Brits Off Broadway kicks off with Good With People this year

Scotland Week celebrations kick off at 59E59 Theaters with the US premiere of David Harrower’s GOOD WITH PEOPLE, launching the 2013 Brits Off Broadway festival

New York, New York February 21, 2013—59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) is thrilled to launch the Scotland Week celebrations with NY premiere of GOOD WITH PEOPLE, written by David Harrower (Blackbird, A Slow Air) and directed by George Perrin (Terre Haute). GOOD WITH PEOPLE launches the 2013 Brits Off Broadway festival at 59E59 Theaters, and is produced by the Traverse Theatre Company and Datum Point in association with Paines Plough. GOOD WITH PEOPLE begins performances on Wednesday, March 27 for a limited engagement through Sunday, April 21.  Press opening is Wednesday, April 3 at 7:15 PM.  The performance schedule is Tuesday – Thursday at 7:15 PM; Friday at 8:15 PM; Saturday at 2:15 PM and 8:15 PM; and Sunday at 3:15 PM and 7:15 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.

This haunting two-hander from one of Scotland’s most acclaimed writers, starring Blythe Duff (Beautiful Burnout at St. Ann's Warehouse) and Andrew Scott-Ramsay (Yellow Moon at Brits Off Broadway, 2008), traces the path of personal and political destruction in Helensburgh, Scotland.

Evan returns to Helensburgh, home to Britain's nuclear defense program and once a thriving holiday resort. And a place he’s been trying to avoid. Haunted by his past and afraid of his future, he finds Helen working at the Seaview Hotel. Linked by a single event from their past, will their meeting trigger an explosion?

Called "razor sharp" and "a tremendous piece of work" by The Guardian, GOOD WITH PEOPLE comes to NY as part of the Traverse Theatre's 50th anniversary celebrations. The Traverse Theatre is committed to producing and presenting the best in new writing from Scotland. GOOD WITH PEOPLE was first produced and toured by Paines Plough and Òran Mór as part of their 2010 season of A Play, A Pie and A Pint. The Brits Off Broadway run of GOOD WITH PEOPLE, which also launches Scotland Week in New York, is supported by Creative Scotland and Made in Scotland.

Red Bull Theater: Monday Reading - She Stoops To Conquer

Monday March 11, 7:30pm 

A STAGED READING OF

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER

by Oliver Goldsmith

with

MATTHEW AMENDT • EMILY BERGT • DANIEL BREAKER • MICHAEL GOTCH • MARSHA MASON • RICHARD POE • LIV ROOTH • PAXTON WHITEHEAD

AND MORE

Never has the dysfunctional family been more blissfully funny than in this comic masterpiece.

directed by

MARK LAMOS

Buy Tickets Now

www.redbulltheater.com

212.352.3101

LOCATION

Lucille Lortel Theater

121 Christopher Street

Red Valley: Upcoming

Red Soil Productions presents Red Valley by Matthew Stannah at the New Theatre at 45th Street, NYC. (The New Theatre at 45th Street, 354 W 45th street, New York, NY 10036)

New York City, NY: Red Soil presents their debut production ‘RED VALLEY’ written by Artistic Director Matthew Stannah and directed by Yudelka Heyer. Red Soil Productions is an African inspired theatre company founded by three alumni of The American Academy of Dramatic Arts; Matthew Stannah (Nairobi, Kenya), Yudelka Heyer (Dominican Republic) and Isaac Danna (Auburn, Massachusetts). The company’s mission is to showcase new and innovative work that brings about new ways to share vivid stories, in which pain and struggle is brought to life in the form of art.

Red Valley tells the story of the Mau Mau rebellion that took place in Kenya between 1952 and 1960. The Mau Mau were a Kikuyu dominated anti- colonial group dedicated to driving the European community out of Kenya. Red Valley is a drama about a British family trying to stay together during a nationwide time of crisis. A time where each and every home was affected differently and directly. A time where color no longer mattered when your family’s life was at stake. Red Valley tells the story of a strong willed woman trying to keep her family afloat during such time of hardship, pain, and fright. With her husband always away struggling to provide for his family and fighting to protect their community and their home, Beth Foster is forced to stay strong for the wellbeing of herself and her only child. In this two act play, the writer’s purpose is to shine light on a story so dear to his heart. The story of his family. The story of Kenya. The inspirational story of Red Valley.

The cast features Aimee Marcelle, Matthew Vitticore, Rachel Jane, Joanna Kasamba, Richard Nwaoko, Steven Daniel, Miles Alexander, Kristen Wulf , James Physick and the plays creator Matthew Stannah will alternate his role with Brian Clancy. Directed by Yudelka Heyer, with lighting design by Michael O’Connor, and set and sound design by Isaac Danna

The play will perform at The New Theatre at 45th Street, NYC with an opening night set for March 15th. The play will run March 15th, 16th 17th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd at 8pm. Tickets are $20 or $15 with valid student ID.

Tickets can be reserved online at https://redvalley.ticketleap.com/

For more information please visit http://www.red-soil-productions.com/

The Lying Lesson - Upcoming

I am very excited to see this...
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THE LYING LESSON
by CRAIG LUCASdirected by PAM MACKINNON
World Premiere
Linda Gross Theater, 336 W 20th St.

In a remote seaside village in Maine, legendary film star Bette Davis (Carol Kane) shows up to buy the home of an elderly couple. When she encounters a young local woman (Mickey Sumner) who appears never to have heard of her, “Ruth” stakes a claim on her distant past, and plays a relentless game of cat and mouse with her new “assistant.”

In this hilarious and unsettling comic thriller, Craig Lucas, celebrated author of Prelude to a Kiss, Reckless and The Light in the Piazza twists and turns the audience around essential questions about memory, identity and truth-telling.

Happy Hunting @ York's Mufti Series

THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY’S

WINTER 2013 MUSICALS IN MUFTI SERIES

ANNOUNCES CAST FOR  

“H A P P Y   H U N T I N G”

BOOK BY HOWARD LINDSAY AND RUSSELL CROUSE

LYRICS BY MATT DUBEY

MUSIC BY HAROLD KARR

DIRECTED BY DAVID GLENN ARMSTRONG

MUSIC DIRECTION BY DAVID ANDREWS ROGERS

STARRING KLEA BLACKHURST

FEATURING JANINE DIVITA, JOY FRANZ, JESSICA GROVÉ,

SEÁN MARTIN HINGSTON, MICHAEL MCCORMICK, HEATHER PARCELLS,

ANDREW SAMONSKY, MICHAEL SHARON AND LYNNE WINTERSTELLER

5 PERFORMANCES ONLY!

MARCH 15 - 17, 2013

AT YORK THEATRE COMPANY AT SAINT PETER’S

Original Playbill (from eBay)

New York, NY (March 7, 2013) – The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Andrew Levine, Executive Director) continues the Winter 2013 Musicals in Mufti Series with the 1956 musical hit, Happy Hunting, with book by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, lyrics by Matt Dubey and music by Harold Karr.  Directed by David Glenn Armstrong and with music direction by David Andrews Rogers, the cast stars Klea Blackhurst, and will feature Janine DiVita, Joy Franz, Jessica Grové, Seán Martin Hingston, Michael McCormick, Heather Parcells, Andrew Samonsky, Michael Sharon and Lynne Wintersteller. 

The limited engagement will play 5 performances only, March 15 - 17, 2013 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s(Entrance on East 54^th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

Mama Rose meets “The Hostess with the Mostes’ on the Ball” in Happy Hunting, the 1956 musical that was a star vehicle written for the incomparable Ethel Merman.  A huge, flamboyant, bubbly, light-hearted romp, Happy Huntingfeatures a gag-filled book by the authors of Anything Goes and a delectable score featuring the Merman classics “Mutual Admiration Society” and “Gee, But It’s Good to Be Here.”

When Liz Livingstone--rich, widowed Philadelphia hostess with a heart of gold--perceives a snub at the Grace Kelly-Prince Rainier "Wedding of the Year" in Monaco, she single-mindedly sets out to snare an even more impressively titled husband for her daughter. Things get predictably complicated when she succeeds and then promptly falls for her intended son-in-law herself.  Meanwhile, the bride-to-be only has eyes for the society lawyer, and Liz’s dashing Duke turns out to be very possibly penniless.

Now in Previews

Scarlett Johansson and Benjamin Walker will play
Maggie and Brick in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof is opening on Broadway next month, it is in previews now.  There are many actors in the production who have made their name Off-Broadway.
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Benjamin Walker stars as Brick.  He made his name in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, first at the Public Theater.  Also in the cast are Debra Monk (as Big Momma), Emily Bergl (as Mae) and Michael Park (as Gooper) with extensive Off-Broadway credits.
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I won't review the show until it opens, but I can tell you even at this stage in previews, it is an excellent show.  I was blown away by Mr. Walker and Scarlett Johansson.

Pan Plays with Fire

Amy Herzog’s new play, The Great God Pan – now playing at Playwrights Horizons, covers familiar ground, without being derivative at all.  The story works because of the unique viewpoint and an outstanding job by the lead, Jeremy Strong.

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Keith Nobbs and Jeremy Strong in The Great God Pan

Pan opens with Jeremy Strong, as Jamie, meeting for the first time in thirty years with a childhood friend, Frank – excellently played by Keith Nobbs as he barely controlls his angst and expectations.  Frank tells Jamie that his father abused him, and possible others, including Jamie.

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It is a familiar theme, but Ms. Herzog takes it into unexpected areas.  Jamie doesn’t remember any abuse at all; but his relationship with his girlfriend Paige, Sarah Goldberg in a fine turn, is strained.  Just like when someone reads the symptoms of a disease on WebMD and then sees the symptoms in themselves, Jamie questions himself with the possibility of past abuse.  Are the problems in the relationship due to abuse or his own personality?

Jeremy Strong & Sarah Goldberg

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Jamie's parents, played Becky Ann Baker and Peter Friedman, are even less helpful.  After Jamie’s mother stonewalls him, his father shares some troubling information.  Nothing traumatic, just details that show Jamie that his parents are like anyone else, not perfect and occasionally selfish.

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The Great God Pan works on an interesting level, did events happen in the past?  If so, do they still effect how we interact on a daily basis?  And is it reality or an excuse - or perhaps both?  The play works so well because the questions poised are meaningful.  A subtle touch by director Carolyn Cantor and an amazing turn by Jeremy Strong only increase the emotional impact.

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Kudos must also go out to Mark Wendland, whose scenic design had me questioning choices at first, but ultimately enhanced the theme of the show.  Go see this play; it tackles real life with a light touch without diminishing a person’s experience.
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The Great God Pan

Playwright: Amy Herzog

Director: Carolyn Cantor

Cast: Jeremy Strong, Becky Ann Backer, Peter Friedman, Sarah Goldber, Keith Nobbs, Joyce Van Patten, Erin Wilhelmi

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