American Theater Company Adds XANADU to Legacy Season

American Theater Company (ATC) announces the final production, directors and run dates for Season 31: The Legacy Season, honoring ATC's late artistic director PJ Paparelli and continuing the theater's dedication to developing new works.

Kicking off the Legacy Season in November is the co-world premiere of Fulfillment, written by Thomas Bradshaw and directed by Ethan McSweeny, Nov. 6-Dec. 13, 2015. The production is a co-world premiere with The Flea Theater in New York, where Fulfillment opens under McSweeny's direction next month. In the New Year, ATC presents the world premiere of Bruise Easy by Dan LeFranc, writer of ATC's blockbuster world premiere The Big Meal, Jan. 7-Feb. 14, 2016. The production will be directed by Joanie Schultz. Next, ATC presents the regional premiere of Abe Koogler's Kill Floor under the direction of Jonathan Berry, March 25-May 1, 2016, immediately following its world premiere at New York's LCT3/Lincoln Center Theater. Replacing The Wiz as the final production of ATC's Legacy Season will be the musical comedy Xanadu, with music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar and book by Douglas Carter Beane. The production will run at ATC May 27-July 24, 2016, under the direction of Lili-Anne Brown.

"To close our Legacy Season, we're presenting the musical version of our late artistic director PJ Paparelli's all-time favorite movie," says ATC Interim Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar. "We're revealing to the world that he was a Xanadu fanatic! It's a fun, lighthearted way to close the Legacy Season, which feels like the best way to honor him."

Later this month, ATC will host a Legacy Celebration fundraiser on Wednesday, Sept. 30, featuring a performance of Ayad Akhtar's Disgraced at Goodman Theatre and pre-show reception with director Kimberly Senior. Disgraced made its world premiere at ATC in 2012 under Senior's direction before going on to a successful Broadway run and winning the Pulitzer Prize.

Subscription packages for the Legacy Season at American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron Street, start at $105. Tickets for the Legacy Celebration on Sept. 30 are $150. For more information or to purchase tickets or subscription packages, visit www.atcweb.org or call 773-409-4125.