Two Plays by McNally and Durang will Make World Premieres at the Philadelphia Theatre Company
By: BWW News Desk May. 23, 2005
The not-for-profit company will premiere McNally's Some Men in a production to be directed by Philip Himberg. A gay history play with music, Some Men is "poignant and funny play that chronicles the lives of eight men and two women, all guests of a contemporary same-sex wedding, set against the backdrop of landmark events in gay history and the changing spectrum of popular American music," according to PTC. The play was workshopped in fall of 2004 for Sundance Institute Theatre Laboratory at White Oak in Yulee, FL. It will run from May 12th to June 11th.
Some Men will be the fifth McNally play to be staged by the Philadelphia Theatre Company--previous ones include the world premiere of Master Class, and the Philadelphia premieres of Love! Valour! Compassion!, Lips Together, Teeth Apart and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune.
Meanwhile, Durang (Beyond Therapy, The Marriage of Bette and Boo) will be represented with the company's production of the musical comedy Adrift in Macao; Durang provides the book and lyrics to Peter Melnick's music. Directed by Sheryl Kaller, the musical farcically "spins the tale of five quirky characters stranded in a Casablanca-like locale in the Orient." Adrift in Macao played Vassar College's Powerhouse Theatre as part of New York Stage & Film's 2002 summer season, and is expected to transfer to New York after running at the PTC from October 19th to November 20th.
A Philadelphia premiere that will run from February 3rd to March 5th has yet to be announced for the second slot of the season. However, Tim Vasen will direct the Philadelphia premiere of Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel from March 17th to April 16th of 2006, and Josh Kornbluth's Ben Franklin Unplugged will also run from January 10-21st. Directed by David Dower, the show "is a hilarious tour-de-force by West Coast monologist Josh Kornbluth that takes him on a wild journey to uncover the mystery of the relationship between Franklin and his son;" it will premiere in honor of Franklin's 300th birthday.
A festival of student-written plays will also be staged from December 2nd-10th of 2005 in collaboration with the Philadelphia Young Playwrights.
Call (215) 985-0420 or (866) 985-0420, or visit www.phillytheatreco.com for more information on the Philadelphia Theatre Company.
Videos