By Bill Hirschman Herb Simpson (photo by Alan Smason) Nov. 26, 2019 — For even those who, like me, knew Herbert Simpson only in passing, likely what they remember was his voice — usually deep and sonorous, a bit scratchy, but brimming with passion. They remember his voice...
By Maren Scriven Swensen Charles Busch and Wendy Rosenfield at Sardi’s NEW YORK — More than 60 members of ATCA gathered at the new MCC Theater complex on West 52nd Street Friday, Nov. 1, to Sunday, Nov. 3 to engage with the best and the brightest in the...
Raphaela Rose Primus came in from Israel, where she lives, to join her parents, Barry Primus and Julie Arenal Barry Primus, Leah Nanako Winkler and Rafaela Rose Primus, at Sardi’s and to make the official presentation (note the plaque; the $10,000 check was sent earlier) to Leah Nanako Winkler, whose parents...
by Lauren Van HemertPhotos by Martha Wade Steketee and Jay Handelman This summer, the top black theater companies from around the world convened in Winston-Salem, N.C. for the 16th National Black Theatre Festival. Along with them was a small contingent of American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) members to cover...
Sept. 10, 2019 – The Theater Hall of Fame announced today that the 2019 inductees will be actor Andre De Shields, critic Michael Feingold, lighting designer Natasha Katz, artistic director-playwright Emily Mann, actor Donna McKechnie, playwright Thomas Meehan (deceased), producer-artistic director Michael Price and actor-choreographer Ann Reinking. They will be inducted on Nov. 18 in the...
Leah Nanako Winkler has won the 2018 Francesca Primus Prize for her play Two Mile Hollow. Jointly sponsored by ATCA and the Leah Nanako WinklerFoundation, the Primus Prize is given annually to an emerging woman playwright in recognition of a play presented the previous year. Playwrights nominate themselves. To...
Those ATCA members lucky enough to have signed up (lucky, since hardly any of us had been here before) are now in Winston-Salem, N.C. being swept up in the engaging hurlyburly of the National Black Theatre Festival, an every-other-year production of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company....
Martha Wade Steketee The ATCA executive committee just selected Martha Wade Steketee as its new chair, succeeding Bill Hirschman (chair for four years), and Frank Rizzo as vice chair, succeeding Steketee. Robert Sokol was re-appointed secretary-treasurer. David Chávez, Mark Lowry and Kelundra Smith are the new executive committee members, joining other continuing members Charles Giuliano, Lou Harry, Chris Jones, and Wendy Rosenfield. Coming to...
The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) has selected three finalists for the 2018 Francesca Primus Prize, sponsored by ATCA and the Francesca Ronnie Primus Foundation. The award, presented annually since 1997, recognizes the best work by an emerging woman playwright who has not yet achieved national prominence. This year’s...
For the fourth week in a row, the UPDATE is able to welcome another new member to our ranks. Ramona Harperhas in excess of 100 reviews to her credit on Washington’s DCMetroTheaterArts website. She says she is “committed to the expansion of public awareness about the...