Mark Rucker News

The William & Eva Fox Foundation and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, are pleased to announce the seventh round of Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship recipients. The program is designed to support actors' professional and artistic development, to enrich relationships between actors and nonprofit theatres and to ensure continued professional commitment to live theatre. Funded by the Fox Foundation and administered by TCG, the fellowship is one of only a few programs of its kind for actors in the country.

La Jolla Playhouse presents the next production in its acclaimed Without Walls (WoW) series this fall, featuring award-winning actor Luke Macfarlane (ABC's Brothers and Sisters) in Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir, by Keith Bunin, directed by Mark Rucker.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), in association with the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact, announced today the casting for the one-night-only staged reading of "8" taking place on Sunday, October 7, 2012, at 7 p.m., at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). The landmark marriage equality play, written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter (Milk) and AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black, chronicles the historic trial in the federal constitutional challenge to California's Proposition 8. Proceeds from the reading benefit AFER and LGBTQ youth participating in A.C.T.'s ACTsmart (formerly known as ArtReach) program, which offers free student matinee tickets and theater-based pre- and postshow workshops at no cost to 23 public high schools in the Bay Area (including all 18 San Francisco public high schools) with large populations of underserved, low-income students who otherwise would have little exposure to the arts. Tickets range in price from $50 to $100. A limited number of $250 seats are available and include premium seating and access to a postperformance reception with the cast. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228.

La Jolla Playhouse presents the next production in its acclaimed Without Walls (WoW) series this fall, featuring award-winning actor Luke Macfarlane (ABC's Brothers and Sisters) in Sam Bendrix at the Bon Soir, by Keith Bunin, directed by Mark Rucker.

With the help of A.C.T. Young Conservatory alumnus Darren Criss and two-time Tony Award winner Bill Irwin, American Conservatory Theater raised over $760,000 at its 2012 Season Gala, Expect the Unexpected!, which took place Sunday, April 15, at The Regency Center in San Francisco.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and Gala Chair Patti Rueff open Expect the Unexpected!, A.C.T.'s 2012 Season Gala tonight, April 15. The show stars A.C.T. Young Conservatory alumnus Darren Criss (TV's Glee, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway), two-time Tony Award winner Bill Irwin (Scapin at A.C.T., Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway), A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program graduate Patrick Lane (Brian Hawkins in A.C.T.'s world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City), and Betsy Wolfe (Mary Ann Singleton in A.C.T.'s world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, 110 in the Shade and Everyday Rapture on Broadway). Proceeds from the Gala support A.C.T.'s acclaimed actor training and arts education programs. The historic Regency Center (1300 Van Ness Avenue) in San Francisco hosts the gala.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2011-12 season with the West Coast premiere of Maple and Vine, written by Jordan Harrison and directed by A.C.T. Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker. Fresh from a run at Playwrights Horizons in New York City, Maple and Vine tells the story of married couple Katha and Ryu, a pair of stressed-out urban professionals who feel unfulfilled by the impersonal gadgets and fast-paced lifestyle of the modern world. After meeting a charismatic man from a community of 1950s reenactors, they decide to swap cell phones and sushi for phone trees and fish sticks by joining a community where life is slower, passion is risqué, and a cocktail is a daily accessory. In this recreated world, where retro attitudes about gender, race, and sexuality stir up powerful questions, Katha and Ryu must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for happiness and whether the 'good old days' were really that good. Maple and Vine performs a limited run March 29-April 22, 2012, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Tickets (starting at $10) are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228. Check out the video preview with clips from the show and audience interviews below!

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and Gala Chair Patti Rueff just announced Expect the Unexpected!, A.C.T.'s 2012 Season Gala, starring A.C.T. Young Conservatory alumnus Darren Criss (TV's Glee, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway), two-time Tony Award winner Bill Irwin (Scapin at A.C.T., Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on Broadway), A.C.T. Master of Fine Arts Program graduate Patrick Lane (Brian Hawkins in A.C.T.'s world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City), and Betsy Wolfe (Mary Ann Singleton in A.C.T.'s world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, 110 in the Shade and Everyday Rapture on Broadway). Proceeds from the Gala support A.C.T.'s acclaimed actor training and arts education programs. The Gala will be held on Sunday, April 15, 2012, at the historic Regency Center (1300 Van Ness Avenue) in San Francisco. Individual tickets range in price from $1,000 to $2,500, with patron levels ranging from $10,000 to $25,000. An extremely limited number of $500 tickets are available online only. For more information or to purchase tables or tickets, please visit www.act-sf.org/gala or contact Luz Perez, A.C.T. Special Events Manager, at 415.439.2470 or lperez@act-sf.org.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2011-12 season with the West Coast premiere of Maple and Vine, written by Jordan Harrison and directed by A.C.T. Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker. Fresh from a run at Playwrights Horizons in New York City, Maple and Vine tells the story of married couple Katha and Ryu, a pair of stressed-out urban professionals who feel unfulfilled by the impersonal gadgets and fast-paced lifestyle of the modern world. After meeting a charismatic man from a community of 1950s reenactors, they decide to swap cell phones and sushi for phone trees and fish sticks by joining a community where life is slower, passion is risque, and a cocktail is a daily accessory. In this recreated world, where retro attitudes about gender, race, and sexuality stir up powerful questions, Katha and Ryu must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice for happiness and whether the "good old days" were really that good. Maple and Vine performs a limited run March 29-April 22, 2012, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Tickets (starting at $10) are on sale now and may be purchased online at act-sf.org or by calling 415.749.2228.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) introduces a celebrated Middle Eastern voice to the Bay Area with the West Coast premiere of Wajdi Mouawad's haunting playScorched. After receiving more than 100 productions (in several languages) worldwide, the Lebanese-Canadian writer's new play will be directed at A.C.T. by Artistic Director Carey Perloff in a beautiful translation from the original French by distinguished Canadian author Linda Gaboriau.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Executive Director Ellen Richard announced today that A.C.T. will extend Higher, the acclaimed new play by A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff, with direction by A.C.T. Associate Director Mark Rucker.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) introduces a celebrated Middle Eastern voice to the Bay Area with the West Coast premiere of Wajdi Mouawad's haunting playScorched. After receiving more than 100 productions (in several languages) worldwide, the Lebanese-Canadian writer's new play will be directed at A.C.T. by Artistic Director Carey Perloff in a beautiful translation from the original French by distinguished Canadian author Linda Gaboriau.

An intense and captivating look at architecture, grief, and Israeli culture and history, Carey Perloff's "Higher," challenges audiences to look at their lives and consider why they do what they do. Produced by American Conservatory Theatre, the play - both dramatic and comedic - shows now through February 19 at The Theater at Children's Creativity Museum in San Francisco. The change in venue for this particular show brings audiences closer to the action. Although the play's fantastic script certainly makes it worthy of playing at the larger A.C.T. Theater, the smaller seating area does nothing to diminish the quality of the show. If anything, it makes viewers feel like they are a part of the story, like they have a stake in what happens.

Following the success of Bill Irwin's season opener, Scapin, in 2010, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) welcomes another Pickle Family Circus alumnus to its stage with Humor Abuse, Lorenzo Pisoni's celebrated one-man show cocreated with director Erica Schmidt.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is proud to present the world premiere of Higher, written by A.C.T. Artistic Director Carey Perloff and directed by A.C.T. Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker.

American Conservatory Theater (ACT) presents the World Premiere of HIGHER, by Carey Perloff, directed by Mark Rucker.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) has announced that Artistic Director Carey Perloff has won this year's Blance and Irving Laurie Foundation Theatre Visions Fund Award for the upcoming world premiere of her play Higher.

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) introduces a celebrated Middle Eastern voice to the Bay Area with the West Coast premiere of Wajdi Mouawad's haunting playScorched. After receiving more than 100 productions (in several languages) worldwide, the Lebanese-Canadian writer's new play will be directed at A.C.T. by Artistic Director Carey Perloff in a beautiful translation from the original French by distinguished Canadian author Linda Gaboriau.

Asolo Repertory Theatre's rep season begins on January 6, 2012 with the opening of Broadway legends Kaufman and Hart's ONCE IN A LIFETIME.

Asolo Repertory Theatre's rep season begins on January 6, 2012 with the opening of Broadway legends Kaufman and Hart's ONCE IN A LIFETIME.