DARK WATER & More Set for MTWorks' 'Season of Evolution'

Manhattan Theatre Works (MTWorks) and Co-Artistic Directors Antonio Minino and David Stallings, are excited to announce a new vision and programming for Season 8. The Season of Evolution will include four new commissioned plays, their flagship program the Newborn Festival and a world premiere written by Co-Artistic Director David Stallings.

Newly appointed Co-Artistic director, Minino says, "with an eye to discovering original plays that challenge our perception of diversity (ethnic, economic, gender, sexuality or creed), we have developed new programming that will boldly make a difference, educate and inspire change in the borough of Manhattan and the world at large. We began in Manhattan, and from Manhattan, we will continue to inspire."

The Season of Evolution commences Monday, September 23rd at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 E. 14th St), with Re-Works: The Spanish Civil War, four new one-acts inspired by the works of Spanish Civil War artists Juan Genovés, Robert Capa, Miguel Hernandez and the cultural impact of flamenco. Working with MTWorks company members, the playwrights include Kimberly del Busto, Carol Carpenter, Cody Daigle and Riti Sachdeva; under the direction of Dev Bondarin, Isaac Scranton and Minino & Stallings.

The annual Broadway star-studded benefit gala, Underworld, returns to Stage 72 (former Triad NYC). In the Dueling Masters edition, Broadway's hottest understudies will be dueling with their favorite Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber songs on Monday, December 9th. Stage 72 is located at 158 West 72nd Street in the Upper West Side.

Thanks to the continued sponsorship of the Psychology Club and Department of CCNY, the Newborn Festival returns to the City College of New York,February 4th-8th, 2014. The annual full-length playwriting competition and free reading series celebrates innovative playwrights that boldly take risks in theme, structure, time-period, location and diversity. The City College of New York is located at 160 Convent Avenue in the Upper West Side.

The highlight of the season will be DARK WATER, a new play by Co-Artistic Director David Stallings (Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell, Barrier Island) and directed by Heather Cohn (Flux Theatre Ensemble), premiering March 14th through the 29th, 2014 at The Theater at the 14th Street Y (344 E 14th St, East Village).

Stallings created this play "about the Louisiana oil spill mostly underwater and had the primary characters be the animals, because I feel that in many ways, these are the true victims. The other victim of course is our environment, which we as a human race abuse without remorse. The earth does not belong to humans alone, we share her resources with other living beings. There is a lot of allegory in DARK WATER. The animals, in dealing with the tragedy begin to act as humans do: dividing land amongst themselves, exhibiting forms of racism and abusing religion to promote self-power. Like every good story there is also love and there is hope. But the true heart of the play is Barnacle the turtle, who is seeking shelter for her children. We follow her through the depths of the gulf as she is aided and misguided by other animals."

Rounding up the season in May 2014 is Fire-Works, the new short play competition featuring plays about gun control. Plus MTWorkologues in June 2014, a night of monologues from past Newborn Festival plays.

With the Season of Evolution, Manhattan Theatre Works will continue to challenge and excite the human spirit with the most talented emerging artists and plays in New York.

For more information visit www.MTWorks.org

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