Rebeck, Thurber Featured in Perry-Mansfield 12th New Works Fest Line-up, Runs 6/19-21

The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival (June Lindenmayer, Executive Director; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director) has announced the line-up for the 2009 summer season of music, dance and theatre at the venerable performing arts camp and school in Steamboat Springs, CO. The 12th Annual New Works Festival is scheduled June 19 - 21 with staged readings of the plays and a special dance presentation.

Now in its 96th year, Perry-Mansfield, founded by Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield, is recognized as the oldest continuously operating performing arts school and camp in the nation.

The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival, co-chaired by James Steinberg and Karolynn Lestrud, brings performing arts professionals together in the Rocky Mountains to develop new pieces of drama, musical theater and dance, and to mentor new talent in each medium. The 2009 New Works Festival reunites the successful artistic partnership of New York's Atlantic Theater Company, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Denver Center Theatre Company, and New York's Primary Stages. The New Works Festival continues Perry-Mansfield's founding principle of nurturing new talent with new work.

Artistic Director Leynse said, "I am thrilled to announce our 12th season of new works and to continue our unique collaboration with so many colleagues. Last year we had an unprecedented sixty artists come to Perry-Mansfield from all over the country, and this year marks another unique achievement - a festival of new works all by women."

Marc Masterson and Actors Theatre of Louisville will bring a piece titled Poor Behavior by Theresa Rebeck. Directed by Marc Masterson, Poor Behavior tells the story of Ella and Peter, who have invited their old friends Maureen and Ian up to the country for a weekend visit. When a dinnertime dispute escalates into all-out combat, the fires of suspicion and seduction are stoked, perceptions twist, and relationships are changed forever in this dark comedy about goodness and badness, and the dangerously tempting open doors in between.

Kent Thompson and the Denver Center Theatre Company will bring playwright Elysabeth Gregory Wilder (Fresh Kills) to workshop a new play entitled The Bone Orchard. In this play, Lucy Mitchell wants to die a virgin martyr, until she falls in love with Fisher, the boy who has been hired to dig her grave. The Bone Orchard is directed by Lawrence Hecht.

Neil Pepe and Atlantic Theater Company will bring a new play entitled Bottom of the World by Lucy Thurber (Stay). Bottom of the World tells the story of Abigail, who is struggling with the recent death of her younger sister, Kate. Kate comforts her by bringing to life scenes from her unfinished novel - stories of loss and love that parallel their own. This play straddles two worlds; the real world where Abby and her close friends live, and a magical world where storytellers and a bluegrass band reach out to us from beyond the grave.

In addition to this being The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival's first all-woman season, acclaimed choreographer Camille Brown is this year's special Guest Choreographer. A dancer with Renni Harris/Puremovement, Brown was also a member of the Ronald K. Brown/Evidence dance troupe. She has received commissions from Hubbard Street II, Urban Bush Women, and Ailey II, and has been featured in Marie Claire, Dance magazine and Dance Spirit.

All rehearsals and performances will take place at Perry-Mansfield (40755 Routt County Road 36, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487). Free open rehearsals will take place June 15 - 19.

Single tickets for each presentation are $15 for performances June 19-21 and will be available for purchase after June 1st. A special Festival Weekend Ticket Package is available for $50 and includes all staged play readings, the dance presentation and festival reception. For tickets and information, please call 800-430-2787 or 970-879-7125, or visit the website at www.perry-mansfield.org.

The Perry-Mansfield 2009 New Works Festival schedule is as follows:

June 19, 2009 8pm

DENVER CENTER THEATER COMPANY

The Bone Orchard

By Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder

Directed by Lawrence Hecht

June 20, 2009 2pm

ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE
Poor Behavior

By Theresa Rebeck

Directed by Marc Masterson

June 20, 2009 8pm

Dance Presentation

A new work choreographed by Camille Brown.

JUNE 21, 2009 4pm

Atlantic Theatre Company

Bottom of the World

By Lucy Thurber

Directed by Neil Pepe

 

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