Long Wharf Theatre Sets Four 2015-16 Shows: THE LION, DISGRACED & More

Long Wharf Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, announces four titles in its 2015-16 season.

Subscriptions are currently on sale, and can be purchased by calling 203-787-4282. Single tickets will go on sale August 1, 2015.

The season will begin in October with the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar, directed by Edelstein. "One of the most significant themes of the past 20 years in Western culture is the confrontation of Judeo-Christianity with Islam," Edelstein said. "This is a play that deals face to face with the cost of assimilation - what do you lose when you are part of a minority culture and your goal is to assimilate fully into the dominant culture."

A co-production with Hartford Stage, and based on actual interviews, Having Our Say, by Emily Mann, is the story of two sisters who grew up in the Jim Crow South and lived through the Harlem Renaissance. History at its most immediate, and poignant.

The Lion, Benjamin Scheuer's award-winning musical, comes to Long Wharf in January. A smash hit in New York, The Lion chronicles through song one young man's journey through adulthood, coming to grips with his difficult past and overcoming tremendous obstacles to a bright and shining future. "An irresistible winner, Benjamin Scheuer beams charisma," said the New York Daily News. "I love this play. It's a thrilling, spirited journey through one young man's life. You cannot walk away without tears in your eyes. It is a completely unique and original evening in the theatre," Edelstein said.

Long Wharf will conclude its Stage II offerings in April 2016 with the world premiere of Lewiston, by the 2014 MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner Samuel D. Hunter, directed by Eric Ting. Edelstein believes that Hunter is one of the most exciting and humane writers working in the theatre today. "He writes about people who don't normally get written about," Edelstein said. "He most reminds me of William Inge and Tennessee Williams in his delicate empathy for all the people in his stories."

The 2015-16 season is characterized by deep humanity, a search for connection and understanding, and an effort to push past one's pain to claim a better place in the world. A couple comes to grips with the sentiments lurking just below the surface of their relationship. Sisters tell the story of their long and eventful lives. A young man uses music to triumph over his difficulties. A grandmother and her granddaughter work out their family legacy.

Mainstage titles scheduled for November and May will be announced at a later date.

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