Margaret Edson News

South Coast Repertory will present the Southern California premiere of Dead Man's Cell Phone, Sarah Ruhl's fantastical new play about a woman who answers a dead man's cell phone and finds her life turned upside down. Directed by Bart DeLorenzo, Dead Man's Cell Phone runs Sept. 21 - Oct. 12 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

South Coast Repertory kicks off the 2008-09 Season with the World Premiere of its first commissioned musical: An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville.

South Coast Repertory will present the Southern California premiere of Dead Man's Cell Phone, Sarah Ruhl's fantastical new play about a woman who answers a dead man's cell phone and finds her life turned upside down. Directed by Bart DeLorenzo, Dead Man's Cell Phone runs Sept. 21 - Oct. 12 on the Julianne Argyros Stage.

South Coast Repertory kicks off the 2008-09 Season with the World Premiere of its first commissioned musical: An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joan Channick, is pleased to announce the addition of the Athol Fugard one-act play Valley Song to the 2008-09 season.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) today announced that Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz has been signed to star opposite Elizabeth Marvel in the World Premiere Production of Michael Weller's Fifty Words, under the direction of Austin Pendleton. The two-character play begins performances at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) on September 10 and continues through October 25, with an opening night set for Sunday, September 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Collected Stories, one of South Coast Repertory's most successful commissioned plays, will replace the previously announced Daniel Sullivan-directed King Lear as the final production of South Coast Repertory's 2008-09 season. Donald Margulies' Pulitzer Prize nominated play about two women writers at opposite stages of their careers will run May 15 through June 14, 2009 on the Segerstrom Stage. King Lear will open SCR's 2009-10 season. 'We are delighted to have this opportunity to revisit one of Donald's most celebrated plays and reintroduce it to Southern California audiences,' said Artistic Director Martin Benson, who will direct the revival. Collected Stories received its World Premiere in 1996 on SCR's Second Stage. After its New York premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club, Collected Stories received a commercial Off-Broadway run, and the Los Angeles production at the Geffen Playhouse was subsequently filmed for PBS. Since then, Collected Stories has been produced throughout the U.S. and the world. 'Although we've had to postpone King Lear due to an unexpected conflict with Daniel Sullivan's spring schedule, we're happy to be able to replace it with Donald's engaging play,' said Producing Artistic Director David Emmes. 'Fortunately, Dan will be able to direct King Lear in the fall and we gain an exciting way to open our 2009-10 season.' In addition to Collected Stories, Margulies is the author of four plays that were commissioned and premiered by South Coast Repertory: Brooklyn Boy and Pulitzer Prize finalist Sight Unseen, which received Broadway productions, and Shipwrecked! An Entertainment - The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont as Told by Himself. Dinner with Friends, which had its West Coast Premiere at SCR, won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize. LOCATION: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theater Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available off Anton Blvd. on Park Center Drive. CALENDAR: An Italian Straw Hat: A Vaudeville (9/5-10/5), dead man's cell phone (9/21-10/12), The Heiress (10/17-11/16), Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (11/7-11/23). PHOTO EDITORS: Digital images of South Coast Repertory productions are available at www.southcoastrepertory.com/photos.html. Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, under the artistic direction of David Emmes and Martin Benson, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theaters in the United States. Founded in 1964, SCR is committed to theater that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theater, SCR is renowned for its extensive new play development program, including the Pacific Playwrights Festival. Of SCR's more than 400 productions, 107 have been world premieres with subsequent stagings achieving enormous success across America and around the world. SCR-developed works have garnered eight Pulitzer Prize nominations with Margaret Edson's Wit winning the prize in 1999 and David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole in 2007. Located in Costa Mesa, California, in 2002 SCR opened the Folino Theater Center, an expanded three-theater complex that includes the 507-seat Julianne Argyros Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio.

MCC THEATER today announced programming for the MCC Theater Youth Company's fourth annual FreshPlay Festival.

Cause Célèbre 'Recipe for Life', benefiting The Honorable Tina Brozman.

Cause Célèbre presents 'Recipe For Life' benefit on June 10th.

King Lear will crown South Coast Repertory's 45th season under the direction of Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan.

Cause Célèbre presents 'Recipe For Life' benefit on June 10th.

MCC THEATER (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) is committed to the cultivation of new voices and to the creation of innovative work through its programs for emerging artists.

Due to popular demand, four additional performances have been added to the run of Culture Clash in AmeriCCa at South Coast Repertory. Both Orange County audiences and critics are howling at the irreverent and insightful humor by the acclaimed comedy collective of Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas and Herbert Siguenza.

Obie winner and Tony Award nominee Reg Rogers will star in The Injured Party, a new comedy by Tony Award-winning playwright Richard Greenberg. Commissioned by SCR and directed by Trip Cullman, The Injured Party will receive its World Premiere at South Coast Repertory during the 11th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival. The show will run from April 20 through May 11, 2008 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Low-priced previews are available from April 20 through April 24. Opening night is April 25. Press night is Saturday, April 26 at 7:45 p.m. Tickets to The Injured Party may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office

Manhattan Theatre Club Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove announced that Jerry Patch will be joining MTC's artistic team as the company's new Director of Artistic Development.

South Coast Repertory's Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF) will celebrate its 11th annual edition with a lineup composed of seven SCR-commissioned plays from an array of writers. Since its creation in 1998, PPF has grown into one of the most important festivals of new scripts in the United States. This year's Festival will take place during the May 2 through May 4 weekend with a workshop production, four staged readings and two fully-staged World Premieres on South Coast Repertory's two major stages. Tickets to PPF may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.

South Coast Repertory's Pacific Playwrights Festival (PPF) will celebrate its 11th annual edition with a lineup composed of seven SCR-commissioned plays from an array of writers. Since its creation in 1998, PPF has grown into one of the most important festivals of new scripts in the United States. This year's Festival will take place during the May 2 through May 4 weekend with a workshop production, four staged readings and two fully-staged World Premieres on South Coast Repertory's two major stages. Tickets to PPF may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.