Ars Nova's 2015 Season to Feature Two Off-Broadway Premieres, Bridget Everett & More

In 2015, Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Renee Blinkwolt, Managing Director) delivers two Off-Broadway productions: the world premiere of Small Mouth Sounds by Bess Wohl, directed by Rachel Chavkin; and, with Soho Rep., the New York premiere of FUTURITY, a new musical with music by César Alvarez with The Lisps, book and lyrics by César Alvarez, directed by Sarah Benson; Bridget Everett Gets F**ked by Ars Nova, a one-night-only blow-out concert celebrating alt-cabaret powerhouse and Ars Nova All Star, Bridget Everett; and the summer festival of new talent where the weird kids thrive, ANT Fest. Ars Nova also continues its ongoing Resident Artist programs, which provide a creative home to an eclectic mix of emerging artists each year, including members of Play Group, Uncharted and Ars Nova's Company-in-Residence. 2015 Resident Artists announced in detail below.

Ars Nova will continue its support of artists in the early stages of their professional careers through its wide array of unique development programs. Recognizing the critical need for performance as part of the development process, Ars Nova's programs bring bold, innovative new work to the stage all year long, through Project Residencies, concerts, readings, variety shows, workshops, festivals and full productions. Each season, Ars Nova provides audiences over a hundred opportunities to catch something extraordinary.

Ticket packages to Ars Nova's 2015 Off-Broadway season, as part of the Mighty Nova Membership program, go on sale January 28 and start at $50. Mighty Novas get the best-priced tickets to all of Ars Nova's Off-Broadway productions, exclusive early booking, discounts to all comedy, music and developmental programming, and additional benefits. More info: arsnovanyc.com.

Ars Nova Announces its 2015 Season:

Small Mouth Sounds: March 10 - April 11
A world premiere at Ars Nova

In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six runaways from city life embark on a silent retreat. As these strangers confront internal demons both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect. Filled with awkward humor, this strange and compassionate new play asks how we address life's biggest questions when words fail us.

Developed through Ars Nova's Play Group. Written by Bess Wohl. Directed by Rachel Chavkin, in her first return to Ars Nova since the smash-hit Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.

Bridget Everett Gets F**ked by Ars Nova: April 9 at Stage 48

A one-night-only, blow-out concert celebrating everyone's favorite badass b*tch, alt-cabaret priestess and Ars Nova All Star, Bridget Everett. Featuring send-up performances from Ars Nova's crazy-talented emerging artists, Bridget herself and every celebrity she's ever met.*

*EVERY celebrity may be a slight exaggeration.

ANT Fest 2015: June 1 - 27 at Ars Nova

Summer kicks off with Ars Nova's festival of All New Talent, ANT Fest. Featuring bold, hybrid performances from New York's next adventurous wave of emerging artists, ANT Fest is four non-stop weeks jam-packed with the wildest blend of theater, comedy, music, burlesque, magic, drag and everything in between.

ANT Fest 2015 is programmed through an open-submission process; applications are being accepted through February 1, 2015. Application info: arsnovanyc.com.

FUTURITY: Fall 2015

Soho Rep. and Ars Nova present the New York premiere of a new musical with music by César Alvarez with The Lisps. Book and Lyrics by César Alvarez. Directed by Sarah Benson. Co-produced with Soho Rep. at The Connelly Theater.

Ars Nova announces its 2015 Resident Artists: At the heart of Ars Nova's community are its Resident Artists. New members of Ars Nova's Play Group and Uncharted programs (outlined below), along with its 2015 Company-in-Residence The Mad Ones, and Commissioned Artists The Bengsons and Woodshed Collective, will make Ars Nova their artistic home over the course of their residencies, developing new work with the support of the organization's staff and resources while also providing insight and a fresh perspective on planning and programming to the Ars Nova artistic team.

Ars Nova welcomes new members of Play Group: New Play Group members Kevin Armento, Emma Goidel, Trish Harnetiaux, Tony Meneses, Antoinette Nwandu and Erika Sheffer join second-year members Liza Birkenmeier, Matthew-Lee Erlbach, Meghan Kennedy, Justin Kuritzkes, Jonathan Payne and Celine Song in 2015.

This vibrant and eclectic group of emerging playwrights gathers twice a month at Ars Nova to share new work and receive peer feedback. Members selected through a competitive open application process join the group for a two-year residency. Play Group offers members the chance to develop their plays with the support of collaborative relationships and a strong sense of community within Ars Nova. The Out Loud reading series provides Play Group members with public readings of their exceptional new plays. Play Group is supported in part by an Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Play Group is generously sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery and Two Boots Pizza.

Distinguished Play Group alumni include Annie Baker, Kristoffer Diaz, Amy Herzog, Samuel D. Hunter, Nick Jones, Stephen Karam, Liz Meriwether, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Beau Willimon.

Ars Nova welcomes new members of Uncharted:

New Uncharted members Will Aronson & Sarah Hammond, Heather Christian & Rachel Chavkin; Rebekah Greer Melocik, Jacob Yandura, & Victor Lesniewski; Michael McQuilken & Martyna Majok; Greta Gertler Gold & Akin Salawu and Max Vernon & Jason Kim join César Alvarez; Andrew Butler & Andrew Farmer; EllaRose Chary & Brandon James Gwinn; Cory Finley & Jeremy Lloyd and Chas LiBretto & Landon Marcus in 2015.

Through monthly meetings and ongoing support, Uncharted residencies provide music/theater makers with peer support and artistic feedback as they work on the first draft of new musicals. Over the course of their residencies, members receive public concerts produced by Ars Nova, offering the writers the chance to debut new material in front of a live audience, and weeklong workshops with top-notch directors and performers, culminating in full public readings. The Out Loud reading series provides Uncharted writers with public readings of their adventurous new projects. Uncharted is generously sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery and Two Boots Pizza.

Ars Nova welcomes its 2015 Company-in-Residence: In 2015, The Mad Ones becomes Ars Nova's Company-in-Residence. In addition to a commission, Ars Nova provides this young company an artistic home and customized, unwavering support as they develop collaboratively created work.

Ars Nova's prior Company-in-Residence, The Debate Society, worked with Ars Nova for three years to create last season's sold-out hit JACUZZI.

Ars Nova welcomes its 2015 Commissioned Artists: New commissioned artists The Bengsons and Woodshed Collective join current commissioned artists Shaina Taub & Jen Silverman, Kim Rosenstock and current Ars Nova/MTC Writer's Room commissioned artists Adam Bock & Justin Levine, Rachel Bonds, Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig, Jackie Sibblies Drury, Samuel D. Hunter and PigPen Theatre Co.

Ars Nova's commissioning program focuses on the creation and development of original, full-length work. Creating a timeline with the needs of each project in mind, Ars Nova allocates resources to support development with the end goal of an Off-Broadway production.

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