Vineyard Theatre Opens 2010-2011 Season With MIDDLETOWN, Previews 10/6

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) will opens its 2010-11 season with the world premiere of MIDDLETOWN, a play written by Will Eno (THOM PAIN), and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll, it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, Artistic Director for the Vineyard Theatre. Previews are to begin October 6, with an official opening night and casting TBA.

MIDDLETOWN is a deeply moving and funny new play exploring the universe of a small American town. As a friendship develops between longtime resident John Dodge and new arrival Mary Swanson, the lives of the inhabitants of Middletown intersect in strange and poignant ways in a journey that takes them from the local library to outer space and points between.

Mr. Eno's play "THOM PAIN (based on nothing)" was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and enjoyed a year-long run Off-Broadway in 2004 following its debut at the International Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a subsequent transfer to London's Soho Theatre. His play "THE FLU SEASON" won the 2004 Oppenheimer Award for best debut production. His other plays include TRAGEDY: a tragedy, and "OH, THE HUMANITY and other exclamations," which debuted at The Flea Theater.

Ken Rus Schmoll directed the Vineyard Theatre's production of Anne Washburn's play THE INTERNATIONALIST, and won an OBIE for his direction of TELEPHONE by Ariana Reines, at the Cherry Lane. Other productions include WHAT WE ONCE FELT by Ann Marie Healy at Lincoln Center, HELLO FAILURE by Kristen Kosmas at P.S. 122, the NY premiere of AMAZONS AND THEIR MEN by JorDan Harrison and DEMON BABY for Clubbed Thumb, and GIRL BLOG FROM IRAQ at The Culture Project.

Vineyard Theatre recently concluded its sold-out, critically-acclaimed world premiere engagement of the musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, book by David Thompson, and direction and choreography by Susan Stroman. The Vineyard is the recipient of the Tony Award for the musical AVENUE Q and continues as producer of the musical's current production at New World Stages in New York. The Vineyard has also produced the musical [title of show] on Broadway. One of the nation's leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to new plays and musicals and bold programming, The Vineyard has produced the Pulitzer Prize-winning productions of Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN and Paula Vogel's HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE. The Vineyard has consistently premiered provocative, groundbreaking works and developed innovative educational collaborations. Recent productions include Tarell Alvin McCraney's acclaimed WIG OUT!. The Vineyard opened its 2009-2010 season with the enormously popular play A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by Colman Domingo, and this spring will produce the world premiere of Adam Rapp's THE METAL CHILDREN and the new musical THE BURNT PART BOYS by Mariana Elder, Nathan Tysen and Chris Miller, directed by Joe Calarco, in co-production with Playwrights Horizons.

Douglas Aibel is Artistic Director of Vineyard Theatre; Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell is Executive Director.

For information about the Vineyard, visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.