Mary Louise Parker, David Morse and More Set for Vineyard Theatre's Reunion Readings

The Vineyard Theatre (108 E. 15 St.) -- currently celebrating its 30^th anniversary season -- will present one-night-only "reunion" readings this summer with the entire original casts of two of the most acclaimed productions in the company's history: on Monday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m., Linda Emond, Cotter Smith, Tim Hopper and Robert Emmet Lunney will perform Craig Lucas' play THE DYING GAUL; and on Monday, July 1 at 8:00 p.m., Mary Louise Parker, David Morse and company will reunite for Paula Vogel's Pulitzer Prize winning play HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE.

Both readings will be staged by the productions' original director, Mark Brokaw.

Tickets for each event are priced at $75 (which includes a pre-show toast in The Vineyard lobby) and are on sale May 6. Tickets are available by calling The Vineyard box office at 212-353-0303, or online at www.vineyardtheatre.org. Proceeds from both readings benefit The Vineyard's productions and programs.

The cast of Craig Lucas' THE DYING GAUL -- Linda Emond, Tim Hopper, Cotter Smith and Robert Emmet Lunney -- will reunite for the first time since the play, directed by Mark Brokaw, debuted at the Vineyard in 1998. When THE DYING GAUL opened at The Vineyard,The New York Times called it "deeply provocative," USA Today called it "one of the best plays of the year," and the Wall Street Journalproclaimed it "the best American Play of the year." THE DYING GAUL was later made into a critically acclaimed film.

-THE DYING GAUL by Craig Lucas, will be performed on Monday, June 24, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.

Also reuniting for the first time since its celebrated, award-winning premiere at The Vineyard in 1997 will be the original company of Paula Vogel's HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE -- Mary-Louise Parker as "L'il Bit," David Morse as "Uncle Peck," JohAnna Day, Kerry O'Malley and Michael Showalter. Directed by Mr. Brokaw, The Vineyard production of HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE transferred to a successful commercial run Off-Broadway, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, OBIE, Drama Desk, Outer Critics, Lucille Lortel, and NY Drama Critics Awards for Best Play. The New York Times called DRIVE "a heartbreaking and wonderful new play . . . that startles at every turn. The play is angry and compassionate, light-handed and devastating." The Village Voice raved that it was "Stunning...an extraordinary play. One of the most gripping stories told on the stage in years."

- HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE by Paula Vogel, will be performed on Monday, July 1, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.

Vineyard Theatre, one of the nation's leading non-profit theatre companies, is thrilled to be celebrating its 30th anniversary. Dedicated to developing and producing bold new plays and musicals, the company has consistently developed and premiered provocative, groundbreaking works, including Kander, Ebb and Thompson's THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS; Marx, Lopez and Whitty's AVENUE Q, Bell and Bowen's [TITLE OF SHOW]; Paula Vogel's HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE (1998 Pulitzer Prize), Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN (1994 Pulitzer Prize); Tarrell Alvin McCrainey's WIG OUT!; Will Eno's MIDDLETOWN; and new works by Julia Cho, Adam Rapp, Christopher Shinn, Gina Gionfriddo, Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy, and many more. The Vineyard's productions have been honored with two Pulitzer Prizes, three Tony Awards, and numerous Drama Desk, OBIES, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards.

Vineyard Theatre's newest production SOMEWHERE FUN by Jenny Schwartz, directed by Anne Kauffman and starring Kate Mulgrew and Kathleen Chalfant, begins previews May 15 prior to an official opening night on June 4.

The Vineyard's leadership includes Douglas Aibel, Artistic Director; Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell, Executive Producer; Sarah Stern, Co-Artistic Director, and Michael Page, General Manager.