Michael Emerson, Jeff Binder and More Set for Industry Reading of THE LEARNING CURVE Today, 10/20

Today, October 20, 2012, NYU will host a closed reading of the new comedy by Ian Mairs' THE LEARNING CURVE starring Michael Emerson (TV: Lost, Person of Interest), Jeff Binder (Broadway: Lieutenant of Inishmore, Lion King, Mary Poppins) and Mason Lee (Hangover 2), directed by Sean Daniels. The reading will be for industry professionals interested in learning more about the play and Mairs' comedy writing.

THE LEARNING CURVE follows the journeys of teachers at all phases of their careers. Meet Mitch who has fled his depressing stint as a management trainee in search of a more meaningful existence and winds up with a dismal assignment: working as a long term substitute teacher to a particularly challenging set of high school students. THE LEARNING CURVE tracks his journey of daily setbacks and the occasional tiny victory as it charts one person's struggle to find his place in the world.

Michael Emerson won an Emmy for his portrayal of Benjamin Linus on LOST on ABC and one for portraying William Hinks on THE PRACTICE. He also plays Harold Finch on CBS’ PERSON OF INTEREST. He appeared on Broadway opposite Kevin Spacey in THE ICEMAN COMETH and opposite Kate Burton in both GIVE ME YOUR ANSWER, DO! and HEDDA GABLER.

Jeff Binder has appeared on Broadway: Disney's MARY POPPINS, THE LION KING, SIDE MAN and THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE. In London: SIDE MAN. In New York: ROMANCE, BIRTH AND AFTER BIRTH, PRINCESS TURNADOT, and regionally in the title role in BOB by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb directed by Sean Daniels at the Humana Festival of New American Plays. On television, he has been featured on the show DAMAGES, LAW & ORDER, and GUIDING LIGHT. He received his MFA from NYU.

Ian Mairs plays include PARTS UNKNOWN (also starring Michael Emerson) , BAY AT THE MOON, OUR DAVID, SHE’S A BIG GIRL, NOW, NOCTURNE AT TWILIGHT, 7-7 have been seen in at New York at the Nat Horne Theater (OOB), the Florida Project and at the Kitchen Theater (Ithaca): in Atlanta at Actors’ Express, 14th Street Playhouse and Seven Stages Backdoor Theater: in Florida at American Stage, (St. Petersburg), The Loft (Tampa), Theater Southeast (Tallahassee), Jacksonville Actors Theater, Oasis Theater Project, Theater Jacksonville and Players-by-the-Sea. Ian received his MFA in dramatic writing from Ohio University.

Sean Daniels is the recently appointed Artist-At-Large/Director of Artistic Engagement for Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, NY, after spending 4 years at the Tony Award winning Actors Theatre of Louisville as the theater’s Associate Artistic Director (directing a record 17 productions in 4 years, including 5 in the Humana Festival of New American Plays). He has directed all across the country including the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and Dad’s Garage in Atlanta Ga. (which he co-founded).