Pulitzer Prize Winner STATE OF THE UNION Comes to Metropolitan Playhouse

Obie Award winner Metropolitan Playhouse revives Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse's witty and apposite Pulitzer Winner, STATE OF THE UNION. The limited run from February 8 through March 10, 2019, will be at the Playhouse home at 220 E 4th Street.

Grant Matthews could be the Republicans' savior. A Democrat has held the White House four terms running, but this dynamic industrial tycoon has the charisma and populist instincts to woo a broad swathe of the voting public. With the help of his lover, a driven newspaper magnate, the party leaders convince him to take a speaking tour of the country to test the waters. The catch? For appearance's sake, he must take along his wife, Mary. But as the tour goes on, the politicians realize they didn't reckon with either her honesty or his principles, let alone the chance they might still love each other. How can you win a campaign if the candidate insists on saying what he means?

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1946, STATE OF THE UNION is as funny as it is apt in 2019--a tonic and a stinger for our troubled time. The travails of the out of power party are too familiar, even if the party is the "other" one. The roles its characters could play in our political comedy today are surprisingly on the nose, but there are as many striking departures, making for a challenging and laugh-out-loud play of recognition and comeuppance. Says Artistic Director Alex Roe, "For every situation, character, and barb that mirrors today, there is another that turns it around. A reminder that things change, they stay the same, and with a little perspective, and we really can make them better."

Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, or LINDSAY AND CROUSE, collaborated from 1932 to 1967 on such hits as LIFE WITH FATHER (1939) and the books for ANYTHING GOES (1934), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1959), RED HOT AND BLUE (1936), and MR. PRESIDENT (1962). Producing partners, they owned and operated the Hudson Theater in the 1940's.

Lindsay (1889 - 1968) was a director and actor as well. Crouse was briefly an actor before concentrating on writing, and wrote the book for THE GANG'S ALL HERE (1931).
STATE OF THE UNION took the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1946. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn starred in Frank Capra's film version in 1948.

The production is directed by LAURA LIVINGSTON, Artistic Director of Freestyle Repertory Theater whose Metropolitan productions include The Detour (2013), nominated for two NYIT Awards, and The Jazz Singer (2011). The production stars Anna Marie Sell and Kyle Minshew as Mary and Grant Matthews. Cast includes BRENDA CRAWLEY, Thomas Daniels (The Jewish King Lear, Indians), MATTHEW DEALY, MICHAEL DURKIN (A Marriage Contract, The Henrietta, The Jazz Singer), Jamahl Garrison-Lowe (Indians), LINDA KURILOFF (On Strivers Row), DOUG HARTWYCK, JON LONOFF, MILTON LYLES .

Set design is by VINCENT GUNN (Shadow of Heroes), Costumes by NYIT Award winner Sidney Fortner (Shadow of Heroes, The Jewish King Lear, The Climbers, A Marriage Contract), Lighting by Christopher Weston (You and I, A Marriage Contract, Injunction Granted). Stage Manager is HEATHER OLMSTEAD.

State of the Union is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

TICKETS: $30 general admission, $25 students/seniors, and $10 children 18 and under.
www.metropolitanplayhouse.org/tickets, or call 800 838 3006.