Collegiate Chorale Spring Benefit

Roger will host the Collegiate Chorale´s Spring Benefit on 29 April. The event will take place at the Millennium Hotel's Hudson Theatre in New York. The benefit is called "Sing Happy!". Roger will appear with musical guest Victoria Clark.

For a more detailed programme see: PlaybillArts

Class Reading

Roger will appear with Alexie Gilmore in a reading of Charles Evered's two-character play Class, at 2:30pm on Wednesday, September 24 at the Robeson Center for the Arts in Princeton, New Jersey. In the play, which will be directed by Bebe Neuwirth, Roger will play a jaded acting teacher who comes in contact with a mysterious new student.

For more information seeTheater Mania

Cenci

Roger is to appear again in the Revelation Readings at the Red Bull Theatre in New York. This time he will appear in Percy Bysshe Shelley's "The Cenci", with Lisa Harrow. The performance will take place on Monday October 27th. For more information and for tickets check out the Theatre's website at: Red Bull Theater

Collegiate Chorale Pictures

Jennifer has created a web album which has pictures of productions by the Collegiate Chorale. Two albums include pictures of Roger, one is called "The Hills Are Alive!", the other "White House Cantata".

Jennifer

What You Will Interview

Roger's one man show opens in San Francisco tomorrow night. The Bay Area Reporter has a nice interview, which is available on-line. I'm nto too sure about Shaw writing Nicholas Nickleby though.....

See: Bay Area Reporter

West Coast What You Will

Roger will appear at the American Conservatory Theater with his one-man show, "What You Will", for a July 18-Aug. 9 run in San Francisco.

The production will play at 415 Geary Street, San Francisco. Opening is July 21. More information and tickets from the theatre's website at ACT.

White House Cantata

Roger is directing the Collegiate Chorale's production of Leonard Bernstein's and Alan Jay Lerner's "A White House Cantata" at Lincoln Centre's Rose Theatre. Musical director for the production is Robert Bass.

Broadway World has all the details on the production.

Roxbury Latin School

Roger recently spent a couple of days teaching at the at The Roxbury Latin School. There is a report on the Wicked Local Website.

Seafarer

Last Thursday Roger attended the opening night of "The Seafarer" at the Booth Theatre in New York. Pictures are at: Wireimage

Farnsworth Invention

Last night Roger attended the opening night of "The Farnsworth Invention" on Broadway. Broadway World has some nice pictures on the website:
Broadway World

And there are some more pictures on WireImage

Roger Leaves Williamstown

The Williamstown Theatre Festival has confirmed that Roger is leaving the post of artistic director. Nicholas Martin has been named as his successor.

The official press release says:

"During his tenure at the WTF, Mr. Rees presented some of the most acclaimed productions in the WTF’s recent history, including 'Autumn Garden' and 'The Corn Is Green' (directed by Martin) from the 2007 season. In addition, he spearheaded continued innovation in the WTF’s education programs, most notably the leapFROG program, which offers young writers, directors and actors a chance to write and workshop a new play and a new musical each summer.

“Roger came in at a time of transition for the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and did a great job setting a foundation of innovation for the future,” said WTF Board President Harris. “He also helped to reaffirm our focus on training the next generation of artists while continuing our tradition of top notch productions.”


“The WTF position has been a terrific chapter for me,” said Mr. Rees. “Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to act, direct and write, and at the Williamstown Theatre Festival I had the chance to bring all of those strands together.” Mr. Rees will be moving on to focus on his many opportunities to act and direct in theater, film and television."

Full press release: Williamstown Theatre Festival

Williamstown??

Variety reports that Roger is about to leave the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Nothing to this effect is mentioned on the official website though.

The Cardinal

Roger will appear in the series of Revelation Readings for the Red Bull Theatre early next year. He will appear in The Cardinal, by James Shirley, directed by Carl Forsman. The performance will take place on Monday January 21st, at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons.

For more information, visit Red Bull Theatre

Major Barbara

Roger will appear on the L.A. Theatre Works' The Play's The Thing series of performances at the Skirball Cultural Center in December. He will co-star with Kate Burton in George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara from December 12-16.

For more information and for tickets:
LATW

Monet Review

Jen Thomas has written a review for the Monet reading on iBerkshires.com.

"Rees gave life to Monet’s letters, which chronicled the journey of a man plagued by financial woes and struggling with acceptance both in his personal and professional lives. Using Monet’s own words, Rees revealed a truly emotional man who loved passionately, despaired deeply and wrote dramatically. Most famous for his tranquil paintings of nature scenes, Monet lived a tumultuous yet full life, dedicated to artistic pursuits until his last days."

Full review at: iBerkshires.com

Monet Reading

The Berkshire Eagle has a story on Roger's reading of Monet's letters.

"It's always helpful to understand all dimensions of a character," said Rees, an acclaimed actor and director who has headed the WTF since 2005. "I always tell my Shakespeare class that Shakespeare could have worn a pair of Levi's. Monet could have done that, too, though he did get a little portly later in life."

The full story is at: Unknown Monet revealed

Monet's Letters

From the Williamstown Newsletter:

Roger Rees reads Monet’s Letters at the Clark Art Institute – Monday, August 20 at 7:30. Monet often expressed his most private thoughts on his artistic process, financial woes and romantic yearnings in his personal correspondence. Roger Rees will read excerpts from a selection of the artist’s letters to celebrate “The Unknown Monet: Pastels and Drawings” - the first exhibition to focus on the artist’s graphic works.

Tickets are $20 for the general public, $15 for Festival and Clark members, and $10 for students. Tickets are available by calling the Clark Box Office at 413.458.0524.

Physicists Reviews

The Times Union has a review of the play, written by Michael Eck.

About Roger:
"Rees is in good form as "Newton," and he is virtually unidentifiable upon his entrance under all those prissy curls. Mark Blum is his equal as "Einstein."

About the production:
""The Physicists" is dated, but with a little work on the patron's part its messages can be easily translated to today. Regardless, it is a very entertaining, thought-provoking show, given a solid, often striking production by the festival."

Full review: Times Union


In the Boston Globe Terry Byrne has a slightly different opinion:
"Friedrich Durrenmatt's "The Physicists" feels painfully dated. In a world in which improvised explosive devices generate more fear than the atomic bomb, a play about preventing knowledge from getting into the wrong hands seems out of synch. Set in 1962, this darkly comic drama lacks the intensity of Durrenmatt's better-known "The Visit," and it gets tangled in overwrought plot twists. But the Williamstown Theatre Festival production delivers a sudden jolt of energy halfway through the second act, due in large part to the sheer force of will of the three leading players.

...

Fortunately, Blum, Rees, and Campbell rise to the occasion as their characters' carefully constructed pretenses fall away. Blum is almost childlike as the wry, absent-minded professor; Rees is commanding, almost comically condescending as he plops on his Newton wig; and Campbell's ardent plea to protect mankind from scientific knowledge is delivered with earnest sincerity."

Full review:
Boston Globe

Tony Awards

Roger has joined the Nominating Committee for the Tony Awards. He will be on the committe for three years, starting this season.

The Nominating Committee, according to a press statement, "attends all productions during the Broadway season, and meets on the date designated by the Administration Committee to determine, by vote, the Tony Award nominees for that season."

Talk on The Physicists

At the Williamstown Theatre Festival on Wednesday, August 15 there is a talk with THE PHYSICISTS director Kevin O’Rourke and Roger Rees. Patrons are invited to gather in the lounge outside of Center Stage at 7:15 to enjoy the Pre-Show Talk Wednesday, Kevin O’Rourke is director of the PHYSICISTS and Artistic Director of the Williams College Summer Theatre Lab.