This post was originally published on Playbill - Features

Written by: Playbill Staff

On March 11, 1959, the original Broadway production of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The play, which details the experiences of a Black family in Chicago, was the first by an African-American woman to be produced on Broadway, as well as the first with an African-American director and one of the first to examine African-American life on the cusp of the Civil Rights era. The production transferred to the Belasco Theatre in October 1959 before eventually closing on June 25, 1960.

This post was originally published on Playbill - Features

Written by: Dan Meyer

In light of the Biden-Harris administration affirming its commitment to the arts in platforms and speeches, a number of theatre professionals gathered virtually to discuss what that could look like—and what they hope to see. Check out Hal Luftig, Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, Victoria Bailey, T. Oliver Reid, and Warren Adams in the video above.

This post was originally published on Playbill - News

Written by: Playbill Staff

A reopening may be on the horizon, but with theatres still dark for the time being, casting directors are encouraging performers to send in video auditions. Here’s a selection of upcoming Equity auditions around America, in chronological order by submission deadline.

This post was originally published on Playbill - Features

Written by: Marc J. Franklin

Following its world premiere at Two River Theater and a subsequent Off-Broadway run at Signature Theatre, Be More Chill opened at the Lyceum Theatre March 10, 2019. The production, directed by Stephen Brackett, played 23 previews and 168 performances before closing August 11, earning a Tony nomination for Best Original Score.

This post was originally published on Playbill - News

Written by: Bethany Rickwald

Dress Circle Publishing releases of The Untold Stories of Broadway, Volume 4, the latest in a series by theatre historian and producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper, March 9. In celebration of the release, Playbill is presenting exclusive video of stars featured in the book reading each other’s theatrical tales. Check out Tony winners George C. Wolfe and Joe Mantello above.

This post was originally published on Playbill - News

Written by: Dan Meyer

Waitress is “hajimeyo” (or, “opening up”) again—this time in Japan. Check out footage from the first Japanese-language production, which opened March 9 at Tokyo’s Nissay Theatre, above.

This post was originally published on Playbill - News

Written by: Dan Meyer

The National Asian American Theatre Company has commissioned five Asian-American female playwrights—Jaclyn Backhaus, Samantha Chanse, Mia Chung, Naomi Iizuka, and Anna Moench—to write monologues for characters no younger than 60 years old. Each monologue will be at least 30 minutes long, and all five will be performed together as a piece entitled Out of Time.

This post was originally published on Playbill - Features

Written by: Ryan McPhee

The arts and culture industries remain largely at a standstill in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, affecting millions of workers in an already delicate ecosystem. The Broadway Community Project, from industry veterans Greg Schaffert, Tiffani Gavin, Situation Interactive, and Playbill, was developed to shed light on the myriad fields and roles that go into making the curtain rise.

This post was originally published on Playbill - Features

Written by: Marc J. Franklin

With the ever-changing nature of Broadway, the memory of seeing a show can become a collector’s item in its own right, just as much as a cherished Playbill.

This post was originally published on Playbill - Features

Written by: Playbill Staff

The original Broadway production of In The Heights opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre March 9, 2008, after beginning performances February 14. In the Heights would go on to be nominated for 13 Tony Awards, winning four, including Best Musical. The production closed January 9, 2011, after 1,185 performances.