Michael Wilson to Direct Christopher Shinn's PICKED at Vineyard Theatre

Michael Wilson will direct the Vineyard Theatre's world-premiere of Christopher Shinn's play PICKED, set to begin previews April 5 prior to an official opening night April 20 at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St.), it has been announced by Douglas Aibel, the company's artistic director.

PICKED marks Mr. Wilson's directing debut at The Vineyard. He previously directed Mr. Shinn's WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN at Playwrights Horizons. On Broadway, he has directed the Tony nominated Best Plays DIVIDING THE ESTATE and ENCHANTED APRIL, as well as the revival of Old Acquaintance. He directed Horton Foote's three-part, nine-hour THE ORPHAN'S CYCLE, for which he received a Drama Desk and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Play last season. He is currently represented Off-Broadway by the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Tennessee Williams' THE MILK TRAIN DOESN'T STOP HERE ANYMORE.

PICKED marks the return of Christopher Shinn to the Vineyard Theatre, which presented the U.S. premiere of his Obie Award-winning play WHERE DO WE LIVE in 2004.

PICKED concerns a young actor who prepares for his life to change when a legendary director casts him as the lead in a big-budget Hollywood movie. But he is not prepared for what comes next, and everything he knows about himself will be called into question as he discovers what it means to be "picked."

Casting and creative team for PICKED to be announced.

Mr. Shinn's other plays include DYING CITY, a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, along with FOUR, OTHER PEOPLE, THE COMING WORLD and NOW OR LATER. His plays have been premiered by the Vineyard Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons and South Coast Repertory, and have been performed at regional theatres across the country.

Michael Wilson's Off-Broadway credits include Tina Howe's CHASING MANET (Primary Stages); Foote's THE CARPETBAGGER'S CHILDREN, (Lincoln Center Theatre) and THE DAY EMILY MARRIED; Eve Ensler's NECESSARY TARGETS; Jane Anderson's DEFYING GRAVITY; and the NY premiere of Tennessee Williams' THE RED DEVIL BATTERY SIGN. This June, Wilson completes his 13th and final season as Artistic Director at Hartford Stage, where Shinn was the NEA/TCG playwright in residence in 2001-2002.

One of the nation's leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to new plays and musicals and bold programming, The Vineyard has consistently premiered provocative, groundbreaking works including the Pulitzer Prize-winning productions of Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN and Paula Vogel's HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, Tarell Alvin McCraney's WIG OUT!, The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, Nicky Silver's PTERODACTYLS and RAISED IN CAPTIVITY, the Laura Nyro musical ELI'S COMIN', A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by Colman Domingo, Adam Rapp's THE METAL CHILDREN and most recently the acclaimed world premiere of Will Eno's MIDDLETOWN.

Vineyard Theatre is the recipient of the Tony Award for the musical AVENUE Q and continues as producer of the musical's current production at New World Stages in New York. The Vineyard produced the world-premiere of the musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS - with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, book by David Thompson, with direction and choreography Susan Stroman - in March 2010 and recently on Broadway. The Vineyard also produced the musical [title of show] both off and on Broadway.

Mr. Aibel is Artistic Director of the Vineyard Theatre; Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell is Executive Director.

For more information about Vineyard Theatre, visit the company's website www.vineyardtheatre.org or call 212 353 0303.

 

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