Stephen Brackett News

A series of 8 new plays about sex is less naughty than it thinks it is.

The Ohio Theatre has announced the final lineup of plays and actors for f**kplays, eight plays exploring humanity's basic instinct, carnal desires, and most private thoughts.

The 'f**kplays,' billed as 'a voyeuristic journey through eight playwrights' most private places and a sincere examination of our most basic carnal desires,' will premiere at the Ohio Theatre (66 Wooster St. btwn. Spring and Broome) on Wednesday, March 28th at 8 p.m.

The Sum Of Us Theatre Company will present the World Premiere of Hotel Oracle, written by Bixby Elliot and directed by Stephen Brackett.

Ars Nova (voted 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine), as part of the FREE Out Loud reading series, presents THE RED BEARD OF ESAU, written by Rachel Shukert and directed by Alex Timbers. THE RED BEARD OF ESAU will be read by Jeff Binder, Elliotte Crowell, Billy Eichner, Sam Forman, Van Hansis, David Josefsberg, Julie Lake, Maggie Lauren, Austin Lysy, Reginald Veneziano and Taylor Wilcox on Monday, January 29 at 7 PM at Ars Nova (511 West 54th Street). A Neanderthal woman and Cro-Magnon man embark on a passionate love affair at the very dawn of time. But fate, not to mention an assortment of mystics, priestesses, dwarfs, and beautful blonde Californian twins have other things in store for them. Things that could threaten their very existence! Can love survive? Find out in THE RED BEARD OF ESAU, the world's first genocidal romantic comedy. RACHEL SHUKERT (Writer) is a playwright and author based in New York City. Her plays include Bloody Mary (NYIT Award nominee), Sequins for Satan, The Blackstone Hotel, and Soiled Linens. Her work has been developed and produced at Ars Nova, the Williamstown Theater Festival, the Culture Project, the Ontological/Hysteric, and the EVOLVE series at Galapagos. In 2003, she was the Playwright-in-Residence at e74 productions in Amsterdam, and her work was performed extensively throughout the Netherlands. As a performer, she has appeared with Richard Foreman's Ontological/Hysteric Theater, in New York and internationally; Les Freres Courbusier, the T.E.A.M., Salt Theater, e74, and with her own company, the Bushwick Hotel, which she founded in 2002 with the director Stephen Brackett. She is a regular contributor to Nerve.com (2005 ASME finalist, 2006 'Best Writing' Webby Award) and her work will be featured in their latest print anthology. She has also contributed to Heeb Magazine, McSweeney's, Babble, Culturebot, and Critical Moment. Her upcoming collection of essays, Have You No Shame? will be published by Random House/Villard. ALEX TIMBERS (Director) Recent credits include Gutenberg! The Musical! (The Actor's Playhouse and 59E59), A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant (New York Theatre Workshop; OBIE Award- NYC and Garland Award, Best Director- LA), Hell House (St. Ann's Warehouse), underground with David Dorfman Dance (BAM Next Wave and US tour), Boozy (Culture Project- 10 Best of 2005, Daily News and Time Out), Marge (Summer Play Festival), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (Williamstown Theater Festival), and Heddatron (HERE). Alex is a Williamstown Directing Fellow, a Drama League Directing Fellow, and the Artistic Director of award-winning theater company Les Freres Corbusier. OUT LOUD has attracted a variety of the industry's top artists, including writers Stephen Belber, Jorge Cortinas, Daniel Goldfarb, Stephen Guirgis, Rinne Groff, Rogelio Martinez, Adam Rapp, Sarah Ruhl, Julian Sheppard, Jonathan Marc Sherman; directors Peter Askin, Jo Bonney, David Esbjornson, Moises Kaufman, Brian Kulick, James Lapine, Lisa Peterson, David Warren; and actors Jason Biggs, Kathleen Chalfant, Robert Sean Leonard, Marsha Mason, Denis O'Hare, Rosie Perez, Paul Rudd, Mercedes Reuhl, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Swoosie Kurtz, David Strathairn, Fred Weller. Ticket & Schedule Information THE RED BEARD OF ESAU will be read on Monday, January 29 at 7 PM. The Out Loud Series is FREE and open to the public. Reservations are required. Please call 212-977-1700. Ars Nova is located at 511 West 54th Street. For more information, check out www.arsnovanyc.com.

Eric Sanders' Oceanside Parkway and Bekah Brunstetter's Arms will run for four performances from May 12th through 20th as part of the More for Your Money '06 Festival