Paul Pyant News

Nominations for the 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at the New York Friars Club by Faith Prince and Jim Dale, multi-award winning stage stars. They were joined for the announcement by William Wolf, Drama Desk President, Barbara Siegel, Chairperson of the Drama Desk Nominating Committee, Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards ceremony, and Randie Levine-Miller, Director of Special Events for the Drama Desk.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) continues its 54 th season with Verdi's hauntingand tragic tale Rigoletto. Rigoletto, which was last performed at HGO in 2001, returns to the Wortham Theater Centerwith a powerful new staging of Michael Yeargan's classic production that was inspired by Italianpainter Giorgio di Chirico.

Scotland's Daily Record reports that Patrick Stewart upset fans following a theater performance of 'WAITING FOR GODOT' in Scotland by launching a 'foul-mouthed tirade at a man who allegedly took a picture of him onstage', according to people who attended the show.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) continues its 54 th season with Verdi's haunting and tragic tale Rigoletto. Rigoletto, which was last performed at HGO in 2001, returns to the Wortham Theater Centerwith a powerful new staging of Michael Yeargan's classic production that was inspired by Italianpainter Giorgio di Chirico.

Sean Mathias directs Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot which is his first production as Artistic Director of the 2009 Theatre Royal Haymarket Company. Waiting for Godot will tour the UK prior to its opening in London in April.

Sean Mathias will direct Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot which is his first production as Artistic Director of the 2009 Theatre Royal Haymarket Company. Waiting for Godot will tour the UK prior to its opening in London in April.

Houston Grand Opera (HGO) continues its 54 th season with Verdi's hauntingand tragic tale Rigoletto. Rigoletto, which was last performed at HGO in 2001, returns to the Wortham Theater Centerwith a powerful new staging of Michael Yeargan's classic production that was inspired by Italianpainter Giorgio di Chirico.

Simon Callow (Pozzo) and Ronald Pickup (Lucky) will join Ian McKellen (Estragon) and Patrick Stewart (Vladimir) in Sean Mathias' Theatre Royal Haymarket production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. Waiting for Godot will preview at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 30 April with press night on 6 May 2009 and is booking until 28 June 2009 for a strictly limited season. Designs are by Stephen Brimson Lewis and lighting is by Paul Pyant. Waiting for Godot is produced by the Theatre Royal Haymarket Company in partnership with Duncan C. Weldon Productions Ltd. Prior to the Theatre Royal Haymarket run, Waiting for Godot tours to Malvern Theatres (5 - 14 March), Milton Keynes Theatre (16 - 21 March), Brighton Theatre Royal (23 - 28 March), Bath Theatre Royal (30 March - 4 April), Norwich Theatre Royal (6 - 11 April), Edinburgh King's Theatre (13 - 18 April) and Newcastle Theatre Royal (20 - 25 April). Waiting for Godot follows two consecutive days in the lives of Vladimir and Estragon, who divert themselves by clowning around, joking and arguing, while waiting expectantly and unsuccessfully for the mysterious Godot. Beckett's Waiting for Godot exploded on to the London stage over 50 years ago when it shocked as many people as it delighted.

The Old Vic announced a new line up of productions for 2009 that will begin in January with the World Premiere of the new play, COMPLICIT by Joe Sutton and directed in-the-round by Kevin Spacey. Following the hugely successful The Norman Conquests, which runs through to late December 2008, the new program brings further diversity and originality to one of London's oldest theatres.

Sam Mendes directs a transatlantic company of actors in a double-bill of classic works for The Bridge Project's inaugural 2009 season, which pairs a new version of The Cherry Orchard by Tom Stoppard with The Winter's Tale. A formidable transatlantic company and creative team will mount these two new productions for seven internationally renowned theaters. Simon Russell Beale leads the British/American cast, playing Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard and Leontes in The Winter's Tale. He is joined by Sin?ad Cusack as Madame Ranevskaya and Paulina, Richard Easton as Firs and Old Shepherd, Rebecca Hall as Varya and Hermione, Josh Hamilton as Yasha and Polixenes, Ethan Hawke as Trofimov and Autolycus, and Paul Jesson as Gaev and Camilo.

Sean Mathias will direct Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot which is his first production as Artistic Director of the 2009 Theatre Royal Haymarket Company. Waiting for Godot will tour the UK prior to its opening in London in April.

The Old Vic announced a new line up of productions for 2009 that will begin in January with the World Premiere of the new play, COMPLICIT by Joe Sutton and directed in-the-round by Kevin Spacey. Following the hugely successful The Norman Conquests, which runs through to late December 2008, the new program brings further diversity and originality to one of London's oldest theatres.

The nominations were just released for the 2008 Olivier Awards and Haispray is leading the pack with 11 nominations.

India's premier airline Jet Airways today announced their sponsorship worth 15 million rupees for The Lord of the Rings London original cast album that is currently being recorded for a January 21, 2008 release.

The Lord of the Rings, the first major stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic trilogy, which received its British and European Premiere when it opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London earlier this summer, celebrates its 100th performance today, Monday, August 13, and its booking period has been extended to September 27, 2008.

Full casting has been announced for Almeida Theatre Artistic Director Michael Attenborough's production of Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing!,

The critically lambasted LORD OF THE RINGS walked off with 7 Dora awards (named for Dora Mavor Moore) handed out Monday June 26 at Toronto's Winter Garden Theatre.

Lord of the Rings, at 15, racked up the most Dora Awards nominations; the awards celebrating Toronto Theatre will be presented on June 2nd

'The Pajama Game' Heads the List with 8 Nominations followed by 'Grey Gardens' with 7 Nominations and 'The Drowsy Chaperone' and 'Jersey Boys' with 6 Nominations