2013 Brits Off Broadway Festival Announced

The critically acclaimed Brits Off Broadway festival, host to the UK's most innovative and provocative theater in New York City, returns for its ninth season of New York premieres of new British theater. Presented by 59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer), Brits Off Broadway launches on Wednesday, March 27 and runs through Sunday, June 30. The single ticket prices range from $25 - $70 ($17.50 - $49 for 59E59 Members). Tickets to Brits Off Broadway are available by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or online at www.59e59.org. For more information on Brits Off Broadway, visit www.59E59.org or www.britsoffbroadway.com.

Now in its 9th smash season, 2013 Brits Off Broadway features a spectacular line-up of New York premieres coming direct from the UK (including a forgotten J.B. Priestley play).

Brits Off Broadway begins by kicking off the Scotland Week celebrations with the NY premieres of two critically acclaimed plays from two of Scotland's most prestigious theaters. David Harrower (last season's critically acclaimed A Slow Air) returns to 59E59 Theaters with his haunting play GOOD WITH PEOPLE. George Perrin, who had a major success at 59E59 with Edmund White's Terre Haute, directs. The two-hander stars AnDrew Scott-Ramsay (from David Greig's 2008 Brits Off Broadway hit Yellow Moon) and Blythe Duff (last seen in New York in Beautiful Burnout at St. Ann's Warehouse). This US premiere comes to NY from Scotland's celebrated Traverse Theatre as part of their 50th anniversary celebration.

Also celebrating Scotland Week at 59E59 Theaters is performer and magician Rob Drummond, who makes his US premiere with the heart-stopping BULLET CATCH, from The Arches in Glasgow.

After 75 years, a forgotten J.B. Priestley play arrives in NY with the critically acclaimed Finborough Theatre production of CORNELIUS. Directed by Sam Yates and starring Alan Cox as the titular character, CORNELIUS was called "Piercingly relevant, compassionate and delivered, like Cornelius's bons mots, with great style" by the Times.

The seductive, flame-haired mezzo Jessica Walker brings her provocative celebration of the great cross-dressing women of British theater in THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME. The renowned abstract artist Roger Hilton's life is examined in BOTALLACK O'CLOCK. The birthplace of the Titanic holds just as much drama as the notorious boat itself in THE BOAT FACTORY. Finally, Brits Off Broadway wraps up with a hilarious ode to romance with DIRTY GREAT LOVE STORY. The 2013 Brits Off Broadway line up is the one of the best British Invasions ever!

The full 2013 Brits Off Broadway lineup:

Wednesday, March 27 - Sunday, April 21
GOOD WITH PEOPLE, written by David Harrower, directed by George Perrin
With Blythe Duff and AnDrew Scott-Ramsay
Produced by the Traverse Theatre Company and Datum Point in association with Paines Plough
This haunting two-hander from one of Scotland's greatest writers, starring Blythe Duff (Beautiful Burnout) and AnDrew Scott-Ramsay (Yellow Moon at Brits 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 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?

Saturday, April 6 - Sunday, April 21
BULLET CATCH, written and performed by Rob Drummond, directed by David Overend
Produced by The Arches
The sold out, smash hit of the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe celebrates Scotland Week with its US premiere at Brits Off Broadway. The high risk BULLET CATCH has claimed many lives since its conception in 1613. Performer (and magician) Rob Drummond plays modern-day marvel William Wonder in this gripping, edge-of-your-seat theater featuring magic, mind reading, levitation and the most notorious finale in show business.

Tuesday, April 30 - Sunday, May 19
THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME, written by Neil Bartlett and Jessica Walker, directed by Neil Bartlett
With Jessica Walker and Joe Atkins on piano
Produced by Jess Walker Music Theatre
This tribute to the artistry and glamour of the often-outrageous cross-dressing women of the British music hall and American variety stages, taking a provocatively contemporary look at what it means when a woman wears the trousers on stage.

Tuesday, May 21 - Sunday, June 9
BOTALLACK O'CLOCK, written and directed by Eddie Elks
With Danny Frost and Rhys King
Produced by Third Man Theatre
A black comedy based on the life and death of the artist Roger Hilton CBE, a pioneer of abstract art in post-war Britain. This funny but startling portrait was called "the best kind of buried treasure" in Time Out London's five-star review when it premiered at the 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Tuesday, June 4 - Sunday, June 30
CORNELIUS, by J.B. Priestley, directed by Sam Yates
With Emily Barber, Alex Bartram, Robin Browne, Pandora Colin, Alan Cox, David Ellis, Andrew Fallaize, Col Farrell, Beverley Klein, Jamie Newall, Xanthe Patterson, and Simon Rhodes
Produced by Jagged Fence, Handsome Dog and 31 Productions
As bankruptcy looms, the ever-optimistic Jim Cornelius, partner at import firm Briggs and Murrison, is fighting to keep his creditors happy and his spirits up. Tensions rise with the arrival of Judy, the beautiful, young typist who shows Cornelius the life he could have led. A forgotten masterpiece by one of Britain's greatest dramatists.

Tuesday, June 4 - Sunday, June 30
THE BOAT FACTORY written by Dan Gordon and directed by Philip Crawford
With Dan Gordon and Michael Condron
Produced by Happenstance Theatre Company
A host of colorful characters from the glory days of Belfast's shipbuilding era construct a poignant, funny, and moving picture of boat-building, male friendship, hardship, humor and heroism.

Tuesday, June 11 - Sunday, June 30
DIRTY GREAT LOVE STORY, written and rhymed by Richard Marsh and Katie Bonna, directed by Pia Furtado
With Richard Marsh and Katie Bonna
Produced by Polly Ingham Productions and TIM JOhanson Productions in association with the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds
An achingly funny story of two hopeful, hapless romantics who get drunk, get it on, and then get the hell away from each other. In her eyes, he's a mistake. A mistake who keeps turning up at parties. In his eyes, she's perfect. He's short-sighted. But can they make a one night stand last a lifetime? This hilarious and charming mash up of theater and spoken word was called "bliss" by The Independent when it premiered at the Pleasance Theatre at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.