Leynse is A.D. of Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival

Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director of New York's award-winning Primary Stages, has been named the new artistic director of the upcoming Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival (a position he serves concurrently with his Primary Stages duties), it was announced by Perry­-Mansfield executive director June Lindenmayer.  Leynse assumes the reins as head of the 2007 summer season of music, dance and theater at the venerable performing arts camp and school in Steamboat Springs, CO.  The 2007 New Works Festival is scheduled from June 6 - 17, with public presentations June 15-17.

The Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival brings performing arts professionals together in the Rocky Mountains to develop new pieces of drama, musical theater and dance, and to mentor new talent in each medium.  Presented in artistic partnership with the Off-Broadway's Primary Stages and with sponsorship from the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, the New Works Festival continues Perry-Mansfield's founding principle of nurturing new talent with  new  work.  Past Festival works have included The Hudsucker Proxy by Stephen Weiner & Glenn Slater, A Place at Forest Lawn by Luke Yankee and James Bontempo, The Blue Flower by Jim Bauer & Ruth Bauer, Spiced Vodka by Rinne Groff, The Receptionist by Adam Bock, and Fools for Broadway by Joe Patrick Ward and Kenny Finkle, to name a few.  Perry-Mansfield is the nation¹s oldest performing arts camp. 

Established in 1913, Charlotte Perry and Portia Mansfield fulfilled their dream of creating a theatre and dance camp in the mountains.  The legendary institution welcomes students from all over the world each summer to receive first class instruction in theater, music and dance, as well as professional playwrights, choreographers, actors and dancers to convene for the annual festival of new works, all set against the glorious summer backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.

Distinguished Perry­Mansfield alumni, faculty and guest artists through the years have included Robert Battle, John Cage, Martha Clarke, Merce Cunningham, Julie Harris, Dustin Hoffman, Hanya Holm, Agnes de Mille, Lee Remick, Peter Schneider, Stephen Schwartz, and Frances Sternhagen, among many others.

Leynse is in his fifth season at Primary Stages as Artistic Director. He has produced, managed, and directed in the New York theater community for over nineteen years.  He began his career at Primary Stages after graduating from Carnegie Mellon's Directing Program. At Castle Hill Productions, he produced over twenty productions including Fortune's Fool, Madame Melville, and The Unexpected Man. Upon returning to Primary Stages as Artistic Director, he oversaw the move to their new home at 59E59 Theaters, and has produced over 20 plays.  For Perry Mansfield's New Works Festival, he directed Spiced Vodka by Rinne Groff and The Receptionist by Adam Bock, and returns this summer to direct Dan O'Brien's The Cherry Sisters.

The complete schedule of the 2007 Perry-Mansfield New Works Festival will be announced shortly.

Visit www.primarystages.com for more information.