MTC to Present U.S. Premiere of Dennis Kelly's TAKING CARE OF BABY, Begin. Nov. 5; Margaret Colin, Reed Birney & More to Star

Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, and Mandy Greenfield have announced that Manhattan Theatre Club will produce the American premiere of TAKING CARE OF BABY, by Tony Award winner Dennis Kelly, directed by Erica Schmidt (Humor Abuse at MTC, Invasion!). TAKING CARE OF BABY will begin previews on Tuesday, November 5 and open Tuesday, November 19 as part of MTC's 2013-2014 season of The Studio at Stage II - Harold and Mimi Steinberg New Play Series at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street).

This five week limited engagement marks the MTC return of Reed Birney (Blasted, Our Leading Lady) and Margaret Colin (The Columnist, "Gossip Girl"), to be joined by Kristen Bush (Kin, The Common Pursuit) and Tony nominee Amelia Campbell (A Streetcar Named Desire, Our Country's Good). Additional casting for TAKING CARE OF BABY will be announced in the coming weeks.

An unspeakable tragedy. A shattered family. An accusation of murder. TAKING CARE OF BABY, is a provocative new drama that boldly explores the elusive nature of truth and the depths we'll go to expose it.

The creative team includes Laura Jellinek (scenic design), Jessica Pabst (costume design), David Weiner (lighting design), and Fitz Patton (sound design).

In order to ensure that tickets to TAKING CARE OF BABY are affordable to the widest possible, most diverse audiences, MTC is pricing all tickets during the initial five-week run at $30. Tickets will go on sale starting September 30, 2013 via CityTix (212-581-1212), www.nycitycenter.org and at the New York City Center Box Office.

For additional details on TAKING CARE OF BABY and offers to all MTC shows, please sign up for MTC's "30 Under 30" program for theatergoers age 30 and under https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/30under30/.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, MTC has become one of the country's most prominent and prestigious theatre companies. Over the past three decades, MTC productions have earned a total of 19 Tony Awards and six Pulitzer Prizes, an accomplishment unparalleled by a New York theatrical institution. MTC has a Broadway home at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) and an Off-Broadway theatre at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). Since January 2011, Mandy Greenfield (Artistic Producer) has taken the lead in programming and execution at MTC's Off-Broadway home. Renowned MTC productions include The Assembled Parties; Venus in Fur; Master Class; Good People;The Whipping Man; Time Stands Still; The Royal Family; Ruined; The American Plan; Come Back, Little Sheba; Blackbird;Translations; Shining City; Rabbit Hole; Doubt; Proof; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Love! Valour! Compassion!; A Small Family Business; Sylvia; Putting It Together; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; Crimes of the Heart; and Ain't Misbehavin.'

The Studio at Stage II is Manhattan Theatre Club's new initiative, under the leadership of Mandy Greenfield, at New York City Center - Stage II (131 West 55th Street). The initiative launched last season with the sold out, critically acclaimed world premiere of MURDER BALLAD the new rock musical by Julia Jordan and Juliana Nash and continued this summer with the critically acclaimed American premiere of CHOIR BOY, a play with music by Tarell Alvin McCraney. As part of The Studio at Stage II, MTC and Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director) have partnered to launch The Writer's Room a program to commission, develop, and support playwrights in the process of creating new work for the stage. Commissioned writers for 2012-2013 are Adam Bock (A Small Fire) and Justin Levine (Bonfire Night) collaborating on the creation of a new musical; Thomas Bradshaw (Job); Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale); and Sharyn Rothstein (The Invested).