Steven Cosson News

The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson) announced world premieres by Roger Guenveur Smith and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins for the 2009-2010 Public LAB season.

The Civilians have announced the premiere of a new interactive performance series, You Better Sit Down: Tales from My Parents' Divorce at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn on November 12th, 13th, and 14th at 8pm. Created by Civilians actors Matthew Maher, Caitlin Miller, Jennifer Morris, and Robbie Sublett, director Anne Kauffman and dramaturg Janice Paran You Better Sit Down was developed from the actors' interviews with their own parents, exploring their parents' marriages and subsequent divorces. The actors will portray their parents in these live performances, retelling their stories in a unique theatrical event. The performances will also be captured in a high-definition, multi-camera shoot and edited into episodes for online release.

The Civilians' Artistic Director Steve Cosson ('This Beautiful City'), composer Michael Friedman ('This Beautiful City,' 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson') and book writer Bess Wohl ('Cats Talk Back,' 'In') have begun investigations in Los Angeles for an untitled porn musical. The new project from the award-winning investigative theatre company is commissioned by Center Theatre Group, which presented The Civilians' 'This Beautiful City' at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2008.

Drag superstar Sweetie, recently seen on 'Project Runway' and in WIG OUT!, hosts the WIG OUT! COSTUME EXTRAVANGZA, a special one-night-only event offering drinks, divas, drag and dance presented by the Vineyard Theater on Thursday, May 21, beginning with a cocktail reception at 7:00pm, followed by a fashion show, silent auction of costumes from the hit musical WIG OUT! designed by Toni-Leslie James, and dance party featuring the stars of WIG OUT! at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) in Manhattan.

Drag superstar Sweetie, recently seen on 'Project Runway' and in WIG OUT!, hosts the WIG OUT! COSTUME EXTRAVANGZA, a special one-night-only event offering drinks, divas, drag and dance presented by the Vineyard Theater on Thursday, May 21, beginning with a cocktail reception at 7:00pm, followed by a fashion show, silent auction of costumes from the hit musical WIG OUT! designed by Toni-Leslie James, and dance party featuring the stars of WIG OUT! at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) in Manhattan.

Nominations for the 54th Annual Drama Desk Awards were announced this morning at the New York Friars Club by Faith Prince and Jim Dale, multi-award winning stage stars. They were joined for the announcement by William Wolf, Drama Desk President, Barbara Siegel, Chairperson of the Drama Desk Nominating Committee, Robert R. Blume, Executive Producer of the Drama Desk Awards ceremony, and Randie Levine-Miller, Director of Special Events for the Drama Desk.

The Civilians' Spring Benefit, 'There's No Place Like Home' will be held Friday, April 17th at Galapagos Art Space, DUMBO, Brooklyn This year's benefit follows the themes of home and community that The Civilians have been exploring in recent projects such as Brooklyn at Eye Level and This Beautiful City.

Manhattan Theatre Club is pleased to announce the lineup for its 7@7 reading series. Now in its eleventh year, this free rehearsed reading series is dedicated to the support and development of new works. The 2009 lineup features six new plays and a musical, including works by two playwrights previously produced by MTC and one MTC-commissioned playwright.

The Vineyard Theatre will welcome one of the real-life subjects depicted in its production of THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein -- well-known and recently profiled in the New York Times as founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation -- at a post-performance Q&A about the play and its subject matter, the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs, following the Sunday, March 15 3pm matinee performance of THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY at The Vineyard Theatre. (108 East 15th Street) in Manhattan.

The Vineyard Theatre will welcome one of the real-life subjects depicted in its production of This Beautiful City, Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein -- well-known and recently profiled in the New York Times as founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation -- at a post-performance Q&A about the play and its subject matter, the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs, following the Sunday, March 15 matinee performance (3 p.m.) of This Beautiful City at The Vineyard Theatre. (108 East 15th Street) in New York City.

The Vineyard Theatre will welcome one of the real-life subjects depicted in its production of THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein -- well-known and recently profiled in the New York Times as founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation -- at a post-performance Q&A about the play and its subject matter, the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs, following the Sunday, March 15 3pm matinee performance of THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY at The Vineyard Theatre. (108 East 15th Street) in Manhattan.

The Vineyard Theatre will welcome one of the real-life subjects depicted in its production of This Beautiful City, Michael 'Mikey' Weinstein -- well-known and recently profiled in the New York Times as founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation -- at a post-performance Q&A about the play and its subject matter, the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs, following the Sunday, March 15 matinee performance (3 p.m.) of This Beautiful City at The Vineyard Theatre. (108 East 15th Street) in New York City.

Rebecca Naomi Jones joins the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) on Saturday, March 7 at 3pm -- after appearing the previous night with Stew, Heidi Rodewald and other original PASSING STRANGE cast members in a one-night-only concert as part of Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series. Presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is directed Steven Cosson.

Rebecca Naomi Jones, most recently seen at The Vineyard Theatre in WIG OUT! and on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning PASSING STRANGE, is set to join the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY on Saturday, March 7 at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) where the hit play's New York premiere runs through March 15, presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group. Steven Cosson directs.

Rebecca Naomi Jones joins the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) on Saturday, March 7 at 3pm -- after appearing the previous night with Stew, Heidi Rodewald and other original PASSING STRANGE cast members in a one-night-only concert as part of Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series. Presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is directed Steven Cosson.

Rebecca Naomi Jones, most recently seen at The Vineyard Theatre in WIG OUT! and on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning PASSING STRANGE, is set to join the cast of The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY on Saturday, March 7 at The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) where the hit play's New York premiere runs through March 15, presented by The Vineyard Theatre, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group. Steven Cosson directs.

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) presents the New York premiere of The Civilians' newest work This Beautiful City, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews began February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs.

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will present the New York premiere of The Civilians' newest work This Beautiful City, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs.

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will present the New York premiere of The Civilians' newest work THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs. Written by Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is a provocative new play with music about the growth of the evangelical movement in Colorado Springs, created by the documentary theatre troupe The Civilians. While conducting interviews with people involved with or affected by the mega-church movement, scandal broke about New Life Church pastor Ted Haggard and shook the entire city of Colorado Springs, providing the play's creators with an unprecedented opportunity to capture an important event as it was taking place, and providing the people of Colorado Springs the opportunity to express their opinions and concerns as those events unfolded. THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY is a fascinating and timely look at faith and how it affects the American landscape.

The Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street) will present the New York premiere of The Civilians' newest work This Beautiful City, in a co-production with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with previews set to begin February 3 prior to its official press opening February 22. Steven Cosson directs.