Antonio/Double-Main ….. Sean Barrett;
Marceline ….. Frances Jeater;
Bazile/Pedrillo ….. Hugh Dickson;
Brid'oison ….. Stephen Thorne;
Bartholo ….. Anton Lesser;
Fanchette ….. Gina Bramhill;
Cherubin/Gripe-Soleil ….. Charlie Morton.
Adapted and directed for Radio 3 by David Timson.
Produced by Nicolas Soames.
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BEST BAY AREA THEATRE 2010 · Dec 26th
(Robert Hurwitt’s article ran in the San Francisco Chronicle, 12/26.)
High: "The Brother/Sister Plays." The remarkably original voice of young playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney opened the 2010-11 season on an exceptionally high note in an unprecedented three-theater West Coast premiere of his spare, poetic trilogy of life in a bayou housing project with mythic overtones. Taken individually – Ryan Rilette's haunting staging of "In the Red and Brown Water" at Marin Theatre Company, Octavio Solis' intensely moving "The Brothers Size" at Magic Theatre and Mark Rucker's rich production of "Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet" at American Conservatory Theater – they would top many a Top 10 list. Taken together, they blended into one of the most unforgettable events of the decade.
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EMERGING ARTISTS THEATRE: NEW WORKS SERIES SEEKS SUBMISSIONS; SOLO SHOWS, MUSICALS, DEADLINE 2/1, NO FEE · Dec 25th
(From Kathleen Warnock.)
Emerging Artists Theatre presents
The 7th Annual New Work Series
May 3rd – May 21st, 2011 at the TADA! Theatre, NYC
Paul Adams, Artistic Director
Emerging Artists Theatre (EAT) New Work Series is a three week developmental festival that provides artists of different disciplines the opportunity to present one night of a “work in progress” with audience feedback. Scheduled to run May 3rd – May 21st, 2011, the four series now accepting submissions are:
ONE WOMAN STANDING (OWS)
A series of one woman shows in all stages of development. Male or Female playwrights may apply. Running Time 5 – 60 minutes.
Festival Curators: Jessica Phillips and Deb Guston
onewomanstanding@gmail.com
ONE MAN TALKING (OMT)
A series of one man shows in all stages of development. Male or Female playwrights may apply. Running Time 5 – 60 minutes.
Festival Curator: Scott Klavan, Assist. Curator: Scott Raker
onemantalking@gmail.com
WELL NOTED SHORTS (WNS)
A series of short musicals: 15 minutes or less in all stages of development.
Festival Curators: Peter Saxe
wellnotedshorts@gmail.com
NOTES FROM A PAGE (NFP)
A series of full length ensemble musicals in all stages of development. Open to NYC, NJ and CT composers/lyricists. Please include a CD and full or partial script with your submission.
Festival Curators: Paul Adams, Derek Jamison, Barbara Grecki
notesfromapage@gmail.com
All application materials must be postmarked by February 1,2011.
If your show is chosen, you will receive notification on or around February 28, 2011. Please check www.emergingartiststheatre.org for updates and email any questions to the above addresses.
SONDHEIM ON HIS SHOWS (LISTEN TO BBC RADIO INTERVIEWS) · Dec 24th
To mark his 80th birthday year, musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim appraises his long career and dissects his own lyrics from West Side Story to Sweeney Todd.
Listen at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00x53mw
In Finishing the Hat – a title borrowed from one of his most autobiographical songs – Sondheim has not only collected his lyrics for the first time, but has provided a forensic account of the lyric-writing process.
As he discusses the lyrics for several of his major musicals from 1954 to 1981- including West Side Story, Gypsy, Company, A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd – Sondheim offers an illuminating insight into the lyric-writer's art, as well as a number of warm and witty anecdotes about the remarkable figures with whom he has worked.
He discusses his relationship with his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II, and his collaborations with extraordinary talents such as Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Jule Styne, Ethel Merman and Harold Prince.
Penetrating and self-deprecating, thoughtful and witty, Finishing the Hat is not only an informative look at the art and craft of lyric writing, it is also a window on musical theatre history since the 1950s.
Additional readings by Juliet Stevenson
Produced by Emma Harding.
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