Primary Stages Announces A Celebration Of Women Playwrights

Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) has announced its upcoming 25th anniversary season of new works offering a 3-play series celebrating female playwrights. The 2009-2010 Season will see the world premiere of A Lifetime Burning by Cusi Cram, and the New York premieres of Happy Now? by Lucinda Coxon, and Night Watcher by Charlayne Woodard at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street).

In a statement, Casey Childs, Founder & Executive producer, said, "Primary Stages has always had a commitment to playwrights and we have been lucky to help nurture and enjoy the success of many extraordinary women writers. We are thrilled to premiere these new works by these three playwrights as a way to celebrate our 25th Anniversary."

Opening the 25th Anniversary Season is A Lifetime Burning by Cusi Cram. In this world premiere, trust fund darling Emma imagines what her life would have been like had she come from a less privileged background. Trouble is, she chronicles her alternate life in a new tell-all "memoir" that was sold for a hefty advance. When Emma is exposed, will her sister, Tess, stand by her? Or will Emma's deceit destroy their already fractured relationship? This dark comedy brings up questions of legacy, loyalty and what it means to belong.

Cusi Cram's work has been hailed as imaginative, original, poetic and has been produced across the country at theaters such as Barrington Stage, The Public Theater and South Coast Rep. "Primary Stages has had the honor of presenting the earlier works of many gifted playwrights including Donald Margulies, Conor McPherson and John Patrick Shanley," said Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director. "We are thrilled to present this world premiere production." Performances begin July 28, 2009 for a limited run through September 5, 2009.

Primary Stages continues the 2009-2010 season with New York premiere of Night Watcher, written and performed by Charlayne Woodard. Simultaneously a best friend, advisor, confidant and sage to the many young people who call her "Auntie," Charlayne Woodard is childless only by biological standards. Told with penetrating grace and candor, Woodard beautifully weaves together stories of the ordinary and extraordinary ways she's mentored the children in her life. Declared "thoughtful, vivid, entertaining and poignant" in its Seattle Repertory run last October, The Night Watcher is an intimate look at the alternative definition of being a parent. Performances begin September 22, 2009 for a limited engagement through October 31, 2009.

A chance encounter at a hotel plays upon Kitty's mind in the dark comedy Happy Now? by Lucinda Coxon, as she struggles to balance personal freedom with family life, fidelity and a demanding job. Her husband is more interested in misplaced apostrophes than in their marriage, her parents are looking down the barrel of oblivion, and although she toys with the idea of joining a gym, Kitty's running out of time for big changes. Happy Now? dares to ask just that, in this painfully truthful, darkly comic take on contemporary life and how to survive it.

Happy Now? opened to rave reviews at The National Theatre in London last year: The New York Times called it, "A sharp, entertaining comedy. Delves with eloquence and insight into the way we live now." While Variety enthused that Happy Now? is "Startlingly true, funny, smart and sardonic." Under the direction of Liz Diamond, Happy Now? concludes the 25th Anniversary Season when performances begin January 26, 2010 for a limited run through March 6, 2010.

3-play subscription packages are available by calling TicketCentral at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.TicketCentral.com. For additional information about Primary Stages, please visit the website at www.primarystages.org.