Bobby Cannavale, Ethan Hawke, Wallace Shawn & More to Reunite in The New Group's HURLYBURLY Benefit Reading Next Month

The New Group announces a one-night-only benefit reading of David Rabe's Hurlyburly, reuniting director Scott Elliott and original cast members from the company's critically-acclaimed 2005 hit revival: Bobby Cannavale, Josh Hamilton, Ethan Hawke, Parker Posey and Wallace Shawn, with additional casting to be announced. This special event within The New Group's current 20th Anniversary Season takes place Sunday, April 26 at The New Group at The Pershing Square Signature Center (The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, 480 West 42nd Street).

Tickets: $75 general reserved seating for reading only; $250 premium seating & exclusive post-reading reception with the cast & creative team. $50 tickets are available to audience members 30 years of age and under (1 ticket per audience member under 30 and under; reading only; valid ID required upon pick-up). For tickets to the Hurlyburly benefit reading, contact: 212-244-3380 x308 or Events@TheNewGroup.org.

David Rabe's Hurlyburly depicts the addled lives of four Los Angeles men caught in love-hate relationships with Hollywood women, in a brutally comic reflection on the decade of decadence in the cocaine-and-sex infused Hollywood Hills in the mid-1980s. The New Group's hit production, which opened January 27, 2005, marked the first New York revival of Hurlyburly since its celebrated Broadway run in 1984, when the production began Off-Broadway, then ran for a year on Broadway garnering four Tony nominations. The New Group production enjoyed a sold-out extended run at Theatre Row as part of the company's 2004-2005 Season, and a commercial transfer limited Off-Broadway engagement in spring 2005.

Directed by Scott Elliott, The New Group production of Hurlyburly featured Bobby Cannavale (Phil), Josh Hamilton (Mickey), Ethan Hawke (Eddie), Catherine Kellner (Bonnie), Parker Posey (Darlene), Wallace Shawn (Artie) and Halley Wegryn Gross (Donna). In The New York Times, Ben Brantley called it "a smashing revival" with characters "drawn, by performers and playwright, with such fine-grained artistry and accuracy that they are compulsively watchable." Among its many accolades, the production received five Lucille Lortel Award nominations (winner: Outstanding Featured Actress - Parker Posey) and four Drama Desk Award nominations, including Outstanding Revival.

The New Group opened its 2014-2015 Season with David Rabe's Sticks and Bones, a Critics' Pick by The New York Times and Time Out New York, directed by Scott Elliott and featuring Richard Chamberlain, Nadia Gan, Holly Hunter, Morocco Omari, Bill Pullman, Ben Schnetzer and Raviv Ullman, and followed with the hit production of Joel Drake Johnson's Rasheeda Speaking, directed by Cynthia Nixon and featuring Patricia Conolly, Darren Goldstein, Tonya Pinkins and Dianne Wiest. Up next at The New Group: Scott Elliott directs the world premiere of The Spoils, a new play written by and featuring Jesse Eisenberg, with Erin Darke, Kunal Nayyar, Annapurna Sriram and Michael Zegen. A limited Off-Broadway engagement presented in association with Lisa Matlin is slated May 5 - June 28, with Opening Night on June 2. The New Group productions take place at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street).

The New Group, led by founding Artistic Director Scott Elliott and Executive Director Adam Bernstein, is an award-winning, artist-driven company with a commitment to developing and producing powerful, contemporary theater. Founded in 1995, The New Group was born of Artistic Director Scott Elliott's desire to develop a place for artists to experiment, take risks and learn from each other without the pressures of commercial theater. Notable productions at The New Group include Ecstasy, This is Our Youth, Aunt Dan and Lemon, Hurlyburly, Abigail's Party, Rafta, Rafta..., The Starry Messenger, A Lie of the Mind, Blood From a Stone, Marie and Bruce, and many more. The company has received over 90 awards and nominations for excellence. The New Group is a recipient of the 2004 Tony® Award for Best Musical (Avenue Q). In 2011, The Kid received five Drama Desk nominations and the Outer Critics Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical. That year, The New Group and Scott Elliott were honored with a Drama Desk Special Award "for presenting contemporary new voices, and for uncompromisingly raw and powerful productions." The company's 2013-2014 season included the New York premiere of Beth Henley's The Jacksonian, directed by Robert Falls, featuring Ed Harris, Glenne Headly, Amy Madigan, Bill Pullman and Juliet Brett; the world premiere of Thomas Bradshaw's Intimacy, directed by Scott Elliott; and the New York premiere of Sharr White's Annapurna, directed by Bart DeLorenzo, starring Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. The New Group is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) cultural arts organization.

The Pershing Square Signature Center, the permanent home of Signature Theatre, is a three-theatre facility on West 42nd Street designed by Frank Gehry Architects to host Signature's three distinct playwrights' residencies and foster a cultural community. The Center is a major contribution to New York City's cultural landscape and provides a venue for cultural organizations that supports and encourages collaboration among artists throughout the space. In addition to its three intimate theatres, the Center features a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, a bookstore, and Signature Café and Bar, open to public from noon-midnightTuesdays-Sundays. For more information on renting the Center, visit www.signaturetheatre.org/rentals.

Tickets to the one-night-only benefit reading of Hurlyburly are extremely limited. Tickets: $75 general reserved seating (fully tax deductible); $250 premium seating & exclusive post-reading reception with the cast & creative team. $50 tickets are available to audience members under 30 years of age (1 ticket per audience member 30 and under; reading only; valid ID required upon pick-up). For tickets to the benefit reading, please contact: 212-244-3380 x308or Events@TheNewGroup.org.

A one-of-a-kind opportunity to take part in this unique event is available via an auction to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of The New Group. On April 26, the winner will share the stage with Bobby Cannavale, Josh Hamilton, Ethan Hawke, Parker Posey and Wallace Shawn, to read the Stage Directions, following an exclusive meet up with the cast and director Scott Elliott. After taking a bow alongside the cast, the auction winner will have the opportunity to join them at the post-show VIP reception, for photos & celebration. Winner receives 2 VIP companion tickets as well, to the reading & reception with the artists. Additionally, winner receives copy of the script signed by the cast and playwright David Rabe, and a signed poster from The New Group's acclaimed 2005 production. A portion of this donation to The New Group is tax-deductible; bidding starts at $3,000; bidding closes April 24. For more information and to bid, contact Development Director Jamie Lehrer at jamie@thenewgroup.org or 212-244-3380 ext. 308.

Tickets for The Spoils may be arranged at www.thenewgroup.org, or by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200, or in person at 416 West 42nd Street (12-8pmdaily). Regular tickets are $77.00. Premium tickets are $97.00. Performance schedule as follows: Tuesday - Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 2:00pm & 8:00pm and Sunday at 2:00pm. Wednesday matinees at 2:00pm on June 10 and June 24. Sunday evening performances at 7:30pm on June 7 and June 21.