Hathaway, McDonald, Esparza, Pittu and Walker Preserve Twelfth Night on Disc

By Adam Hetrick
August 24, 2009

The starry, music-filled Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night, featuring a score by the Brooklyn-based band Hem, will be released on CD Oct. 27.

Shakespeare's tale of unrequited love, hidden identity and midsummer madness played a critically praised run at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park in early June. Under the direction of Daniel Sullivan, the production was the first of the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park offerings of 2009.

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June 26, 2009

THEATER REVIEW | 'TWELFTH NIGHT'
I Love You, You’re Perfect. You’re a Girl?

By CHARLES ISHERWOOD

“Most wonderful.” The exclamation of joyous surprise that bursts from the lips of Countess Olivia at the climax of “Twelfth Night,” when she discovers that her new husband appears to have divided himself in two, seems an apt reaction to the scintillating new production of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy that opened Thursday night at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.

“Twelfth Night” is a perennial favorite, and with its multifaceted plot mixing sweetness, sadness and silliness it is also about as surefire as Shakespeare plays get. If the romances are dreary, the comedy may still crackle. And vice versa. But this polished staging, expertly directed by Daniel Sullivan, is the most consistently pleasurable the city has seen in at least a decade. And it is certainly one of the most accomplished Shakespeare in the Park productions the Public Theater has fielded in some time. Incidentally — or perhaps not — the varied talents of its all-American lead cast help restore faith in the city’s ability to cast Shakespeare in depth.

All together now: most wonderful!

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Play On: Starry Twelfth Night Begins Central Park Run June 10

By Adam Hetrick
June 10, 2009

Academy Award-nominated actress Anne Hathaway heads a cast of stage and screen veterans in the Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night, which begins performances June 10 at the outdoor Delacorte Theater.

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Oh! I am so excited to hear these new cast announcements. Raul Esparza and Audra McDonald FTW!

McDonald, Esparza, Pittu, Cumpsty and More Join Twelfth Night Cast

By Adam Hetrick
April 15, 2009

Four time Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald and Tony nominee Raúl Esparza have joined the cast of the Public Theater's upcoming Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night starring the previously announced Anne Hathaway.

In addition to Academy Award-nominee Hathaway as Viola, the Public has revealed that McDonald (110 in the Shade, Ragtime) will play Olivia with three-time Tony nominee Esparza (Company, Speed-the-Plow) as Orsino.

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Butler, Gemignani, Margulies, Stites and More Set for Dec. 18 Night Job

By Andrew Gans
December 12, 2008

Don't Quit Your Night Job — which was a downtown favorite at Joe's Pub before playing an extended run at the HA! Comedy Club — will return to the Zipper Factory Theater Dec. 18.

The 11:30 PM performance of Night Job, described as a "late night happening of improv, music, sketches and stories," is scheduled to feature co-creators Dan Lipton (The Coast of Utopia), Steve Rosen (Spamalot), David Rossmer (Fiddler on the Roof) and Sarah Saltzberg (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) as well as Kerry Butler, Tara Copeland, Josh Gad, Alexander Gemignani, Asmeret Ghebremichael, Joshua Henry, Rebecca Kasper, Emmy winner Julianna Margulies, Maurice Murphy, David Pittu and music director Kevin Stites.

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I really liked Norbert and his company in this play. I'm very disappointed to read that it's closing :(

Broadway's Is He Dead? to Close March 9

By Andrew Ku
and Kenneth Jones
26 Feb 2008

Is He Dead?, the obscure 1898 comedy by Mark Twain that was reworked for Broadway, will play its final performance on March 9, producers announced Feb. 26.

The well-reviewed production, starring Norbert Leo Butz and directed by Michael Blakemore, will have played 105 performances and 13 previews upon closing. Advertisements had been touting "last weeks" for the past month.

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The discovery of Mark Twain's Is He Dead? marks the return of Norbert Leo Butz to the Broadway stage, this time in a play. Leading an ensemble cast including: Jenn Gambatese, Byron Jennings, Michael McGrath, David Pittu, and John McMartin, Butz turns the notions of death and gender upside down and inside out.

The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated )