New Georges Celebrates 20 Years, 3/2

On Friday March 2, 2012, New Georges (Susan Bernfield, Artistic Director; Sarah Cameron Sunde, Deputy Artistic Director; Jaynie Saunders Tiller, Managing Director), the OBIE-winning Off Off Broadway theatre company, will celebrate its 20^th anniversary with a benefit Birthday Bash at 3LD Art & Technology Center, 80 Greenwich Street, Lower Manhattan.  The evening will include cocktails, catered hors d'oeuvres, special performances which include moments from New Georges' first 20 years, and a dance party.

"We're proud of our 20 years producing highly theatrical new plays all over the city, and of serving the community of absolutely innovative artists which has grown up along with us," says Bernfield, who founded the company in 1992.  "We look forward to celebrating New Georges-style, at a party packed with artists and surprises."   Tony Award® nominee Alison Pill, who made her New York stage debut in a New Georges production, says "I walked into this world of powerful courageous women, and it was this safe place to experiment, and I can't think of a better introduction to theatre for a young person (or any person for that matter).  Their commitment to women and theatre should be celebrated every year, but to have made it to 20 is cause for serious champagne."

New Georges is one of New York City's premiere "downtown" theater companies, a home and a playground for some of the most adventurous theater artists (who are women) working today.  New Georges artists and the works created there consistently move forward to impact every corner of the American theater.  New Georges has premiered 36 new plays and presented 11 festivals; hundreds of works-in-progress have passed through New Georges' permanent workspace, The Room, on their way to venues in New York City and beyond.  

Notable productions include: Sylvan Oswald's Nightlands; Heidi Schreck's Creature; Eisa Davis' Angela's Mixtape (The New Yorker's "Best Off-Broadway Shows," 2009); Jenny Schwartz's God's Ear (Time Out New York "Top Ten of 2007," 2008 transfer to the Vineyard Theatre); Wendy Weiner's Hillary: A Modern Greek Tragedy With a (Somewhat) Happy Ending; Susan Bernfield's Stretch (a fantasia); Sheila Callaghan's Dead City (a winner of the 2007 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize); Deb Margolin's Three Seconds in the Key (winner of the 2005 Kesselring Prize); Lisa D'Amour's Anna Bella Eema; Jenny Lyn Bader's None of the Above; Carson Kreitzer'sSelf Defense; Tracey Scott Wilson's Leader of the People; Diana Son's Fishes; and Neena Beber's Tomorrowland. Other artists who worked at New Georges early in their careers include directors Anne Kauffman, Daniella Topol, Rachel Dickstein and Maria Mileaf; and actors Frank Wood, Jessica Hecht, April Matthis, Christina Kirk, Maria Thayer and T.R. Knight, in addition to Ms. Pill.   The L Magazine has named New Georges among its "Best of NYC;" and a study published by TDF, OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE: The Life and Times of the New American Play, lists New Georges as one of the top 10 theaters nationwide playwrights name as a leading producer of their plays.

Event sponsors include ROKK Vodka; Brooklyn Brewery; Empanada Mama; Fizzy Lizzy; and VinoVersity, an educational wine store, featuring glasses of Franschhoek Cellar wines of South Africa.

New Georges' 20^th Birthday Bash begins at 7pm, with the dance party commencing at 9:30p.m.  Ticket prices are as follows: general tickets, $75; "Lots of Love" tickets, $150 (includes admission for a New Georges artist); and $25 in advance/$30 at the door for the dance party only at 9:30p.m.  Tickets may be purchased online atnewgeorges20.charityhappenings.org or by calling 646-336-8077.    More information may be found at www.newgeorges.org.