Robert Walsh News

Following two seasons of darkened stages, restricted interactions, and limited live theatre, London’s Grand Theatre is lifting the curtain on its 2022/23 season - unveiling a full return to the stage with ten powerful productions, four world premieres, and an exhilarating five-concert series from Jeans ’n Classics.

The Gloucester Stage Company, under the leadership of Interim Artistic Director Paula Plum and Managing Director Christopher Griffith, is pleased to announce its 2022 season of award-winning professional theater on Boston's North Shore.

Gloucester Stage Company's Artistic Director Robert Walsh has announced his intention to step down at the end of 2021. The Gloucester Stage Board of Directors has appointed Paula Plum as the Interim Artistic Director as they begin a transparent and equitable search process for the next artistic leader of the Company.

Gloucester Stage Company's Artistic Director Robert Walsh has announced his intention to step down at the end of 2021. The Gloucester Stage Board of Directors has appointed Paula Plum as the Interim Artistic Director as they begin a transparent and equitable search process for the next artistic leader of the Company.

One of Toronto's most beloved holiday musical traditions, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's annual Holiday Pops concert, will be available from the safety and comfort of patrons' homes this year.

Gloucester Stage Company Artistic Director Robert Walsh and Managing Director Christopher Griffith are proud to announce Gloucester Stage's 2020 season of professional theater on Boston's North Shore.

A King, now a ghost, walks the night, to bring tidings to his son Hamlet, of his own murder 'most foul', at the hands of his brother Claudius who then becomes King. The Queen mother, Gertrude, then becomes the new King's wife. Next a counselor to the king, Polonius, is murdered by Hamlet when Hamlet confronts his Mother over her role in his father's death and the Polonius tries to call the guards to stop Hamlet from revealing this secret, Then Polonius' daughter Ophelia, who is in love with Hamlet and who is rejected by him in his grief, commits suicide. Her brother Laertes comes to avenge his father's death, and duels with the Hamlet, to the death of both, but not before the queen drinks poison meant for Hamlet, and then just before he dies Hamlet kills Claudius. 'The Play's the thing' says Hamlet, and quite the play it is.

Upon entering Chelsea Theatre Works for Actors' Shakespeare Project's King Lear, the audience is immediately immersed in a world that could be passed off as Laurie Anderson's riff on 'man cave'. An eclectic installation of vintage desk lamps and exposed light bulbs pulsate, casting shadows over a pile of radio transmitters, a neglected piano, and an assortment of discarded knick knacks that set designer Jon Savage has seamlessly incorporated into the deep-stained wood encircling the playing space. A vintage projector noisily clicks through slides edited by Cameron Willard showing images of monkeys in cages, minarets of mosques, and landscapes of deserts as David Reiffel's vapory soundscape throbs in the air. When Robert Walsh stumbles in barefoot as King Lear, it is apparent to whom this space belongs.

If there's one thing that summer theater should be, it's fun, and Gloucester Stage Company's production of THE 39 STEPS happily fulfills the requirement. Actually, it is more than fun - it is laugh out loud funny, thanks to the witty script, the crisp direction by Artistic Director Robert Walsh, and the antics and split-second comic timing of a quartet of actors who play over 150 characters without going off the rails. Joining them on stage is Malachi Rosen, a Foley Artist who produces a litany of sound effects, allowing the audience to see and hear how every door slam, train whistle, and gun shot happens. The 1935 film was a classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller, but the stage adaptation by Patrick Barlow heaps large helpings of farce and satire atop the story, while maintaining a high level of suspense.

Gloucester Stage Company continues its 40th Anniversary Season of professional theater with Patrick Barlow's witty mystery play The 39 Steps from July 5 through July 28 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. This award winning comic thriller adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow, from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and from the 1935 movie by Alfred Hitchcock, premiered on Broadway in 2008. The 39 Steps has played in over forty countries world-wide, winning Olivier (United Kingdom); Helpmann (Austraila); Moliere (France) and Tony Awards. The play garnered the 2007 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy; the 2008 Tony Awards for Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design; the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience; the 2009 Helpmann Award for Best Regional Touring Production; and the 2009 Moliere Award for Best Comedy.

Gloucester Stage Company kicks off its 40th Anniversary Season of professional theater with Neil Simon's romantic comedy, Barefoot in the Park from June 7 through June 30 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Neil Simon's longest-running hit, and the tenth longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history, Barefoot in the Park opens as newlyweds Corie & Paul move into a sixth floor walk up off Third Avenue in the east 40's of Manhattan and follows the young couple as they quickly discover there's more to marriage than meets the eye.

Gloucester Stage Artistic Director Robert Walsh and Interim Managing Director Chris Griffith recently announced that the non-profit theater's 40th anniversary season will include regional premiere of The Lifespan of a Fact from August 30 through September 22.  Gloucester Stage will be the first theater in the country to produce the critically-acclaimed The Lifespan of a Fact since the play's SRO smash hit world premiere Broadway run featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Cherry Jones, and Bobby Cannavale closed in January 2019.

Gloucester Stage Company Artistic Director Robert Walsh and Interim Managing Director Christopher Griffith, are proud to announce the 2019 slate for Gloucester Stage's 40th Anniversary Season of professional theater on Boston's Northshore.

Simon Geller and WVCA-FM, his one-man classical music radio station, were part of the local color of Gloucester, Massachusetts, for 24 years. From 1964 until he retired in 1988, Geller lived, breathed, ate, and slept to single-handedly produce commercial-free broadcasts from his in-home studio, doing it his way with meager financial support from his listeners. Playwright Ken Riaf, who lives and works in Gloucester as a practicing attorney, has been developing MY STATION IN LIFE with the Gloucester Stage Company since last season's NeverDark reading. Ken Baltin returns to GSC for the first time since appearing in Neil Simon's LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS (2009) to bring his interpretation to this most interesting character.

Gloucester Stage Company wraps up its 39th season of professional theater with the world premiere of Ken Riaf's My Station in Life from October 12 through October 28 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. From the rubble of his studio dungeon, Simon Geller, the last standing single-handed radio operator in the country, broadcasts commercial free classical music from Gloucester - the town that loves and endures his peculiar presence.

Gloucester Stage Board of Directors President Elizabeth Neumeier has announced that as of September 30, 2018, Jeff Zinn will depart as Managing Director of Gloucester Stage Company. According to Neumeier, "Jeff Zinn brought a lifetime of experience to Gloucester Stage. The Board was delighted with his close collaboration with our Artistic Director Robert Walsh over the past three years and we wish him the very best in his next creative endeavors.' A longtime New England theater professional, Jeff Zinn has served as Managing Director at Gloucester Stage since October 1, 2015. Zinn reflects on his tenure in Gloucester, "The past three years have been incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally. GSC is blessed with a vibrant ecosystem of artists, technicians, board, staff, and audiences, and I am so grateful for their generosity. I look forward to seeing where the company goes from here and, perhaps, occasionally jumping back in as a freelancer.' While at Gloucester Stage, Zinn also directed the critically acclaimed productions of Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's The Totalitarians and the world premiere of Jim Frangione's Flight of the Monarch. "I can't say enough good things about my collaboration with Jeff over these last three years! He is smart about theater, created two wonderful productions, helped grow our donor base and always had good counsel as we looked to move the theater forward in new initiatives and programming,' points out GSC Artistic Director Robert Walsh. 'He took a significant leadership role in adapting and implementing our new workplace harassment protocols based on the Chicago Theater Standards and has, in every instance, been a true colleague and friend. I will miss our interactions together, but hope he will return as a director or actor in future seasons."

TRUE WEST is a dark, yet humorous play by the late Sam Shepard, one of America's foremost playwrights. Joe Short directs a stellar cast of Nael Nacer, Alexander Platt, Mark Cohen, and Marya Lowry in a story of family dysfunction, dramatic conflict, and sibling rivalry, set in a Southern California suburb where Hollywood and the Mojave Desert compete to influence the lives of a pair of brothers.

Timeless tale re-imagined with contemporary spin by Jason O'Connell and Brenda Withers. Jeremiah Kissel makes GSC debut in title role opposite Andrea Goldman, under the direction of Artistic Director Robert Walsh.

Gloucester Stage Company continues its 39th season of professional theater with the New England premiere of Jason O'Connell and Brenda Withers' Cyrano from July 13 through August 11 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Gloucester Stage Artistic Director Robert Walsh directs this adaptation of Rostand's 1897 classic, Cyrano de Bergerac. According to Walsh, 'Cyrano, a new adaptation of the famous play by Edmond Rostand (Cyrano de Bergerac), by Brenda Withers & Jason O'Connell, is a fast-paced, contemporized version featuring a small cast breathing fresh life into this large-scale classic.  Witty, clever, insouciant and fully enjoying the poetic bravura through a modern-day lens and very approachable language, this New England premiere will be perfect for Gloucester Stage!  A beautiful tale told with panache.'

Gloucester Stage Company opens its 39th season of professional theater on May 11 with the world premiere of Madame Defarge, Wendy Kesselman's new musical inspired by Charles Dicken's classic A Tale of Two Cities. The world premiere musical runs from May 11 through June 2 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. A passionate re-imagining of Dickens' infamous Madame Defarge illuminates this new musical by Wendy Kesselman.