World Premiere Musical ARLINGTON Begins Tonight at the Magic Theatre

Magic Theatre welcomes award-winning playwright Victor Lodato and Obie Award-winning composer Polly Pen with the world premiere of their musical Arlington. This unique musical production runs tonight, November 13 - December 8, 2013.

Arlington follows lovely, upbeat Sara Jane who valiantly tries to keep it a sunny day as she waits on the home front for her husband Jerry. Though she believes in the cause, nothing has seemed quite right lately. There's a lot to figure out, and it's possible that singing through it all might help.

"Arlington captured my heart with its authentic, raw fragility, dark humor, and intimate revelations," stated Producing Artistic Director Loretta Greco, "I immediately asked Polly and Victor if they'd consider making Arlington a part of our season. A rich conversation ensued and they were intrigued about further ways to develop the piece and excited for the chance to continue their fertile collaboration here at Magic."

Director Jackson Gay makes her debut at Magic Theatre. Greco proclaims, "I've been wanting to work with Jackson since her New York debut of Rolin Jones' The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow back in 2005. Jackson brings the essential depth and playfulness needed to support this wonderfully unique musical piece." Jackson has received the Drama League's New Directors/New Works Fellowship and directed for the Atlantic Theatre Company, Goodman Theatre and Playwrights Horizons.

Victor Lodato's work first appeared on Magic Theatre's stage in 2002 with the world premiere of his play The Eviction, which won the Roger L. Stevens Award from the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays. His subsequent play 3F, 4F also premiered at Magic. Since then, Victor has received the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Weissberger Award for his play Motherhouse and most recently published his first novel, Mathilda Savitch, which has been translated into thirteen languages, and published in sixteen countries. According to Victor, "Working with Polly Pen has been one of the most satisfying collaborations of my career. While discovering a whole new dramatic vocabulary for myself, I also feel that Polly and I are humbly, but doggedly, trying to explore some uncharted territory in music theatre. I'm thrilled that Magic is getting behind this audacious new work. Life as a playwright can be so itinerant, and to return to Magic is to remember that I have a family, a home. I'm really happy to be back."

Arlington marks the Magic Theatre debut of Obie Award-winning composer Polly Pen who sees this production as a "musical that delights with breaking rules. I've had the most fun in composing this." She received multiple Drama Desk nominations as the composer for Goblin Market and won the Obie Award for Bed and Sofa. Other works include The Night Governess at the McCarter Theatre; The Dumb Cake, a radio musical for NPR; and Christina Alberta's Father at the Vineyard Theatre, which received a Richard Rodgers Award and an Obie and a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Music.

The cast features Analisa Leaming as Sara Jane and Jeff Pew as Jerry. Leaming's previous credits include an international tour of The Sound of Music, national tour of Annie, Barrington Stage Company productions of Sweeney Todd and The Endgame. Pew has appeared as an actor and singer in Billy Elliot, 42nd St., and A Chorus Line, and as a pianist for The Mark Morris Dance Group, Broadway Dance Center, American Ballet Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera House.

Arlington will feature set design by Eric Flatmo, costume design by Antonia Gunnarson, lighting design by Jeff Rowlings, and sound design by Sara Huddleston.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go online to www.magictheatre.org or call the box office at 415-441-8822.

Arlington is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award and is made possible, in part, by the Ted & Mary Jo Shen Charitable Gift Fund.

ABOUT MAGIC THEATRE: Now in its 47th year, Magic Theatre is dedicated to the cultivation of bold new plays, playwrights, and audiences - and to producing explosive, entertaining, and ideologically robust stories that ask substantive questions about our place in humanity. Magic provides a nurturing yet rigorous artistic home where innovative writers can create a body of work. We believe that developing an evolved artistic vocabulary with the playwright at our side, over a long period of time, greatly improves a playwright's chances to thrive.

The list of playwrights cultivated and premiered at Magic Theatre is a veritable who's who of American theatre: Sam Shepard, Michael McClure, Octavio Solis, Nilo Cruz, Paula Vogel, Rebecca Gilman, Lloyd Suh, Taylor Mac, Theresa Rebeck, Sharr White, and Luis Alfaro, to name a few.

With its intimate thrust stage, it is the perfect venue for audiences to experience new work up close. This intimacy extends beyond the stage through a number of special events - Thursday night Docent 360s, Friday night TalkBACKs, Magic Next Gen, New Work Development Dialogues with playwrights and directors, and the Martha Heasley Cox Virgin Play Series. Enjoy unparalleled access to new plays, playwrights, and the process of taking a play from the page to the stage at Magic Theatre.

*Member of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers.

The Magic Theatre is located inside the Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Blvd., Building D, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94123 (Entrance to Fort Mason at the intersection of Marina Blvd and Buchanan St).

Performance Schedule:

Wednesday 11/13 @ 8pm (Preview)

Thursday 11/14 @ 8pm (Preview)

Friday 11/15 @ 8pm (Preview)

Saturday 11/16 @ 8pm (Preview)

Sunday 11/17 @ 2:30pm (Preview)*

Tuesday 11/19 @ 7pm (Preview)

Wednesday 11/20 @ 8pm - Opening Night

Thursday 11/21 @ 8pm** - Press Night

Friday 11/22 @ 8pm*** - Press Night

Saturday, 11/23 @ 8pm - Press Night

Sunday 11/24 @ 2:30pm & 7pm

Tuesday 11/26 @ 7pm

Wednesday 11/27 @ 8pm

Friday 11/29 @ 8pm***

Saturday 11/30 @ 8pm

Sunday 12/1 @ 2:30pm & 7pm

Tuesday 12/3 @ 7pm

Wednesday 12/4 @ 2:30pm & 8pm

Thursday 12/5 @ 8pm**

Friday 12/6 @ 8pm***

Saturday 12/7 @ 8pm

Sunday 12/8 @ 2:30pm

*Post-show discussion with the members of the creative team

**Pre-show talks at 7:30pm and post-show talkback

***Post-show talkback

How Much: $20-$60 - $5 off for Seniors and Educators; Student Tickets: $20. To Purchase Tickets: Call the Magic Theatre box office at 415.441.8822 or purchase online at www.magictheatre.org.

Pictured: Analisa Leaming* and Jeff Pew* star in the world premiere musical Arlington at Magic Theatre beginning November 13. Photo credit: Magic Theatre.