Mark Russel News

The Public Theater begins performances for the 12th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL on Wednesday, January 6. This popular and highly-anticipated program of The Public Theater's winter season will include artists from across the U.S. and around the world, including Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, Japan, and Rwanda. Curated by Co-Directors Mark Russell and Meiyin Wang, this year's UNDER THE RADAR will also launch a new series, Under the Radar + Joe's Pub: In Concert, which highlights artists who are working at the intersection of music and theater. Scroll down for a sneak peek at footage from some of the shows!

On November 16 & 17, Performance Space 122 (PS122) is presenting two special nights of Eric Bogosian's 100 Monologues series to benefit PS122's move next year back into their home in the East Village.

La MaMa just honored film producer Joy Tomchin for her activism on behalf of the LGBTQ communities; Donn Russell for his commitment to and support of nontraditional theatre; and Roberta Uno for her leadership in philanthropy and cultural diversity at the annual La MaMa Gala, last night at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.).

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced the exciting international line-up today for the 12th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL, running January 6-17, 2016.

The Public Theater presents the American premiere of BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES. This ambitious and poignant show, created by Gob Squad, runs through Sunday, November 29, with an official press opening tonight, October 26. The company celebrated the show's opening last night, October 25, and BroadwayWorld has photos from the festivities below!

To benefit their 2016 return to their East Village home, Performance Space 122 (PS122) and Executive Producer Anson Mount bring together widely acclaimed playwright Eric Bogosian and director Jo Bonney, along with their close friends, for two-nights of hand-selected, intimate performances from Bogosian's 100 Monologues series.

Just in time for this fall's political cycle, piano-playing political satirist Mark Russell returns to Ford's Theatre (511 Tenth Street NW) for one night only, Monday, October 19, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. With material ripped from today's headlines, Russell's unique brand of comedy earned him the Mark Twain Award for political comedy and made him a popular favorite on PBS.

Public Theater Artistic Director Oskar Eustis and Executive Director Patrick Willingham announced the line-up today for The Public's 2015-16 season, continuing the theater's six-decade tradition of producing theater that is accessible to all.

Ford's Theatre Society hosted Now He Belongs to the Ages: A Lincoln Commemoration, a moving tribute to President Abraham Lincoln on the 150th anniversary of his assassination, this week on April 14, 2015, at 9 p.m. Scroll down for photos from the event!

Ford's Theatre Society hosts Now He Belongs to the Ages: A Lincoln Commemoration, a moving tribute to President Abraham Lincoln on the 150th anniversary of his assassination -- tonight, April 14, 2015, at 9 p.m.

Ford's Theatre Society hosts Now He Belongs to the Ages: A Lincoln Commemoration, a moving tribute to President Abraham Lincoln on the 150th anniversary of his assassination -- April 14, 2015, at 9 p.m. The evening includes readings of Lincoln's words and stories, Civil War-era music, excerpts from Lincoln's favorite operas, and features appearances by operatic soprano Alyson Cambridge, legendary singer songwriter Judy Collins, actor David Selby, political satirist Mark Russell, civil rights leader Julian Bond, historians Harold Holzer and James Swanson columnist Eugene Robinson, the Federal City Brass Band, and others.

The Public Theater began performances for the 11th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL yesterday, January 7. This popular and highly-anticipated program of The Public Theater's winter season includes artists from across the U.S. and around the world, including Argentina, Iran, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Curated by Co-Directors Mark Russell and Meiyin Wang, this year's UNDER THE RADAR also marks the launch of the new Devised Theater Working Group which will present eight works-in-process as part of the festival's INCOMING! Series.

The Public Theater presents the 11th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL, running today, January 7-18, 2015.

The Public Theater begins performances for the 11th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL on Wednesday, January 7. This popular and highly-anticipated program of The Public Theater's winter season will include artists from across the U.S. and around the world, including Argentina, Iran, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Curated by Co-Directors Mark Russell and Meiyin Wang, this year's UNDER THE RADAR will also mark the launch of the new Devised Theater Working Group which will present eight works-in-process as part of the festival's INCOMING! Series.

The Public Theater announced the exciting international line-up today for the 11th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL, running January 7-18, 2015. This popular and highly-anticipated program of The Public Theater's winter season will include artists from across the U.S. and around the world, including Argentina, Iran, Switzerland, Spain, Brazil, and the United Kingdom. Curated by Co-Directors Mark Russell and Meiyin Wang, this year's UNDER THE RADAR will also mark the launch of the new Devised Theater Working Group which will present eight works-in-process as part of the festival's INCOMING! Series.

The Kimmel Center kicks off its 2014-2015 season this week with more than 100 new shows on sale to the public for the first time, including multi-Grammy winner and Songwriters Hall of Famer Bob Dylan (Nov. 21-23), Broadway's Tony-Winning hit Newsies (Oct. 28-Nov. 2), award winning NPR radio host Ira Glass (Nov. 12), Puerto Rican super group, Calle 13 (Sept. 27), and Emmy winning astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson (Feb. 25).

Asia Society, PEN World Voices Festival and Performance Space 122 present the New York City premiere of 33 RPM and a Few Seconds, a brave new work by Lebanese theater artists Rabih Mroue and Lina Saneh, as part of the 10th Annual PEN World Voices Festival. A multi-media theater performance devoid of actors, 33 RPM and a Few Seconds reconstructs the final moments of a life after the suicide of a young Lebanese man.

'The Public's commitment to make theater that matters is brilliantly reflected in the power and diversity of the 2014-15 season,' said Artistic Director Oskar Eustis. 'Starting with the return of the thrilling Public Works Shakespeare at the Delacorte, and proceeding through three explosive new musicals and major new work by Suzan-Lori Parks and Young Jean Lee, this season is truly of, by and for the people. This is work that we have developed and nurtured, and the artists have responded with astounding bravery and creativity.'

Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre and home of the U.S. Center of the International Theatre Institute (ITI-US), has released Brett Bailey and Diane Rodriguez's World Theatre Day 2014 messages. Each year, a renowned theatre artist of world stature is invited by ITI Worldwide in Paris to craft the International Message, which is then translated into more than 20 languages to mark the global occasion. This year, TCG has renewed their tradition of asking a noted U.S. artist to also reflect on the themes of World Theatre Day.

Long before Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, there was Mark Russell, daring to joke and sing of the often absurd political process. With his impeccable timing, twinkling eyes, and insights into American politics, Mark Russell will grace the Van Wezel stage on March 31, 2014.