LAByrinth Theater Company Announces Fall Lineup

LAByrinth Theater Company (John Ortiz, Artistic Director; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Co-Artistic Director; John Gould Rubin, Co-Artistic & Executive Director) has announced the complete lineup for its two annual festivals of free staged readings, the Barn Series (October 23 – November 15, 2008) and Live Nude Plays (November 16 – 19, 2008), as well as its next workshop production, Philip Roth in Khartoum (December 4 – 21, 2008), launching the second season of Public LAB.

LAByrinth Theater Company began its 17th Season in July, when its members work-shopped thirty seven new plays during the two-week Summer Intensive, at Bennington College in Vermont. LAB Company Members and invited guests attend this annual retreat to explore new ideas with total freedom in a supportive environment.

Twelve of these plays are now being presented to the public as staged readings, in LAByrinth's ninth annual Barn Series festival. Four more plays comprise the alternative Live Nude Plays festival, now in its third year. A full schedule for both festivals follows.

Staged readings represent the second step in LAB's play development process, allowing artists to assess how audiences connect with their work, and letting them shape and refine the text in preparation for production. Both festivals allow audiences to see exciting new work, to engage in LAB's development process by giving feedback to the artists, and to catch an early glimpse of future productions.

In December, LAByrinth will present Philip Roth in Khartoum, a new play by David Bar Katz with direction by John Gould Rubin. This play was developed at LAB's Summer Intensive 2007, and presented in last year's Barn Series; now, it will have a fully-staged development production.  LAB Company Member Eric Bogosian describes Mr. Katz as "An important, incisive, scary, funny playwright. Always full of surprises."

Philip Roth in Khartoum will launch the second season of Public LAB-an adventurous series presenting vital new plays in bare-bones productions, conceived and presented in association with The Public Theater.  

Performances of Philip Roth in Khartoum begin December 4, 2008 for a limited run through December 21, 2008 at The Public Theater.  All tickets cost $10, and will go on sale in November. Casting will be announced shortly.

All readings are FREE and open to the public, and take place at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street). Reservations are not necessary and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis each night. Patrons should arrive at the theater 1/2 hour before the performance they would like to attend.

LAByrinth Theater Company was founded in 1992 by a group of actors who wanted to push their artistic limits, hone their craft, and create new plays that truly reflected their heritage and experience.  Today, LAByrinth is comprised of more than 110 established and emerging theater artists from a wide array of cultural perspectives.  The inclusive, multicultural ensemble encourages all members to write, act, direct, and design, and supports multidisciplinary growth and exploration in the creation of daring new work that celebrates the diversity of its New York City home.

The 2008-09 Season marks LAByrinth Theater Company's sixth season in residence at The Public Theater.  LAB and the Sydney Theatre Company are Associate Companies of Trafalgar Studios in London (Ambassador Theatre Group), who aim to produce and exchange work on a regular basis, and to give LAB's writers and actors a stage in London.

Now in its seventeenth season, LAByrinth has developed over 300 new plays and staged 51 productions, including The Little Flower of East Orange and UNCONDITIONAL (2008), A View from 151st Street and Jack Goes Boating (2007), A Small, Melodramatic Story and School of The Americas (2006), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (2005), Sailor's Song and Guinea Pig Solo (2004), Dutch Heart of Man and Dirty Story (2003), Our Lady of 121st Street (2002), Where's My Money? (2001), Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train (2000), and In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings (1999).

For the complete schedule and roster and for more information about LAByrinth at LABtheater.org.

Photo Credit Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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