BAD JEWS to Move to Laura Pels Theatre in September 2013

This year, Roundabout Theatre Company is thrilled to celebrate the seventh successful season of Roundabout Underground and the new play initiative, which illustrates a continued commitment to the nurturing of new artists. Through myriad programs and productions, the young artists associated with Roundabout will see their work presented to a wide audience of theater goers.

Harmon's sold out dark comedy BAD JEWS, will make the move upstairs from Roundabout Underground's 62-seat Black Box Theatre to the 420-seat Laura Pels Theater beginning September 20, 2013. The limited run will be a part of Roundabout's 2013-2014 subscription season.

The second playwright to be produced as part of Roundabout Underground (The Language of Trees in 2008), Levenson will see the world premiere of his Roundabout commissioned play The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin open in June at the Laura Pels Theatre.

Roundabout will hold their second annual Roundabout Underground Reading series in February, where playwrights such as Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews) made their Roundabout debut. Five up and coming playwrights & directors will have their plays read in the Black Box Theater.

BAD JEWS was first performed at the inaugural Roundabout Underground Reading Series in February 2012. The play was chosen to be the seventh Roundabout Underground production where it opened to critical acclaim on October 30, 2012. The critics raved 'Bad Jews is delicious nasty fun' (New York Post), 'A very promising start by newcomer Joshua Harmon' (New York Magazine), 'Tracee Chimo is marvelous, her versatility is startling' (New York Times). The sold out run was extended two weeks and played its final performance in the Black Box on December 30, 2012. Original cast members Tracee Chimo, Philip Ettinger, Molly Ranson and Michael Zegen will return for the Off-Broadway run, with direction by Daniel Aukin.

Roundabout Underground playwrights are commissioned to write a second play for Roundabout following their Black Box production. The debut of this program was Stephen Karam's Sons of the Prophet which won the 2012 NY Drama Critics Circle Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Next, Steven Levenson's The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin will premiere in the summer 2013 at the Laura Pels Theatre. Following that, Bad Jews will move to the Laura Pels Theatre and Joshua Harmon will be commissioned to write his second play for Roundabout Theatre Company.

UNDERGROUND READING SERIES PLAYS:

Roundabout also announces the second annual Roundabout Underground Reading Series from February 25 - March 1. Roundabout Underground Reading Series is a five night event that will include a nightly reading of a new play written and directed by an emerging artist, curtain speeches by Roundabout Underground artist alumni and a post-show reception. BAD JEWS was presented at this event in February 2012.

The plays featured in this year's series include Jonathan Caren's The Recommendation, directed by Laura Savia; Rachel Bonds's Swimmers, directed by Portia Krieger; Mat Smart's Tinker to Evers to Chance, directed by Jeremy B. Cohen; Christian Durso's Shiner, directed by Ed Sylvanus Iskandar; Kate Gersten's Benefit of the Doubt, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch.

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