Lydia Diamond News

Congo Square Theatre Company, well known for its powerful portrayal of African American classics and gripping new works, commemorates its 20th Anniversary season with a rare production of the 1965 satirical fantasy, Day of Absence, at the Richard Christiansen Theatre (housed inside Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave.), February 27-March 22, 2020. Its official opening night is Monday, March 2, 2020, at 7:30pm.

The Dramatists Guild of America is proud to present the launch of a new podcast, TALKBACK, now available on all your favorite podcast platforms.

The Dramatists Guild of America has announced the launch of a new podcast, TALKBACK, available on all your favorite podcast platforms beginning October 21st.

The Huntington Theatre Company's annual Summer Workshop began rehearsals July 9 and will conclude in public readings of four new plays on July 20 and 21, 2019. The workshop allows selected members of the Huntington Playwriting Fellows program two weeks to focus on developing new plays. The workshop and public readings will take place in the South End at the Huntington's Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont Street, Boston. 

16th Street Theater is the new home of Chicago's MC-10 Playwrights' Ensemble, a collection of ten of the country's most sought-after established and mid-career Chicago playwrights and theatre-makers.

The 2ND ANNUAL ITHACA ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) returns to Ithaca for its second year, in partnership with the Kitchen Theatre Company. The 2nd Annual Ithaca One-Minute Play Festival runs for three performances only; July 13th at 8pm, and July 14th at 3pm & 7pm. All performances are at the Kitchen Theatre (417 W StateMLK, Jr. St). Tickets, priced at $20, are available at kitchentheatre.org.

Roundabout Theatre Company presents the world-premiere production of Toni Stone by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Pam MacKinnon, opens tonight.

The Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in the Park production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, directed by Kenny Leon, opened just last night at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, running through Sunday, June 23.

What we always hear: "Black Male Shot by White Police Officer." What we never see - how loved ones struggle to cope in the aftermath.The Matrix Theatre Company presents theWest Coast premiere of a daring new play from a significant emerging voice in theater. Scraps, written by Geraldine Inoa and directed by 2019 Obie Award winner Stevie Walker-Webb, opens at the Matrix Theatre onJuly 6, with previews beginning June 27. 

McCarter will welcome a group of esteemed and emerging playwrights and theater artists to Princeton for the Sallie B. Goodman Artists' Retreat. The annual retreat in June is a centerpiece of McCarter's LAB, a platform and creative incubator devoted to ongoing theatrical development and artist cultivation. The 2019 Retreat will take place from June 12 - June 19.

Toni Stone was the first female to play professional baseball in a major American baseball league and she happened to be African American. Toni played for teams around the country including the fabled Negro League Baseball teams like the Kansas City Monarchs and the unlikely monikered Indianapolis Clowns. She is the subject of a new off-Broadway play by Lydia Diamond opening for previews beginning May 23 at Roundabout's Laura Pels Theatre just off Times Square.

Huntington Theatre Company Artistic Director Peter DuBois and Managing Director Michael Maso announce the lineup of their 2019-2020 season, featuring three world premieres, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, a classic Tony Award-winning comedy by one of the world's most celebrated playwrights, and two adaptations of powerful literary works. 

Babes With Blades Theatre Company's (BWBTC) 21st season continues with its biennial William Shakespeare production. In 2019, the Shakespeare production is Othello running April 11 - May 25, directed by Mignon McPherson Stewart with fight choreography by Samantha Kaufman.  

Artistic Director Tony Prince and Producing Director Richard McGrew are excited to open the third production of the The Liminal Playhouse's fourth season, "Smart People" by Lydia R. Diamond, directed by Tony Prince.

The League of Chicago Theatres, Goodman Theatre, the University of Illinois at Chicago and competition organizer Derrick Sanders announce the top Chicago finalists for the 10th Annual August Wilson Monologue Competition, which were held Monday, March 4, 2019 at the Goodman Theatre: Abad Viquez of Nicholas Senn High School (first place), Freedom Martin of The Chicago High School for the Performing Arts (second place), Serenity Saffold-Rice of Interlochen Center for the Arts (third place), and Lyk Singleton of The Chicago High School for the Performing Arts (honorable mention).

Roundabout Theatre Company and Fiasco Theater's production of Merrily We Roll Along, featuring a book by George Furth and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, directed by Noah Brody, opened just last night at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre (111 West 46th Street). BroadwayWorld was there for the big night and you can check out photos below!

The ALASKA ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) returns to for its sixth year, in partnership with Perseverance Theatre at the Alaska Center For The Performing Arts. The 6th Annual Alaska 1MPF runs two performances only; Sunday, March 17 & Monday, March 18 at 8pm.

From the Motor City to the Valley of the Sun: My conversation with Director Ralph Remington and Executive Director David Hemphill and their conjoined forces bringing Dominique Morisseau's Detroit '67 to Phoenix.

The 8th ANNUAL BOSTON ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL (#1MPF) returns for its eighth year, in partnership with Boston Playwrights' Theatre. The marathon evening of one-minute plays by 60 established and emerging Boston area playwrights and directors plays three performances only. Today, January 5th at 8pm, Sunday, January 6th at 8pm, & Monday, January 7th at 8pm.

With lead vocals by a dozen Broadway stars, Yellow Sound Label has announced the release of the debut album of eleven original songs by award-winning songwriter and Berklee College of Music Professor Michael Wartofsky, in digital, streaming and physical formats, today, Friday, January 4.