AdA (Author directing Author)-an evening comprised of new one act plays by American playwright Neil LaBute and Italian playwright Marco Calvani, in which each playwright will direct the other's work-will be presented by La MaMa at the Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 E. 4 St.) in Manhattan, with preview performances starting tonight, September 28 prior to an official press opening Sunday, September 30. Both plays are receiving their American premieres and will be performed on the same program at every performance of AdA.
The celebrated stage and film actor
Larry Pine stars in Mr. LaBute's play LOVELY HEAD, directed by Mr. Calvani. LaBute's LOVELY HEAD is the story of a contemporary love affair, a bizarre love centered on the obsession of a man for a girl (played by
Gia Crovatin).
The Oscar winning actress and four-time Tony nominee
Estelle Parsons stars in Mr. Calvani's play THINGS OF THIS WORLD directed by Mr. LaBute. Calvani's THINGS OF THIS WORLD concerns a woman and her put-upon butler as a dinner for guests is prepared: amidst commands, regrets, little cruelties and a lack of tenderness, their frayed relationship and bankrupt existences are revealed.
This unique and international collaboration between
Neil LaBute and Marco Calvani was developed at La MaMa Umbria,
The company's annual summer season of development and workshops in Italy. It premiered at the Spoleto Festival dei 2Mondi (with Italian actors) and subsequently at Fringe Madrid (with Spanish actors). Both plays focus on family life through the lens of American and Italian societies and highlight Mr. LaBute's and Mr. Calvani's respective penchants for writing about the dark side of human nature, along with their different approaches to writing and directing for the theatre.
Neil LaBute's plays include THE MERCY SEAT, THE SHAPE OF THINGS, reasons to be pretty, FAT PIG and THE DISTANCE FROM HERE. Marco Calvani, winner of Italy's prestigious SIAE prize for best young playwright in 2011, has had numerous plays performed throughout Europe including QUASI/ALMOST, BEFORE YOU SLEEP, LOW LIFE and STRONG HANDS. His play THE CITY BENEATH received its first reading at La MaMa in 2009. THINGS OF THE WORLD is Calvani's New York and La MaMa debut.
Larry Pine has appeared on Broadway in ROYAL FAMILY, BUS STOP, ANGELS IN AMERICA and PRIVATE LIVES and in the
Woody Allen films CELEBRITY, SMALL TIME CROOKS and MELINDA AND MELINDA. His many film credits include the recent MOONRISE KINGDOM and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS.
Estelle Parsons has been nominated for the
Tony Award four times, having appeared on Broadway in NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, GOOD PEOPLE, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, MORNING'S AT SEVEN, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, THE SEVEN DESCENTS OF MYRTLE and MISS REARDON DRINKS A LITTLE, among others. She won the Academy Award for her performance in BONNIE AND CLYDE and was also Oscar-nominated for RACHEL, RACHEL.
Gia Crovatin has appeared in numerous films, including BFF directed by
Neil LaBute, THE REBOUND and SALT.
AdA will have scenic design by
Neil Patel. Additional designers TBA.
Scheduled September 28- October 14, AdA will perform Wednesday – Saturday at 7:30 and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30. Tickets are $18/$13 Student & Seniors and can be purchased by calling the La MaMa box office at 212 475 7710 or online at
www.lamama.org.
La MaMa is a remarkable arts institution with a world-wide reputation for producing daring work in theater, dance, performance art, and music. Founded in 1961 by theater pioneer and legend,
Ellen Stewart, La MaMa has produced and presented more than 3,200 theatrical productions to date and is a vital part of the fabric of cultural life in New York City and around the world. La MaMa provides a supportive home for artists and takes risks on unknown work. Artists such as
Sam Shepard,
Lanford Wilson,
Philip Glass,
Robert Wilson,
Harvey Fierstein, Blue Man Group, David and
Amy Sedaris, -and others whose names you haven't heard of yet - began their careers at La MaMa.
International Artists introduced to America by La MaMa include Tadeusz Kantor,
Andrei Serban, Kazuo Ohno and, more recently, the acclaimed Belarus Free Theatre. La MaMa has been honored with more than 30 OBIE Awards, dozens of Drama Desk and Bessie Awards, and, in 2006,
Ellen Stewart was recognized with a special
Tony Award for "Excellence in the Theatre."
La MaMa Umbria is a 700 year-old villa, transformed into a work center and residence for artists by La MaMa founder,
Ellen Stewart, and known as an international artist retreat where artists from around the world come to live together while working on productions or participating in workshops and developing techniques. Following the presentation of AdA at the Spoleto Festival,
Neil LaBute and Marco Calvani led workshops at La MaMa Umbria's Symposium for Directors/Theatre-Makers with fellow teaching artists, Stephan Koplowitz,
Elizabeth Swados and
Karin Coonrod. While artistic residencies at La MaMa Umbria are opportunities for individuals, collaborators or companies to work together as they develop new work, other residencies are open to participants. This past summer, veteran site artist, Stephan Koplowitz and renowned composer, John King, conducted a residency in which participants were immersed in different concepts and modalities of site-specific creation, collaboration, and performance.
La MaMa Spoleto Open is the official fringe festival of the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds, curated by La MaMa Umbria International, and Andrea Paciotto, Offucina Eclectic Arts. Organized in collaboration with the City of Spoleto and several cultural organizations of the region, La MaMa Spoleto Open presents theatre, dance, music, performance, and visual art at multiple locations throughout the city of Spoleto. For more information about La MaMa Umbria or La MaMa Spoleto Open, contact web@lamama.org.
