Peter Whelan News

Anonymous Man is Michael Gordon's first concert-length solo choral work. It was commissioned by The Crossing and written for the choir's 24 voices. Gordon merges subtle rhythmic invention with incredible power in his music, embodying, in the words of The New Yorker's Alex Ross, 'the fury of punk rock, the nervous brilliance of free jazz and the intransigence of classical modernism.'

Anonymous Man is Michael Gordon's first concert-length solo choral work. It was commissioned by The Crossing and written for the choir's 24 voices. Gordon merges subtle rhythmic invention with incredible power in his music, embodying, in the words of The New Yorker's Alex Ross, 'the fury of punk rock, the nervous brilliance of free jazz and the intransigence of classical modernism.'

Richard Twyman today announces his inaugural season as Artistic Director of English Touring Theatre which includes a series of first-time collaborations with theatres, theatre companies and artists. 

(UPDATED June 8, 2016) — On July 29-30, members of the Britt Orchestra and Music Director Teddy Abrams will celebrate the unique majesty of Oregon's Crater Lake with six performances at the national park of a world premiere by New York-based composer Michael Gordon, commissioned by Britt Music & Arts Festival and inspired by Crater Lake. Abrams will lead approximately 40 Britt Orchestra musicians in the performances, with the dramatic panorama of the lake as the setting. Joining the Britt Orchestra musicians are 15 members of Steiger Butte Drum, a drum troupe composed of members of the local Klamath Tribes; 30 brass and percussion musicians from Southern Oregon University; and a 50-member chorus. The performances are free, and are being presented as part of the centennial celebration of the U.S. National Park Service. 

(UPDATED June 8, 2016) — On July 29-30, members of the Britt Orchestra and Music Director Teddy Abrams will celebrate the unique majesty of Oregon's Crater Lake with six performances at the national park of a world premiere by New York-based composer Michael Gordon, commissioned by Britt Music & Arts Festival and inspired by Crater Lake. Abrams will lead approximately 40 Britt Orchestra musicians in the performances, with the dramatic panorama of the lake as the setting. Joining the Britt Orchestra musicians are 15 members of Steiger Butte Drum, a drum troupe composed of members of the local Klamath Tribes; 30 brass and percussion musicians from Southern Oregon University; and a 50-member chorus. The performances are free, and are being presented as part of the centennial celebration of the U.S. National Park Service. 

A season of classic Shakespeare plays will take place at St George's Hall Liverpool to mark the 400th Anniversary of the Bard's death.

This summer, Royal & Derngate Northampton and Hackney Empire will co-produce the world premiere of Soul, a new play by Roy Williams about the family life of soul legend Marvin Gaye. Directed by James Dacre and designed by Jon Bausor, Soul takes to Northampton's Royal stage from Friday 20 May to Saturday 11 June, before its run at Hackney Empire from Wednesday 15 June to Sunday 3 July.

Daniel Evans today announces his final season as Sheffield Theatres' Artistic Director, including the eagerly anticipated news of the Crucible's Christmas show, Irving Berlin's whip-cracking musical Annie Get Your Gun. The season also includes two world premieres on the Crucible stage - an adaptation of a classic novel and an exciting new musical set in Sheffield. A poignant moment in the city's history is told on the Studio stage along with a heart-warming family tale for the festive period.

A season of classic Shakespeare plays will take place at St George's Hall Liverpool to mark the 400th Anniversary of the Bard's death.

The first major touring revival of Peter Whelan's THE HERBAL BED debuts at Northampton's Royal and Derngate. BroadwayWorld's Verity Wilde was there.

The first show in Royal & Derngate's Shakespeare season is THE HERBAL BED, Peter Whelan's imagining of the life of William Shakespeare's daughter. The production runs now through 27 February 2016 before continuing on tour. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Rose Theatre Kingston has announced several new productions for 2016. Trevor Nunn returns to the venue to direct Shakespeare's KING JOHN, while John Malkovich makes his London directorial stage debut with the English-language premiere of Zach Helm's GOOD CANARY, and acclaimed American director Michael Rudman presenting the first Arthur Miller play staged at the Rose.

The Rose Theatre Kingston today announces its full spring season with an array of the finest drama, children's theatre, comedy and music.

James Dacre, Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate today announced the Spring and Summer programme for Made in Northampton 2016 in his third year at the Northampton venue.

James Dacre, Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate, today announced the Spring and Summer programme for Made in Northampton 2016 in his third year at the Northampton venue - and spoke to BWW:UK about the line-up.

 Exeter Northcott Theatre will produce a new adaptation of Harold Pinter's Betrayal which will mark artistic director Paul Jepson's directorial debut for the theatre.

The Rose Theatre Kingston today announces its full spring season with an array of the finest drama, children's theatre, comedy and music.

Building on the successes of Made in Northampton 2014, Royal & Derngate's Artistic Director James Dacre today announced details of his second season: Made in Northampton 2015. Introducing the season, Dacre said: "Our Made in Northampton 2015 season aims to reflect the energy and range synonymous with Royal & Derngate, staging classic stories in imaginative new ways and premiering stories that need to be told today. This new season of epic plays looks back to the 12th Century Northampton of King John and forward to Aldous Huxley's Brave New World of 2540. In the company of some of our largest ever casts, audiences will enter the Elizabethan garden of Peter Whelan's The Herbal Bed, the Brooklyn waterfront of Arthur Miller's The Hook, the terrifying Victorian world of Patrick Hamilton's Gaslight, the frozen land of Georgia Pritchett's The Snow Queen and the Parisian streets of Cyrano De Bergerac. But wherever and whenever these plays are set, they have been chosen or commissioned because I believe that each reflects and considers an experience of life in Britain today."

The Irish Baroque Orchestra, under the artistic direction of violinist Monica Huggett, will perform a rich 18th-century program from Ireland's 'Golden Age' at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. The program will feature solos by Huggett, Irish harper Siobhan Armstrong and bassoonist Peter Whelan. Huggett will discuss music from the period at a 2:15 p.m. talk before the concert.

As 2012 comes to a close, many Austin theater companies are putting together their 2013-2014 season. Given the incredible talent in this town and the large number of daring, courageous theater groups in the Austin area, here are my picks for 13 plays that I'd love to see produced in the 2013-2014 season.