'Summer Shorts 2' With McNally Begins July 31st

J.J. Kandel and John McCormack will present SUMMER SHORTS 2, their second annual festival of new American short plays, at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street).  Performances begin Thursday July 31st, and continue through Thursday August 28th.   

Summer Shorts returns for another summer of new American one-acts featuring original plays by the country's top playwrights. Representing some of today's best writing, directing and acting talents, Summer Shorts celebrates theatre, summer and the short form. Don't miss the festival's two separate series, offering a diverse range of voices, styles, and subject matter. Summer Shorts 2 offers eight world premiere one-act plays, in two separate evenings.  The two series will run in rotating repertory (a detailed description and schedule follows below). Last year's inaugural season was declared "…a Manhattan summertime must." by Show Business Weekly.

The playwrights contributing to Summer Shorts 2 include John Augustine, Michael Domitrovich, Roger Hedden, Skip Kennon, Neil Koenigsberg, Leslie Lyles, Eduardo Machado, Terrence McNally, and Keith Reddin. Maruti Evans will provide scenic and lighting design. Casting will be announced shortly.

59E59 Theaters is the Drama Desk Award-winning state-of-the-art theater complex in a spectacular location on 59th Street between Park and Madison Avenues in Manhattan. Owned and operated by the Elysabeth Kleinhans Theatrical Foundation, a not-for profit operating foundation, 59E59 Theaters has set an invigorating policy of bringing new, challenging and experimental work to a new neighborhood.

Performances will be Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:15pm, with matinees Saturdays at 2:15 and Sundays at 3:15.  Tickets are $18 each (59E59 members $12.60). Tickets can be purchased from the Box Office (Monday 12pm-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-9pm, Sunday 12pm-7pm), by phone through Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or online at www.ticketcentral.com. Service fees apply to phone and web purchases.

SERIES A:

THE WATERS OF MARCH
By: Leslie Lyles Directed By: Billy Hopkins   
A women who has devoted herself to her career, comes to the ultimate crossroads.

IN PARADISE
By: Eduardo Machado Directed By: TBA   
After seven years apart, an estranged husband and wife try to find a way to come back together.
 
ON A BENCH
By: Neil Koenigsberg Directed By: Merri Milwe   
Greenwich Village, New York. A teenage boy sits in a pocket park reading a book about the 1969 Stonewall Inn riots. When he is joined by a middle-aged woman, their encounter regarding the book, opens both of them up to an intense, probing look into each other's hidden truths.     

DEEP IN THE HOLE By: Roger Hedden Directed By: Billy Hopkins   
There's something amiss in the Heartland as Ben, Glen, Cindy and Lindy drink cheap vodka and hook-up.

Performance Schedule
Thursday July 31 at 8:15 PM  
Friday August 1 at 8:15 PM
Saturday August 2 at 2:15 & 8:15 PM
Sunday August 3 at 3:15 PM
Saturday August 9 at 8:15 PM
Tuesday August 12 at 8:15 PM
Friday August 15th at 8:15 PM
Saturday August 16th at 2:15 PM
Tuesday August 19 at 8:15 PM
Wednesday August 20 at 8:15 PM
Thursday August 21 at 8:15 PM
Sunday August 24th at 3:15 PM
Tuesday August 26th at 8:15 PM  

SERIES B

OUR TIME IS UP
By: Keith Reddin Directed By: Billy Hopkins

PEOPLESPEAK
By: John Augustine Directed By: Robert Saxner   
Siobhan. Jst got ur mssg U R hvng Crisis? So sorry Wanna meet @ cafe 1 w/ cute waiter u & me Talk n drnk LOL Dont feel sad :( C U soon. :) I m here 4 u. Cassie

ON ISLAND
By: Michael Domitrovich Directed By: Mary Catherine Burke   
In which a small, tasteful Greek wedding is about to take place on the beach in Martha's Vineyard. George is moments away from marrying Sandi, but can't come up with his vows. His older brother Leo does his best to help out, but with the patriarch of their restaurant family recently deceased, the boys find they are both struggling with what it means to "man up".

PLAISIR D'AMOUR
Book By: Terrence McNally Music and Lyrics By: Skip Kennon Directed By: Elizabeth Lucas
Ruth and Sam meet thirty years ago at a Carnegie Hall lieder recital and begin an ever accelerating ride through love, joy, pain and eventual compromise.  

Performance Schedule
Wednesday August 6 at 8:15 PM
Thursday August 7 at 8:15 PM
Friday August 8 at 8:15 PM
Saturday August 9 at 2:15 PM
Sunday August 10th at 3:15 PM
Wednesday August 13th at 8:15 PM
Thursday August 14th at 8:15 PM
Saturday August 16th at 8:15 PM
Sunday August 17th at 3:15 PM
Friday August 22 at 8:15 PM
Saturday August 23 at 2:15 & 8:15 PM
Wednesday August 27th at 8:15 PM
Thursday August 28th at 8:15 PM  

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