Brandon Victor Dixon, Tina Satter and Michael R. Jackson to Appear at Vineyard Theatre's Open House

Vineyard Theatre Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern have announced that Tina Satter, Michael R. Jackson, and Brandon Victor Dixon will be among the artists to appear onstage at Vineyard Theatre's annual Open House event on Monday, January 13. The Vineyard's Open House is an opportunity for Vineyard supporters to learn more about the theatre through artist panels, rehearsal space tours, and a design exhibition. Panels include a conversation with director Tina Satter (Is This A Room), a discussion and preview of new work by Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop) and Vineyard Theatre Board Member Brandon Victor Dixon ("Rent" on Fox) in dialogue with members of Vineyard Theatre Student Ensemble.

The Vineyard's Open House event is open to all 2019-2020 supporters at the $100 level and above. Donations can be made at vineyardtheatre.org/donate or by contacting Trent Anderson, Director of Development, at tanderson@vineyardtheatre.org or (646) 931-4727.

Tina Satter is a writer and director for theater and film. Founder and Artistic Director of Half Straddle, a critically acclaimed, Obie-winning theater company based in New York City. Since 2008 the company has premiered 10 full-length shows, and a number of shorter works and video projects that have been seen at festivals and theaters throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Asia. In addition to Is This A Room, plays she's written and directed with Half Straddle and toured internationally and nationally include House of Dance, Ghost Rings, Seagull (Thinking of You), and In the Pony Palace/Football, among others. Tina is the recipient of a Foundation for Contemporary Arts and Doris Duke Impact Artist awards. Attended Mac Wellman's graduate playwriting program at Brooklyn College; M.A. from Reed College; B.A. from Bowdoin College. Visiting artist and/or teacher at Princeton, Yale, NYU, Sarah Lawrence, Hunter MFA Playwriting, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, and more. www.halfstraddle.com.

Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop (which had its 2019 world premiere at Playwrights Horizons in co-production with Page 73 Productions) was called "a full-on laparoscopy of the heart, soul, and loins" and a "gutsy, jubilantly anguished musical with infectious melodies" by Ben Brantley for The New York Times, and "exhilarating and wickedly funny" by Sara Holdren for New York Magazine. In The New Yorker, Vinson Cunningham wrote, "To watch this show is to enter, by some urgent, bawdy magic, an ecstatic and infinitely more colorful version of the famous surreal lithograph by M. C. Escher: the hand that lifts from the page, becoming almost real, then draws another hand, which returns the favor." As a songwriter, Jackson has seen his work performed everywhere from Joe's Pub to NAMT. He wrote lyrics and co-wrote book for the musical adaptation of the 2007 horror film "Teeth" with composer and co-bookwriter Anna K. Jacobs. He wrote book, music, and lyrics for the musicals White Girl in Danger as well as for A Strange Loop. Awards and associations include: a New Professional Theatre Festival Award, a Jonathan Larson Grant, a Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award, an ASCAP Foundation Harold Adamson Award, a Whiting Award, the Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting and a Dramatist Guild Fellowship. He has commissions from Grove Entertainment & Barbara Whitman Productions and LCT3. Jackson holds a BFA and MFA in playwriting and Musical Theatre Writing from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts.

Brandon Victor Dixon recently starred as Collins in "Rent" on Fox and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Judas in NBC's live production of "Jesus Christ Superstar." On Broadway, he has appeared in Hamilton, Shuffle Along (Tony nom.), The Color Purple (Tony nom.), Motown The Musical (Grammy nom.), and Kander and Ebb's The Scottsboro Boys (Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and AUDELCO noms.). He played Terry Silver on the STARZ hit drama "Power," and has appeared on "One Life To Live," "Law & Order Criminal Intent," and "The Good Wife."

The Vineyard's 2019-2020 productions include Is This A Room, conceived and directed by Tina Satter, which is receiving an encore engagement now through January 19; the New York premiere of Lucas Hnath's Dana H. directed by Les Waters in a co-production with Goodman Theatre and Center Theatre Group; and the world premiere of Tuvalu or, The Saddest Song, by Antoinette Nwandu, directed by Danya Taymor. All shows will be presented at Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street). Two-show Memberships are now on sale for the remainder of The Vineyard's 2019-2020 season and can be purchased online at www.vineyardtheatre.org or by calling the box office at 212-353-0303.

The theatre's 2020 Gala fundraiser will celebrate Tony Award-winning producer Daryl Roth and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel. The annual benefit Gala will take place on Monday, April 20, 2020, beginning at 6:00 pm at 583 Park Avenue. Tickets can be purchased by emailing gala@vineyardtheatre.org, calling (646) 931-4727, or visiting www.vineyardtheatre.org/gala. Funds raised will benefit The Vineyard's 2019-2020 Season.