Mint Theater Extends THE FATAL WEAKNESS Before Opening; LONDON WALL Set for Thirteen's 'Theater Close-Up'

Jonathan Bank, Artistic Director of the Drama Desk and OBIE Award-winning Mint Theater, today announced that the Mint's latest production: The Fatal Weakness by George Kelly, would extend performances through October 26th to accommodate audience demand even before it opens. Jesse Marchese directs a cast that features Cliff Bemis, Cynthia Darlow, Kristin Griffith, Sean Patrick Hopkins, Patricia Kilgarriff, and Victoria Mack. Opening Night is set for Monday September 15th (7pm) at Mint's home (311 West 43rd Street, just west of 8th Avenue).

"Theater Close-Up," a unique collaboration between THIRTEEN and several not-for-profit Off-Broadway theaters, will finally bring a diverse cross-section of those provocative plays to primetime as well as online audiences. The new series premieres Thursday, October 2 at 9PM on THIRTEEN with Mint's acclaimed production of John Van Druten's London Wall, and continues on successive Thursdays at 10 p.m. with repeat broadcasts on Sunday evenings following Masterpiece. (WLIW21 will air the series on Monday evenings beginning October 6 at 10:30PM). Directed by Davis McCallum, London Wall features Matthew Gumley, Stephen Plunkett, Alex Trow, Julia Coffey, Elise Kibler, Laurie Kennedy, Christopher Sears, Katie Gibson, and Jonathan Hogan.

THIRTEEN is using its unrivaled expertise in producing national PBS arts programming - starting with such classic series as Theater in America, part of the award-winning series Great Performances and special limited series such as Stage on Screen -- to provide New Yorkers with unparalleled access to one of the City's greatest underexposed cultural assets.

Subsequent programs include Richard Nelson's cycle The Apple Family Plays (from The Public Theater); Hamish Linklater's The Vandal (Flea Theater); Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson's An Iliad (New York Theatre Workshop); Brian Richard Mori's Hellman v. McCarthy (Abingdon Theatre Company); and an encore presentation of The Flea's Looking at Christmas by Steven Banks. Support for Theater Close-Up's production of London Wall provided by The Cory and Bob Donnalley Charitable Gift Fund, Jann Leeming/The Little Family Foundation, and Ciro and Gail Gamboni.

Mr. Bank today also announced the appointment of Jen Soloway as Managing Director, beginning September 15th. Jen comes to the Mint after holding a variety of financial and general management positions for several distinguished nonprofit arts organizations including Classic Stage Company, Exploring the Arts, Making Books Sing, the Jose Limon Dance Foundation, Houses on the Moon Theater Company, and Chicago's Vittum Theater. Jen's proudest accomplishment to date is co-founding the Railroad Playhouse (now Theatre at West Shore Station), a nonprofit performance space in Newburgh, NY that focused on new play development and arts education programs. Jen spearheaded the adaptive re-use plan of converting a historic train station into a flexible black box theater and cafe. She served as the Executive Director of the Railroad Playhouse for two years where she produced the world premiere of Alex Goldberg's America's Brightest Star and earned the Times-Herald Record's "Best Theatre Venue" voter award in 2012. Jen holds a BFA in Theatre Technology from DePaul University in Chicago and an MFA in Arts Management from Brooklyn College.

"I'm so pleased to be able to add Jen to the Mint team. She has shown a great deal of gumption in her career so far and I'm looking forward to working with her as we chart the course for the future together. I believe there are great opportunities ahead for the Mint, and I know that Jen will help us to make the most of them," Mr. Bank said. "I could not be more thrilled to join the Mint Theater Company at this point in my career. I believe that my diverse background as a producer, general manager, and founder of my own theater is a perfect match to support the unique vision of Artistic Director Jonathan Bank. I'm inspired by the Mint's dedication to the original playwright, and I'm looking forward to working with the Mint's amazing artists, staff and board members to further sustain the Mint's important work," Ms Soloway added.

The Mint was awarded an OBIE for "combining the excitement of discovery with the richness of tradition," and a special Drama Desk Award for "unearthing, presenting and preserving forgotten plays of merit."

Performances for The Fatal Weakness are Tuesday through Thursday at 7PM, Friday at 8PM, Saturday at 2PM & 8PM, and Sunday at 2PM. Special added Wednesday Matinees at 2pm on September 10th, and October 15th. PLEASE NOTE: There will be no performances on Tuesday evenings September 9th, 16th or October 14th. Tickets are $55 with some half-price tickets (CheapTix) and Premium Seats ($65) available for most performances. Performances take place on the Third Floor of 311 West 43rd Street. Tickets are available by calling the Mint box office toll-free at 866-811-4111 or go to www.minttheater.org.

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