Rattlestick Playwrights Theater today announced its roster of plays for 2011-12, the award-winning company's 17th season. The all world-premiere season will feature new works by Dan Klores, Dael Orlandersmith, Daniel Talbott, José Rivera, David Adjmi and a play written by Academy-Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network).
The season will begin with a world premiere by Dan Klores, whose first work for the stage - Little Doc - had its world premiere at Rattlestick last summer. Klores' new play, tentatively titled The Wood, directed by David Bar Katz, is about Mike McAlary, the larger than life columnist for the Daily News and the New York Post, and his missionary zeal to ferret out the truth. Performances will begin August 31, with an official opening night set for September 8.
In Academy Award-nominated actor and up-and-coming playwright Jesse Eisenberg's play Asuncion, Edgar and Vinny are not racist. In fact, Edgar maintains a blog condemning American imperialism and Vinny is three-quarters into a PhD in Black Studies. When a young Filipina woman named Asuncion becomes their new roommate, the pair have a perfect opportunity to demonstrate how open minded they truly are. Directed by Kip Fagan, the cast will include Mr. Eisenberg and the production will be presented off-site at The Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce Street) with performances beginning on October 12. Opening Night is set for October 27.
Horsedreams, by Obie Award-winning actress, poet and playwright Dael Orlandersmith (Beauty's Daughter, Yellowman), explores the breakdown of the family unit as a result of addiction. After his wife, Desiree, dies of an accidental overdose, Loman faces the harsh reality of raising their son, Luka, alone. Directed by Gordon Edelstein, performances begin on November 9. Opening night is set for November 17.
Daniel Talbott's (Slipping, LAMBDA Literary Award nominee) Yosemite tells the story of three siblings who are sent out into the snow-silent woods in the Sierra Nevada foothills to dig a hole that will be deep enough to bury a family secret. As they dig, they search for a way to escape or be rescued from their lives as the snow continues to fall and the world sinks in around them. Performances will begin on January 18, 2012, with opening night set for January 26. Pedro Pascal directs.
Massacre (Sing to the Children) by Obie-Award winner and Academy Award-nominee José Rivera, is set to begin performances on April 3 with opening night set for April 12. In a small New Hampshire town, seven friends conspire to murder their mysterious neighbor Joe. On the night of the killing, as they confront the many meanings of their crime and finally relax and laugh and love again...there's a knock on their door. Brian Mertes directs.
The season will conclude with David Adjmi's 3C, directed by Jackson Gay. The war in Vietnam is over and Brad, an ex-serviceman, lands in L.A. to start a new life. When he winds up trashed in Connie and Linda's kitchen after a wild night of partying, the three strike a deal for an arrangement that has hilarious and devastating consequences for everyone. Or are they non-consequences? Inspired by 1970s sitcoms, 1950s existentialist comedy, Chekhov and disco anthems, 3C is a terrifying, yet amusing, look at a culture that likes to amuse itself, even as it teeters on the brink of ruin. Performances begin on June 6, 2012 with opening night set for June 14. The production is being presented in association with Piece by Piece Productions and Rising Phoenix Repertory.
Each play will have the following performance schedule: Monday at 8pm, Wednesday - Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm. Memberships are available by calling TicketCentral at (212) 279-4200 or online at www.ticketcentral.com. To learn about the many benefits of membership, as well as how to purchase individual tickets, please call the theatre at 212-627-2556. Rattlestick Playwrights Theater is located at 224 Waverly Place (off Seventh Avenue South - between West 11th & Perry Streets).
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater is a multi-award-winning company which has produced over forty-eight world premieres in the past sixteen seasons and was the recipient of the 2007 Ross Wetzsteon Memorial OBIE Award for its work developing new and innovative work. Rattlestick's Advisory Board participates in The Emerging Playwrights Project, which matches a new playwright with an established artist for an experienced eye and creative support. Playwright and artist mentors have included Edward Albee, Jon Robin Baitz, Zoe Caldwell, Arthur Kopit, Craig Lucas, Joe Mantello, Terrence McNally and Marsha Norman. Previous plays include Two Boys in a Bed, Message to Michael, Carpool, Volunteer Man, A Trip to the Beach, Ascendancy, Stuck, Vick's Boy, The Messenger, Saved or Destroyed, Neil's Garden, My Special Friend, Faster, Bliss, St. Crispin's Day, Where We're Born, Five Flights, Boise, Finer Noble Gases, God Hates The Irish: The Ballad of Armless Johnny, Miss Julie, Acts of Mercy: passion-play, Cagelove, It Goes Without Saying, Dark Matters, Stay, American Sligo, Rag and Bone, War, Geometry of Fire, That Pretty Pretty; or The Rape Play, The Amish Project, Killers and Other Family, Post No Bills, Blind, Little Doc, underneathmybed, There Are No More Big Secrets, Adam Rapp's The Hallway Trilogy, the Off-Broadway GLAAD Award-nominated hit The Last Sunday in June, Craig Wright's The Pavilion (Drama Desk nominee - Outstanding Play of 2005) and Lady (Drama Desk nominee - Outstanding Play of 2008), as well as The Aliens by Annie Baker (2010 Obie Award winner for Best New American Play).
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