A Season of Gratitude: Honoring the Theatre Educators Who Light Our Way
Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week’s email,
We celebrate the holiday season with a special message of gratitude for theatre educators.
We share the latest free read from Playscripts: I'm A Teenager Get Me Out of This Family by Jim Garvey.
So, raise the curtain and shine the spotlight as we dive into another thrilling week in the theatre world. Welcome to The Scene.
P.S. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah!
Read the Reviews for Gypsy on Broadway Starring Audra McDonald by Diep Tran, Playbill | The new revival, directed by George C. Wolfe, opened at the Majestic Theatre on December 19. Read...
5 Reasons to See Eureka Day on Broadway by Diep Tran, Playbill | Jessica Hecht and Amber Gray fight, the Zoom scene that has audiences hollering—what's not to love? Read...
Lincoln Center Theater Celebrates 40th Anniversary by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Watch Patti LuPone, Gabby Beans, Susan Stroman, André Bishop, and more are featured in this special look back, along with clips from War Horse, The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific, and more. Read...
What’s Funny About John Mulaney and Simon Rich’s Friendship? Everything by Alexis Soloski, The New York Times | The former “S.N.L.” writing partners have reunited for Rich’s “superficially wacky” Broadway show, “All In: Comedy About Love.” Read...
Christmas in Connecticut Joins Broadway Licensing Catalogue by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | Based on the 1945 film, the stage musical made its world premiere at Goodspeed Musicals in 2022. Read...
What Broadway Gets Right and Wrong About Journalism by Sarah Bhar, The New York Times | A Culture writer takes stock of recent stage productions that depict newsrooms and reporters. Read...
A Season of Gratitude: Honoring the Theatre Educators Who Light Our Way
By Zach Dulli, The Scene
As festive lights glow in our windows and the year’s end settles gently around us, I find myself reflecting on what truly matters. Like the cherished holiday films that fill us with warmth and hope, this season inspires gratitude for all who foster creativity, courage, and collaboration.
Foremost among these quiet heroes are the thousands of theatre educators who give their time, talent, and hearts to shape the next generation of artists. Day after day, they stand before students—coaching hesitant voices to ring clear, guiding trembling hands through a set change, and turning empty rehearsal rooms into places of excitement and potential. With patient instruction and encouraging smiles, these teachers remind us that every student’s story is worth telling, every talent worth refining, and every dream worth pursuing.
I’m grateful for their steady devotion, their resilience in the face of challenges, and their unwavering faith in the transformative power of the arts. They nurture not only technique but also empathy, confidence, and creative problem-solving—qualities that remain with their students long after the curtain falls. As these educators stand at the crossroads of tradition and innovation, they pass on time-honored theatrical practices while embracing new storytelling forms, ensuring that the theatre remains vibrant and relevant for years to come.
Theatres, from the grandest auditoriums to the humblest black-box spaces, are not just venues—they are classrooms of human emotion. Under the gentle guidance of their teachers, young actors learn to recognize the power of vulnerability, young playwrights discover that their words can shift perspectives, and aspiring technicians realize that artistry lies as much in lighting cues as in center stage monologues. These educators cultivate understanding and unity among students, instilling a sense of community that transcends productions and feeds the soul.
This holiday season, let us honor those who light the path for tomorrow’s visionaries. May their wisdom and generosity continue to brighten our nights with the glow of possibility. May their dedication, woven into the fabric of our theatrical tapestry, inspire countless new voices to step forward, share their truths, and remind us why the arts matter so deeply. Through their work, the future of theatre burns brighter, full of story, song, courage, and spirit.
From all of us at The Scene, thank you for making magic every day. May your holidays be filled with inspiration, appreciation, and the quiet knowledge that your work helps keep the theatre’s flame burning bright for seasons to come.
Happy Holidays!
Sigourney Weaver-Led The Tempest Officially Opens at London's Royal Drury Lane Theatre by Margaret Hall, Playbill | Led by the Jamie Lloyd Company, this is the first time the Bard has been presented in the legendary theatre since 1957. Read...
See Who's Joining Maxine Peake in Revival of Doubt at Theatre Royal Bath by Andrew Gans, Playbill | Lindsay Posner will direct the Tony-winning John Patrick Shanley drama. Read...
Mischief Movie Night (In) Plays Limited Engagement at London's Sadlers Wells Beginning December 18 by Andrew Gans, Playbill | Eight of the improvised performances from the theatrical troupe behind The Play That Goes Wrong will be live-streamed. Read...
Cast Complete for Mystic Pizza Musical at Paper Mill Playhouse by Andrew Gans, Playbill | Casey Hushion will direct the musical based on the 1988 film. Read...
Ayodele Casel's Diary of a Tap Dancer Opens World Premiere at American Repertory Theater by Logan Culwell-Block, Playbill | The Funny Girl tap choreographer is honoring cultural heritage in the new work. Read...
Rachel Bay Jones, Stephanie J. Block to Lead Follies Concert in Pasadena by David Gordon, Theatre Mania | Derrick Baskin and Aaron Lazar will also star. Read...
Free Reads of the Week
Read entire plays for free! Playscripts offers a selection of full-length and one-act plays that you can access for free, which is ideal for use in theatre productions, school performances, or competitions. To explore these titles, click on the cover image below or select the "READ FOR FREE" button at the bottom of this section. This action will direct you to the play's page on the Playscripts website. Once there, click "READ NOW" to begin enjoying the play immediately!
I'm A Teenager Get Me Out of This Family by Jim Garvey
The Story: Living with parents can be rough -- especially when Mom and Dad are nothing but ordinary. So when Julie and her mother get into a battle over curfew, Julie convinces her brother Johnnie to hold interviews for new and improved parents. Not to be outdone, Mom and Dad conduct their own interviews for new children. Faced with interviewees from a militant father to a get-rich-quick-scheming child, "ordinary" doesn't look so bad anymore.
Comedy | 20 - 30 minutes | 2 W, 2 M, 15 Any (4-19 actors possible: 2-15 W, 2-15 M) | Set: None.
