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The Off-Broadway League, the official trade organization for Off-Broadway theatres, producers and productions, is proud to highlight its member shows for the upcoming Fall 2009 season in the vibrant diverse landscape of Off-Broadway theatre.
Off-Broadway has already opened more than 30 productions since the start of the 2009-2010 season in April, in all neighborhoods of Manhattan.These upcoming 24 Off-Broadway League member productions are arranged by opening date and have basic information and weblink for each of the productions. For more information on any of these shows, please feel free to contact Max Wixom, at OW! Onorato Wixom for referral to the appropriate media contact.
#1 AFTERMATH Opens Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 New York Theatre Workshop New York Theatre Workshop, 79 East 4th Street Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen
Directed by Jessica Blank Previews begin September 1st; Closes Sunday, October 4th, 2009
March 20, 2003. A date that the ordinary people of Iraq will never forget. A day that changed their lives forever. The day the Americans arrived in their country.
New York Theatre Workshop sent Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, the award-winning creators of The Exonerated, to Jordan in June 2008 to find out firsthand what happened to the Iraqi civilians as a result of the events that began on that fateful day. They interviewed some 35 people-a cross-section of lives interrupted-who fled the chaos and violence that befell Iraqi society for the relative safety of Jordan. Following the visit to Amman, Jessica and Erik edited their conversations with the Iraqis and have turned them into an unforgettable theatrical event.
Memberships are available by calling the NYTW Box Office at (212) 460-5475, Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00am to 5:00pm, or online at www.nytw.org.
#2 BLIND LEMON BLUES Opens September 15th, 2009 York Theatre Company and Documentary Arts with Central Track Productions The Theatre at St. Peter's, 619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street Created by Alan Govenar and Akin Babatunde, Directed and choreographed by Mr. Babatunde. Previews begin September 8th; Closes October 4th, 2009
Blind Lemon Blues was presented as a York mainstage production in 2007 for a special 10-performance run featuring Benita Arterberry, Akin Babatunde, Timothy Parham, Lillias White, Cavin Yarbrough, Alisa Peoples Yarbrough and guitarist Sam Swank. The New York Times declared it "a lively and intelligent new musical-an inspiration!" and Variety concurred, saying "Blues lovers be grateful... very, very grateful-Blind Lemon Jefferson's voice emerges with full force!" Jefferson was a blind street musician who played his guitar with a tin cup tied to it until a Paramount Records scout discovered him. Between 1926 and 1929, Jefferson made more than 80 records and became the biggest selling down-home blues singer in America. Blind Lemon Blues is set in New York City in 1948 at the last recording session of the legendary Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Leadbelly, and combines elements of traditional blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, doo-wop, and rap to evoke the enduring legacy of Blind Lemon and his contemporaries Blind Willie Johnson, Lillian Glinn, Hattie Hudson, Bobbie Cadillac, Lillian Miller and Leadbelly himself. Tickets are available at the York box office (212) 935-5820 and on its website, www.yorktheatre.org.
#3 THE RETRIBUTIONISTS Opens September 15th, 2009 Playwrights Horizons Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theatre, 416 West 42nd Street Written by Daniel Goldfarb Directed by Leigh Silverman Previews begin August 21st; Closes September 27th, 2009Adam Driver (2009 Juilliard School graduate), Margarita Levieva (Impressionism, the films Adventureland and the upcoming Spread opposite Ashton Kutcher, "Kings"), Cristin Milioti (the recent Stunning at LCT3, Coram Boy, The Lieutenant of Inishmore) and Adam Rothenberg (Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at Second Stage, A Streetcar Named Desire at the Kennedy Center, the film Tennessee opposite Mariah Carey) will head the seven member cast of The Retributionists, the World Premiere of a new play by Daniel Goldfarb (Modern Orthodox, Adam Baum and the Jew Movie). The cast will also feature Hamilton Clancy (Dog Logic at American Place Theater, the films Burn After Reading and American Gangster), Rebecca Henderson (Three Sisters at CSC) and Jefferson Award winner Lusia Strus (for Go Away, Go Away, plus Henry IV for the RSC and It Ain't No Fairy Tale with Steppenwolf). The first production of the Playwrights Horizons season, directed by Leigh Silverman (Coraline, Well, From Up Here), the drama began previews Friday, August 21 with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00pm. The limited engagement will run through Sunday, September 27 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater.
For subscription and ticket information to all Playwrights Horizons productions, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200, Noon to 8:00pm daily or purchase online at the Playwrights Horizons website at www.playwrightshorizons.org. #4 A BOY AND HIS SOUL Opens September 24th, 2009 The Vineyard Theatre The Vineyard Theatre, 108 East 15th Street Written and performed by Colman Domingo Directed by Tony Kelly Previews begin September 9th; Closes October 18th, 2009The Vineyard kicks off its 2009-2010 Season with the Off-Broadway premiere of A Boy And His Soul, written and performed by Colman Domingo, best-known for his performance in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Passing Strange. A Boy And His Soul is a moving and hilarious new play that explores the life-experiences of a young African-American man in 1980s Philadelphia, propelled by the beat of classical soul.In addition to his OBIE Award-winning performance in Passing Strange, Mr. Domingo recently appeared in the world premiere of Athol Fugard's Coming Home at Long Wharf Theatre, and is a regular on LOGO-TV's "The Big Gay Sketch Show." As a director, he helmed the premieres of Lisa Ramirez's Exit Cuckoo and Lisa B. Thompson's Single Black Female.
For information about Vineyard Theatre, call (212) 353-0303 or visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.
#5 IMELDA Opens September 30th, 2009 Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, in association with East West Players The Julia Miles Theatre, 424 West 55th Street (between 9th and 10th Aves.) Written by Sachi Oyama Directed by Tim Dang Previews begin September 22nd; Closes October 18th, 2009
Imelda is a portrait of the ambitious and controversial woman often referred to as "The Steel Butterfly." The musical spans the 1940s to 1980s, the pivotal years after The Philippines gained its independence. Imelda Marcos wanted to set her country as an equal player on the world stage and gain the respect of the world. Opening night is Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 at 7:00pm. Performances are Tuesday - Saturday at 7:30pm with matinees on Sunday at 3:00pm.Tickets are $55. Senior tickets are $35 and student tickets are $20. For tickets, call Telecharge.com (212) 239-6200 or visit www.panasianrep.org.
#6 TWO UNRELATED PLAYS BY David Mamet: KEEP YOUR PANTHEON AND SCHOOL Opens September 30th, 2009 Atlantic Theater Company Linda Gross Theater, 336 W. 20th Street Written by David Mamet Directed by Neil Pepe Previews begin September 9 th;Closes November 1st, 2009
Atlantic Founder David Mamet returns to the company with his new comedy following its world premiere at Center Theatre Group last season, directed by Atlantic Artistic Director Neil Pepe. Keep Your Pantheon is a rousing farce that follows the fortunes and misfortunes of an acting troupe in ancient Rome. An impoverished Acting Company on The Edge of eviction is offered a lucrative engagement. But through a series of riotous mishaps, the troupe finds its problems have actually multiplied, and that they are about to learn a new meaning for the term "dying on stage."
Mamet's world premiere play School is a brief comic discourse on recycling, poster design and the transmission of information.
For more information, please visit www.atlantictheater.org #7 LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE Opens October 1st, 2009 Daryl Roth presents Westside Theatre, 407 West 43rd Street Written by Nora Ephron & Delia Ephron Directed by Karen Carpenter Previews begin September 21st; Closes December 13th, 2009
"The Vagina Monologues without the vaginas," is how the Ephrons describe this theatrical event, which, like the book it's based on, uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny and often poignant stories that all women can relate to.
Tickets available at the box office or Telecharge.com (212) 239.6200. For more information, visit www.LoveLossOnStage.com. #8 BROKE-OLOGY Opens October 5th, 2009 Lincoln Center Theater The Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, 150 West 65th Street Written by Nathan Louis Jackson Directed by Thomas Kail Previews begin September 10th; Closes November 21st, 2009
Broke-ology is the story of the King family who have weathered the hardships of life and survived with their love for each other intact. But when two brothers (to be played by Francois Battiste and Alano Miller) are called home to take care of their ailing father (played by Wendell Pierce), one of them must choose to follow the life he dreams of or honor the unspoken promise of loyalty to his family.
Tickets are available via Telecharge.com. For more information, please visit www.lct.org.
With her star on the rise, photographer Carrie Ann inexplicably shuts down at the pinnacle of her career. Lost, and afraid to even pick up a camera, her sudden descent is interrupted by a whirlwind romance with Jeff, a trend analyst who becomes determined to help her move on, even while facing his own dark future. Two-time Drama Desk-nominated playwright Alexander Dinelaris (Red Dog Howls) is quickly being recognized as a stunning new voice in American theater. Film and theater director Will Frears (Omnium Gatherum) brings his discerning eye to this funny and heartbreaking play about a generation paralyzed by fear.Subscriptions are available now and are priced as low as $99 for the entire season. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact TicketCentral www.ticketcentral.com or call (212) 279-4200.For more information, please visit www.mcctheater.org. #10 NIGHT WATCHER Opens October 6th, 2009 Primary Stages Primary Stages, 59 East 59th Street Written and performed by Charlayne Woodard Previews begin September 22nd; Closes October 31st, 2009
Primary Stages continues the 2009-2010 season with New York premiere of Night Watcher, written and performed by Charlayne Woodard. Simultaneously a best friend, advisor, confidant and sage to the many young people who call her "Auntie," Charlayne Woodard is childless only by biological standards. Told with penetrating grace and candor, Woodard beautifully weaves together stories of the ordinary and extraordinary ways she's mentored the children in her life.Declared "thoughtful, vivid, entertaining and poignant" in its Seattle Repertory run last October, The Night Watcher is an intimate look at the alternative definition of being a parent.3-play subscription packages are available by calling TicketCentral at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.TicketCentral.com. For additional information about Primary Stages, please visit www.primarystages.org.
#11 LET ME DOWN EASY Opens October 7th, 2009 Second Stage Theatre Second Stage Theatre, 307 West 43rd Street Conceived, written, and performed by Anna Deavere Smith Directed by Leonard Foglia Previews begin September 15th; Closes November 8th, 2009
Channeling a dramatic range of interview subjects, from artists and athletes to doctors and those they treat, Let Me Down Easy is a virtuosic and moving exploration of the power of the body and the resilience of the human spirit, featuring first person accounts from a wide variety of sources, including Lance Armstrong and former Texas Governor Ann Richards. With her trademark journalistic precision, Anna Deavere Smith, one of the most acclaimed and provocative theater artists of our time, explores the world of healthcare from both the patient and practitioner perspective in this timely and absorbing new play.For more information and tickets, please visit www.2ST.com.
#12 THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD Opens October 11th, 2009 The Pearl Theatre Company City Center, 131 West 55th Street By J.M. Synge Directed by J.R. Sullivan Previews Begin October 2nd; Closes November 23rd, 2009
The Pearl begins the 2009-2010 Season with J. M. Synge's eccentric, high-spirited comedy that celebrates the grand poetry and reckless abandon of the Irish imagination, taking us to a hardscrabble corner of the world where murderers speak in earthy music, the underdog rules on high, feisty damsels are eager to be won, and it's the tale well told (and a dash of derring-do) that win the day. Incoming Artistic Director J.R. Sullivan will direct.$30 for all preview performances $40 for performances on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday $50 for performances on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Tickets go on sale August 1st at: www.citycenter.org or through CityTix: (212) 581-1212.
#13 CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION Opens October 13th, 2009 Playwrights Horizons Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 416 West 42nd Street Written by Annie Baker Directed by Sam Gold Previews begin September 24th; Closes November 1st, 2009
Spring 1946. The plan was simple - a German for every Jew. Its execution would be swift, clean, its impact undeniable. In this daring, new romantic thriller inspired by actual events, a band of young Jewish freedom fighters attempts to avenge a society's wrongs - if only they can keep from tearing each other apart in the process.
#14 THE LADY WITH ALL OF THE ANSWERS Opens October 14th, 2009 The Cherry Lane Theatre The Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce Street Written by David Rambo Directed by BJ Jones Previews begin October 7th; Closes November 29th, 2009
For decades, newspaper columnist Ann Landers dispensed wit and wisdom to lovelorn teens, confused couples, and others in need of advice. Now she finds herself writing a column about a new kind of heartbreak - her own. Drawn from her life and letters this touchingly comic portrait will remind you why so many put their faith in this wise, funny, no-nonsense woman. Like the woman she portrays in this play, actress Judith Ivey is a one-of-a-kind, red-white-and-blue original. Tickets, priced $40 and $50, are on sale by calling (212) 239-6200 or by visiting www.telecharge.com. For more information, please visit www.cherrylanetheatre.org
Set in a darkening future, What Once We Felt follows a writer's journey through the political world of publishing, as her novel becomes the last print published novel ever.For additional information on schedule and tickets for LCT3 please visit www.lct3.org.
Marie asks the Idiot Savant, "But what makes certain words - magic?" What follows is a wild theatrical odyssey that could only have sprung from the fantastical mind of Richard Foreman (The Threepenny Opera), New York's legendary avant-garde genius. This new work is a philosophical comedy, in the great tradition of Ionesco and Preston Sturges. From precise existential and metaphysical acrobatics, to a ridiculous game of inter-species golf with a Giant Duck, Idiot Savant is a fresh, bracing and hilarious exploration of the boundaries of the legitimate. Presented in association with Ontological-Hysteric Theater.For more information or tickets, please see www.publictheater.org. #17 NIGHTINGALE Opens November 3rd, 2009 The Manhattan Theatre Club Stage I at NY City Center, 131 West 55th Street Written by Lynn Redgrave Directed by Joseph Hardy Previews begin October 15th; Closes December 13th, 2009
Tony Award and Academy Award nominee Lynn Redgrave has written and will act in the new play inspired by her need to discover memories of her grandmother - a woman she barely knew. Redgrave, the author of Shakespeare For My Father, creates the events that likely transformed Mildred from an eager, naïve girl into an embittered woman and explores Mildred's troubled relationships with her husband, her children and her life.
Nightingale is a play about a promising woman stymied by society and all but erased by history, a touching personal tribute and a resounding song for all those people whose voices we've lost, or never known. Directing this New York premiere is Tony Award winner Joseph Hardy (Child's Play).For more information, please visit www.mtc-nyc.org.
#18 OR, Opens November 3rd, 2009 The Women's Project The Julia Miles Theatre, 424 West 55th Street Written by Liz Duffy Adams Directed by Wendy McClellan Previews begin October 29th; Closes November 22nd, 2009
Aphra Behn is getting out of the spy trade and into show biz, if she can only write her play without interruptions from her love life - celebrity Nell Gwynne, King Charles II, and double-agent William Scott, among others. While war rages and Aphra and her friends celebrate free love, cross-dressing and pastoral lyricism, the 1660s start to look a lot like the 1960s. Verse or prose, now or then, love or death... and a lot of kissing.Single tickers are available for $52 and are on sale now at www.Telecharge.com or (212) 239-6200. Member Tickets $15 at membership@womensproject.org or (212) 765-2105. For groups of nine or more, tickets are $25 at membership@womensproject.org or (212) 765-2105. #19 THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER Opens TBD New York Theatre Workshop New York Theatre Workshop, 79 East 4th Street Based on the novel by Carson McCullers Adapted by Rebecca Gilman Directed by Doug Hughes Previews begin in November 1st; Closes December 31st, 2009Carson McCullers' classic novel is adapted for the stage by acclaimed playwright Rebecca Gilman (Spinning Into Butter) and directed by Doug Hughes (The Beard of Avon at NYTW, Doubt). A beautiful and timeless tale about the universal need for human connection, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter follows the story of deaf John Singer as he navigates the world without his dearest friend who has been committed to an insane asylum. When Singer moves to a small Southern town, the locals flock to him as a newfound confidant, seeking compassion and understanding from the one person who needs it the most. Singer's isolation in the world is mirrored in a few of the townspeople he meets along the way-a café owner, a rebellious teenager, a black physician, and an idealistic labor organizer-whose dreams have been shattered. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter intertwines the lives of these characters in a surprising way that results in a deeply moving story of outcasts in the South during the Great Depression.Memberships are available by calling the NYTW Box Office at (212) 460-5475, Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00am to 5:00pm, or online at www.nytw.org.
#20 THE UNDERSTUDY Opens November 5 th, 2009 Roundabout Theatre Company Laura Pels Theatre, 111 West 46th Street By Theresa Rebeck Directed by Scott Ellis Previews October 9th; Closes January 3rd, 2010
Box office heroes and washed-up has-beens take heed: the play's almost the thing. In this bitingly witty and entertaining comedy by Theresa Rebeck (Mauritius), the lights of Broadway cast an affectionate glow over this look at one of the most notorious roles in the theatre: the understudy.The prestigious cast includes Justin Kirk (Weeds) Mark-Paul Goesslaar (Saved by the Bell, NYPD Blue)Tickets are available by calling Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719-1300, online at www.roundabouttheatre.org or at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre boxoffice (111 West 46th Street). Ticket prices range from $70-$80.
#21 THE ORPHANS' HOME CYCLE Part I Opens November 19 th, 2009 Part II Opens December 13 th, 2009 Part III Opens January 24 th, 2010 Signature Theatre Company with Hartford Stage Peter Norton Space, 555 West 42nd Street Written by Horton Foote Directed by Michael Wilson Previews - Part I begins November 5th ; Closes March 6th, 2010 Previews - Part II begins December 3rd; Closes March 6th, 2010 Previews - Part III begins January 7th, 2010; Closes March 6th, 2010
Set in Foote's fictitious town of Harrison, Texas and based partly on the childhood of Foote's father and the courtship and marriage of his parents, The Orphans' Home Cycle is a wide-ranging, intricate work that spans the lives of three families over three decades. All actors in the production will be playing multiple roles and several will track their characters through time in the various plays, which comprise the Cycle. The Orphans' Home Cycle begins with a father's death in a small Texas town at the turn of the century, a loss that sends his son, Horace Robedaux, on an odyssey through the darkest corners of the heart as he learns to become a husband, father and patriarch. Bill Heck ("The Closer," "Medium," "Without a Trace," "CSI: New York") will play the central role of the adult Horace Robedaux, with Maggie Lacey (Dividing the Estate, Inherit the Wind, Our Town) as his wife, Elizabeth Vaughn Robedaux. Foote completed work on The Orphans' Home Cycle prior to his death on March 4, 2009 at the age of 92. The cycle features nine plays that were originally written as full-length pieces. The Signature commissioned Foote in 2007 to adapt the plays in this new three-part form.Part I ("The Story of a Childhood") begins at the turn of the 20th century and follows Horace Robedaux in his formative years. Part I begins with the plays Roots in a Parched Ground, Convicts and Lily Dale.
Part II ("The Story of a Marriage") focuses on the courtship years of Horace Robedaux and his search for a wife. Part II consists of the plays The Widow Claire, Courtship and Valentine's Day.
Part III ("The Story of a Family") begins with the turmoil of World War I and ends with the characters looking to the future of their family and land. Part III is made up of the plays 1918, Cousins and The Death of Papa. TICKETS Traditional and marathon subscriptions are now on sale for the Signature Theatre Company run of The Orphans' Home Cycle, with the box office open for individual ticket sales beginning September 15th. Through The Signature Ticket Initiative, which seeks to make great theatre accessible to the broadest possible audience, all regularly-priced single tickets ($65) during the initial announced run are underwritten and will be available for $20 for the individual performances of all three parts. The Signature Ticket Initiative continues through Signature's 20th Anniversary Season (2010-2011).
Jane (Parker Posey) is not okay. She's a promising poet without a muse, a single mother without lessons to pass along. Her dating life's a shambles, and her helpful friends are only helping make things more complicated. This bright, witty, un-romantic comedy captures the uncertain steps of a circle of friends backing their way into middle age.For subscription and ticket information to all Playwrights Horizons productions, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200, Noon to 8:00pm daily or purchase online at the Playwrights Horizons website at www.playwrightshorizons.org. #23 SO HELP ME GOD! Opens December 3rd, 2009 The Mint Theater Company The Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher Street Written by Maurine Dallas Watkins Directed by Martin Platt Previews November 18th; Closes December 20th, 2009Kristen Johnston, two-time Emmy Award winner for her performance in "Third Rock from the Sun" will perform the role of Lily, a fabulous dramatic diva who must fend off a challenge from her ambitious but naïve understudy. Watkins' play was written 20 years before All About Eve.Advance tickets are available by calling the Mint box office at (212) 315-0231 or go to www.minttheater.org.
A free-spirited lady acrobat, an incompetent assassin, and an excitable underwear tycoon. Mix in a bushel of marriage proposals, a family row or two, and a suspiciously serendipitous plane crash and you have Misalliance, Bernard Shaw's giddy comedy of the dangerous joys of sex, love, marriage and children which quips and quibbles its way through what was supposed to be a lazy Saturday afternoon in the country. Love (or something) is in the air and wordplay is the weapon of choice in this peculiar and predatory game of courtship.
Regular Ticket Prices: $30 for all preview performances $40 for performances on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday $50 for performances on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Tickets can be purchased at: www.citycenter.org or through CityTix: (212) 581-1212.
For more information, please visit www.pearltheatre.org.The Off-Broadway League is a trade organization dedicated to fostering increased awareness and interest in Off-Broadway theatre and supporting the creation of new theatrical productions. Known for presenting the Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway, other major programs include Free Night of Theatre, Live Theatre Week, On the House in conjunction with NYC & Company, and other industry-wide marketing initiatives.For more information, go to www.OffBroadway.com.