Beyond the bright lights of Broadway - the electric signage that led to its moniker as "The Great White Way" - exists another world: Off-Broadway, a varied and rich wellspring of creativity and innovation. It is the place where both the next generation of actors, playwrights, and directors are developing their voices and veteran talents return to explore their artistic passions.
While there is a multitude of Off- and Off-Off-Broadway theaters, producing hundreds of new works each season, most of these shows play just a few weeks and many are seen by only a small audience. The new series, Theater Close-Up, a unique collaboration between THIRTEEN and that large community of non-profit Off-Broadway theaters, will finally bring a diverse cross-section of those provocative plays to primetime and online audiences.
The series - which will be hosted by acclaimed actress
Sigourney Weaver - premiered Thursday, October 2 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN with
John Van Druten's "London Wall" from the
Mint Theater Company, dedicated to bringing worthy but neglected plays back to the stage, and continues on successive Thursdays at 10 p.m. with repeat broadcasts on Sunday evenings following Masterpiece. (WLIW21 will air the series on Monday evenings beginning October 6 at 10:30 p.m.)
THIRTEEN is using its unrivaled expertise in producing national
PBS arts programming - starting with such classic series as Theater in America, part of the award-winning series
GREAT PERFORMANCES and special limited series such as Stage on Screen - to provide New Yorkers with unparalleled access to one of the City's greatest underexposed cultural assets.
The plays run the emotional and thematic gamut: from
Richard Nelson's cycle "The Apple Family Plays," presented by
The Public Theater;
Hamish Linklater's "The Vandal," presented by The
Flea Theater; Denis O'Hare and
Lisa Peterson's "An Iliad," presented by New York Theatre Workshop;
Brian Richard Mori's "Hellman v. McCarthy," presented by Abingdon Theatre Company; and an encore presentation of The Flea's "Looking at Christmas" by
Steven Banks.
TONIGHT, October 30, 2014
Sorry
The Apples sort through family anxieties and confusion on the day of the re-election of
President Barack Obama in 2012.
November 6, 2014
Regular Singing
The final play in the cycle takes place on the 50th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination.
As Public Theater Artistic Director
Oskar Eustis observes, "The election plays are filled with anxiety and uncertainty; the anniversary plays are suffused with mourning and loss. All four are leavened by the love and support the Apple Family give each other as they navigate family and country."
November 13
The Vandal (The Flea Theater)
The playwriting debut of actor
Hamish Linklater ("Music in the Moonlight," "The New Adventures of Old Christine"). Set on a freezing night in Kingston, New York, a woman meets a boy at a bus stop. The play is about how we live and the stories we tell ourselves when we're haunted by the people we've loved and lost. Directed by
Jim Simpson. With Deirdre O'Connell,
Zach Grenier, and
Noah Robbins.
November 20
An Iliad (New York Theatre Workshop)
Co-adapted by Denis O'Hare and
Lisa Peterson, based on Homer's Iliad translated by
Robert Fagles. A sprawling yarn based on the epic poem, An Iliad spins the familiar tale of gods and goddesses, undying love and endless battles told through an original and immediate voice. An account of humanity's unshakeable attraction to violence, destruction, and chaos. Has anything really changed since the Trojan War? Directed by
Lisa Peterson. With Denis O'Hare ("Dallas Buyer's Club," "True Blood").
November 27
Looking at Christmas (The Flea Theater)
From
Steven Banks (head writer of "SpongeBob Squarepants"), the play takes place on Christmas Eve in New York City. A failed writer and a struggling actress meet while looking at the famous holiday windows and the windows come to life and look back at them, including a lecherous elf with eyes for Mrs. Claus, and an alien Scrooge arguing with an android Tiny Tim about reinterpreting classic Christmas stories. The Flea's resident acting company, the Bats, star in this romantic comedy. Directed by
Jim Simpson. With
Michael Micalizzi and
Allison Buck.
Theater Close-Up is a production of THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET. The plays were directed for television by David Horn. Mitch Owgang is producer; Bill O'Donnell is series producer; and David Horn is executive producer. Executive-in-charge:
Neal Shapiro.
Major funding for the premiere season of Theater Close-Up provided by Bernard and Irene Schwartz, Jack and Shirley Silver, Estate of
Robert Brivic,
Rosalind P. Walter, and the President's Innovation Fund.
Support for Theater Close-Up's production of Abingdon Theatre Company's Hellman v. McCarthy is provided by
Ted Snowdon; for
Mint Theater Company's London Wall, by The Cory and Bob Donnalley Charitable Gift Fund,
Jann Leeming/The Little Family Foundation, and Ciro and Gail Gamboni; and for New York Theatre Workshop's An Iliad, by Bokara Legendre.
Support for Theater Close-Up's production of
The Public Theater's The Apple Plays is provided by Jody and John Arnhold,
Sharon Karmazin, the Wilf Family Foundation, Barbara G. Fleischman, Martha J. Fleischman, Algin Management Co LLC, The
Shubert Organization,
Debby Landesman, Judy Ferber, Michael First, and Diane Merklinger.
About WNET - As New York's flagship public media provider and the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to over 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed
PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters,
PBS NEWSHOUR Weekend,
CHARLIE ROSE and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with
Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. WNET is also a leader in connecting with viewers on emerging platforms, including the THIRTEEN Explore iPad App where users can stream
PBS content for free.
Photo Credit: Joan Marcus
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