New Rep Announces PREMIERE PARTY 2011 EVENT 3/7

On Monday, March 7, 2011, New Rep will be holding its very first Premiere Party at the historic Commander's Mansion. New Rep's Premiere Party 2011 is an exciting evening of entertainment to celebrate the announcement of New Rep's 2011-2012 Season. Premiere Party guests will get sneak peek performances of New Rep's upcoming Season, mingle with artists, feast on savory foods, and dance the night away with the stars.

"This year, New Rep is mixing things up by hosting two distinct events for our donors, subscribers, and friends to attend," states Dan Newton, New Rep's Board Chair.

Newton continues, "New Rep's Premiere Party is the first of these events and will be an evening of revelry filled with culinary delights and crowd-pleasing performances featuring New Rep's favorite artists. The second event will be Staging the Next Step, a breakfast fundraiser, which will take place on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Newton. Staging the Next Step will help provide the critical funding needed for New Rep to continue producing Award-winning theatre and be able to expand its well respected education and outreach programs."

New Rep's Premiere Party 2011 begins at 6:30pm with the Preview Party. At this exclusive reception, Preview Party hosts and their guests will gather for half an hour in a personal room at the Commander's Mansion, enjoy champagne, and have up-close access to New Rep's favorite artists.

The Premiere Party will be from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. At the Premiere Party, guests will get sneak peek performances of New Rep's 2011-2012 Season and see highlights from New Rep's current season, while touring the beautiful Commander's Mansion and savoring delicious food from our restaurant partners (ABCatering, Aegean, Restaurant, Edelweiss, 51 Lincoln, Sensational Food, Stellina's, Starbucks, and Wholefoods). Thanks to Premier Bartending & Beverage Service, attendees will also be treated to a fun and festive signature cocktail.

"New Rep's Premiere Party 2011 is going to be the social event of the spring for theatergoers," states Kate Warner, Artistic Director. "Our guests will not only get a glimpse of our Summer Show, The World Goes 'Round, and our upcoming Season, they will see some memorable scenes from this Season's musicals, The Last Five Years and Passing Strange, and get the opportunity to spend an evening partying with their favorite New Rep artists."

In addition, Jared Bowen, the host of WGBH's Center Stage, will conduct a live interview with Will Lyman and Karen MacDonald.

New Rep's Premiere Party 2011 will conclude with a fun Dance with the Stars Party, where attendees will dance the night away with the stars of New Rep.

Individual tickets for New Rep's Premiere Party 2011 are available at the reasonable price of $125 (includes Premiere and Dance with the Stars Party). To become a Preview Party Host costs $1,500 (includes 10 tickets to Preview, Premiere, and Dance with the Stars Parties) To reserve tickets, please call 617-923-8487 or e-mail rachael@newrep.org.

New Repertory Theatre presents provocative and intelligent works of both established and emerging playwrights in an intimate setting that involves and engages the audience. New Rep has earned a reputation for Dynamic Productions that honor the writers and feature talented professional actors from the New England Theatre community as well as guest artists from around the U.S. New Rep has received Elliot Norton and IRNE Awards for outstanding acting, scenic design, directions, and production. Programming for New Repertory Theatre is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

New Repertory Theatre would like to thank the following businesses for generously supporting New Rep Premiere Party 2011. Starring Role Sponsor: WGBH; Supporting Role Sponsor: Capaldi Limited Partnership and IBM; Ensemble Sponsors: Watertown Savings Bank, The Village Bank, The Commander's Mansion, Staples Copy & Print, Big Picture Framing, athenahealth, Premier Bartending & Beverage Service, Gordon Fine Wines & Liquors, Vantage Graphics, and McKenzie Theatrical Photography; Supporters: A. Russo's, J.M. Whitney Companies, Not Your Average Joe's, Fastachi, and Matilda's Sandwich Shop; and Restaurant
Partners: 51 Lincoln, ABCatering, Aegean Restaurant, Edelweiss, , Sensational Foods, Stellina's, Starbucks, and Wholefoods.

Facts At A Glance

Company: New Repertory Theatre

Event: New Rep Premiere Party 2011

Where: Arsenal on the Charles Commander's Mansion

Performance: The Premiere Party will offer audiences sneak peeks of New Rep's 2011-2012 Season and highlight scenes from New Rep's upcoming musicals, The Last Five Years, Passing Strange, and The World Goes 'Round.

Director: Kate Warner

Musical Director: Todd C. Gordon

Featuring: Leigh Barrett, Cheo Bourne, David Costa, Aimee Doherty, Elizabeth Anne Hayes, Eve Kagan, Mark Linehan, Will Lyman,
Karen MacDonald, Cliff Odle, Maurice E. Parent, Cheryl Singleton, Kami Rushell Smith, and Bobbie Steinbach

THE ARTISTS:
Kate Warner (director, artistic director) is in the second year of her tenure with this 27 year old company. Kate is continuing New Rep's mission of producing plays that speak powerfully to the essential ideas of our time, fostering new work, expanding our commitment to education and outreach and promoting New Rep as a major voice in the national dialogue defining the role of theater in our culture. Prior to coming to New Rep, Kate was Artistic Director of Dad's Garage Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, where she developed innovations in season planning, business models, education programs and audience development. Kate has amassed an impressive history as both a director and producer as the previous Managing Director/Artistic Associate with Atlanta's Theatrical Outfit, which in December of 2004 moved into its new $5.4 million home, a renovated downtown Atlanta landmark, thus completing an award-winning strategic plan. Her body of directorial work includes, for Dad's Garage: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Skin, and Mojo; for Actor's Express: The Last Five Years, Pulp, and Octopus; for Theatrical Outfit: Waiting for Godot and The Island; for American Stage: Proof; and for Magic Theatre: Octopus. She has championed new work from playwrights such as Lisa Kron, Alice Tuan, Peter Nachtrieb, Chris Craddock, Kyle Jarrow, Suzan-Lori Parks, Megan Gogerty, David J (Bauhaus), Caridad Svich, Lauren Gunderson, Roberto Aguirre Sacasa, Ross Maxwell, Rolin Jones, David Holstein, John Pierson, Steve Yockey, Heather Woodbury, Chay Yew, and Greg Kotis. Kate serves as a board member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for non-profit theatres and will chair the 2011 National Conference in Los Angeles. She is also a member and facilitator of the Lincoln Center Theatre Directors' Lab in New York, a member and panelist of the Directors Lab West in Los Angeles, and a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. In summer 2004, Kate completed the Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders in the Arts at Stanford Graduate School of Business and the New Artistic Leadership Institute with TCG/Dance USA at the McCarter Theatre. Recognition for Kate's directing work includes a Suzi Bass Award Nomination for Best Musical 2008, Sunday Paper Top 10 Director 2007, Suzi Bass Award for Best Director and Best Play 2006, and Best Director Readers' Pick in Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta 2007 and 2006. She is a graduate of Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI with degrees in Theatre and Anthropology.
Todd C. Gordon (music director) has served as Music Director for New Rep's Darling Divas Deck the Holidays, Sophie Tucker: The Last of the Red Hot Mamas, Hot Mikado, Cabaret, Gutenberg! The Musical, Dessa Rose, Side by Side by Sondheim, The Wild Party (IRNE Nominee, Best Music Direction), Ragtime (IRNE Award, Best Music Direction), Into the Woods (IRNE Award, Best Music Direction), The Threepenny Opera (IRNE Nominee, Best Music Direction), and as music supervisor for According to Tip. He was seen as the onstage pianist for New Rep's Bill W. and Dr. Bob and has worked in the New England area on productions for Lyric Stage, Publick Theatre, Charles Playhouse, Gloucester Stage, Stuart Street Playhouse/Second Stage, Stoneham Theatre, and Emerson Stage.

Prices: $1,500 for Preview Party Host (includes 10 tickets to Preview, Premiere, and Dance Parties)
$125 for Individual Tickets (includes access to Premiere and Dance Party)

Box Office: Call 617-923-8487 or online at www.newrep.org.