BAD SEED A One-Night-Only Reading To Benefit The New Group Announced

On Monday, November 4, Ann Harada, Crystal Lucas-Perry, John Cameron Mitchell, Taylor Schilling, Wallace Shawn and Fred Weller will appear in a one-night-only reading of Maxwell Anderson's Bad Seed, to benefit The New Group, as the company celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season. Cynthia Nixon directs. This benefit reading supports New Group/New Works, The New Group's play and musical development program.

Tickets: $75-125 general reserved seating; Premium Orchestra Ticket and Post-Reading Reception: $250 (tickets include a tax-deductible donation to The New Group). For tickets to Bad Seed benefit reading & related information, please visit TheNewGroup.org/event/Bad-Seed. For sponsorship opportunities beginning at $5,000 please contact Tamia Goodman at tamia@thenewgroup.org or 212-244-3380 ext 305.

Precocious eight-year-old Rhoda Penmark (John Cameron Mitchell), cute but obsessive, would kill to be the first at everything. Literally. Bad Seed is a classic thriller about a mother who begins to suspect that her perfect child might just be a perfect killer, discovering a buried secret that suggests cold-bloodedness may run in the family. Cynthia Nixon returns to The New Group as a director with this event, bringing a fun, modern perspective to the question of whether or not we truly are born bad.

Directed by Cynthia Nixon, this benefit reading features Ann Harada (Mrs. Monica Breedlove), Crystal Lucas-Perry (Mrs. Daigle), John Cameron Mitchell (Rhoda Penmark), Taylor Schilling (Christine Penmark), Wallace Shawn (Reginald Tasker) and Fred Weller (Leroy), with additional casting to be announced.

The New Group (Scott Elliott, Artistic Director; Adam Bernstein, Executive Director), celebrating its 25th Anniversary in the 2019/20 Season, is an award-winning, artist-driven company with a commitment to developing and producing powerful, contemporary theater. While constantly evolving, the company strives to maintain an ensemble approach to all its work and an articulated style of emotional immediacy in its acting and productions. In this way, the company seeks a theater that is adventurous, stimulating and most importantly "now," a true forum for the present culture.

The New Group's 25th Anniversary season commences with Cyrano, adapted by Erica Schmidt from Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, music by Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner of The National, lyrics by Matt Berninger of The National and Carin Besser, choreography by Jeff and Rick Kuperman, directed by Erica Schmidt, with Ritchie Coster, Josh A. Dawson, Peter Dinklage, Hillary Fisher, Josh Franklin, Christopher Gurr, Blake Jenner, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Nehal Joshi, Grace McLean, Erika Olson and Scott Stangland (began October 11 in advance of Opening Night on November 7 at The Daryl Roth Theatre). Following Cyrano, the season continues at The Pershing Square Signature Center with the world premiere of Donja R. Love's one in two, directed by Stevie Walker-Webb, with Jamyl Dobson, Leland Fowler and Edward Mawere (begins November 19 in advance of Opening Night on December 10); Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, the world premiere of a new musical with book by Jonathan Marc Sherman, music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik, choreography by Kelly Devine, directed by Scott Elliott, with Duncan Sheik to be featured alongside the actors playing Bob, Carol, Ted and Alice (Winter 2020; casting to be announced); and the world premiere of The Seagull/Woodstock, NY, by Thomas Bradshaw from the Chekhov, directed by Scott Elliott (Spring 2020; casting to be announced).

Notable past productions from The New Group include Ecstasy; This is Our Youth; Aunt Dan and Lemon; Hurlyburly; Abigail's Party; Rafta, Rafta...; The Starry Messenger; A Lie of the Mind; Blood From a Stone; Marie and Bruce; Things We Want; Burning; The Jacksonian; Sticks and Bones; The Spoils; Steve; Buried Child; The Kid; Avenue Q (2004 Tony Award for Best Musical); Sweet Charity; Jerry Springer-The Opera; Evening at the Talk House; Good for Otto; The True. In 2016/17 the company's productions of Jesse Eisenberg's The Spoils and Sam Shepard's Buried Child had productions at Trafalgar Studios in London's West End. The New Group has received nearly 150 awards and nominations for excellence. In addition to its productions, the organization's New Group/New Works play and musical development program champions original works by emerging and established authors. The New Group is also committed to theater education programs that provide opportunities for middle school, high school, college and adult students. TheNewGroup.org.

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