CORIOLANUS, THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR and More Set for Red Bull Theater's 2016-17 Season

Red Bull Theater today announced their 2016-'17 Season will include William Shakespeare's Coriolanus; a new version of Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector; as well as an all new season of their acclaimed Revelation Readings featuring Kristine Nielsen (Vanya, Sonya, Masha and Spike), Matthew Rauch ("Banshee"), Derek Smith (Green Bird, Lion King), Christian DeMarais, Gretchen Hall, Ryan Garbayo (Loot), Ben Mehl, Amelia Pedlow ('Tis Pity She's A Whore), Carson Elrod (Peter and the Starcatcher), and more.

"I couldn't be more thrilled about our upcoming 2016 -'17 season" said Artistic Director Jesse Berger. "We are diving into some of the world's greatest plays with some of our city's finest theater artists. I am particularly excited about our company's return to Shakespeare with what promises to be a powerful and timely production of Coriolanus. And I am delighted we will be able to share Gogol's great satire in Jeffrey Hatcher's deeply silly new version of The Government Inspector. With these productions and an exciting roster of Revelation Readings - including Premieres from David Ives, Theresa Rebeck and Maltby & Shire - plus our annual Short New Play Festival - this may be our most exciting season ever. And it's all kicked off with a one-night-only performance of Molière's Tartuffe starring Reg Rogers and Dana Ivey on October 10th that is going to be fabulous and funny!"

William Shakespeare's Coriolanus, directed by Michael Sexton, will begin a limited engagement October 18th at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue). Opening Night is set for Sunday October 30th. Performances continue through November 20th only. The streets are full of protest. Economic inequality strains the social fabric. Debates rage throughout a nation riddled with dissension and distrust. It's election year in Rome, 493 B.C.E. As unscrupulous politicians manipulate public opinion, the hypocrisy and humiliation of political campaigns drive away the country's finest. But beneath this political drama looms the personal tragedy of one man's emotional blindness. This visceral new production will spark an electric dramatic dialogue between actors and audiences. The cast as well as the design team, will be announced shortly. Member tickets available now. Single tickets for Coriolanus will go on sale September 12th.

The Government Inspector, directed by Jesse Berger will open this Spring at a theater to be announced. All politics are local. Gogol's deeply silly satire of small-town corruption offers a riotous portrait of rampaging self-delusion. When the crooked leadership of a provincial village discovers that an undercover inspector is coming to root out their commonplace corruption, the town weaves a web of bribery, lies, and utter madness. This New York Premiere of acclaimed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's (Stage Beauty) adaptation offers a hilarious reminder of the timelessness of bureaucracy and buffoonery. Cast and design team, as well as performance schedule, will be announced shortly. Member tickets are available now. Single tickets will go on sale in March.

Red Bull will offer a special benefit reading and party to kick off the 2016-'17 Season on Monday October 10th (7:30pm) at Symphony Space: Molière's Tartuffe, translated by Richard Wilbur, directed by Marc Vietor, and starring Dana Ivey, Bill Camp, and Reg Rogers, along with Christian DeMarais, Gretchen Hall, Naomi Lorrain, Ben Mehl, and Derek Smith, among others. An exclusive party with cast and special guests follows the benefit reading. Tickets are $150 for Reading & Post-performance Party; $300 for Premium Benefit Seating as well as the Party & VIP Pre-show Cocktails. A limited number of Reading Only tickets will be available for $75. Purchase tickets at www.redbulltheater.com or by phone at (212) 352-3101. Tickets will go on August 22nd. PLEASE NOTE: This event takes place at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway, at 95th Street).

Red Bull Theater's OBIE Award-winning Revelation Readings (Monday evenings at 7:30pm) present staged readings of new and rarely performed classic plays from all eras and cultures. With the Jacobean plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries as the cornerstone of our mission, Red Bull Theater is dedicated to the rediscovery and re-investigation of classics from all eras and cultures, and to the development of new plays of heightened language and classical themes. Revelation Readings provides a unique opportunity to hear these plays performed by many of the finest actors in New York.

Revelation Readings are Monday evenings at 7:30 PM, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, between Bleecker and Hudson Streets):

Monday, November 14: The Knight of the Burning Pestle by Francis Beaumont, directed by Everett Quinton, featuring Ryan Garbayo

Monday December 5: The White Devil directed by Louisa Proske, featuring Matthew Rauch ("Banshee") and Tina Benko

Monday January 23: The Merry Devil of Edmonton directed by Ben Prusiner, featuring Carson Elrod and Sam Tsoustouvas

Monday February 27: The Way of the World a New York Premiere by Theresa Rebeck, featuring Kristine Nielsen

Monday March 20: The Metromaniacs, a New York Premiere by David Ives, directed by Michael Kahn, with Christian Conn and Amelia Pedlow

Thursday April 20 - Byron's Manfred. Please note: this collaboration with NYU Department of English will take place at the Sheen Center Loreto Theater - (18 Bleecker Street)

Monday, May 1: The Mandate by Nikolai Erdman, in the American Premiere of a new version by Declan Donnellan

Monday, June 26: The Country Wife, World Premiere of a new musical version of the restoration comedy, by Richard Maltby, Jr. & David Shire, directed by Mr. Maltby.

Tickets for Revelation Readings are $42, with Premium Seats available at $64. Become a Member and get them for as little as $25! (For complete list of Readings and updated cast information, visit www.redbulltheater.com. All artists subject to change.)

Monday July 24th brings Red Bull's Seventh Annual Short New Play Festival, directed by Craig Baldwin and Evan Yionoulis. Each year, the company selects new works of heightened language and classical themes from today's top established and emerging playwrights. Inspired this year by the theme of "Delusions of Grandeur" these scribes will conjure wildly diverse tales, catapulting classical theater into the future. At the Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher Street. Tickets will be only $25!

Red Bull Theater is the not-profit Off-Broadway theater company specializing in plays of heightened language. With the Jacobean plays of Shakespeare and his contemporaries as its cornerstone, Red Bull Theater embraces the imagination of theatergoers through intimate, imaginative productions of great classic stories from all eras and cultures.

Red Bull Theater has previously staged productions of Pericles, The Revenger's Tragedy, Edward the Second, Women Beware Women, The Duchess of Malfi, The Witch of Edmonton, The Maids, The Dance of Death, Loot, The Mystery of Irma Vep, Volpone, 'Tis Pity She's A Whore, as well as last season's hit productions of Middleton and Rowley's The Changeling and Sheridan's The School For Scandal. The company's work has been hailed as "the most exciting classical theater in New York" (Time Out New York), "Dynamite!" (The New York Times), "Triumphant" (Associated Press), and "Proof that classical theater can still be surprising after hundreds of years" (Variety).

Red Bull Theater's work has been recognized with multiple Drama Desk, Drama League, Lucille Lortel, Callaway and OBIE Award nominations and awards, including the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Revival in the 2015-'16 season (School for Scandal). The company has staged nearly 150 Revelation Readings, named by the Village Voice "Best Play Reading Series," and has developed new plays of heightened language and classical adaptations through its Cockpit and In-the-Raw workshop series. Red Bull Theater reaches out to NYC students of all ages through Direct Address education programs teaching Shakespeare in middle schools and offering student matinees. Post-play Bull Session discussions with scholars following select Sunday matinees and Readings are free and open to the public.

Red Bull Theater offers Master Classes throughout the year. Taught by top working professionals including Kathleen Chalfant, John Douglas Thompson, Olympia Dukakis, Heidi Griffiths, and Patrick Page, Red Bull Theater's intensives and workshops cover a variety of disciplines, including auditioning, text, voice, movement, clowning, stage combat, and acting Shakespeare. Classes are open to adults at all levels of training or experience. They range from one to four days with limited class sizes to allow one-on-one attention. You can enroll in any combination of classes, or take the whole series for a year-long training experience.

Visit www.redbulltheater.com for complete details. Memberships and member tickets on sale now, offering up to 40% off regular prices. Single tickets for Coriolanus will go on sale September 12th. Single tickets for The Government Inspector will go on sale in March.
For tickets and more information, visit www.redbulltheater.com or call (212) 352-3101.