Neil LaBute News

St. Louis Actors' Studio continues its fourth season, themed Angels and Demons, with Patrick Marber's award winning play CLOSER. CLOSER follows four lives intertwine over the course of four and a half years in a densely plotted, stinging look at modern love and betrayal. Dan, an obituary writer, meets Alice, a stripper, after an accident in the street. Eighteen months later, they are a couple, and Dan has written a novel inspired by Alice. While posing for his book jacket cover, Dan meets Anna, a photographer. He pursues her, but she rejects his advances despite their mutual attraction. Larry, a dermatologist, 'meets' Dan in an Internet chat room. Dan, obsessing over Anna, pretends to be her and has cybersex with Larry. They arrange to meet the next day at an aquarium. Larry arrives and so too, coincidentally, does the real Anna. This sets up a series of pass-the-lover scenes in which this quartet struggle to find intimacy but can't seem to get closer.

Profiles Theatre is bringing back its acclaimed Midwest Premiere of Jailbait by Deirdre O'Connor, directed by Artistic Director Joe Jahraus, for a limited engagement at its new space, The Second Stage. The production closes February 27, 2011, at The Second Stage, 3408 N. Sheffield (the former Stage Left Theatre).

What if you were suddenly faced with the now-or-never chance to leave your spouse for your lover, no messy strings attached? Would you take it? Michelle Clunie (Queer as Folk) and Vs. Theatre Company artistic director Johnny Clark star in the Los Angeles premiere of The Mercy Seat, Neil LaBute's caustically funny examination of opportunism in the wake of tragedy. Ron Klier directs a six-week run, opening March 19 at [Inside] the Ford. Pay-what-you-can previews take place on March 17 and 18.

Multi-award winning Rogue Machine Theatre proudly presents the WEST COAST PREMIERE of the critically acclaimed comedy about tragedy.

The New York Times reports today that following his stint in DRIVING MISS DAISY, James Earl Jones will be hanging around Broadway a bit longer, assuming the role of Arthur Hockstader in the revival of Gore Vidal's 'The Best Man.' The production is scheduled to open in the spring of 2012. Orphan's Home Cycle director Michael Wilson will helm the revival. The plot centers around chief executive Hockstader trying to decide which presidental nominees to support: William Russell and Joe Cantwell.

From March 4 through April 2, 2011, SpeakEasy Stage will proudly present the New England Premiere of Neil LaBute's provocative drama reasons to be pretty.

Signature Theatre Company (Founding Artistic Director James Houghton; Executive Director Erika Mallin) is pleased to announce a fourth extension for the first New York revival of Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, directed by Michael Greif.

reasons to be pretty begins with what is probably the most intense, expletive-driven, flesh-searing argument in the fiery LaBute canon, delivered by a very, very angry young woman to her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend.

The Theatre School at DePaul University presents Hedda Gabler, written by Henrik Ibsen, adapted Christopher Shinn and directed by Azar Kazemi, as the second installment of the 2010-2011 New Directors Series.

Victory Gardens continues its 2010/11 Season with the world premiere of The Boys Room by Ensemble Playwright Joel Drake Johnson, directed by Associate Artistic Director Sandy Shinner. The Boys Room marks Shinner and Johnson's sixth collaboration-A Guide For The Perplexed, Four Places, The End of the Tour, Before My Eyes, all at Victory Gardens, and Tranquillity Woods for Steppenwolf's First Look series. The production runs January 21 - February 20, 2011 at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The Press Opening is Monday, January 31, 2011, at 7:30 pm.

reasons to be pretty begins with what is probably the most intense, expletive-driven, flesh-searing argument in the fiery LaBute canon, delivered by a very, very angry young woman to her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend. But after this first burst of shouting, Mr. LaBute lowers the volume and asks us to listen carefully to the way people speak in the early 21st century and to acknowledge the reflexive,culturally conditioned cruelty in much of what we say.

That Melodie Madden Adams, the actress and singer in question, gave a wonderful performance is unquestionable - and not unexpected - and her ease in becoming Margaret is a very good example of actress and character being perfectly in-sync: 'I have an insane love for anything vintage,' she explains, making the role perfect for her. In fact, when she's not onstage (she'll start rehearsals very soon for her role as Lenny in Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart at Boiler Room Theatre), she's busily attending to the affairs of her online company, www.pinkcupcakevintage.com. And she thinks 'one of the most underestimated talents in this town is Billy Ditty.'

The Trustees of The Laurents/Hatcher Foundation, Inc. are pleased to announce that THE SUBMISSION by JEFF TALBOTT has been selected for the 2011 LAURENTS / HATCHER FOUNDATION AWARD.

According to the NY Times, Amy Ryan is set to will perform a song entitled, 'All I Ever Wanted' at a Todd Almond concert on February 16. The performance will be held at St. Mark's Church in New York City at 8:30PM.

Producer Jeffrey Richards announced that returning to Broadway in 2012 will be GORE VIDAL'S THE BEST MAN.

Two time Emmy nominee Colleen Zenk who played Barabara Ryan on As The World Turns for 32 years is readying to premiere her new one-woman cabaret show aptly titled COLLEEN ZENK: LIVE! The show will debut on Friday April 8th at Bob Egan's New Hope - one of the country's leading cabaret showrooms.

The Open Fist Theatre Company and The Aquila Morong Studio are thrilled to announce their co-production, PROOF, written by David Auburn and directed by John Hindman.

Fells Point Corner Theatre is thrilled to announce it's 2010 - 2011 season!

Tickets go on sale this Saturday, February 12 at 12:01am for the first ever Broadway production of Neil LaBute's FAT PIG at the Belasco Theatre (111 West 44th Street), starring comedy superstar and actor Dane Cook, stage, film, and television actor Josh Hamilton, stage and screen star Julia Stiles and introducing Heather Jane Rolff. LaBute will make his Broadway directorial debut with the play, which begins performances Tuesday, April 12, 2011 for an official opening night of Tuesday, April 26, 2011.

The Theatre School at DePaul University presents Hedda Gabler, written by Henrik Ibsen, adapted Christopher Shinn and directed by Azar Kazemi, as the second installment of the 2010-2011 New Directors Series.