TRANSGRESSIONS 
Six evenings, six plays-in-process: staged readings of new works.
May 2-6, 2018 | 7pm
HB Playwrights Theatre
124 Bank Street, NYC
For FREE Reservations visit
WWW.HBSTUDIO.EVENTBRITE.COM
or call (212) 989-7856 Mon-Fri between 1pm-5pm
May 2018 Series Featuring: Continue reading →
A conversation with 
Barbara Cassidy and Shonna Trinch
Monday, March 26, 7:30PM
HB Playwrights Theater | 124 Bank Street
Suggested donation: $5-$10
RSVP at hbstudio.eventbrite.com
“Seeing Rape” is a course at John Jay College of Criminal Justice taught by Shonna Trinch (a linguist) and Barbara Cassidy (a playwright) examining sexual violence across various disciplines. The students’ final projects are original short plays, from which Trinch and Cassidy choose 5-10 to be performed in the spring by professional actors.
Join Shonna and Barbara for a conversation about the work they do to foster an awareness of the power of creative visions both to analyze and re-imagine the world.
Moderated talk will be followed by a Q&A.
Alicia Rodis, Co-Founder of Intimacy Directors International
For years Intimacy Directors have been choreographing intimate moments & advocating for consensual workspaces in the rehearsal room. In this shifting culture, Intimacy Direction is now becoming a new standard practice. Chat with Alicia Rodis, co-founder of Intimacy Directors International, whose company is at the forefront of this shift. From intimate tension to a tender embrace to full on simulated sex, a conversation of how to tell these stories safely and dynamically.
An evening of songs from the musical theater works of Leonard Bernstein during the worldwide #Bernsteinat100 celebration
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Leonard Bernstein – composer, conductor, educator, musician, cultural ambassador, and humanitarian – is one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century. Bernstein’s steadfast belief in the power of art to lift, transform, delight and educate was his antidote to a world full of violence and unpredictability. A charter member of HB’s Playwrights Foundation and a longtime friend to HB’s founders, HB Studio is thrilled to present this benefit evening with Broadway stars in a tribute to his work, during the worldwide #Bernsteinat100 celebration.
Featuring remarks by ALEXANDER BERNSTEIN, LONNY PRICE and the talents of Broadway stars STEPHEN DEROSA (BWAY: On the Town, Betrayal, The Nance, Hairspray, Into the Woods), STEVEN ENG (OFF BWAY: Pacific Overtures, Chee-Chee; WEST END: The King and I), MELISSA ERRICO (BWAY: Anna Karenina, My Fair Lady, High Society, Dracula, White Christmas, Amour), ALI EWOLDT (BWAY: Phantom of the Opera, The King and I, Les Misérables), CHILINA KENNEDY (BWAY: Beautiful, Jesus Christ Superstar), TRACEY MICHAILIDIS (BWAY: Beauty and the Beast; OFF-BWAY: Ethel Sings; NAT’L TOUR: Fun Home), CARL-MICHAEL OGLE (Regional: Showboat (Citi Performing Arts Center), The Wiz (Fiddlehead Theatre Company), West Side Story(FTC), ELIZA SIMPSON (Off-Broadway: The Woodsman (59E59 Theaters), NY: The Mysteries (The Flea Theater), Kapowi Gogo (The PIT, Time Out NY Critics Pick), Three Sisters (HIT)), CHRISTINE TOY JOHNSON (BWAY: The Music Man (Revival), Grease! (Revival), Chu Chem), and TONY YAZBECK (BWAY: Prince of Broadway, Finding Neverland, On the Town, Chicago, White Christmas, Gypsy, A Chorus Line), with musical directors MICHAEL DANSICKER (BWAY: The Times They Are A-Changin’, Piaf, Good, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Iceman Cometh, Singin’ in the Rain) and Grammy Award-winning JOHN MCDANIEL (BWAY: Bonnie and Clyde, Catch Me If You Can, Brooklyn, Annie Get Your Gun ,Taboo, Chicago, Grease, Patti LuPone on Broadway, Company). Directed by ROBERT MCQUEEN, esteemed HB faculty and Director of New Musical Development for Toronto’s Musical Stage Company. McQueen’s many directing credits include Man of La Mancha (Startford Festival), Forest Boy (NYMF), The Wild Party, Falsettos, Caroline, Or Change, The Light in the Piazza, The Magic Flute (Vancouver Opera), Hair and Pal Joey.
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By Julie McKee 
Directed by Jean Randich
A Staged Reading
Saturday & Sunday, January 27 & 28 | 7 pm
First Floor Studio | 120 Bank Street, New York
Free | RSVP at eventbrite.com
1942. New Zealand is under threat of a Japanese invasion. Louise MacGregor, formidable scientist, is sent in search of Pterocladia Lucida, a simple seaweed to aid the war effort. May Smith, an untried youngster, is plucked to assist the prickly botanist as a sketch artist. But having only recently discovered her Maori heritage, May has other questions and struggles to meet Louise’s rigorous demands. Inspired by Lucy B. Moore’s wartime mission to scour the wilds of New Zealand’s coast for the weed, “The Secret Life of Seaweed” tells the story of two women who learn to feel deeply about each other in a time when expressing feelings of unbearable emotional sadness was forbidden for the good of all.
Featuring James Hallett*, Siw Laurent, Johanna Leister*, Donna Svennevik, with stage directions by Andrew Plimpton.
The Secret Life of Seaweed is a commission by The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation of Science and Technology and The Ensemble Studio Theatre.
*Appearing courtesy of Actors Equity/Aftra.
*Photo credit Donna Svennevik
Please join us Sunday, January 14, at 3pm in the HB Playwrights Theatre for a Memorial for Earle Hyman. Space is limited, please RSVP by January 9 to Sara Kuntz, via email (skuntz@hbstudio.org) or phone (212-989-6540).
Meet the Catalan Artists 
Copresented by HB Studio and Institut Ramon Llull
Featuring five socially engaged female artists from Catalonia who will be sharing presentations of their work:
Lali Álvarez (playwright, poet, stage director)
Cláudia Cedó (playwright & director)
Anna Giribet (theater artist & programmer)
Ariadna Peya (choreographer, dancer, teacher)
Xesca Salvà (set designer & theater artist)
Presentations will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018 | 7pm
HB Playwrights Theatre | 124 Bank Street
Free! | RSVP at hbstudio.eventbrite.com
LALI ÁLVAREZ: I work as a playwright, poet, stage director and community-projects developer, having studied philosophy at Universitat de Barcelona and stage directing and playwriting at Institut del Teatre. I often participate in text theatre, street theatre, and in community projects, with my work revolving around social and political issues. I am the current artistic director at the HUI BASA Collective, through which I hold the resident artist position at Nau Ivanow in Barcelona. The collective is now working on Tha Zpar (The Stand Still) a street-theatre show about how we manage fear and violence, which will premiere in September 2018 at FiraTàrrega, and on Privilege, a theatre documentary about the concept of privilege, to premiere in July 2019 at the Barcelona Grec Festival. As a playwright and stage director, I have put on Ragazzo (2015) and Barcelona (against the wall) (2016), both based on true stories, and both on tour. I have been honored with various awards such as the Serra d’Or Critics Award (best show 2015 for Ragazzo) and the Recomana Critics Award (best show for young audience 2016 for Ragazzo).
www.lalialvarezgarriga.com
By Jośe Rivera.
Directed by David Deblinger.
Two Nights Only:
Friday, Dec. 1, and Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017 | 7PM
HB Playwrights Theatre | 124 Bank Street
$250 Premiere Tickets
$125 Priority Tickets
$25 HB Student Tickets
Join HB for a staged reading of Jose Rivera’s fanciful play, following the adventures of Maricela and her brother Riccardo as they save the world from weather catastrophe. Directed by David Deblinger, HB faculty member and co-founder of the Labyrinth Theater Company.
Featuring Vanessa Aspillaga – star of the Pulitzer-prize winning drama ANNA IN THE TROPICS on Broadway.
Also featuring the talents of Oscar A. L. Cabrera, Paula Pizzi, Johnny Sanchez, Ron Orbach, Glenda Delli, Beethovan Oden, and Satoshi Deleanu.
Don’t miss this exciting and fun, whirl-wind adventure! A portion of proceeds from this reading will be donated towards The Hispanic Federation’s UNIDOS Disaster Relief & Recovery Program to meet Hurricane Maria-related needs and recovery in Puerto Rico.
Book & Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner
Composer: Frederick Loewe
7PM | Fri, Sat & Sun | Nov 10, 11 & 12, 2017
HB Playwrights Theatre, 124 Bank St. | FREE
Directed by Robert McQueen
This autumn HB Studio presents a celebration of the work of musical theater writers Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Not Far From Where We Were Before features a company of actors from the HB Musical Theater Studio Practice program. The evening includes scenes and songs from Lerner and Loewe’s most iconic musicals, such as My Fair Lady and Camelot, as well as earlier, lesser known work. Join us for an evening that honors two of the most important, beloved and celebrated voices in the American musical theater canon.
Continue reading →
Nancy Redman performs in You Can’t Teach a Fish to Whistle at The Secret Theatre. Performances run July 19–Aug 3.
J.B. Alexander performs in Cymbeline at Quest Players. Performances run July 11–21.
Elise Hansen performs in Macbeth at American Theater of Actors. Performances run July 24–Aug 11.
Tim O’Reilly performs in his play, Pop and Sons at New York Theater Festival. Featuring HB Alumni: Tim O’Reilly, Lauren Dudley, Noah Kleinberg, Ted Phillips and Director John Druzba. Three Performances only: July 17, 19 and 21.
Jonah Scott Mendelsohn performs in Sunday in the Park with George at Santa Fe Playhouse. Runs June 27–July 28. Following his performance in What the Constitution Means to Me with them.
David R. Nash, student of Michael Beckett, appeared as a recurring guest star on the last two seasons of the hit CBS police drama series, Blue Bloods playing serial killer, Sam Evans. David also recently appeared as a guest star on another popular CBS drama series, FBI: Most Wanted.
Mai Ozeki performs in Voice, a new play by Momo Akashi and directed by Kevin Cheng. Other performers include: Sudip Ulak, and Raymond Xavier. Performance is on July 5 at 3:00pm at The Chain Theatre as part of The Factory Series.
Max Casella, who studied with Michael Beckett, is a series regular on Sylvester Stallone’s Tulsa King. Season 1 premiered on Paramount Plus and will be broadcast on CBS on July 14 at 7 pm. Season 2 is expected to be released Fall 2024.
Moshe Henderson‘s play Velvet Rage is performing at The Tank’s Pridefest on June 27. The creative team includes: Allie Posner (Production Manager), Michael Dale (Performer), Amy Finkbeiner (Scenic Designer) Kiara Luna (Stage Manager), Mariya Chekmarova (Casting), ASH (Sound Designer), Kyle J. Artone (Costume Designer), Randy McHaney (Producer), Benjamin Lang (Understudy).
Time Capsule Project, a week-long Theatre Festival at Chain Theatre runs July 1–7. This festival is produced by a collective HB Studio artists with Ai Toyoshima, Producer & Executive Director. Their mission is to empower our participating artists to become the next generation of creative leaders in the theatrical industry both in New York and Japan. They provide an intimate, supportive network and a creative space that will serve to inspire and entertain our audiences. Our program includes a range of genres from a new play, dancing and music.
Nick Thomas performs in A Man Among Ye at The Player’s Theater. A raucous, rollicking, and quite unbelievable (semi) true story of pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Sword fights, sea shanties and mythical creatures help set the tone in this highly stylized and carnivalesque outrageous dark comedy. Performances run June 13–July 14.
Kevin Cheng performs in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Script Club NYC at ART/NY Brooklyn Location. Only two performances July 5 & 6 at 7:00pm.
John L Payne is featured in the indie film, On Purple.
Charly Wenzel directs Identity, on May 26 at Theater for the New City. This performance is part of the Lower East Side Festival for the Arts.
Albert Insinnia performs in Heisenberg on May 28–30 at TheatreLab. This performance also features Irene Glezos and Faculty Member, Austin Pendleton as director.
Robin Berl will be directing the World Premiere of her play Dua: The Monster’s Story at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center. Produced by Theatre Prometheus. Performances run May 10–June 1.
Peter Levine performs in The Dumb Waiter at Polaris North on April 26 & 27 at 7:00pm, April 28 at 3:00pm. You can email LeslieLynnNow@gmail.com to RSVP.
Connie Kirk plays Katharine Hepburn in The Hepburn Interview, a one act play and 2023 recipient of a William Faulkner Literary Award. Based on a true story set in 1944, Katharine Hepburn is interviewed by a young Army Intelligence agent from Portland, OR who is tasked by the FBI to flush out Hollywood communists. A spirited Katharine Hepburn fights back. Playwright, Thomas L. Mason, served in the Oregon Legislature for 14 years and authored the country’s first “vote by mail” bill in 1981.
Richard Lear is the Assistant Director for the off-Broadway production of 44 Lights. Performances runs May 15–25 at AMT Theater.
Burak Tatar‘s short film, Prime Real Estate won Best New York State Filmmaker and Audience Choice Award at the Blackbird Film Festival.
Franco Pistritto is performing in A.R. Gurney’s The Dining Room at Southampton Arts Center on April 26–28.
Albert Insignia is performing in Heisenberg at TheatreLab along side Irene Glezos. Performances run April 16–18.
Connie Kirk is performing in Heaven And Hollywood by Thomas L. Mason. at Lakewood Center for the Performing Arts. Based on a true story set in 1944, a young sergeant from Portland, OR tasked by the FBI to flesh out Hollywood communists. A spirited Katharine Hepburn fights back. Act II, as a stand alone work known as “An Interview with Hepburn” is a William Faulkner Literary Award recipient. One night performance on April 19 at 7:00pm.
Youlim Nam’s new play The Subway Play will have a reading with Axial Theatre at St John’s Episcopal Church on May 4 at 4:00pm. Featuring Dan Walworth, Tom Ryan, Pat McGuinness, Quinn Warren, Sergio Argüelles Catare, and Jessica Bonds.
Theatre for the New City presents Texas Gothic by Randy McHaney and directed by Paul Dederick. Performances run April 18–28, 2024 and features HB friends: Donna Svennevik, Amy Finkbeiner, Michael Lopetrone. Also involved in this production from HB are Lluvia Almanza, Stefan Diethelm, Moshe Henderson, and Allie Posner.
Ryan Czerwonko is performing in Sea Gull presented by Adult Film+Theatre. Performances run May 8–26 at Rutgers Presbyterian Church.
Leonard J. Altamura, Esquire, an attorney and philanthropist whose advocacy touched lives all over the world, died Tuesday, March 19 in New York City. He was 85.
Andrew Heinze‘s one-act play AT LEAST SLIGHTLY will be published in THE BEST TEN-MINUTE PLAYS, 2024 (Smith & Kraus), and will be produced in the “A Light in Dark Places” Theatre Festival in Dallas TX, Apr 5-13. An excerpt from Andrew’s full-length play THE RIMSKY-FOGELMAN will be published in THE BEST MEN’S STAGE MONOLOGUES, 2024 (Smith & Kraus). Continue reading →