THIS IS MARY BROWN to Debut at La MaMa in June

La MaMa will present the world-premiere of THIS IS MARY BROWN - a solo play written and performed by Winsome Brown - with preview performances starting June 11 prior to an official press opening June 14 at La MaMa's First Floor Theatre (74 E. 4 St.) in Manhattan. Brad Rouse directs the production, which runs through June 28. Following its debut at La MaMa, THIS IS MARY BROWN will travel to Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.

Winsome Brown is a writer, director and an Obie Award-winning actress (TALE OF 2CITIES) whose numerous credits include having played Gertrude Stein in Target Margin's Stein Lab, Hillary Clinton in WOMEN: THE WAR WITHIN at Baryshnikov Arts Center, Virginia Woolf in SHAKESPEARE'S SISTER at La MaMa and in the Andre Gregory/Wallace Shawn adaptation of A MASTER BUILDER, later directed on film by Jonathan Demme. Winsome toured in the role of Isabel with Jay Scheib's WORLD OF WIRES to the Boston ICA, Festival d'Automne in Paris and other European cities.

Early passages from THIS IS MARY BROWN - compiled by Winsome Brown from three letters by her mother Mary Montgomery Brown - were presented at the Mostly Mozart Festival in a program of music by composer Pauline Oliveros in 2013.

THIS IS MARY BROWN is the epic story of a simple life: in her solo play, Obie Award winner Winsome Brown channels her wickedly funny Irish mother, her Alaskan frontiersman father and her engaging family to tell the story of a mother's life. With humor she applies a light touch that reveals Mary's struggles with aging and alcoholism, her war stores of a 45-year marriage with children, and the sad grace of her death.

Winsome Brown's previous solo plays include HIT THE BODY ALARM by Brad Rouse and WELCOME TO WINSOMELAND presented in LA in 2001, along with FITS & STARTS at Cornelia Street Cafe. She wrote and directed the 2011 film THE VIOLINIST, and her film and live music theatre piece THE LOST VICTROLA SESSIONS was presented at Hudson Opera House in 2012. Other film writing credits include SHADOWS CHOOSE THEIR HORRORS for New York Film Festival.

Brad Rouse has directed plays and musicals at The Public Theater, City Center ENCORES!, Ahmanson Theater, Hartford Stage, Juilliard School, The Directors Company and New Dramatists. He received the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for his production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH starring Anthony Rapp, and was nominated as Best Director in Los Angeles and Philadelphia for THE MICE byLarry O'Keefe, Nell Benjamin and Julia Jordan. He most recently directed POP! starring Anthony Rapp and choreographed by Billy Porter.

Scheduled through June 28, THIS IS MARY BROWN performs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets are $18; $13 for students/seniors. To purchase tickets, visit www.lamama.org or call 646 430 5374.