American Playwrights News

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that their heretofore private PlayLab new play readings by members of the company's Playwrights' Coalition are going public.

Barrington Stage Company, under the artistic leadership of Julianne Boyd, is proud to announce two American classics on the roster for Barrington Stage's 2009 Mainstage season.

Keen Company (Artistic Director Carl Forsman, Producer Wayne Kelton) is thrilled to announce a special promotion for its run of Jan de Hartog's The Fourposter: 15 seats available for $15 at every Tuesday night performance.

Presented by Shstrng Producions, the 2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival features 90 plays, 40 actors and nine directors. Each play will be one minute in length. Curated by Dominic D'Andrea, the festival displays the talents of over forty emerging American playwrights and will be mounted at Barrow Group Arts Center in New York on Saturday October 25th at 8PM and Sunday, October 26th at 2PM and 8PM. The 2008 One-Minute Play Directors include Carlos Armesto, Dylan McCullough, Kim Weild, Claire Lundberg, Dominic D'Andrea, Lou Moreno, Shelley Butler, Jacob Krueger, & Michael Gardner.

Keen Company (Artistic Director Carl Forsman, Producer Wayne Kelton) will kick off its 2008-2009 season with a revival of the 1952 Tony Award-winning comedy The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog, directed by Blake Lawrence. Starring Todd Weeks and Jessica Dickey, this production will begin performances on Tuesday, October 7 at The Clurman Theatre / Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, October 19. The Fourposter will run through November 22.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, will present the first major New York revival of Irwin Shaw's Bury the Dead, directed by Joe Calarco, beginning performances Friday, October 31, at 220 East 4 Street, between Avenues A and B (6 to Astor Place, W/N to 8th Street or F/V to Second Avenue). The opening has been scheduled for Sunday, November 9, at 3pm.

Above The Stag Theatre presents AMERICAN BRIEFS by Jim Dalglish, Jack Heifner, David Johnston, Tom W. Kelly, Ronnie Larsen, Howard Walters

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) has announced additional casting and details for the third production of its 2008/2009 Season, the New York premiere of PRAYER FOR MY ENEMY, a new play by two-time Tony Award nominee, two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and two-time Obie Award winner Craig Lucas (Small Tragedy at Playwrights Horizons, The Light in the Piazza, Prelude to a Kiss, Reckless, The Dying Gaul). PRAYER FOR MY ENEMY is the first of two plays by Mr. Lucas that will receive their New York premiere this season.

Rocco Landesman, Oskar Eustis, Diane Paulus and Robert Brustein Set for Panel Discussion following the October 5th Performance of Robert Brustein's THE ENGLISH CHANNEL at Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex (312 West 36th St.). The panel discussion is free and open to the public.

Abingdon Theatre Company will present the world premiere of BEACHWOOD DRIVE, a gripping new drama exploring contemporary themes of human trafficking, October 17 - November 16, 2008 at the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex's June Havoc Theatre. The official opening will be on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 7 PM.

In today's New York Post, Michael Riedel is critical of the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust for granting a $200,000 prize for the purpose of nurturing American Playwrights to Tony Kushner instead of to a deserving unknown. Earlier this year the Ed Kleban Award for most promising musical theatre lyricist ($100,000) went to David Lindsay-Abaire for his work in the upcoming Shrek

Abingdon Theatre Company will present the New York premiere of Robert Brustein's comedy, THE ENGLISH CHANNEL, with previews beginning on Saturday, September 13, 2008.

Tony Kushner has been named the first recipient of the 'Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award,' it was officially announced today at a press conference in New York City. The award, which was established earlier this year by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, will be presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 21, at 620 Loft & Garden at Rockefeller Center. The honor comes with a cash prize of $200,000, making this by far the largest award ever created to honor and encourage artistic achievement in the American theater.

Abingdon Theatre Company has announced that its production of THE ENGLISH CHANNEL will see a cast change. Lori Gardner will replace Rosal Colon, in the role of Emilia Lanier.

Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, September 17 at 10:00 AM, Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) will be accepting entries for its popular LIVEforFIVE online lottery for $5 tickets to its next production, the World Premiere of KINDNESS, a new play written and directed by Adam Rapp (Essential Self-Defense at Playwrights Horizons, Red Light Winter). A total of 40 tickets will be available via the online lottery.

Golden Globe winner and Emmy Award nominee Dylan McDermott has joined the cast of Playwrights Horizon's first production of the new season, the World Premiere of THREE CHANGES, a new play by Nicky Silver. Directed by Tony Award nominee Wilson Milam (The Lieutenant of Inishmore), the production will begin previews on Friday, August 22, 2008 with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, September 16. The limited engagement will run through Sunday, September 28 at Playwrights Horizons Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Golden Globe winner and Emmy Award nominee Dylan McDermott has joined the cast of Playwrights Horizon's first production of the new season, the World Premiere of THREE CHANGES, a new play by Nicky Silver. Directed by Tony Award nominee Wilson Milam (The Lieutenant of Inishmore), the production will begin previews on Friday, August 22, 2008 with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, September 16. The limited engagement will run through Sunday, September 28 at Playwrights Horizons Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

Keen Company (Artistic Director Carl Forsman, Producer Wayne Kelton) will kick off its 2008-2009 season with a revival of the 1952 Tony Award-winning comedy The Fourposter by Jan de Hartog, directed by Blake Lawrence. Starring Todd Weeks and Jessica Dickey, this production will begin performances on Tuesday, October 7 at The Clurman Theatre / Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, October 19. The Fourposter will run through November 22.

L.A. Theatre Works announced a 2008-09 season of ten plays that represent an array of theatrical genres.

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL and KIM VASQUEZ/ GRAYLADY ENTERTAINMENT, INC. present NYMF's only Children's musical this year, MAX AND THE TRUFFLE PIG