Mary McCarthy News

It all started simply enough when Dick Cavett invited author/critic Mary McCarthy on his PBS talk show on January 25, 1980. What resulted from a completely unplanned remark was one of the biggest literary feuds in history. McCarthy, when asked by Cavett to mention questionable authors at the time, is quoted as responding about the dishonesty of Lillian Hellman 'Every word she writes is a lie, including 'and' and 'the'. Hellman just happened to be watching the TV program and proceeded to sue McCarthy, Cavett and the network for over a million dollars.

Author/actor/TV talk show host Dick Cavett will star at Theatre 40 in the controversial play Hellman v. McCarthy beginning February 6. Cavett is best known for his TV talk shows from the 70s to present time on CBS, ABC, PBS, USA Network and currently on TCM hosting reruns of his classic 70s interviews. He is known for his laid-back conversational style with such celebrities as Groucho Marx, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Jack Benny and Mel Brooks among many others. He is a three-time Emmy Award winner. He also currently writes a blog published by the New York Times.

The Colony Theatre will present the third production of its historic 40thAnniversary season, the West Coast Premiere of HANDLE WITH CARE by Jason Odell Williams, directed by Karen Carpenter. HANDLE WITH CARE will preview tonight, November 5; Thursday, November 6; and Friday, November 7 at 8:00pm. It will open on Saturday, November 8 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 14, with no performances Thanksgiving week.

The Colony Theatre will present the third production of its historic 40thAnniversary season, the West Coast Premiere of HANDLE WITH CARE by Jason Odell Williams, directed by Karen Carpenter. HANDLE WITH CARE will preview on Wednesday, November 5; Thursday, November 6; andFriday, November 7 at 8:00pm. It will open on Saturday, November 8 at 8:00pm and continue through Sunday, December 14, with no performances Thanksgiving week.

Beyond the bright lights of Broadway - the electric signage that led to its moniker as 'The Great White Way' -- exists another world: Off-Broadway, a varied and rich wellspring of creativity and innovation.

THE 50 YEAR ARGUMENT, directed by Oscar® winner Martin Scorsese and longtime documentary collaborator David Tedeschi, will debut TONIGHT, SEPT. 29

Directed by Oscar® winner Martin Scorsese and longtime documentary collaborator David Tedeschi, THE 50 YEAR ARGUMENT profiles the provocative and influential publication The New York Review of Books

The Mint's latest production, The Fatal Weakness by George Kelly, recently extended performances through October 26th to accommodate audience demand even before tonght's opening, September 15th (7pm) at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street, just west of 8th Avenue).

Beyond the bright lights of Broadway - the electric signage that led to its moniker as 'The Great White Way' -- exists another world: Off-Broadway, a varied and rich wellspring of creativity and innovation.

Mint Theater's newest production is The Fatal Weakness by George Kelly. Jesse Marchesedirects a cast that features Cliff Bemis, Cynthia Darlow, Kristin Griffith, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Patricia Kilgarriff, and Victoria Mack. The Fatal Weakness has scenic design Vicki R. Davis, costume design by Andrea Varga, lighting design by Christian DeAngelis, original music & sound design by Jane Shaw, and properties design by Joshua Yocom. Performances will continue through October 12th. Opening Night is set for Monday September 15th (7pm) at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street, just west of 8th Avenue).

Academic satires are a favorite subgenre of mine, and I just read a hilarious one that immediately went on my buy-for-friends list: Dear Committee Members (reviewed below) by Julie Schumacher, faculty member at the University of Minnesota. We recently asked her about her favorite satires:

Mint Theater's next production will be The Fatal Weakness by George Kelly. Jesse Marchese directs a cast that features Cliff Bemis, Cynthia Darlow, Kristin Griffith, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Patricia Kilgarriff, and Victoria Mack. The Fatal Weakness will have scenic design Vicki R. Davis, costume design by Andrea Varga, lighting design by Christian DeAngelis, original music & sound design by Jane Shaw, and properties design by Joshua Yocom. Performances will begin tonight, August 19th and continue through October 12th. Opening Night is set for Monday September 15th (7pm) at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street, just west of 8th Avenue).

Mint Theater's latest production The Fatal Weakness by George Kelly will begin performances Tuesday August 19th. Jesse Marchese directs a cast that features Cliff Bemis, Cynthia Darlow, Kristin Griffith, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Patricia Kilgarriff, and Victoria Mack. The Fatal Weakness will have scenic design Vicki R. Davis, costume design by Andrea Varga, lighting design by Christian DeAngelis, original music & sound design by Jane Shaw, and properties design by Joshua Yocom. Performances continue through October 12th only. Opening Night is set for Monday September 15th (7pm) at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street, just west of 8th Avenue).

THE 50 YEAR ARGUMENT, directed by Oscar® winner Martin Scorsese and longtime documentary collaborator David Tedeschi, will debut MONDAY, SEPT. 29

REFORM: A PLAY was created by director and playwright Jen Emma Hertel, who cameto age as a theater practitioner with the Living Theatre, her MA from NYU, and the late Bob Sickinger.

Mint Theater's next production will be The Fatal Weakness by George Kelly. Jesse Marchese directs a cast that features Cliff Bemis, Cynthia Darlow, Kristin Griffith, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Patricia Kilgarriff, and Victoria Mack. The Fatal Weakness will have scenic design Vicki R. Davis, costume design by Andrea Varga, lighting design by Christian DeAngelis, original music & sound design by Jane Shaw, and properties design by Joshua Yocom. Performances will begin Tuesday August 19th and continue through October 12th. Opening Night is set for Monday September 15th (7pm) at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street, just west of 8th Avenue).

Abingdon Theatre Company announces that the world premiere of Brian Richard Mori's HELLMAN v. McCARTHY, a new play the feud between literary legends Lillian Hellman and Mary McCarthy, will be recorded by THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET on Friday, April 11 at 8pm. The Off-Broadway play starring Dick Cavett, Roberta Maxwell and Marcia Rodd, will be filmed for broadcast on a future date.