Flea Theater Presents World Premiere of A. R. Gurney's A LIGHT LUNCH

The Flea Theater will present the World Premiere of A LIGHT LUNCH by A.R. Gurney, beginning previews December 12. The production, directed by Flea Artistic Director Jim Simpson, marks the fifth collaboration between Gurney and The Flea. A LIGHT LUNCH was written expressly for The Bats, The Flea's resident company of emerging actors. Opening night is slated for Friday, December 19.    

A LIGHT LUNCH is a post-Bush cautionary tale about the price paid for legacy. When a young lawyer from Texas invites a literary agent for lunch in a New York City restaurant, more than a production is on the table. 

Says Simpson, "This charming topical comedy about the O generation couldn't come at a better time.  I am delighted to work again with a playwright as adept as Gurney and who cares so passionately about the state of current affairs.  He is also a great fan of The Bats and wrote this piece specifically for the young actors in the company."

A LIGHT LUNCH star four members of The Bats: Havilah Brewster, Beth Hoyt, Tom Lipinski, and John Russo. The design team includes John McDermott (sets), Miranda Hardy (lights), Erin Murphy (costumes) and Jill BC DuBoff (sound).  

 A.R. ("Pete") Gurney has been writing plays for over fifty years. Among them are: Scenes from American Life, The Dining Room, The Middle Ages, The Cocktail Hour, Love Letters, Sylvia, Far East, Ancestral Voices, Big Bill, Mrs. Farnsworth, Indian Blood, Crazy Mary, and Buffalo Gal.  He has also written three novels, a few television scripts, several unproduced movies, and the librettos of two operas. Gurney is a member of the Theatre Hall of Fame and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He has honorary degrees from Williams College and Buffalo State University, and taught literature at M.I.T. for many years.

Jim Simpson is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Flea Theater (2004 Drama Desk cited for Downtown Adventurous Theater). Two-time Obie Award winner, 2002 National Board of Review Excellence in Filmmaking, and cited for artistic leadership in Downtown New York by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Jim has directed over 70 works for the theater and has also directed for film and television. Venues include nine seasons at the Williamstown Theater Festival, Alley Theater, Hartford Stage, Yale Rep, Actor's Theater of Louisville, Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, EST, CSC, MCC, the London International Theater Festival and the Melbourne Fringe Festival. Most recently, Jim directed A. R. Gurney's Crazy Mary at Playwrights Horizons; Will Eno's Oh, The Humanity...; revivals of Peter Handke's Offending The Audience and Joseph Addison's Cato; and Dawn by Thomas Bradshaw at The Flea.

The Flea Theater, under Artistic Director Jim Simpson and Producing Director Carol Ostrow, is one of New York's leading off-off-Broadway companies. Winner of a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement, Obie Awards and an Otto for political theater, The Flea has presented over 80 plays and numerous dance and live music performances since its inception in 1996. Past productions include Anne Nelson's The Guys, A.R. Gurney's O Jerusalem, Screenplay, Mrs. Farnsworth and Post Mortem, Roger Rosenblatt's Ashley Montana Goes Ashore..., Elizabeth Swados' JABU, Adam Rapp's Bingo with the Indians, Will Eno's Oh, The Humanity and other exclamations, and most recently Addison's Cato.

A LIGHT LUNCH runs December 12, 2008 - January 25, 2009; Weds. - Fri. at 7pm, Sat. at 3pm & 7pm and Sun. at 3pm. (Note: No shows Dec. 24, 25 & 31, Jan 1-3; added performances Dec. 22 & 23 at 7pm.) The Flea is located at 41 White Street between Church and Broadway, three blocks south of Canal, close to the 1, N, R, Q, W, 6, A, C and E subway lines. Tickets are $20 - $25, available at 212-352-3101 or www.theflea.org.

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