Neil LaBute News

Paragon Presents Neil LaBute's Latest Bristling Comedy reasons to be pretty- OPENS JANUARY 29TH

Producers Joan Stein and Stuart Ross announced casting today for the Monday, January 31, 2011 performance of STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS.

Producers Joan Stein and Stuart Ross announced casting today for the Monday, January 31, 2011 performance of STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS. The cast includes Peri Gilpin, Rachel Harris, John Michael Higgins, Richard Kind, Kathy Najimy and Jon Tenney. The evening will feature one acts by some of America's most illustrious playwrights including Jenny Lyn Bader (Manhattan Casanova), Jordan Harrison (Doris to Darlene), Jeffrey Hatcher (Tuesdays with Morrie), Moises Kaufman (The Laramie Project), Neil LaBute (Reasons to Be Pretty), Wendy MacLeod (Schoolgirl Figure), Kathy Najimy (The Kathy and Mo Show), Jose Rivera (Marisol), Paul Rudnick (I Hate Hamlet) and Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife). Conceived and directed by Brian Shnipper, these new provocative plays were created in response to the on-going battle for marriage equality throughout the United States. STANDING ON CEREMONY, which benefits the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Equality California, will perform on Monday, January 31 and Monday, February 7 at Largo at the Coronet (366 N. La Cienega Blvd.) in West Hollywood.

St. Louis Actors' Studio continues its fourth season, themed Angels and Demons, with Patrick Marber's award winning play CLOSER. CLOSER follows four lives intertwine over the course of four and a half years in a densely plotted, stinging look at modern love and betrayal. Dan, an obituary writer, meets Alice, a stripper, after an accident in the street. Eighteen months later, they are a couple, and Dan has written a novel inspired by Alice. While posing for his book jacket cover, Dan meets Anna, a photographer. He pursues her, but she rejects his advances despite their mutual attraction. Larry, a dermatologist, 'meets' Dan in an Internet chat room. Dan, obsessing over Anna, pretends to be her and has cybersex with Larry. They arrange to meet the next day at an aquarium. Larry arrives and so too, coincidentally, does the real Anna. This sets up a series of pass-the-lover scenes in which this quartet struggle to find intimacy but can't seem to get closer.

Last week, Paragon Theatre hosted an exciting preview of it's 10th season. When asked about the theme or drive for this new season, Executive Director Michael Stricker replied, 'We wanted to do shows that scared the hell out of us...we really wanted to be challenged this season.' Here is what's in store...

Capital Stage begins the New Year with the Sacramento premiere of Neil LaBute's reasons to be pretty. Following LaBute's The Shape of Things and Fat Pig, reasons to be pretty is the final installment of a trilogy that focuses on modern day obsession with physical appearance.

MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, Artistic Directors; William Cantler, Associate Artistic Director; Blake West, Executive Director) will celebrate the company's 25th anniversary by honoring a host of MCC artists past and present at Miscast 2011. This highly anticipated annual gala will take place on Monday, March 14, 2011 at The Hammerstein Ballroom (311 West 34th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues). Andy Cohen (Host of Bravo TV's 'Watch What Happens Live') will host the evening. David Duchovny (star of the recent MCC Theater hit, The Break of Noon), Téa Leoni, Hugh Dancy (star of yet another recent MCC hit, The Pride) and Claire Danes are this year's honorary chairs. Funds raised from Miscast help MCC Theater produce some of the most talked-about new work Off Broadway and support their Youth Company and in-school partnerships that serve New York City public high school students, as well as their literary development work with emerging playwrights.

In reasons to be pretty, Greg's tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhand remarks about a female coworker's pretty face and his own girlfriend Steph's lack thereof get back to Steph. But that's just the beginning.

Profiles Theatre continues its 2010-2011 Season with reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute, directed by Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder. Previews are January 21-26, 2011 with press opening January 27, 2011. The production runs through March 13, 2011 at Profiles Theatre, 4147 N. Broadway in Chicago.

Naked Angels is collaborating with the Furious Theatre Company in Pasadena, CA to bring its unique 3-Step Formula for creative development to the West Coast and expand its programming to feature works for film and television in addition to the stage.

Broadway veteran Kevin Anderson leads the cast in the Los Angeles run of world premiere production of Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon. The Break of Noon, which is a co-production with MCC in New York, will feature Catherine Dent as well as Tracee Chimo and John Earl Jelks, who performed their roles in the New York portion of the run. Helmed by director Jo Bonney, The Break of Noon begins in previews on January 25, 2011 and officially opens February 2, 2011.

Producers Joan Stein and Stuart Ross announced casting today for the Monday, January 24, 2011 performance of STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS.

Manhattan Theatre Club will present its annual Winter Benefit, an evening of cocktails and dinner followed by a special one-night-only cabaret-style show featuring some of the biggest stars of musical theatre on Monday, January 24, 2011 at The Plaza (58th Street & Fifth Avenue).

Michael Donald Edwards, Asolo Repertory Theatre's producing artistic director, announced today his selections for the 2010-2011 season. A major highlight of Asolo Rep's 52nd season is the pre-Broadway try-out production of Bonnie & Clyde opening on November 19, 2010.

Profiles Theatre continues its 2010-2011 Season with reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute, directed by Steppenwolf ensemble member Rick Snyder.

Producers Joan Stein and Stuart Ross announced casting today for the Monday, January 24, 2011 performance of STANDING ON CEREMONY: THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS.

Atlantic Theater Company Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director is proud to present the world premiere adaptation of THE NEW YORK IDEA, written by Tony Award® winner David Auburn from the original play by Langdon Mitchell and directed by Mark Brokaw.

The Open Fist Theatre Company is thrilled to announce the first production of its 2011 Season.

Capital Stage begins the New Year with the Sacramento premiere of Neil LaBute's reasons to be pretty. Following LaBute's The Shape of Things and Fat Pig, reasons to be pretty is the final installment of a trilogy that focuses on modern day obsession with physical appearance.

In reasons to be pretty, Greg's tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhand remarks about a female coworker's pretty face and his own girlfriend Steph's lack thereof get back to Steph. But that's just the beginning.