Michael Curran

On paper, it might seem that Kaija Saariaho's L'AMOUR DE LOIN (LOVE FROM AFAR), libretto by Amin Maalouf, couldn't possibly fill a stage the size of the Met's: three characters and a chorus that bobs in and out of the action. Yet, in action, this breathtaking, shimmering piece not only seems at home--particularly in the able hands of soprano Susanna Phillips and the Met orchestra under the  Finnish conductor Susanna Malkki in Robert Lepage's production--but it's hard to imagine hearing it any other way.

Caatje van Leeuwen is a Dutch-born filmmaker who is dedicated to creating motion pictures that tell inspiring, slice of life stories that weave larger social issues with intimate glimpses into the relationships of everyday people.

Caatje van Leeuwen is a Dutch-born filmmaker who is dedicated to creating motion pictures that tell inspiring, slice of life stories that weave larger social issues with intimate glimpses into the relationships of everyday people.

Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre's eerie production of the impressionist musical takes the show back to its roots, for better and for worse.

It may seem odd that over the course of 46 seasons the Rep has never produced a work by prolific playwright Neil Simon, and yet it makes sense in a way. Simon has actually been overproduced by community theatres around the country, and the Rep is dedicated to seeking out new works, and putting a spin on timeless classics, so it's only logical that they've taken this long to get one of his works produced. Still, they've finally gotten around to him, and their production of BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS is a memorable one, with the laughter and the tears flowing in great abundance. It's a wonderful start to what promises to be an entertaining season.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Brighton Beach Memoirs by Neil Simon and directed by Steven Woolf. This intriguing and semi-autobiographical play will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, September 5-30, 2012.

Juilliard's Drama Division announces the complete schedule for its 2011-2012 season of fully-staged productions featuring students in their fourth and final year of acting training at Juilliard. This season's plays include Arthur Miller's All My Sons, directed by Harris Yulin, October 19-23; Juilliard alumnus Nathan Jackson's Broke-ology, directed by Kent Gash, November 10-14; and Noel Coward's Hay Fever, directed by Dakin Matthews, December 8-12. The Drama Division is led by James Houghton, Richard Rodgers Director of Drama.