MTC Presents New York Premiere Of Bill Cain's EQUIVOCATION, Previews Begin 2/9

Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) are pleased to announce the New York premiere of Bill Cain's EQUIVOCATION. The limited engagement will begin previews at MTC's New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street) on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 in preparation for a Tuesday, March 2, 2010 opening night.

A new play set in 1605 England begins when King James' right hand man commissions Shakespeare to write a play about the Gunpowder Plot, a recent failed attempt to blow up Parliament and the Monarchy. The Bard replies, "I write histories, not current events." Coerced by his own company to appease the government and write the play, Shakespeare embarks upon an investigation that uncovers unexpected lies and threats, deceits and dangers. EQUIVOCATION is Bill Cain's bold new look at the greatest playwright ever, in a drama whose contemporary parallels are unmistakable and whose laughter is abundant - a work of startling revelations and vibrant theatricality.

Casting and the creative team for EQUIVOCATION will be announced in the coming weeks.

EQUIVOCATION received its world premiere in a critically acclaimed production at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, under the direction of artistic director Bill Rauch. The play was developed at the Ojai Playwrights Conference and TheatreWorks in Palo Alto.

Manhattan Theatre Club's complete Broadway season at the Samuel J. Friedman will feature a new production of George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's THE ROYAL FAMILY, the New York premiere of Donald Margulies' TIME STANDS STILL, and the Broadway premiere of Margulies' COLLECTED STORIES. The complete Off-Broadway season includes Lynn Redgrave's NIGHTINGALE, Bill Cain's EQUIVOCATION and Polly Stenham's THAT FACE.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, MTC has become one of the country's most prominent and prestigious theatre companies. MTC productions have earned a total of 16 Tony Awards and six Pulitzer Prizes, an accomplishment unparalleled by a New York theatrical institution. Renowned MTC productions include Ruined; The American Plan; Top Girls; Come Back, Little Sheba; Blackbird; Translations; Shining City; Rabbit Hole; Doubt; Proof; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Love! Valour! Compassion! ; A Small Family Business; Sylvia; Putting It Together; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune; Crimes of the Heart; and Ain't Misbehavin'.

For more information on Manhattan Theatre Club, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

You can subscribe to MTC by calling (212) 399-3030, Monday - Thursday, 12PM- 6PM and Friday 10AM - 2PM with a major credit card. Subscriptions will also be available online at www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

Single tickets for The Royal Family will be available online starting August 14 at www.Telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200. The Samuel J. Friedman Box Office will open for the season on August 31, 2009. Single tickets for Nightingale will be available online starting September 8th at www.NYCityCenter.org or by calling Citytix® at (212) 581-1212. Other on sale dates and listings information will be released in the coming weeks.

Bill Cain (Playwright). Mr. Cain's widely-produced play Stand-Up Tragedy earned six LA Critics Awards in its premiere at the Mark Taper Forum. Stand Up later garnered four Helen Hayes Awards at Arena Stage in Washington, DC before its 1990 Broadway engagement, where it received the Joe A. Callaway Playwriting Award. He wrote the television adaptation of the play for TNT, under the title "Thicker Than Blood" (Writers' Guild nomination). He is the recipient of a George Foster Peabody Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television for the series "Nothing Sacred," which he co-created, wrote and produced for ABC. He wrote the critically acclaimed screen adaptation of Nightjohn for Hallmark/Touchstone, which was named best American film of the year by The New Yorker and given a special citation for excellence by the National Society of Film Critics. His work for television has won Writers Guild, Humanitas, Christopher and Alma awards, among others. He is the founder of the Boston Shakespeare Company, where he was Artistic Director for seven seasons.

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