'Third' and Coleman Musical Part of Geffen '07-'08 Season

The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles has begun planning its line-up for the 2007/2008 season, which will include the West Coast premiere of Wendy Wasserstein's final play, Third, and a world premiere musical co-conceived by Larry Gelbart and David Zippel entitled The Best is Yet to Come, featuring songs by the legendary Cy Coleman.

The remaining three plays on the main stage and the programming for The Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater will be announced at a later date.

"The upcoming season starts with a bang as we've secured two greats in American theater.  Wendy Wasserstein had a thought provoking sensibility about her writing while Cy Coleman's musical genius comes to life once again," says Gil Cates, producing director.  "We're excited to share the start of something great - another season of works presented in the Geffen Playhouse's unabashed approach, pushing the envelope of theater in Los Angeles. " 

The season begins with the West Coast premiere of Third, Wendy Wasserstein's final and most morally ambiguous play, bringing into question the limitations of the left. It will run from September 11th through October 28th, with opening night set for September 19th.  A director will be announced. 

"Set in the uncertain months surrounding America's launch of the second Gulf War in Iraq, the play discovers hypocrisy where you least expect it - in the heart and mind of a modern, female, politically correct educator.  Laurie Jameson, a professor at a prestigious New England university, is convinced she has her 3rd generation, jock student pegged.  When he turns in a brilliant paper she pursues a case of plagiarism, bringing to light her own prejudices," state Geffen notes.

Third debuted at the Lincoln Center Theater on October 24, 2005 and was directed Daniel Sullivan.  The play featured two-time Academy Award-winning actress Dianne Wiest as Laurie Jameson, Amy Aquino as Laurie's friend and colleague, Charles Durning as Laurie's father, Gaby Hoffmann as her daughter, and Jason Ritter as Woodson Bull, III ('Third'), the accused student.

"For the past 20 years, Wendy Wasserstein's voice has helped define feminism for the American Theater, creating strong intellectual heroines in the modern world.  Dying of cancer at the young age of 55, Wasserstein left a catalog of indelible plays including The Sisters Rosenweig, Isn't It Romantic, An American Daughter, Old Money, and The Heidi Chronicles which was honored with the Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama."

In the vain of celebrating songwriter as storyteller, The Best is Yet to Come allows Cy Coleman's music speak for itself in this world premiere production.  The Best is Yet to Come will begin preview performances on November 20, and continue through January 6, 2008.  Opening night is November 28, 2007.  

Co-conceived by Larry Gelbart and David Zippel, The Best is Yet to Come is "an innovative approach to new musical theater highlighting such songs as 'The Best is Yet to Come,' 'Hey, Big Spender,' and 'The Oldest Profession,' among many others.  With a stellar five-person company, an entire songbook comes to life as a collection of stories is told through song.

Renowned as one of the most versatile and influential songwriters of our time, Cy Coleman wrote songs in an up-tempo, rhythmic fashion.  Spanning a 50-year career, his music earned him three Tony's, two Grammy Awards, three Emmy's and an Academy Award nomination for best score.  His mark on Broadway and popular music lives on through legendary recordings by some of America's greatest standard bearers including Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett, Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne.   The Best is Yet to Come is co-conceived by Coleman friends and collaborators, comedic writer Larry Gelbart and Tony-Award winning theater lyricist, David Zippel, who also is set to direct the production."

Subscriptions to the 2007-2008 season are now available for purchase online at GeffenPlayhouse.com, in person at the Geffen Playhouse Box Office, or by calling Subscriber Services at (310) 209-1328.  Single tickets go on sale July 1, 2007, and may be purchased in person at the Geffen Playhouse Box Office or by phone at (310) 208-5454, by calling Ticketmaster at (213) 365-3500, at all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons May and Ritmo Latino locations), or online at www.GeffenPlayhouse.com. For general information or to request a brochure, please call (310) 208-5454.