Theatre Communications Group Fetes Brian Dennehy and 31 Years of Its Magazine; LaMama's CultureHub Latest Batch of Avant-Garde, Multimedia Experiences

Fiana Toibin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Vanessa Redgrave and Brian Dennehy,in "Long Day's Journey Into Night." Archive photo.

BY TAMARA BECK

There is much to celebrate, and the Theatre Communications Group (TCG) is doing it in style.

TCG will host its annual benefit on Monday (9 Nov.) at the Edison Ballroom, this year honoring actor Brian Dennehy. The group is also celebrating three-plus decades of its publication, “American Theatre” magazine.

BD is a much celebrated and multi-award winning actor, whose Tony wins include Best Actor for “Long Day's Journey Into Night” and “Death of a Salesman.” In 2010, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. He is also a veteran film and TV actor.

About the TCG honor, BD has said, “Theatre has always been my principal home and I feel greatly honored by TCG for what really amounts to a lifetime achievement award.”

Meanwhile, over its 31-year history the American Theatre magazine has been the only general circulation publication devoted to theater. With a readership of 50,000 in print, and a new online presence, http://www.americantheatre.org (more than 100,000 monthly pageviews), the magazine continues to thrive.

Special recognition will be given to founding editor Jim O’Quinn, who served as editor-in–chief for 313 issues of American Theatre, publishing thousands of articles and more than 150 full-length plays. The first issue of the magazine featured Sam Shepard on its cover, while JO’Q’s final issue cover featured the cast of “Hamilton.”

The latest issue of "American Theatre" is available in print or online.

“The Gala is also an opportunity to take a celebratory breath and measure our own accomplishments over the past year,” said TCG executive director Teresa Eyring. “The Gala not only celebrates that work, but helps us make an even greater impact in 2016.”

As is the case with such events, those involved in the planning include the crème de la crème of the profession. Among those listed on the gala’s honorary committee are playwrights Ayad Akhtar, David Henry Hwang, Sarah Ruhl and Suzan-Lori Parks.

Visit http://www.tcg.org/events/gala/ to learn more about the Theatre Communications Group 2015 Gala Evening.

Coming up at CultureHub, Works From Komuna// Warszawa and Refest

A scene from Komuna// Warszawa's "Dune 1965." Photos courtesy of Komuna// Warszawa.

LA MAMA, synonymous with avant-garde theater since its inception in the 1960s, continues to experiment.

CultureHub, LaMama's art and technology incubator that explores the intersection between art and technology, is dedicated to bringing interactive, multimedia, immersive and innovative experiences to audiences.

The 2015 season offers a stirring array of events with new art projects that incorporate everything from digital art, gaming and programming.

"Paradise Now? The Living Theatre Re//Mix" from Komuna Warszawa.

Up soon is the Polish indie-theater company, Komuna// Warszawa, with "Paradise Now? The Living Theatre Re//Mix" (19 Nov.) and "Dune 1965" (21 Nov.). The latter is inspired by an essay on Frank Herbert.

Another highlight of the season is Refest, a hybrid performance and new media festival, which examines the idea of “The Network” (11 -13 Dec.)

Visit http://www.culturehub.org/ to learn more about CultureHub programs.

Celebrating 20 Years of The New Group With a Revival of 'Sticks and Bones'

Raviv Ullman, Bill Pullman, Holly Hunter, Ben Schnetzer and Morocco Omari in "Sticks and Bones." Photos by: Monique Carboni

BY TAMARA BECK

TROUBLED family is one way to celebrate a milestone anniversary.

Happy 20th anniversary, then, to The New Group, which celebrates with a move to new digs at the Pershing Square Signature Center and a revival of a David Rabe play, “Sticks and Bones.”

The play, about the disruptive effects of a son's return from the Vietnam, transferred from The Public Theater to Broadway where it won the 1972 Tony Award. (See video below).

“Sticks and Bones” is directed by Scott Elliott and stars Richard Chamberlain, Holly Hunter, Bill Pullman, Nadia Gan, Morocco Omari, Raviv Ullman and Ben Schnetzer.

“Sticks and Bones” runs through 14 Dec.

Visit http://www.thenewgroup.org/sticks-and-bones.html to learn more about “Sticks and Bones.”

Names Show for Theatre Communications Group

Ben Cameron, Lynn Nottage, Phylicia Rashad, Teresa Eyring, Joshua Dachs and Paul Oakley Stovall. Photo by Jonathan Zeigler/Patrick McMullan Company.

GEORGE C. Wolfe. Kate Whoriskey. When folk with such names as these show, you know you have come a long way, baby

Jessica Hecht. You have been doing something right.

Eric Bogosian. Along the way, some good has come from you.

Phylicia Rashad. Indeed, you have done something to make the world a better place – at least the theater part of it.

Consequently, it is no surprise that these are just a few of the folk who presented themselves recently for the annual gala of Theatre Communications Group (TCG) in New York City.

For 50-plus years, the organization has worked tirelessly to ensure that not-for-profit theater in this country is alive, well and thriving. All of the aforesaid will undoubtedly admit to having benefited in some way from TCG's efforts. All have given back in some way. too.

The same can be said of those TCG chose to honor this year: lighting designer and producer Jules Fisher; the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. The latter was emphatic in her praise of TCG in the development of her brilliant career. (See video above).

“We’re thrilled to celebrate three honorees that have made such an indelible impact on the theater field,” said TCG executive director Teresa Eyring.

The evening, proceeds from which will benefit TCG in its good work, was also witness to several performances, including a snippet from “Immediate Family.” The play, directed by PR and written by Paul Oakley Stovall, is a comedy of manners concerning the fallout that occurs when a young, closeted black gay man brings home his white, Swedish lover. ((http://www.immediatefamilyplay.com/)

It had its world premiere in a limited run at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago (See video at left).

As TE asserted, “It wouldn’t be a true theater party without sharing a scene or two …”

Visit http://www.tcg.org/ to learn more about Theatre Communications Group.
- BY YOURS TRULY