Christopher Durang to Play Vanya

Broadway comedy king Christopher Durang, who visited us on March 10, will perform in a regional production of his 2013 Tony Award winning play.

From the New York Times:

The playwright Christopher Durang, who wrote “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” is set to star as Vanya in a coming production at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pa., the producers announced. The comedy, which takes place in Bucks County and won a Tony last year for best play, is scheduled to run from July 17 to Aug. 10. Marilu Henner (“Taxi”) has been cast as Masha, a role played by Sigourney Weaver in the Off Broadway and Broadway productions. Vanya was originally played by David Hyde Pierce. The production is to be directed by Sheryl Kaller (“Mothers and Sons”).

More about Durang's Albany visit:  http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/archives/durang_chris14.html

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Christopher Durang in the Times Union

Steve Barnes profiles playwright and humorist Christopher Durang in Sunday's Times Union. Durang visits the Writers Institute today!

Picture: Durang accepting his 2013 Tony for "Best Play" at the Tony Award ceremonies.

From the Times Union: 

The playwright Christopher Durang had an epiphany while making up new lyrics for a nursery rhyme in his 1983 play "Baby with the Bathwater."

"When I finished, I realized they were," he says, pausing, "nice I thought, 'Oh, that's oddly positive for me.'"

Durang, who's written comedies including "Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You" (1979), "The Actor's Nightmare" and "Beyond Therapy" (both 1981), "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" (1985), "Laughing Wild" (1987) and "Betty's Summer Vacation" (1999), isn't known for nice. He's known for outrageous and absurd and biting, for sure, but nice? That surprised him.

More in the TU:  http://www.timesunion.com/entertainment/article/It-s-all-worked-out-quite-nicely-5294553.php#photo-5988188

More about Durang's visit today:  http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/archives/durang_chris14.html

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Film Showcases Jerome Kern's Songwriting

Lovely to Look At (1952) will be screened this Friday in honor of Valentine's Day as part of the New York State Writers Institute's Classic Film Series.

The film features 10 songs by major American songwriter Jerome Kern including "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," "I Won't Dance," the title song "Lovely to Look At," "I'll Be Hard to Handle," "Opening Night," "Lafayette," "Yesterdays," "You're Devastating," "The Most Exciting Night," and "The Touch of Your Hand."

Complete film series:  http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/programpages/cfs.html

From Jerome Kern tribute page at Stanford University:

More than fifty years after his passing, the music of Jerome Kern remains a cornerstone of the Great American Songbook, having survived the fads and fashions of four generations—it continues to be performed on the Broadway stage and recorded by major artists. Known for creating the musical Show Boat, Jerome Kern composed his enduring classics for both stage and movie musicals; works such as “The Way You Look Tonight,” “Old Man River,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” and more.

More: http://riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu/#program/magic-jerome-kern-tribute

 

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Colman Domingo Meets With Students

2011 Tony Award nominated actor Colman Domingo took time to give words of encouragement to students and struggling theatre people in the audience after his presentation of the Burian Lecture at the University at Albany on Monday.

Read more about Colman Domingo here:  http://www.albany.edu/writers-inst/webpages4/archives/domingo_colman13.html

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