Weekend Guide: Theater Nov 20, 2009
": *** Bill Daugherty's '40s-era musical about the Great Depression seems all too relevant today. Triad Theater, 158 W. 72nd St.; 212-352-3101. "THE EMPEROR JONES": ***; Superlative revival of Eugene O'Neill's 1920 expressionistic classic. Irish Repertory Theater, 132 W. 22nd St.; 212-727-2737. Closes Nov. 29. "GIRL CRAZY": Ana Gasteyer, Wayne Knight and Marc Kudisch star in this Encores! revival of George and Ira Gershwin's 1930 musical. City Center, 131 W. 55th St.; 212-581-1212. Closes... (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Filmmaker John Hughes, Chronicler of '80s Teens, Dies Aug 7, 2009
In his facility for spinning the fullest comedy out of the frailest situation, he was the movies' version of playwright Alan Ayckbourn. The stay-at-home dad morphed into Mr. Mom; the annoying guy next to you became the Steve Martin John Candy hit Planes, Trains and Automobiles. (Time.com)
Classic revival Jul 30, 2009
Talking Shop: Sir Alan Ayckbourn. He recently turned 70 and is celebrating 50 years in theatre, but playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn says he will never retire ... Sir Alan Ayckbourn has written 73 full-length plays. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Disney sets out to make 'The Passion for kids' Jul 27, 2009
Playwright and director Alan Ayckbourn talks to Dominic Cavendish about why he has chosen to revisit the play as part of his 70th birthday celebrations. Telegraph TV follows the progress of Team Telegraph as they prepare for this year's Bupa Great North and Great South Runs. (Yahoo News -- 'The Passion of the Christ')
Tony Squeezes Out Drama Jun 3, 2009
Why call attention to the work of minor writers such as August Wilson ("Joe Turner's Come and Gone"), Alan Ayckbourn ("The Norman Conquests"), Lee Hall ("Billy Elliot") and Samuel Beckett ("Waiting for Godot"). Far better to showcase the work of a major artist like Elle Woods. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
The First Ever Theater Blogger Awards Were Given to Top Shows on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway May 30, 2009
Written by Alan Ayckbourn Directed by Matthew Warchus Produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Steven Baruch, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Thomas Viertel, Dede Harris, Tulchin/Bartner/Lauren Doll, Jamie deRoy, Eric Falkenstein, Harriet Newman Leve, Probo Productions, Douglas G. Smith, Michael Filerman/Jennifer Manocherian, and Richard Winkler. OFF-BROADWAY. (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
The house Rick Lombardo built - and left behind May 24, 2009
He saw that reaction, he says, as a challenge: "What does New Rep want to be? Do we continue that trajectory and attract the single-ticket, younger audience, or are we going to say, ooh, this was a mistake, let's do more Alan Ayckbourn and Shaw?". As is clear from some of his later projects - "The Pillowman," say, or others he cites as highlights, from "Sweeney Todd" to "Ragtime" to "The Clean House" - his answer was not Ayckbourn and Shaw. (Boston Globe)
Coolio, Patrick Stewart, Rihanna Mar 10, 2009
Margaret Tyzack was the winner of best actress in a play for portraying the wife of the writer Somerset Maugham in "The Chalk Garden." A special Olivier award was presented to the playwright Alan Ayckbourn by Kevin Spacey, director of the Old Vic. (BBC). (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Three times lucky as theatre awards honour Patrick Stewart Mar 9, 2009
A special Olivier award was presented to playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn by Kevin Spacey, director of London's Old Vic. The Oliviers are presented by The Society of London Theatre to honour the best West End stage productions. (BBC News -- UK)
A theater season in London that puts the actor first - and best Feb 10, 2009
Stuart Fox with Janie Dee, who plays a mentally unbalanced fantasist in "Woman in Mind" by Alan Ayckbourn at the Vaudeville Theatre in London ... After all, you've got to hand it to a culture that could release the nominations for the upcoming Laurence Olivier Awards, London's equivalent of Broadway's Tonys, and somehow omit Kenneth Branagh for "Ivanov," the Oscar-winning expatriate Kevin Spacey in "Speed-the-Plow" and all but one of the superlative ensemble of Alan Ayckbourn's "The Norman... (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
