Nancy Anderson, Arnie Burton, Robert Cuccioli, Mara Davi and More to Star in A MAN'S WORLD for Project Shaw

Gingold Theatrical Group continues its 12th Season of PROJECT SHAW when it presents its 125th concert presentation, a rare staging of A Man's World by Rachel Crothers.

Jenn Thompson directs a cast that includes Nancy Anderson (Sunset Blvd), Arnie Burton (The Government Inspector), Robert Cuccioli (Jekyll & Hyde), Mara Davi (Dames at Sea), Finn Douglas ("House of Cards"), Ariel Estrada (Far East), BranDon Jones ("Pretty Little Liars"), Talene Monahan (The Government Inspector), for one night only, Monday, September 18th at 7pm, at Symphony Space's Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre (2537 Broadway at 95th Street).

A Man's World. Or is it? Rachel Crothers wrote this wonderfully provocative play about aspiring Greenwich Village artists. Frank is emerging as a novelist of some renown while raising a small son on her own. She's determined to live life on her own terms, refusing to allow men to impose societal expectations on her personal choices. But what is the price he must pay for independence? It may be "a man's world" but not for long!

"A Man's World is the logical next step in our theme for the year. This charming and powerfully entertaining play from 1910 dives into the inequalities we all face and the double standards in judging male/female behavior that seem never to go away. As we continue to explore the work of playwrights sharing the vital humanitarian precepts so championed by Shaw, we're thrilled to be presenting work by Rachel Crothers, a pioneer writer in the world of exploring women's rights on the stage." said Mr. Staller.

Rachel Crothers (1878-1958) was among America's most successful and produced playwrights during the first three decades of the twentieth century. Nearly 30 of her plays opened on Broadway between 1906 and 1937. "Although it rare now to find anyone who has heard of her," wrote The New York Times in 1980, "Miss Crothers at the apex of her career was a symbol of success in the commercial theater." Crothers' first Broadway success was with the melodrama The Three of Us in 1906. While more sensational than her later work, The Three of Us hinted at Crothers' interest in strong women characters and social concerns. Her best work would recast the European "problem play" in a distinctly American idiom, with richly drawn characters and sparkling dialogue. A Man's World (1910), heralded by one New York critic as the "first great American play," followed a young woman's struggle to establish an artistic career while raising an adopted son. Nice People (1921) examined the flapper phenomenon through the eyes of three young women and provided Katharine Cornell and Tallulah Bankhead with their first important roles. In Susan and God (1937), a socialite discovers the difference between public façade and personal faith while reconciling with her husband and daughter. Crothers directed her own work. Her consistently high standards helped professionalize the role of director in American theater. She was also a dedicated philanthropist. She helped found many important charities, including the American Theater Wing for War Relief, which evolved into today's American Theater Wing. By the late 1940s, Crothers' comedies fell out of fashion. She continued writing, but she did not produce any new plays, preferring to focus on her charity work. She died in her sleep on July 5, 1958. The Times wrote in her obituary "She was as skillful as she was prolific. Miss Crothers mixed an enormous amount of common sense with smooth craftsmanship and a rare knowledge of and faith in human nature."

Jenn Thompson's Off-Broadway credits including Mint Theater's Women Without Men(Drama Desk, Lortel, Off-Broadway Alliance Award nominations); Abundance (Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Revival), and Lost In Yonkers (Drama Desk nomination) for TACT/The Actors Company Theatre, where she served as Artistic Director for 5 seasons. Regional credits include Goodspeed Opera House, Hartford Stage, St. Louis Rep, City Theatre, Barrington Stage, Pioneer, Portland Stage, TheaterWorks Hartford, Dorset Theatre Festival, River Rep. A finalist for the SDC's Joe A. Callaway Award for excellence in directing, Jenn is married to actor Stephen Kunken and lives in Brooklyn with their daughter, Naomi.

Tickets are $35 and are available by calling (212) 864-5400 or online at www.symphonyspace.org. Special reserved VIP seating available for $50 by contacting the Gingold office 212-355-7823 or info@gingoldgroup.org.

Now celebrating its 12th year, Gingold Theatrical Group's Project Shaw made history in December 2009 as the first company ever to present performances of every one of Shaw's 65 plays (including full-length works, one-acts and sketches). They are now also including plays by writers who most inspired Shaw to begin his playwriting career, including work by Chekhov, Ibsen, Wilde, Barrie, and Harley Granville-Barker -- while continuing its new play development and educational programs.

For those interested in lively off-site discourses, each Project Shaw event is followed by a talk-back with cast members. GTG's David Staller is also hosting a monthly Shaw Club discussion group. They meet the Wednesday before every Project Shaw event at 520 8th Avenue. For reservations, which are required, call 212-355-7823 or email info@gingoldgroup.org.

The 2017 Project Shaw Season WOMEN TAKE THE STAGE: Celebrating 100 years of Women's Rights in NY will continue with Captain Brassbound's Conversion (October 23), Elizabeth Robins's Votes for Women (November 20), and Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance (December 18).

Symphony Space's Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre space is completely accessible. Symphony Space is located in Manhattan at 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street).