Andrew D. Hamingson News

Eight productions have been announced for the eagerly anticipated 2009 Summer Play Festival (SPF). For its upcoming season, SPF will again be presented at The Public Theater. SPF 2009 will run from July 7 to August 2 and, as in years past, is expected to serve as a highlight of the summer theatre season by showcasing a line-up of new talent.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will present the world premiere of FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8 & 9), the fifth and final play of the 2008-2009 Public LAB season. Written by Public Theater Master Writer Chair Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Jo Bonney, FATHER COMES HOME FROM THE WARS (PARTS 1, 8, & 9) will begin performances on Friday, June 5 and run through Sunday, June 28.

The producers of HAIR announced today that the new Broadway production, which opened March 31st to critical (and audience) acclaim, has set a new box office record at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street). For the week of April 13 ? 19, HAIR?s net sales were $861,450.48, the highest for any eight-show week at the 1,400 seat theater, which opened in 1924.

Due to strong demand, The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that it would extend Tracey Scott Wilson?s THE GOOD NEGRO an additional two weeks through Sunday, April 19. THE GOOD NEGRO begins previews on Tuesday, March 3 and will now run through Sunday, April 19 with an official press opening on Monday, March 16. Directed by Liesl Tommy and in association with Dallas Theater Center, THE GOOD NEGRO is the first new play to transfer from the Public LAB initiative to a full main stage production at The Public.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that the first preview of Craig Lucas' THE SINGING FOREST has been moved to Friday, April 10 due to the need for additional technical rehearsals. Directed by Mark Wing-Davey, THE SINGING FOREST was scheduled to begin previews on Tuesday, April 7 and open on Monday, April 27. The show will now open on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 PM.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will extend Christopher Durang's WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM one final week through Sunday, May 10. Directed by Nicholas Martin, this world premiere comedy opened to rave reviews and has been extended twice. Extension tickets are on-sale now at (212) 967-7555 or www.publictheater.org.

HAIR began preview performances on Friday, March 6th, and celebrated its official opening night on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. After a smash-hit run at Central Park's Delacorte Theater last summer, HAIR returns to Broadway for the first time in over 30 years.

The Public Theater announced initial casting today for the Shakespeare in the Park production of TWELFTH NIGHT, directed by Daniel Sullivan and featuring the previously announced Anne Hathaway as Viola. TWELFTH NIGHT will run June 10-July 12 at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park with an official press opening on Thursday, June 25 at 8 p.m. Bank of America will return as lead sponsor of Shakespeare in the Park 2009.

HAIR began preview performances on Friday, March 6th, and had its Opening Night on Tuesday, March 31, 2009. After a smash-hit run at Central Park?s Delacorte Theater last summer, HAIR returns to Broadway for the first time in over 30 years. The show has been met with critical acclaim and audience passion since it celebrated opening night. The New York Times reports on the production and its at one time uncertain but finally joyful journey to Broadway success.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will present staged readings of 12 new plays by the inaugural class of the Emerging Writers Group, an annual program that targets playwrights at the earliest stages of their careers and nurtures their artistic growth by providing necessary resources and support.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) and LAByrinth Theater Company (Artistic Director John Ortiz; Co-Artistic Director Philip Seymour Hoffman; Co-Artistic and Executive Director John Gould Rubin) began previews on Friday, March 27 for Knives and Other Sharp Objects, the third play of the 2008-2009 Public LAB season. Written by Raúl Castillo and directed by Felix Solis, Knives and Other Sharp Objects will run through Sunday, April 19. The official press opening is tonight, Sunday, April 12. Tickets are $10 for all performances.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced today that the first preview of Craig Lucas' THE SINGING FOREST has been moved to Friday, April 10 due to the need for additional technical rehearsals. Directed by Mark Wing-Davey, THE SINGING FOREST was scheduled to begin previews on Tuesday, April 7 and open on Monday, April 27. The show will now open on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 PM.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will begin previews for Craig Lucas' THE SINGING FOREST on Friday, April 10. Directed by Mark Wing-Davey, THE SINGING FOREST will run through Sunday, May 17 with an official press opening on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 PM.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will extend Christopher Durang?s WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM, directed by Nicholas Martin, through Sunday, May 3. The world premiere comedy recently opened to rave reviews.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) will present, BERLIN/WALL, two contrasting solo monologues written and performed by David Hare, for five performances only, May 14-17.

While speaking to Canada's Citytv, Liza Minnelli commented on the planned Judy Garland bio film 'GET HAPPY' and urged filmmakers to avoid focusing on her late mother's drug addiction in the upcoming project.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced complete casting and creative team today for BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON: The Concert Version, the fourth play of the 2008-2009 Public LAB season. Written and directed by Alex Timbers and featuring music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON: The Concert Version will begin performances on Tuesday, May 5 and run through Sunday, May 24. Tickets are $10 for all performances and are on-sale now.

Christopher Durang's comedy WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM opened at The Public Theater on Monday April 6. This world premiere, directed by Nicholas Martin, began previews March 24 and will run through April 26.

Laura Benanti is relishing the relish the challenge of 'being the not-crazy person in a crazy world.' Benanti stars in the new Christopher Durang comedy WHY TORTURE IS WRONG, AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM, which opened on Monday.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced that Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. will host a post-show discussion immediately following the Saturday, April 11 2 p.m. matinee of THE GOOD NEGRO by Tracey Scott Wilson. Directed by Liesl Tommy and presented in association with Dallas Theater Center, THE GOOD NEGRO opened to critical acclaim last month and will continue its extended run through Sunday, April 19.