The Public Adds Eric Rosen's VENICE to Lineup

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced today that VENICE, a new musical with book by Eric Rosen, music by Matt Sax, lyrics by Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, and additional music by Curtis Moore, has been added to the 2013 spring season at the newly revitalized Public Theater at Astor Place. Directed by Eric Rosen, VENICE will run in The Public's Anspacher Theater beginning on Tuesday, May 28 through Sunday, June 23, with an official press opening on Thursday, June 13. Public Lab Member tickets for VENICE, priced at $12, are on sale now at (212) 539-8650.

Now in its sixth season, Public Lab at The Public provides audiences with access to new work and Shakespeare with low priced tickets and provides emerging and established artists with a platform to further develop their work on stage and in performances with scaled-down productions (shorter rehearsal periods and smaller budgets). Single tickets for VENICE, priced at $15, go on sale Thursday, January 3, 2013.

Public Theater Member tickets are also on sale now for the spring season that will include the Public Lab production of DETROIT '67 by Dominique Morisseau (February 26-March 17); the English language premiere of NEVA, written and directed by Guillermo Calderón (March 1-31); and the world premiere of OLD-FASHIONED PROSTITUTES (A TRUE ROMANCE), written, directed and designed by Richard Foreman (April 30-June 2). Tickets for the upcoming spring production, HERE LIES LOVE by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim (April 2- May 5), will go on sale at a later date. While visiting The Public Theater at Astor Place this spring, The Library at The Public will be open nightly for food and drink, beginning at 5:30 p.m., and Joe's Pub will continue to offer some of the best music in the city nightly.

An electrifying new musical, VENICE will ignite the stage with a fusion of musical styles from hip-hop and rock to soaring anthems of love and hope, tracing a young man's rise as he fights for what's right against a backdrop of deceit and sibling betrayal. Part epic romance, part political tale, VENICE will transport you to a fallen city in the not-so-distant future where revolution is in the air, political structures are crumbling, and only the children of the city's fallen heroes can change the course of history. If you dream of peace, follow us. If you dream of freedom, follow us. If you know these are not the same thing, well... are you ready?

Eric Rosen (Director, Book, and Lyrics) is Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre and was Founding Artistic Director of Chicago's About Face Theatre (AFT). Original projects include Venice (Kansas City Rep; CTG; "Best Musical of 2010," TIME Magazine); Wedding Play (Steppenwolf, AFT, Jeff Nomination); Winesburg Ohio (Steppenwolf; AFT, Jeff Award; Arden, Barrymore Award; KC Rep); Clay (AFT, Lookingglass, CTG, Kansas City Rep, LCT3, Drama Desk Nomination, Jeff Award); and Undone, Whitman, and Dream Boy (Jeff Award). Directing credits include LCT3, KC Rep, CTG, Steppenwolf, Goodman, Lookingglass, Chicago Shakespeare, Alliance, Hartford Stage, 5th Avenue, Prince, Cincinnati, Melbourne (Australia) and workshops at Sundance, O'Neill, Playwrights Horizons, and The Public Theater. He has developed and produced over 40 world premieres, including Doug Wright's Pulitzer Prize and Tony winner, I Am My Own Wife and work by Mary Zimmerman, Frank Galati, Stephen Flaherty, Moises Kaufman, among others.

Matt Sax (Music and Lyrics) is a writer, actor and musician. His one man hip-hop musical, Clay, was presented by Lincoln Center (Drama Desk and Outer Critics nominations), Lookingglass Theatre/About Face Theatre (Jeff Award), Center Theatre Group (Ovation Award Nomination), Kansas City Rep and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Prior to The Public, Venice has been presented by Center Theatre Group and Kansas City Rep. He also writes and performs in the comedy group, Sax & Dixon, whose work has been presented by Ars Nova, The Montreal Comedy Festival and The NY Fringe Festival. He is also one half of the music collective, Fellow Rebel.

Curtis Moore (Additional Music) has composed the score for Timon of Athens at The Public, and recently returned from conducting and performing in Sam Mendes' production of Richard III, starring Kevin Spacey. With lyricist Thomas Mizer, he was awarded a Jonathan Larson Grant in 2009; together they wrote the musicals Triangle (NAMT), Stagecoach Mary (NAMT), and The Bus To Buenos Aires (EST). He composed and performed songs in the Todd Solondz? film, Palindromes, and composed the score for Clear Blue Tuesday.

VENICE features choreography by Sergio Trujillo, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt; costume design by Clint Ramos; lighting design by Jason Lyons; sound design by ACME Sound Partners; and projection design by Jason H. Thompson.