Lear deBessonet News

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE presents THE FAIRYTALE LIVES OF RUSSIAN GIRLS by Meg Miroshnik, directed by Rachel Chavkin, January 31-February 22 at Yale Repertory Theatre (1120 Chapel Street). Opening Night is Thursday, February 6. The cast of THE FAIRYTALE LIVES OF RUSSIAN GIRLS is Sofiya Akilova, Celeste Arias, Stephanie Hayes, Jessica Jelliffe, Felicity Jones, and Emily Walton.

The original cast recording for Sherie Rene Scott's unique one-woman show PIECE OF MEAT is now available for pre-pre-order via a waiting list on the official site.

Joe's Pub at The Public (Dec. 9-15), will feature performances from JOSEPH STIGLITZ, THE MEN IN BLAZERS, THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER, JARELL PERRY WITH SPECIAL GUEST LOCKSMITH AND HOST KID FURY, MISS TESS & THE TALKBACKS / KRISTIN ANDREASSEN + MICHAELA ANNE, BRIDGET EVERETT & THE TENDER MOMENTS, THE LOSERS LOUNGE 20TH ANNIVERSARY, REVEREND BILLY & THE STOP SHOPPING CHOIR, JOHN ROBERTS, and TAMMY FAYE STARLIGHT IS NICO: UNDERGROUND.

Due to strong demand, The Public Theater announced a fourth extension for the critically acclaimed world premiere musical FUN HOME, directed by Sam Gold and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. Based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, FUN HOME will now run through Sunday, January 12. It was originally scheduled to close on November 3 but has been extended four times due to rave reviews and audience demand. A new block of tickets is on sale now and can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at Astor Place at 425 Lafayette Street.

The Public Theater announced today that Emily Skeggs has joined the company as Medium Alison in the hit musical FUN HOME. Alexandra Socha, who originated the role, has left the show for personal reasons. Directed by Sam Gold and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron, and based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, the critically acclaimed musical has been extended three times due to overwhelming demand. FUN HOME will run through Sunday, December 29 and tickets can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at Astor Place at 425 Lafayette Street.

The Public Theater announced today that PS Classics, the label dedicated to the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, will record and release the original cast recording of the acclaimed Public Theater musical FUN HOME, directed by Sam Gold and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. Fox Theatricals and Barbara Whitman are serving as the recording's executive producers. Based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, FUN HOME will be recorded on Monday, December 2 and will be released as a single disc on February 18, 2014. FUN HOME received some of the best reviews of the season and was recently extended a third time due to overwhelming demand to Sunday, December 29. Anew block of tickets is on sale now and can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555, visiting www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at Astor Place at 425 Lafayette Street.

The Public Theater announced that Tony Award winner Cynthia Nixon has joined the December Public Forum Drama Club event, The Long Christmas Dinner by Thornton Wilder, on Tuesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m. at Joe's Pub. In Public Forum Drama Club, authors, musicians, journalists, scholars, and actors come together to give onstage readings of one-act plays that have some special resonance in our lives today. Each reading concludes with a discussion of the hard questions that the play raises about our politics, our culture, and the way we live now.

Due to increasing demand, The Public Theater announced a third extension for the critically acclaimed world premiere musical FUN HOME, directed by Sam Gold and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. Based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, FUN HOME will now run through Sunday, December 29. It was originally scheduled to close on November 3. A new block of tickets is on sale now for this critically acclaimed musical and can be purchased by calling (212) 967-7555, www.publictheater.org, or in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at Astor Place at 425 Lafayette Street.

The Public Theater announced a two-week extension for The Foundry Theatre's GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN by Bertolt Brecht. With a translation by John Willett and directed by Lear deBessonet, GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN began performances on Friday, October 18 and was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, November 24. The show officially opened on Tuesday, October 29 and will now run an additional two weeks to Sunday, December 8.

Women's Project Theater, the 36-year-old non-profit company dedicated to producing plays written and directed by women, is seeking a few good women for its 2014-2016 Lab of playwrights, directors and producers, underwritten with a generous grant from the Time Warner Foundation. The application deadline is November 4.

Director Lear DeBessonet and star Taylor Mac turn Bertolt Brecht's morality parable into a rollicking good time.

The Public Theater just opened The Foundry Theatre's GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN by Bertolt Brechton, and the American premiere of GRASSES OF A THOUSAND COLORS last night, October 29. With a translation by John Willett and directed by Lear deBessonet, GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN will run through Sunday, November 24. GRASSES OF A THOUSAND COLORS will run through Sunday, November 24.

Due to overwhelming demand, The Public Theater announced a second two-week extension for the critically acclaimed world premiere musical FUN HOME, directed by Sam Gold and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. Based on Alison Bechdel's beloved graphic novel, FUN HOME began performances on Monday, September 30 and was originally extended two weeks through November 17. The musical opened on Tuesday, October 22 to critical acclaim and has now been extended an additional two weeks through Sunday, December 1 since there is limited ticket availability through November 17.

The Public Theater will continue its Public Forum season with PUBLIC FORUM SOLO: JOSEPH STIGLITZ ON THE RICH AND POOR on Monday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m. at Joe's Pub. This one-night-only event will feature a talk by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz on income inequality and what the artistic community can do about it, followed by a conversation featuring Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC, Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, and Public Works Director Lear deBessonet.

The Public Theater has announced a two-week extension for the world premiere musical FUN HOME, directed by Sam Gold and featuring music by Jeanine Tesori, with book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. Based on Alison Bechdel's graphic novel, FUN HOME began performances on Monday, September 30 and was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, November 3. The musical will now run an additional two weeks to Sunday, November 17, with an official opening on Tuesday, October 22.

YALE REPERTORY THEATRE continues to support MARIE ANTOINETTE by David Adjmi, commissioned by Yale Rep, now in previews at Off-Broadway's Soho Rep.

The Public Theater will begin performances for The Foundry Theatre's GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN by Bertolt Brecht on Friday, October 18. With a translation by John Willett and directed by Lear deBessonet, GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN will run through Sunday, November 24, with an official press opening on Tuesday, October 29.

The Civilians, the award-winning New York-based theatre company, announces the members of its 2013-14 R & D Group. The group's emerging and established artists were selected from over one hundred applicants. The R & D Group is comprised of artists from multiple theatrical disciplines. Each artist or creative team will develop an original work over the season. The artists and projects were selected to represent a range of different strategies for making new work from creative inquiry and research. This diversity of approach helps feed a culture of innovation in the group, making the R & D Group an effective lab of experimentation for the field of investigative theater.

Women's Project Theater, the 36-year-old non-profit company dedicated to producing plays written and directed by women, is seeking a few good women for its 2014-2016 Lab of playwrights, directors and producers, underwritten with a generous grant from the Time Warner Foundation. The application deadline is November 4.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) will begin performances for the world premiere of FUN HOME on tonight, September 30, directed by Sam Gold. Featuring music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics byLisa Kron, and based on Alison Bechdel book, FUN HOME will run through Sunday, November 3, with an official press opening on Tuesday, October 22.