Mantello Directs, Demme Debuts, Henley Play Featured In 2009/10 MCC Season

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced the new plays that will comprise its upcoming 2009-10 season.

Following a banner year featuring two World Premieres, a Broadway transfer of the company's production of Reasons To Be Pretty and a first ever musical offering, Coraline, the New York City theater company will again produce three cutting edge works at Off Broadway's Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street).

The Season:

A World Premiere
September 16 - November 1, 2009
Still Life
By Alexander Dinelaris
Directed by Will Frears

With her star on the rise, photographer Carrie Ann inexplicably shuts down at the pinnacle of her career. Lost, and afraid to even pick up a camera, her sudden descent is interrupted by a whirlwind romance with Jeff, a trend analyst who becomes determined to help her move on, even while facing his own dark future. Two-time Drama Desk-nominated playwright Alexander Dinelaris (Red Dog Howls) is quickly being recognized as a stunning new voice in American theater. Film and theater director Will Frears (Omnium Gatherum) brings his discerning eye to this funny and heartbreaking play about a generation paralyzed by fear.

An American Premiere
January 27 - March 14, 2010
The Pride
By Alexi Kaye Campbell
Directed by Joe Mantello

Oliver, Philip and Sylvia are caught in a kind of erotic time warp. Their complex love triangle, replete with conflicting loyalties and passions, jumps from 1958 to the present and back in a maelstrom of fantasy, repression and rebellion in this innovative new drama. After taking London by storm last season in an Olivier Award-winning production at the Royal Court, The Pride now makes its American premiere at MCC Theater. Tony Award-winning director Joe Mantello (Take Me Out, Blackbird) joins playwright Alexi Kaye Campbell (Apologia) to stage this alternately tough and touching look at love.

An All New Production
April 7 - May 23, 2010
Family Week
By Beth Henley
Directed by Jonathan Demme

A year after the death of her son, Claire checks into a recovery center in the desert, searching for a way to cope. When her mother, daughter and sister arrive to participate in "family week," long-dormant traumas collide with recent tragedies in surprisingly comical, shocking and deeply moving ways. United in this family struggle, the women rage and reach out in an effort to reconcile their love with the way things are. Making his theatrical debut, Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Rachel Getting Married) collaborates with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley (Crimes of the Heart) on a new version of this bitterly funny play.

"MCC is truly on a roll," commented Bernard Telsey. "This season alone, we returned to Broadway and were so fortunate to have worked with such luminaries as Elizabeth Marvel, Norbert Leo Butz, Kathleen Turner and Charles Busch. To say nothing of the triumvirate of Leigh Silverman, Stephin Merritt and David Greenspan who brought us our wonderful production of Coraline that just extended its run down at the Lortel. I trust that next year will be a continuation of our winning streak with these great new plays and I'm delighted to welcome Jonathan Demme, Will Frears and Joe Mantello into the MCC family."

Casting announcements for each production will be forthcoming.

Subscriptions are available now and are priced as low as $99 for the entire season. For more information and to purchase packages, visit www.mcctheater.org or contact TicketCentral directly at www.ticketcentral.com or call 212-279-4200.

MCC Theater is one of New York City's leading Off Broadway theater companies, committed to presenting New York and world premieres each season. When MCC Theater was founded in 1986, its mission was simple: to bring new theatrical voices to theater-going audiences. MCC Theater continues to accomplish this yearly through presentation of its mainstage works; its Literary Program, which actively seeks and develops new and emerging writers and its Education & Outreach Program, allowing more than 1,200 students yearly to experience theater, increase literacy and discover their own voices in the arts. Notable MCC Theater highlights include: the 2004 Tony-winning production of Bryony Lavery's Frozen; Neil LaBute's Fat Pig; Rebecca Gilman's The Glory of Living; Marsha Norman's Trudy Blue; Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit; Tim Blake Nelson's The Grey Zone and Alan Bowne's Beirut. Over the years, the dedication to the work of new and emerging artists has earned MCC Theater a variety of awards.

For a complete production history, visit www.mcctheater.org.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi

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