Reed Birney, Susan Kelechi Watson and More Set for CORE VALUES at Ars Nova

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director) proudly presents the world premiere of Steven Levenson's new play Core Values, directed by Carolyn Cantor. A limited Off-Broadway engagement plays Tuesday, April 23 through Saturday, May 18 at Ars Nova (511 West 54th Street). Official Opening Night takes place Monday, May 6 at 7:00 PM.

With the world around him changing at a dizzying pace, the owner of a small travel agency clings to the values he holds most dear: teamwork, loyalty and the incalculable importance of a good trust fall. It takes a weekend staff retreat for him to realize his team-building exercises won't put off the realities of a rapidly evolving marketplace. Core Values is a play about where Americans live: work.

Ars Nova awarded Steven Levenson a commission to write this play during his tenure as the company's 2010 Artist-in-Residence, and has developed the play through its Play Group, Out Loud and Next Step programs.

Core Values features Reed Birney (Broadway: Picnic; Off-B'way: Tigers Be Still), Paul Thureen (Uncle Vanya at Soho Rep, The Debate Society's Blood Play), Susan Kelechi Watson (A Naked Girl on The Appian Way; Television: "Louie") and Erin Wilhelmi (The Great God Pan; Film: The Perks of Being a Wallflower). This production includes Scenic Design by Lauren Helpern, Costume Design by Emily Rebholz, Lighting Design by Traci Klainer Polimeni and Sound Design by M.L. Dogg.

Steven Levenson's plays include The Language of Trees (Roundabout Underground), Seven Minutes in Heaven (Ars Nova's ANT Fest, HERE Arts Center; Emerging America Festival/Huntington Theater Company), Almost Stuck and Girls Day. His play The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin will have its world premiere at Roundabout's Laura Pels Theatre in June 2013. A graduate oF Brown University and the 2010 Artist-in-Residence at Ars Nova, he has received new play commissions from Roundabout, Lincoln Center, MCC and Ars Nova. Current projects include the book for an original musical with Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and writing for the CBS drama "Vegas."

Carolyn Cantor's Off-Broadway credits include The Great God Pan, After the Revolution (Callaway Award) and Essential Self Defense (Playwrights Horizons), Regrets and Pumpgirl (MTC), In A Dark Dark House (MCC), The Talls (Second Stage), Something You Did (Primary Stages), Orange Flower Water, Now That's What I Call A Storm, Living Room in Africa and Stone Cold Dead Serious (Edge Theater). Regional: The Violet Hour (Old Globe), Rabbit Hole (Geffen, Garland Award), The Diary of Anne Frank (Papermill), After the Revolution, Not Waving and King Stag (Williamstown), Vera Laughed and Get What You Need (NYS&F). She has received the Kanin-Seldes Theatre Hall of Fame Fellowship, the Sagal and Foeller Fellowships from Williamstown, a Drama League Directing Fellowship and an Obie Grant for Edge Theater where she was the Founding Artistic Director. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College.