Raleigh Theatre + Broadway News

THE HERETIC, THE JESUS FUND and More Set for Burning Coal Theatre's 2013-14 Season

(4/16/2013) - Burning Coal Theatre Company of Raleigh, NC announces its 2013/2014 season of plays. In its 17th season, the theatre, which is housed in the historic Murphey School auditorium at 224 Polk Street, Raleigh, NC, will present the American premiere of The Heretic by Richard Bean, directed by Jerome Davis (September 9 - 26, 2013), William Shakespeare's (Three Man) Tempest, adapted and directed by Randolph Curtis Rand (December 5 - 22, 2013), the world premiere of Terry Milner's The Jesus Fund, directed by Beth Gardiner (January 30 - February 16, 2014) and Goodrich and Hackett's modern classic The Diary of Anne Frank, directed by Abdelfattah Abusrour (April 3 - 20, 2014).

BWW Reviews: RUINED Brings Africa to the Triangle

(4/15/2013) - Burning Coal Theatre Company's ambitious production of Ruined tells of the lives of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Amid a conflict which has no clearly defined 'good guys,' the women have little reprieve from the violence and well-established culture of sexual abuse. In a world where children are handed automatic weapons, no one is safe. The story follows Mama Nadi as she runs her own business, which is half bar and half brothel. Mama takes in women to work for her in the brothel, and it can be argued that the women are significantly safer there with Mama Nadi, since they cannot return to their villages and have no way of protecting themselves or earning income elsewhere. Making her own way as a single woman in war-torn Africa, Mama Nadi is rare. Three women who work for her, Josephine, Salima, and Sophie, are featured in the story. Mama takes a big risk by taking in Sophie, a girl who is 'ruined.' The meaning of 'ruined' is not explicitly evident, but it's clear that it devastatingly awful. Mama Nadi's is a somewhat neutral place, as men from both sides of the conflict patronize the establishment. Mama is no-nonsense, and maintains a strict 'leave your bullets at the bar' policy.

PlayMakers Rep, Manbites Dog and Wagon Wheel Arts Present BROADWAY TWISTED Tonight

(4/15/2013) - Join the theater community for a night of fun for a good cause at 'Broadway Twisted,' a gender-bending musical theater fundraiser. The benefit concert, which features local and Broadway talent performing gender-swapped Broadway hits, will play at Chapel Hill's Local 506 tonight, April 15 at 8:00pm.

Now Playing Onstage in Raleigh - Week of 4/14/2013

(4/14/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 4/14/2013 for Raleigh

BWW Reviews: Relevant and Masterful CABARET at PlayMakers Rep

(4/13/2013) - PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill is currently staging a production of Kander and Ebb's 1967 Tony Award-winning best musical Cabaret that is racy, dazzling, and thought-provoking. Starting and ending on two very different trains, and set largely in the Kit Kat Klub nightclub and in a boarding house, Cabaret features many characters of uncertain goals, ambiguous sexuality, and real heart, who are, whether they are willing to admit it or not, facing real danger with the rise of the Nazi Party looming. Though perhaps existing on society's fringe, the show is a real testament to the average German and their inability (or even refusal) to believe that something truly terrible could be brewing in their own nation. Interestingly enough, the story is largely told through the story of a Brit, Sally Bowles (played to perfection by Lisa Brescia), and an American, her lover Cliff Bradshaw (the undeniably charming John Dreher), as they provide a sort of outsider's perspective on how people reacted to the decline of Weimar Germany and the rise of Nazism. Hosted by the club's Emcee, played by Taylor Mac, the show goes from glitzy dance numbers to heartfelt ballads and back again as it navigates through one of the most tenuous times in the history of the Western world.

Lynn Nottage's RUINED Begins at Burning Coal Theatre Tonight

(4/11/2013) - Burning Coal Theatre Company will present Lynn Nottage's Ruined tonight, April 11 - 28, 2013.

SPRING AWAKENING, CINDERELLA and More Set for Raleigh Little Theatre's 2013-14 Season

(4/10/2013) - Raleigh Little Theatre (RLT) today announced its 2013-2014 season, which will include two area premieres, revive the popular City Series of contemporary theatre, and celebrate 30 years of a holiday classic in Cinderella.

RLT's THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST Opens This Friday

(4/8/2013) - This Friday, The Importance of Being Earnest opens at Raleigh Little Theatre for a 3-week run, helmed by guest director John T. "Jack" Hall. Earnest is one of the most cherished plays in the English language, featuring Oscar Wilde's unique brand of social satire, effervescent wit, and high farce.

Family Reunion Tour 2013 to Feature Gladys Knight and the O'Jays

(4/8/2013) - Come to DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, to experience what happens when the 'Midnight Train' and the 'Love Train' meet for one incredible night of music. Legendary performers Gladys Knight and The O'Jays will heat up the Cool Summer Nights at DPAC series when the Family Reunion Tour arrives on June 30. This show is presented in partnership with The DOME Group, Inc.

Now Playing Onstage in Raleigh - Week of 4/07/2013

(4/7/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 4/07/2013 for Raleigh

PlayMakers Rep, Manbites Dog and Wagon Wheel Arts to Present BROADWAY TWISTED, 4/15

(4/6/2013) - Join the theater community for a night of fun for a good cause at 'Broadway Twisted,' a gender-bending musical theater fundraiser. The benefit concert, which features local and Broadway talent performing gender-swapped Broadway hits, will play at Chapel Hill's Local 506 on Monday, April 15 at 8:00pm.

North Carolina Shakespeare Festival Announces 2013-14 Season

(4/5/2013) - The North Carolina Shakespeare Festival will mark its 36th season with two productions at the High Point Theatre, a new summer youth theatre program and, for the first time, a year-round educational tour of schools throughout the state.

Photo Flash: First Look at Taylor Mac, Lisa Brescia and More in PlayMakers Rep's CABARET

(4/4/2013) - PlayMakers Repertory Company concludes its Mainstage Season with the Tony Award-winning musical 'Cabaret' now through April 21 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Photo: Duke Theater's LEAR Begins Performances Tonight!

(4/3/2013) - The Duke University Dept. of Theater Studies will present Young Jean Lee's Lear April 4-14, 2013 in Sheafer Theater in Duke's Bryan Center. Jody McAuliffe, chair of theater studies and professor of the practice of theater studies and Slavic and Eurasian studies, is directing the play. Click below to see a promo shot!

Jim Henson Company Brings PAJANIMALS LIVE! to DPAC Today

(4/3/2013) - For the first time ever, The Jim Henson Company's Pajanimals are packing their bags and hitting the road to bring a brand new live musical production to DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, in Durham, NC today, April 3.

STAGE TUBE: Sneak Peek - RUINED at Burning Coal Theatre

(4/2/2013) - Below, check out a trailer for Burning Coal Theatre Company's production of Lynn Nottage's 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning play RUINED, running April 11 - 28, 2013 in Raleigh!

Now Playing Onstage in Raleigh - Week of 3/31/2013

(3/31/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/31/2013 for Raleigh

Burning Coal to Offer STC, JR, and STC 2013 Summer Theatre Conservatories

(3/30/2013) - Burning Coal Theatre announces its 2013 Summer Theatre Conservatories!

Asheville, NC's Odyssey Community School to Host Spring Concert 4/13

(3/29/2013) - Odyssey Community School will host a spring concert/dance with local female trio The Swayback Sisters on Saturday, April 13 at 6 PM at their campus, 90 Zillicoa St. in Asheville. A raffle with a first prize of $2,000 will be drawn during the concert as well. Admission is $10 and free for children 10 and under. All proceeds benefit Odyssey Community School.

BWW Reviews: TIGERS BE STILL is Quirky Fun in Raleigh

(3/26/2013) - The Actors Comedy Lab and Raleigh Little Theatre present playwright Kim Rosenstock's Tigers Be Still, a dark but hilarious tale of depression, grief, and escaped zoo animals. Presented in Raleigh Little Theatre's Gaddy Goodwin Teaching Theatre, Tigers Be Still is the simple enough story of a young woman, Sherry, trying to get her life back together as she starts her job as a middle school art teacher with a side gig as an art therapist. Oh, and it also happens that a tiger has escaped from the local zoo.

Carolina Performing Arts' Rite 100 Festival Ends with Premieres by Vijay Iyer, Basil Twist and Nacho Duato

(3/26/2013) - Carolina Performing Arts at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) presents The Rite of Spring at 100 (Rite 100), an unprecedented nine-month festival which began in September 2012 and continues through May 2013. Spring season performances include three world premieres commissioned for Rite 100 including new works from Vijay Iyer, Basil Twist and Nacho Duato; a U.S. premiere from Nederlands Dans Theater 1; and a rare chance to see Martha Graham's groundbreaking version of The Rite of Spring.

Danville's Historic North Theatre to Host 1st Annual Houdini Festival, 6/21-22

(3/24/2013) - Today, March 24, 2013, is the 139th anniversary of the birth of Harry Houdini the great magician and escape artist. To commemorate this birthday, America's only World Champion Illusionist, Wayne Alan, and his theatre, The Historic North Theatre in Danville, VA, announce the First Annual Houdini Festival to be held at the theatre June 21-22, 2013. The event is open to the general public as well as magicians.

Now Playing Onstage in Raleigh - Week of 3/24/2013

(3/24/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/24/2013 for Raleigh

BWW Reviews: THE INNOCENTS is a Strong Debut for Common Wealth Endeavors

(3/24/2013) - The theater scene in the Triangle is thriving, and a brand new theater company is jumping into the mix. There are so many wonderful voices bringing live theater to the area, and this one fits right in. Common Wealth Endeavors opened its debut season (which has been coined a 'beta test' of sorts) with the US premiere of young Canadian playwright Daniel Karasik's The Innocents.

BWW Reviews: Little Green Pig Brings Absurdism to the Triangle with DERKLÖWNSCHPANKENEFFEKT

(3/23/2013) - The Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern is staging two pieces from the canon of the Theatre of the Absurd, both by Polish playwright S?awomir Mro?ek. Out at Sea and Striptease together create a night of theater titled derklownschpankeneffekt. Each of the two plays, approximately forty minutes apiece, is quite different. One features three men stuck on a raft far out to sea, and the other features two men (who may or may not be the same man, it's hard to tell) trapped in a room after encountering one another, at the mercy of a giant hand who wants their clothes.

Burning Coal Theatre Company Welcomes Back British Singer/Songwriter Callaghan, 3/24

(3/22/2013) - Burning Coal Theatre Company presents singer/songwriter Callaghan. One night only, Sunday March 24, 2013 at the Murphey School, 224 Polk Street, Raleigh, NC. The performance will be held at 7pm. All tickets are $10. For reservations and information, please call 919-834-4001 or visit www.burningcoal.org.

TIGERS BE STILL Plays Raleigh Little Theatre, Now thru 4/7

(3/22/2013) - Raleigh Little Theatre and Actors Comedy Lab present Tigers Be Still, a comedy with heart by Kim Rosenstock. Directed by Rod Rich, the show will run at Raleigh Little Theatre tonight, March 22 - April 7, 2013.

Review Roundup: ANYTHING GOES Tour Docks in Durham!

(3/21/2013) - Let's see what the critics have had to say about the show recently...

BWW Reviews: ANYTHING GOES is a Hit in Durham

(3/21/2013) - The 2011 Tony Award-winning Best Revival has docked in Durham and brings honest-to-goodness Broadway talent to the Triangle. Anything Goes is tap dancing its way into the hearts of audiences who are eager to see a traditional musical get new life.

TIGERS BE STILL to Play Raleigh Little Theatre, 3/22-4/7

(3/18/2013) - Raleigh Little Theatre and Actors Comedy Lab present Tigers Be Still, a comedy with heart by Kim Rosenstock. Directed by Rod Rich, the show will run at Raleigh Little Theatre March 22 - April 7, 2013.

BWW Review: One-Actor Show NOCTURNE Keeps Momentum with Mortall Coile and Burning Coal

(3/17/2013) - One-actor shows are such a specific kind of challenge - how does one actor keep up the momentum? How does one actor keep the show lively and engaging? How does one actor memorize over an hour and a half of text? I certainly don't know the answers to any of those questions, but luckily actor Jesse R. Gephart and director Dana Marks have got it all figured out.

Now Playing Onstage in Raleigh - Week of 3/17/2013

(3/17/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/17/2013 for Raleigh

Jazz and Shakespeare Meet in SUCH SWEET THUNDER at North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, 4/27

(3/15/2013) - This April, the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival will again present the unique concert and theatrical performance Such Sweet Thunder, a jazz suite composed by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn inspired by works by Shakespeare.

Lynn Nottage's RUINED to Play Burning Coal Theatre, 4/11-28

(3/15/2013) - Burning Coal Theatre Company will present Lynn Nottage's Ruined April 11 - 28, 2013.

Common Ground Theatre Announces April Events

(3/15/2013) - Common Ground Theatre (www.cgtheatre.com) is a performance and teaching space located in west Durham, offering performing arts and educational groups a flexible, well-equipped alternative space. The Theatre provides a convenient venue for Triangle audiences to experience the diversity of our area's arts and educational offerings. All events listed will be held at Common Ground Theatre.

Raleigh Studios' Chaplin Theater To Host The HOLLYWOOD NETWORKING BREAKFAST, 3/28

(3/14/2013) - The Hollywood Networking Breakfast (HNB) was founded on the Paramount Studios Lot in 1993 by Sandra Lord, as a means to providing opportunities for industry professionals and emerging talent. Paramount Studios served as the event's home base for almost 12 years. Some of the most respected individuals, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, have offered patrons insight and advice. Backstage named the HNB "The Best Networking Event in L.A." in its "Best of LA" issue, a title that has continued to hold true. For the last 19 years the event has hosted Academy, Golden Globe, Peabody and Emmy Award winners and nominees, as well as top Hollywood Studio Heads and Production Company Presidents. HNB benefits Changing Images in America (www.ChangingImagesInAmerica.org) and is proud to announce their next speaker will be Chris Bruss and others from Will Ferrell's company, "FUNNY OR DIE" speaking on their branded entertainment, television and film production divisions.

Carolina Performing Arts' Rite 100 Festival to End with Premieres by Vijay Iyer, Basil Twist and Nacho Duato

(3/13/2013) - Carolina Performing Arts at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) presents The Rite of Spring at 100 (Rite 100), an unprecedented nine-month festival which began in September 2012 and continues through May 2013. Spring season performances include three world premieres commissioned for Rite 100 including new works from Vijay Iyer, Basil Twist and Nacho Duato; a U.S. premiere from Nederlands Dans Theater 1; and a rare chance to see Martha Graham's groundbreaking version of The Rite of Spring.

Comedian Sarah Silverman Coming to Durham Performing Arts Center, 4/24

(3/12/2013) - Emmy winner Sarah Silverman is as versatile a performer as they come. See for yourself why she was dubbed "the most outrageously funny woman alive," by Rolling Stone magazine when she comes to DPAC, Durham Performing Arts Center, on April 24, 2013.

Now Playing Onstage in Raleigh - Week of 3/10/2013

(3/10/2013) - Upcoming Shows - Week of 3/10/2013 for Raleigh

Lord of the Dance Comes to Durham Performing Arts Center Today

(3/10/2013) - Lord of the Dance comes to the Durham Performing Arts Center. Created by Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance is selling out arenas and theatres as the world's highest grossing Irish dance show. The tour arrives in the Triangle at DPAC tonight, March 10, 2012.