O'Horgan Honored at Bad Plays Fest, 9/10 with 'Hair' Cast

Award-winning theatre director Tom O'Horgan will be honored at the Carmen Miranda opening night benefit of the Bad Plays Festival at the Players Theatre on September 10.  The benefit is for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and audiences are encouraged to come in costume (there will be prizes at the after-party).  He will be joined by James Rado, co-writer of Hair and original cast members Natalie Mosco and Marjorie LiPari.

The theme for that festival night is "Sex, Thugs & Rock 'n Roll," which includes 5 short irreverent plays, interspersed with wild music from Bronze Fondue, a rock band of NYU profs.  The top ticket is $25.  For another $25 contribution, you can attend both the performance and the party.

"The Bad Plays Festival returns for its second year, this time to the Players Theatre at 115 MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village, running from September 10 through 30. Each night starting at 8PM, there's a unique theme of 3-5 new plays for one all-inclusive ticket price," state press notes.

O'Horgan will be presented with an Honorary Golden Pineapple for his work in cutting-edge productions that broke all the rules, which is analogous to the spirit of the Bad Plays Festival.  His early work as a composer and director was in off-Broadway experimental theatre, including Tom Paine, Birdbath, and Futz! In 1974, he conceived and directed a stage adaptation of the Beatles' classic recording "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."  O'Horgan made his Broadway directorial debut in 1968 with the ground-breaking musical Hair, garnering a Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Musical.  Other Broadway credits include Lenny with Cliff Gorman, Jesus Christ Superstar, Dude, Inner City, The Leaf People, and I Won't Dance.  O'Horgan has won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director three times

Bad Plays Festival 2007 presents 6 Theme Nights of fun and exciting plays on a rotating basis:

Sex, Thugs and Rock 'N Roll (September 10, 20 & 24)
Something to Offend Everyone (September 11, 21 & 25)
Is that a Gun in Your Pocket? (September 12, 22 & 26)
Little Boxes Made of Ticky-Tacky (September 13, 17 & 27)
Poking at Sacred Cows (September 14, 18 & 28)
Swingtime for Hitler & Friends (September 15, 19 & 29)

Directors for this year's festival are:  Maria Benedek, Kelly Campbell, Kristofer Holz, Court Sweeting, Thomas Amici, Kenny Wade Marshall, Mary Lee Kellerman, Karen Raphaeli, Will Nunziata, Charles Major, David Sheppard Jr., Jason Weiss, Catherine Lamm, Robyne Parrish, Paul Nicholas, Elyzabeth Gorman, Paula Reilly, and Melba LaRose.

Tickets $25 at door on day of performance; $20 advance sales (includes 3-5 short plays per night).  It's an extra $25 contribution to attend the Carmen Miranda Opening Night plus costume party honoring O'Horgan.  Reservations for the festival are strongly suggested.  For more information or reservations, please call 212-242-6036 or visit www.nyartists.org.  For online ticketing: www.theatermania.com. The Players Theatre is at 115 MacDougal St. (betw. Minetta Lane & West 3rd St.), Greenwich Village.

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