News

How The Young Vic Was Born, 50 Years Ago

Source: ArtsJournal.com | Posted: August 14 2020 @ 1:03 pm

The idea came from Joan Plowright and her husband, Laurence Olivier, who was then running the National Theatre at the Old Vic. They and colleagues wanted an additional theatre that would target audiences aged 16 to 24 and give young actors a place to develop. Here’s how they made it happen. – The Stage

Broadway.com #LiveatFive: Home Edition with Orfeh

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: August 14 2020 @ 11:40 am

Tony nominee Orfeh checks in with Paul Wontorek, with a special appearance from her husband Andy Karl! 

The Last Five Years to Resume Performances at London's Southwark Playhouse in October

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: August 14 2020 @ 11:34 am

Southwark Playhouse's production of Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years paused performances beginning on March 16 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. That production, directed by Jonathan O'Boyle, will resume beginning this October 1 with socially distanced audiences. The Last Five Years will run through October 31. Casting and social distancing measures being taken by the performers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Paper tickets will not be used; audience members must show a confirmation email on their mobile device upon entry. The venue will operate at just under 50 percent of its capacity and use see-through screens on either side of each seated party. "Please only book tickets with people who you are living with or have formed a support bubble with," reads one of the show's COVID-19 FAQ answers. All audience members are asked to wear a mask—those who are unable to for medical reasons must obtain a printed card here in advance. Hand sanitizer will be placed at regular intervals in the front of house. Both the venues bar and bathrooms will provide opportunities for social distancing between patrons.

The Last Five Years tells the story of Jamie and Cathy, two New Yorkers who fall head …

Giles Terera to Star in the National Theatre's First Live Play Since COVID-19 Lockdown Began

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: August 14 2020 @ 10:45 am

The National Theatre (NT) has announced that it will resume socially distant performances in the Olivier Theatre in late October. Giles Terera, who won an Olivier Award for Hamilton, is set to star in Clint Dyer and Roy Williams' solo play Death of England: Delroy. Dyer will direct the show.

The first Death of England play was performed by Rafe Spall at the Dorfman Theatre, closing only weeks before lockdown. This new play, Death of England: Delroy, was commissioned by the NT’s New Work Department at the start of lockdown and written over the subsequent five months. It explores a different side of the story, focusing on the character of Delroy, the best friend of Michael, the protagonist of the first piece. This new work explores a Black working-class man searching for truth and confronting his relationship with Great Britain.

“This week Death of England: Delroy will have its first workshop as we finally, carefully open the doors of the theater to artists and put in place plans to start live performance again this autumn," said Rufus Norris, director of the National Theatre. "It is so important for us to be welcoming artists back into the building …

Tony Winner Santino Fontana on His Quarantine Routine and Critical Review of Goodnight Moon

Source: Broadway.com | Posted: August 14 2020 @ 10:00 am

Last summer, Santino Fontana was fresh off of his first Tony win for playing Michael Dorsey and Dorothy Michaels in Broadway's Tootsie. Though the world looks completely different one year later ("It's been six months since I've washed my body," he joked.), Fontana is still finding ways to keep in touch with his castmates. "We do Zoom cocktails often," he said. Fontana says his quarantine days look a lot like most. "I look at the news and try not to throw up or cry," he told Beth Stevens on #LiveatFive. "Then I have breakfast, call some friends, go for a walk, donate money to political causes I support, check in with someone different every day, go for a drive."

Santino Fontana & Lilli Cooper in "Tootsie" (Photo: Matthew Murphy)

Though Broadway and theaters remain shut down due to the pandemic, Fontana is still performing—mostly for benefits. This is nothing new for the actor, who has been performing since he was a child. "I was one of those kids that like forced my friends to be in plays in the garage," he said. He went on to share some of his notable roles growing up: Seymour in Little …