Ethan Hawke Directed 'Things We Want' Begins Tonight

The New Group's world premiere of Things We Want by Jonathan Marc Sherman begins performances tonight October 22 at Theatre Row, directed by Ethan Hawke.  Kicking off The New Group's 2007-2008 season, the production features Paul Dano, Peter Dinklage, Josh Hamilton and Zoe Kazan.  This limited Off-Broadway engagement will play through December 15 at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theater/410 West 42nd Street).  Things We Want will have its Official Opening Night on Wednesday, November 7 at 7PM.

"In Things We Want, three brothers reunite in their inherited childhood home.  Forced to live together again as adults, they struggle to redefine themselves as they pursue the things they want in life.  While facing their own personal obstacles, a drastic shift in dynamics occurs when a sexy young neighbor suddenly enters their lives," explain press notes. Directed by Ethan Hawke, this dark comedy by Jonathan Marc Sherman paints an insightful and bittersweet picture of the illusions people have about what makes them happy and what is within their power to change.

This production features Paul Dano, Peter Dinklage, Josh Hamilton and Zoe Kazan.

Jonathan Marc Sherman's playwriting credits include Serendipity and Serenity, Women and Wallace, Jesus on the Oil Tank (21st Century Playwrights Award), Sons and Fathers (Playwrights Horizons), Veins and Thumbtacks (Malaparte Theater Company), Sophistry (Playwrights Horizons) and Evolution (Culture Project).

As an actor, Ethan Hawke's theater credits include The Coast of Utopia (Tony Award nomination), Hurlyburly (The New Group), Henry IV (Lincoln Center), Chekov's The Seagull, The Late Henry Moss (Signature Theatre Company), The Cider House Rules, Sam Shepard's Buried Child (Steppenwolf Theatre Company), Sophistry (Playwrights Horizons), Tennessee Williams' Camino Real (Williamstown Theatre Festival) and many others with the Malaparte Theater Company, where he is also Artistic Director.  His film credits include: Assault on Precinct 13, Before Sunset (Academy Award Nomination – Adapted Screenplay), Training Day, Before Sunrise, Hamlet, Gattaca, Reality Bites, Alive, Dead Poets Society and Lord of War. In 1992, Hawke co-founded Malaparte (nonprofit theater company in NYC).  Things We Want marks Hawke's Off-Broadway directorial debut.

Set Design is by Derek McLane; costume design is by Mattie Ullrich; lighting Design is by Jeff Croiter; sound Design is by Daniel Baker.

Things We Want plays at The New Group @ Theatre Row (The Acorn Theater / 410 West 42nd Street, between 9th & 10th Ave) as follows: Monday at 8PM, Tuesday at 7PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM and Saturday at 2PM.  Please note: No performance on Thursday, November 22.  There will be an additional performance at 7Pm on Sunday, November 25.

Tickets are on-sale through Ticket Central at www.ticketcentral.com or (212) 279-4200, or at the Theatre Row Box Office (12:00–8:00 PM daily). Tickets are $56.25.  For more information, visit www.thenewgroup.org. 

Photo: Peter Dinklage