Brooke Berman News

When Tama Janowitz coined the phrase 'Slaves of New York' with the title of her 1986 collection of short stories, she was referring to how the lack of affordable apartments in the city flings people into quick romantic commitments or has them cling onto unhealthy ones for the sake of having a place to stay. In Brooke Berman's cleverly titled Hunters and Gatherers, a reference to societies that seek out food rather than farming, the real estate market hasn't grown less competitive but the computer age (especially Craig's List) has made it easier for people to hop around various short-term situations when the opportunities to plant roots are bleak and to escape the bad ones with a few mouse clicks and a successful interview.

The selection of plays for the 2008 Summer Play Festival (SPF) is underway with an announcement of the final slate planned for May 1.

BEEBO BRINKER CHRONICLES, the 2008 GLAAD Media Award-winning stage adaptation of Ann Bannon's groundbreaking pulp novels, will end its limited engagement run as scheduled on April 27. It is written by Kate Moira Ryan (25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, 2007 GLAAD Media Award Winner for Best Play) and Linda S. Chapman (Gertrude and Alice: A Likeness to Loving) and directed by Leigh Silverman (Well).

Beebo Brinker Chronicles, the 2008 GLAAD Media Award-winning stage adaptation of Ann Bannon's groundbreaking pulp novels, will end its limited engagement run as scheduled on April 27. It is written by Kate Moira Ryan (25 Questions for a Jewish Mother, 2007 GLAAD Media Award Winner for Best Play) and Linda S. Chapman (Gertrude and Alice: A Likeness to Loving) and directed by Leigh Silverman (Well). As of closing, it will have played 17 previews and 63 regular performances at 37 Arts theater in Manhattan.

Soho Rep launches the 10th season of its highly popular WRITER/DIRECTOR LAB READING SERIES, readings of the very newest work by writers and directors at Soho Rep on Monday, April 7 at 7pm with, playwright Mike Daisey's THE MOON IS A DEAD WORLD, directed by Maria Goyanes -- the first of six new plays commissioned for the lab.

Obie winner and Tony Award nominee Reg Rogers will star in The Injured Party, a new comedy by Tony Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg. Commissioned by SCR and directed by Trip Cullman, The Injured Party will receive its World Premiere at South Coast Repertory during the 11th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival. The show will run from April 20 through May 11, 2008 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Low-priced previews are available from April 20 through April 24. Opening night is April 25. Press night is Saturday, April 26 at 7:45 p.m. Tickets to The Injured Party may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director), in association with Nancy Cooperstein and Betty Ann Besch Solinger, present the New York premiere of Something You Did by Willy Holtzman (Sabina). The five-member cast features Tony Award-winner Joanna Gleason (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Into the Woods) as Alison, a sixties radical, with Jordan Charney (Hearts) as Arthur, Alison's attorney, Tony Award-winner Adriane Lenox (Doubt) as Lenora, Portia (McReele) as Uneeq and Victor Slezak (Sabina) as Gene. Carolyn Cantor (Pumpgirl) directs the final production of this current 23rd Primary Stages season of new works by American playwrights. Performances begin March 18 for a limited run through April 26, 2008, at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Opening night is Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. Willy Holtzman returns to Primary Stages with his latest work, the story of a notorious Sixties radical that has served nearly 30 years in prison for her part in the accidental killing of an African-American police officer during an explosive war protest. Now she is eligible for parole in a post 9/11 world where bombing is terrorism and dissent, treason. How much can she be faulted for having a conscience? Is she guilty of bringing the war home? Something You Did is a powerfully topical and provocative drama that examines the responsibility of citizens for the actions of their government. The creative team includes Eugene Lee (sets), Jenny Mannis (costumes), Jeff Croiter (lighting), and Lindsay Jones (sound). The Production Stage Manager is Samone B. Weissman. Single tickets are priced at $60 with a specially priced $20 ticket is available to patrons 35 and under for all performances. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.ticketcentral.com. For group sales inquires, please email Kara Hennessey at kara@primarystages.com. Earlier this season, Primary Stages presented the New York premieres of Opus by Michael Hollinger, and Dividing The Estate by Horton Foote, and the world premiere of Hunting and Gathering by Brooke Berman. Primary Stages recently announced the schedule of new plays for its 24th season. The 2008-2009 season will have three New York premieres: Buffalo Gal by A.R. Gurney, A Body of Water by Lee Blessing, and Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told By Himself) by Donald Margulies, and the world premiere of Chasing Manet by Tina Howe at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street). 4-play subscription packages are now available by calling TicketCentral at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.TicketCentral.com. For additional information about Primary Stages, please visit the website at www.primarystages.com.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard,Executive Director) has announced the two plays to be presented as part of the company's sixth Second Stage Theatre Uptown Series this summer: Carly Mensch's Len, Asleep in Vinyl, directed by Jackson Gay, and Rajiv Joseph's Animals Out of Paper, directed by Giovanna Sardelli.

Xanthe Elbrick, Tony Award and Drama Desk Award nominee and winner of Theatre World Award winner for Coram Boy, will join the cast of the 2008 GLAAD Media Award winner BEEBO BRINKER CHRONICLES on Tuesday, March 25th.

Willy Holtzman returns to Primary Stages with his latest work, the story of a notorious Sixties radical that has served nearly 30 years in prison for her part in the accidental killing of an African-American police officer during an explosive war protest. Now she is eligible for parole in a post 9/11 world where bombing is terrorism and dissent, treason. How much can she be faulted for having a conscience? Is she guilty of bringing the war home? Something You Did examines the responsibility of citizens for the actions of their government.

Second Stage Theatre (Carole Rothman, Artistic Director; Ellen Richard, Executive Director) has announced that Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's new play, GOOD BOYS AND TRUE, will begin preview performances on Wednesday, April 23 at Second Stage Theatre (307 West 43rd Street, just west of Eighth Avenue).

The award-winning actor currently costars in 'Hunting and Gathering', the second of three plays he's in this season.

Hunting and Gathering by Brooke Berman, directed by Leigh Silverman, officially opened Sunday February 3 at Primary Stages (59 East 59th Street).

Primary Stages presents the third production of it's 2007-2008 season, the world premiere of the play Hunting and Gathering by Brooke Berman, directed by Leigh Silverman (Well). The 4-member cast features Michael Chernus (Essential Self Defense) as Astor, Mamie Gummer (The Water's Edge) as Bess, Keira Naughton (The Rivals) as Ruth, and Jeremy Shamos (Gutenberg! The Musical!) as Jesse.

Primary Stages presents the third production of the 2007-2008 season, the world premiere of the play Hunting and Gathering by Brooke Berman, directed by Leigh Silverman; with Michael Chernus, Mamie Gummer, Keira Naughton and Jeremy Shamos.

Manhattan Theatre Club will present the world premiere of From Up Here, Liz Flahive's new American play. This production is presented in association with Ars Nova. The production, to be directed by Leigh Silverman, will begin previews Thursday, March 27 for a Wednesday, April 16 opening at New York City Center - Stage I

The Roundtable Ensemble will present the world premiere of Chris Kipiniak's Save the World, a superhero-adventure play at the American Theatre of Actors. Performances will begin on Thursday, January 17, and the official opening night will be Saturday, January 19 at 8PM. Performances will run for four weeks through February 9.

The Injured Party, a new comedy by Tony Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg, will receive its World Premiere at South Coast Repertory during the 11th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival. Commissioned by SCR, and directed by Trip Cullman, The Injured Party will run from April 20 through May 11, 2008 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

Primary Stages has announced casting for the third production of the 2007-2008 season, the world premiere of the play Hunting and Gathering by Brooke Berman, directed by Leigh Silverman. To star Michael Chernus, Mamie Gummer, Keira Naughton and Jeremy Shamos.

Primary Stages honored Broadway producer Daryl Roth and Tony Award-winning director Jack O'Brien at Primary Stages' 23rd Anniversary Gala Benefit at a private club in Manhattan on Monday, November 12 at 6:30PM.