Craig Lucas News

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) has announced that tickets will go on-sale today, March 3, 2010, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) for the company's third and final production of their 2009-2010 season: Beth Henley's Family Week, directed by Jonathan Demme. Performances of the four person play begin at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on April 9 and continue through May 23, 2010. Opening night is set for Monday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m.

The Huntington Theatre Company announces the hottest new ticket in town, '35 Below' Wrap Parties. Those who are culturally curious and aged 21 to 35 are invited to attend special post-show events that offer free food and beverages, live music, an opportunity to mingle with the cast, creative team, and Huntington staff, and exclusive backstage access. Admission to each post-show Wrap Party is free with the purchase of a ticket to the preceding select performance.

The 34th annual Humana Festival of New American Plays, made possible by a generous grant from the Humana Foundation, will continue with the two full?length plays Ground, beginning performances March 2 and Phoenix beginning performances March 5. Both plays run through March 28.

The Huntington Theatre Company announces the hottest new ticket in town, "35 Below" Wrap Parties. Those who are culturally curious and aged 21 to 35 are invited to attend special post-show events that offer free food and beverages, live music, an opportunity to mingle with the cast, creative team, and Huntington staff, and exclusive backstage access. Admission to each post-show Wrap Party is free with the purchase of a ticket to the preceding select performance.

Dmitri Shostakovich's The Nose has its Metropolitan Opera premiere on March 5 at 8:00 pm, conducted by Valery Gergiev, in a visually arresting new production by artist William Kentridge that features original collage, film, sculpture, and massive projections of the artist's drawings and prints. Making his Met debut, baritone Paulo Szot performs the role of Kovalyov in the story of the Russian official who wakes one morning to discover his nose has disappeared (and taken on a higher bureaucratic rank). Based on the short story of the same name by Nikolai Gogol, the opera is what Kentridge has called an exploration of "learning from the absurd." In this production, visuals include renderings of Soviet workers, snatches of newspaper, and projections of propaganda - as well as the missing appendage in adventures ranging from delivering a speech to riding a horse.

American Theater Company (ATC) celebrates its 25th Anniversary with The Silver Project, a year-long festival of 30 world premiere short plays penned by some of the country's leading playwrights. The Silver Project will run over ten evenings between February 8, 2010 and June 20, 2010 at American Theater Company, 1909 W Byron St, Chicago.

Performance dates, directors, initial casting and design team are set for the Cherry Lane Theatre's 12th annual Mentor Project - which includes the world-premiere of three plays by emerging writers: Ruth McKee's STRAY, directed by Giovanna Sardelli (BENGAL TIGER AT THE BAGHDAD ZOO) and mentored by David Henry Hwang, performing March 16th through March 27th; Nate Rufus Edelman's THE BELLE OF BELFAST, directed by Eric Tucker (CLOSER) and mentored by Charles Fuller, performing April 27th through May 8th; and Winter Miller's PATERNITY, mentored and directed by celebrated playwright Craig Lucas, performing May 18th through May 29th, all at the Cherry Lane Theatre Studio Theatre (38 Commerce Street).

Craig Lucas' play LOVE & IRONY, winner of the Greenfield Prize, will have readings of his show at the Asolo Repertory Theatre on April 2 and April 3. The readings will be a part of the theaters new play festival 'Unplugged' which runs from March 14-April 3.

Asolo Rep announces the schedule and details for its inaugural new play festival, UNPLUGGED. Asolo Rep Associate Artistic Director and Director of the FSU/Asolo Conservatory, Greg Leaming, takes the lead as producer/curator for the festival, which includes a staged reading of a new play by Greenfield Prize winningplaywright Craig Lucas, two developmental workshops and three separate readings.

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater continues its 15th anniversary season with the world premiere of Blind, by Craig Wright (The Pavilion, Lady). Directed by Lucie Tiberghein (The Pavilion, Geometry of Fire), performances began Wednesday, February 17th, 2010. Opening night is Thursday, February 25th at 7pm. The show is scheduled to run through Sunday, March 21st, 2010.

Columbia University School of the Arts, Theatre Arts Program presents The M.F.A. Playwriting Class of 2010 Showcase THE IDES OF MARCH. Eight 10-minute plays by Eight Playwrights, and directed by KIM WEILD, Monday March 8, 2010 at 4pm and 7pm. Reception to Follow

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) is now accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to the World Premiere of A COOL DIP IN THE BARREN SAHARAN CRICK, a new play by Kia Corthron (Breath, Boom at Playwrights Horizons/PH, Force Continuum).

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced a two-week extension for the World Premiere of CLYBOURNE PARK, a new play by Bruce Norris ('A wonderful, original, grab-you-by-the-guts playwright' - WOR Radio; 'He specializes in comedies of discomfort' - The New York Times) that has just opened to excellent reviews.

Meet the 'broads' of Millennium Manor. Broadway veterans Ivonne Coll (Tony-nominated Chronicle of Death Foretold), June Gable (Tony nominee for Candide), Leslie Easterbrook (original Broadway production of California Suite), and Barbara Niles (Jesus Christ Superstar) are four ladies of 'a certain age' in a sparkling new musical with book by Jennie Fahn and toe-tapping music and lyrics by Joe Symon.

Seven new productions, including two company premieres and the first two parts of a new Ring cycle, featuring many of the world's greatest singers and conductors, will highlight the Metropolitan Opera's 2010-11 season.

Franco Vassallo will sing the role of Ezio in Verdi's Attila on March 19, 22, and 27, replacing Carlos Alvarez, who is ill. Vassallo is currently appearing at the Met as Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the role of his 2005 company debut. Last season the Italian baritone was Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore, and in 2007, audiences around the world saw him as Riccardo in The Met: Live in HD transmission of I Puritani, now available in DVD.

Diana Damrau and Juan Diego Flórez star in La Fille du Régiment, Donizetti's comedy about the tough-hearted young woman who was rescued and raised by the 21st regiment of the French army, and her romance with a hapless soldier-suitor.

THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA will close on Feb. 21 at the Berkeley Street Theatre Downstairs in Toronto.

Playwrights Horizons has announced complete casting for the World Premiere of CLYBOURNE PARK, a new play by Bruce Norris (The Pain and the Itch at Playwrights Horizons/PH 2006-2007 Season).

Justin Bartha, Jesse Eisenberg, and Katie Kreisler will headline the upcoming reading of Eisenberg's new play THE AMBASSADORS this Sunday, February 21st, at the Rattlestick Theatre. The play will be featured as part of the Evening Reading Series.