Boston Playwrights' Theatre Announces 2019-20 Season

Boston Playwrights' Theatre (BPT) today announces the new plays that will comprise its 38th season. The line-up includes The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarías, The Smuggler by Ronan Noone and Deal Me Out by MJ Halberstadt.

All of this season's plays were written by graduates of Boston University's Playwriting Program.

"We're so excited and proud to bring back three alums with such different points of view," BPT Artistic Director Kate Snodgrass says. "Karen Zacarías (grad. 1995) is one of the most produced playwrights in the country this year, and we think you'll find this Boston premiere funny, poignant, and illuminating. Ronan Noone's (grad. 2001) The Smuggler is already an award-winner, and it brings Noone's long-time collaborator Billy Meleady back our stages. MJ Halberstadt's (grad. 2012) play Deal Me Out, addressing gamers in crisis, is as exciting, diverse, and fresh as they come!"

The season opens in September with The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarías, a comedy centering on the chaos that ensues when a book group becomes the subject of a documentary film. The play will be directed by Shana Gozansky. Playwright Zacarías's plays-including Native Gardens, Destiny of Desire, Just Like Us (adapted from the book by Helen Thorpe), Legacy of Light (Steinberg Award citation), Mariela in the Desert (Francesca Primus Award) and The Sins of Sor Juana (Helen Hayes Award)-have been produced throughout the U.S.

Next, in November, is Ronan Noone's The Smuggler (directed by Judy Braha), a play in rhyme about Irish immigrant Tim Finnegan who learns the price he must pay to become an American. Noone-author of The Lepers of Baile Baiste, The Blowin of Baile Gall and Little Black Dress, which had their first productions at Boston Playwrights' Theatre-won the Best Playwright Award for The Smuggler at Origin Theatre Company's 1st Irish Festival last spring. His play The Second Girl plays across the country. He is an adjunct assistant professor in Boston University's MFA in Playwriting program.

The season closes with MJ Halberstadt's Deal Me Out which explores identity politics among a group of gamers in suburban Maine. Shana Gozansky will direct. Halberstadt is the writer of The Launch Prize (Elliot Norton Award, Bridge Repertory Theater), The Usual Unusual (SpeakEasy Stage Boston Project commission) and That Time the House Burned Down (Fresh Ink Theatre), among others. He is an adjunct professor of dramatic writing at several colleges and Founding Playmaker Emeritus of Bridge Repertory Theater.

ABOUT THIS SEASON'S PLAYWRIGHTS

MJ HALBERSTADT is the writer of The Launch Prize (Elliot Norton Award, Bridge Repertory Theater), The Usual Unusual (SpeakEasy Stage Boston Project commission), That Time the House Burned Down (Fresh Ink Theatre), and other plays involving some intersection of Antarctica, community, privilege, and queerness. He is an alumnus of the Huntington Theatre Playwriting Fellowship, Boston University (MFA, 2012), and Emerson College (BA, 2010); adjunct professor of dramatic writing at several colleges; Founding Playmaker Emeritus of Bridge Repertory Theater; member of The Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.; and a devoted knitter. Learn more at www.MJHalberstadt.com.­­

Ronan Noone's plays The Lepers of Baile Baiste, The Blowin of Baile Gall, The Gigolo of Baile Breag, Brendan, Little Black Dress, The Compass Rose, and Scenes from an Adultery have played in theaters across the United States, many of them receiving their first production at Boston Playwrights' Theatre. His play The Atheist played at the Huntington Theatre Company, New York City's Center Square Theatre (featuring Chris Pine), and the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Recent international productions have taken place in England, Spain, Canada, Scotland, the Philippines, and Ireland. Ronan's full-length and one-act plays are published by Samuel French, Smith and Kraus, Bakers Plays, and Dramatists Play Service. His play The Second Girl (Thirst) had productions at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, WV, and at the Huntington Theatre (Campbell Scott, directing). It was published in the fall 2016 issue of The Eugene O'Neill Review. Ronan's live action short The Accident premiered at the Boston International Film Festival and at the Montclair Film Festival. His most recent play The Smuggler won the Best Playwright Award at the 1st Irish Festival (NYC, 2019). The play will receive productions in 2019 at Solas Nua, Washington D.C., and the United Solo Festival, NYC. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Boston University's MFA in Playwriting program. Ronan Noone is originally from Connemara, Ireland. www.Ronan.Noone.com

KAREN ZACARÍAS's plays include The Book Club Play, Destiny of Desire, Native Gardens, Just Like Us (adapted from the book by Helen Thorpe), Legacy of Light (Steinberg Award citation), Mariela in the Desert (Francesca Primus Award), The Sins of Sor Juana (Helen Hayes Award), and the adaptation of Julia Alvarez's How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Her plays have been produced at The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Arena Stage, The Goodman Theater, Round House Theater, The Denver Center, Alliance Theater, GALA Hispanic Theater, Berkshire Theater Festival, South Coast Rep, La Jolla Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse, San Jose Repertory Theater, GEVA Theater, Walnut Street Theater, Milagro Theater, Teatro Vista, Aurora Theater, and many more. Karen is an alumna of Boston University's Playwriting Program and received the League of Professional Theatre Women's Lee Reynolds Award earlier this year. Learn more at www.KarenZacarias.com.

SEASON 2019/2020 AT A GLANCE:

The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarías

Directed by Shana Gozansky

September 26-October 13

Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.

Ana is a Type A personality who lives in a letter-perfect world with an adoring husband, the perfect job, and her greatest passion: Book Club. But when her cherished group becomes the focus of a documentary film, their intimate discussions about life and literature take a turn for the hilarious in front of the inescapable camera lens. Add a provocative new member along with some surprising new book titles, and these six friends are bound for pandemonium. A delightful play about life, love, literature, and the side-splitting results when friends start reading between the lines.

Produced by special arrangement with THE Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre
949 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

Adults ($35); BU Faculty/Staff ($25); Seniors-62+ ($25); Students with valid ID ($10)

Subscriptions Available: Playwrights' Pass ($65)

Call 866.811.4111 or visit www.bostonplaywrights.org

Press Night: Saturday, September 28 (8 p.m.)

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The Smuggler by Ronan Noone

Directed by Judy Braha

November 7-24

Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.

Irish immigrant Tim Finnegan had notions of being a writer in America but struggles as a bartender on the island of Amity. That all changes when a stranger arrives with a plan to make people "disappear and reappear," and Tim learns the price he must pay to become an American.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre
949 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

Adults ($35); BU Faculty/Staff ($25); Seniors-62+ ($25); Students with valid ID ($10)

Subscriptions Available: Playwrights' Pass ($65)

Call 866.811.4111 or visit www.bostonplaywrights.org

Press Night: Saturday, November 9 (8 p.m.)

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Deal Me Out by MJ Halberstadt

Directed by Shana Gozansky

February 13-March 1

Thurs. 7:30 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m.

A close-knit group meets for its weekly game night in Oberon's father's garage with an uncomfortable "game" on the agenda: kick Dez out. Cleo does her best to manage everyone's feelings as Dez tries to bargain his way back into the group's sympathies, but tensions about identity politics are especially fraught for these liberal outsiders in suburban Maine in November 2016-and the group teeters towards splintering entirely after Dez makes an especially bold power play.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre
949 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

Adults ($35); BU Faculty/Staff ($25); Seniors-62+ ($25); Students with valid ID ($10)

Subscriptions Available: Playwrights' Pass ($65)

Call 866.811.4111 or visit www.bostonplaywrights.org

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