New Group's "Conversation and Readings" To be Hosted by Ethan Hawke

Tied to its revival of Sam Shepard's A Lie of the Mind, currently in previews, Dark Nights at The New Group proudly presents "Shepard and Music: A Conversation and Readings hosted by Ethan Hawke." This ONE NIGHT ONLY event takes place Sunday, February 7 at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $20 and may be arranged through Ticket Central at www.ticketcentral.com or (212) 279-4200. This event is free to New Group subscribers.

Ethan Hawke, director of The New Group production of A Lie of the Mind, hosts readings of excerpts from Sam Shepard's plays and discusses the use of music with his work. Selected texts will be performed by Peter Dinklage, Halley Wegryn Gross, Marin Ireland and Martha Plimpton. Musical accompaniment is by Latham and Shelby Gaines, composers of original music featured in A Lie of the Mind.

Accomplished actor, writer and director Ethan Hawke's directing credits include: Jonathan Marc Sherman's Things We Want at The New Group (2007-08 season), Lisa Loeb's "Stay" music video (1994), and the films Straight to One (1994), Chelsea Walls (2001) and The Hottest State (2006). In 1992, Hawke co-founded Malaparte Theatre Company (nonprofit theater company in NYC), where he is Artistic Director.

The current production of A Lie of the Mind at The New Group features Keith Carradine,

Josh Hamilton, Marin Ireland, Laurie Metcalf, Alessandro Nivola, Maggie Siff, Frank Whaley and Karen Young. Set Design is by Derek McLane. Costume Design is by Catherine Zuber. Lighting Design is by Jeff Croiter. Sound Design is by Shane Rettig.

Dark Nights at The New Group is a series of cultural conversations and readings designed to create a dialogue between artists and audience. In 90 minutes, it offers an inside look at The New Group's current productions and projects that inspire associated artists.

The New Group (Scott Elliott, Artistic Director; Geoff Rich, Executive Director): The 2009-2010 season began with Kenneth Lonergan's The Starry Messenger featuring Matthew Broderick, which enjoyed an extended run. The 2008-2009 season featured the U.S. premiere of Kevin Elyot's Mouth to Mouth, Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra and the critically acclaimed Groundswell. The company's 2007-2008 season featured the premiere of Jonathan Marc Sherman's Things We Want directed by Ethan Hawke, Mike Leigh's Two Thousand Years and Ayub Khan-Din's Rafta, Rafta.... The 2006-07 season featured Jay Presson Allen's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Wallace Shawn's The Fever and Bernard Weinraub's The Accomplices. Other past productions include David Rabe's Hurlyburly, Mike Leigh's Abigail's Party, Smelling a Rat, Goose-Pimples and Ecstasy, Wallace Shawn's Aunt Dan and Lemon, Kenneth Lonnergan's This is Our Youth, Kevin Elyot's My Night With Reg, and many more. The New Group is a recipient of the 2004 Tony® Award for Best Musical (Avenue Q).
A Lie of the Mind plays January 29 through March 20 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theatre / 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th & 10th Avenues) as follows: Monday @ 8:00 PM, Tuesday @ 7:00 PM, Wednesday - Saturday @ 8:00 PM, with matinees Saturday @ 2:00 PM. Tickets may be arranged through Ticket Central at www.ticketcentral.com or (212) 279-4200, or at the Theatre Row Box Office (12:00-8:00 PM daily). Tickets are $60.00 plus $1.25 restoration fee.

For more information, visit www.thenewgroup.org.

Photo credit: Walter McBride