Leigh Silverman, Ruben Santiago-Hudson & More to Helm Two River Theater Productions During 2016-17 Season

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, announces the lineup of productions for its 2016/17 Season, which will launch in September with August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, directed by Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Full-season 6-play subscriptions are on sale now from 732.345.1400 or 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank. Subscribers save 25% on tickets, receive prime seating and a number of additional benefits. Visit tworivertheater.org for more details. Single tickets will go on sale in August 2016.

"The mission of Two River has always been to produce theater that directs our attention to the most profound aspects of our shared human experience," says Artistic Director John Dias. "This season, we have a collection of plays that does just that. These plays dive deep into essential elements of our contemporary lives-love, honor, racism, family conflict, climate change, war, and more. And yet they do so in a joyously human way, painting indelible, moving, hilariously funny, and most of all, deeply honest portraits of people at their best, worst, and everything in between. We are proud to have so many of our favorite theater artists returning to Two River Theater, and equally proud to introduce our community to artists we have long admired."

TWO RIVER THEATER'S 2016/17 SEASON

August Wilson's MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM
Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Rechnitz Theater
September 10-October 9, 2016
Press Opening: September 16

Two River Theater opens its season with an extended four-week run of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Two River's fourth American Century Cycle production following its acclaimed productions of Jitney, Two Trains Running, and Seven Guitars. August Wilson's incendiary drama, set in the 1920s, takes audiences into the world of legendary singer Ma Rainey (the real-life "Mother of the Blues") as she lays down tracks with her band in a Chicago recording studio. Tony Award-winning actor, playwright, and director Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Broadway's Seven Guitars, Your Blues Ain't Sweet Like Mine) directs.

THE LION IN WINTER
By James Goldman
Rechnitz Theater
November 12-December 4, 2016
Press Opening: November 18

"Well-what shall we hang? The holly or each other?" Tony Award-nominated actor Michael Cumpsty (End of the Rainbow, The Body of an American) stars in The Lion in Winter. This American classic depicts the ruthless scheming and power struggles between Henry II of England, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their three children during Christmas, 1183 as they fight over who will rule the land after Henry's death.

A VERY ELECTRIC CHRISTMAS
Produced by Lightwire Theater
Rechnitz Theater
December 27-30, 2016

Music, movement, and neon lights fill the stage as dancers and puppets tell the story of a young bird named Max, who is trying to fly south for the winter. As he tries to make his way home, his adventures begin as he encounters friendly caroling worms, dancing poinsettias, Nutcracker soldiers, mischievous mice and an evil Rat King. This holiday tale for audiences of all ages is set to timeless holiday hits by Nat King Cole, Mariah Carey, Tchaikovsky, and more.

HURRICANE DIANE
By Madeleine George
Directed by Leigh Silverman
Marion Huber Theater
January 14-February 12, 2017
Press Opening: January 27, 2017

Set in a slightly larger-than-life version of Red Bank, Hurricane Diane is a "wild comedy" about climate change. An ancient god on an earthly mission, gardener Diane forever alters the lives of four New Jersey housewives when she sets out to convince each woman to implement her environmentally friendly landscape design. Two River commissioned Hurricane Diane from Madeleine George after the success of her play Seven Homeless Mammoths Wander New England in the 2011/12 Season. George is the winner of the 2016 Whiting Award in Drama; she received a Pulitzer Prize nomination and the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for her play The (curious case of the) Watson Intelligence. Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman (Violet) previously directed Ethan Lipton's No Place to Go at Two River.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Eric Tucker
Marion Huber Theater
February 25-March 26, 2017
Press Opening: March 3

Shakespeare's great comedy about marriage-which features one of his most beloved comic characters, Sir John Falstaff-will be performed by only three actors in an exuberant feat of imagination, energy, and theatricality. Director Eric Tucker and actor Jason O'Connell are frequent collaborators; their work together includes last season's acclaimed Off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (named the Best Classical Production of 2015 by Terry Teachout in The Wall Street Journal) and Sense and Sensibility for the New York-based company Bedlam, for which Tucker is Artistic Director.

The Merry Wives of Windsor will be performed in Two River's 110-seat Marion Huber Theater. In connection with this production, Two River will produce A Little Shakespeare, a 70-minute version of the play performed by high school students. Performances of A Little Shakespeare will be presented in Two River's Rechnitz Theater from March 7-12.

THE WOMEN OF PADILLA
By Tony Meneses
Rechnitz Theater
April 8-30, 2017
Press Opening: April 14

Through the power of food, faith, laughter, and each other, eight women find a way to carry on life at home while their husbands are away at an unnamed war. Inspired by the heightened lyricism of playwright and poet Federico García Lorca, this new play shows there is always a way-even through the hardest of times-to set our love free. Playwright Tony Meneses made his Two River debut last season with Guadalupe in the Guest Room.

THE BALLAD OF LITTLE JO
Music by Mike Reid
Lyrics by Sarah Schlesinger
Book by Sarah Schlesinger, Mike Reid, and John Dias
Based on the film The Ballad of Little Jo by Maggie Greenwald
Directed by John Dias
Rechnitz Theater
June 3-25, 2017
Press Opening: June 9

This soaring musical about the American West is inspired by the real-life story of Josephine Monaghan-a young woman from Boston who, in the late 19th century, made a new life in an Idaho mining town disguised as a man called "Jo." Grammy Award-winning Nashville songwriter Mike Reid and lyricist Sarah Schlesinger previously collaborated on Two River's productions of A Wind in the Willows Christmas and In This House. John Dias, Artistic Director of Two River Theater, is co-writing the book and making his directorial debut with this production.

Plays, artists, dates, and ticket prices are subject to change. For additional information, visit tworivertheater.org.

Full-season 6-play subscriptions are on sale now; prices range from $170 to $315. Subscribers save 25% on tickets, receive prime seating and a number of additional benefits. Visit tworivertheater.org for more details. Individual show tickets will go on sale August 2016. Ticket prices for individual shows range from $20 to $70.

Ticket prices for all productions except A Very Electric Christmas and A Little Shakespeare range from $40 to $70, with discounts available for groups, seniors, and U.S. military personnel, their families, and veterans. A limited number of $20 tickets are available for every performance; $20 tickets may be partial view. Tickets for patrons under 30 are $20 and include the best available seats at every performance.

Ticket prices for A Very Electric Christmas and A Little Shakespeare are $20 for adults and $15 for children under age 12.