MCC Theater Announces Fall 2009 PlayLab Line-Up, Starting 10/26

MCC Theater has announced the line-up for their Fall 2009 PlayLab play readings of new plays by members of the company's Playwrights' Coalition Anton Dudley, Matthew Stephen Smith and Kara Manning to be held on October 26, November 2 and November 9. The three-week Monday night series will offer a special opportunity to experience works in development by some of New York's most exciting playwrights. As an added bonus, audience members will be invited to mingle with the artists at post-performance receptions to be held each night.

The line-up includes"

October 26: Fluid Love; Written and Directed by Anton Dudley

With Isabel Keating, Polly Lee, Peter O'Connor and Armando Riesco

Bret and Carla are neighbors, best friends, and intensely co-dependent. Carla has a husband and two kids. Bret has an empty apartment with new locks on the window and door; Carla has the keys. So, when Bret brings home a pretty co-worker after his first day on the job, it's fair to wonder: is he turning over a new leaf, or running headlong into destruction?

November 2: 7 Ways to Mourn the Dead; By Matthew Stephen Smith, Directed by Esther Neff

With Leslie Ayvasian, Louis Cancelmi, Sasha Higgins, Marin Ireland, Chelsea O'Connor, Larry Pine, Matthew Rauch and Michael Urie

In this darkly funny retelling of the fall of Troy, the royal House of Priam simmers and stews, bored to tears by a twelve-day break in the war. The mute prophetess Cassandra knows of the looming terror, but the rest of the family would rather fill its time with parties, fights and illicit sex. Is it better not to know your fate? How do you distract yourself once you do?

November 9: Sleeping Rough; By Kara Manning, Directed by Wendy McClellan

With Aya Cash, Margaret Colin and Michael Countryman

Unable to forgive her country for a grievous trespass, Joanna makes a desperate trip to London, graffitiing her grief all over the city and ignoring the pleas of her British ex-husband and bee-obsessed daughter to go home. In this prickly, compelling play, a shattered family tries to recover from loss and long-ago regrets...if they can even find each other to begin.

MCC Theater is one of New York City's leading Off Broadway theater companies, committed to presenting New York and world premieres each season. When MCC Theater was founded in 1986, its mission was simple: to bring new theatrical voices to theater-going audiences. MCC Theater continues to accomplish this yearly through presentation of its mainstage works; its Literary Program, which actively seeks and develops new and emerging writers and its Education & Outreach Program, allowing more than 1,200 students yearly to experience theater, increase literacy and discover their own voices in the arts. Notable MCC Theater highlights include: the 2008 Tony Award-nominated reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute, last season's Fifty Words, the 2004 Tony-winning production of Bryony Lavery's Frozen; Neil LaBute's Fat Pig; Rebecca Gilman's The Glory of Living; Marsha Norman's Trudy Blue; Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit; Tim Blake Nelson's The Grey Zone and Alan Bowne's Beirut. Over the years, the dedication to the work of new and emerging artists has earned MCC Theater a variety of awards. The company's current production of Alexander Dinelaris' Still Life is now in currently in performances at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) through November 5. 2-Play subscriptions are available on www.mcctheater.org.

MCC Theater's artistic directors are Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Associate Artistic Director is William Cantler,and Executive Director is Blake West. MCC's commitment to new work extends beyond its Mainstage. Now in its ninth year, the Playwrights' Coalition is a diverse group of some of the most talented, exciting playwrights working today. The Coalition's programs give writers the resources and support to generate, develop and showcase new work. Through intensive work and roundtable readings, member playwrights develop dynamic and challenging new plays, and twice-a-year PlayLab readings put these plays in front of an audience, providing a showcase and celebration of the writers' work. Plays developed through the Playwrights' Coalition have gone on to production at MCC and other notable theaters in the U.S. and abroad.

All readings will take place at the Baruch Performing Arts Center at 7:00 p.m. The series is offered free of charge, but reservations are recommended. Reservations can be made by phoning 212-727-7722 ext. 244 or emailing literary@mcctheater.org.