Photo Flash: In Rehearsal with THE HALF-LIFE OF MARIE CURIE

Get a peek inside rehearsals for the world premiere of The Half-Life of Marie Curie, an Audible-commissioned work from America's most-produced living playwright Lauren Gunderson, directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, and starring Obie Award winner Kate Mulgrew ("Orange is the New Black," Equus) and Francesca Faridany (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time).

The Half-Life of Marie Curie begins previews on Tuesday, November 12 ahead of a Tuesday, November 19 opening night at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane, between MacDougal & 6th Avenue - one block south of W. 3rd Street), Audible's creative home for live performances in New York.

Science made them remarkable. Friendship made them resilient. Obie Award winner Kate Mulgrew and Francesca Faridany star in The Half-Life of Marie Curie, a compelling new play about renowned scientist Marie Curie and radical engineer Hertha Ayrton-and the friendship that strengthened their resolve to pursue their ambitions.

With lyricism and wit, playwright Lauren Gunderson has crafted an honest, unexpected story that follows Marie Curie during the summer of 1912 when news of her secret affair threatens to overshadow her second Nobel Prize win. Heartbroken, Curie leaves France to stay with Ayrton at her home on the British seaside and together they confront the scandal that could end Curie's career-and drastically alter her life.

Directed by Gaye Taylor Upchurch, THE HALF-LIFE OF MARIE CURIE is a timely celebration of two brilliant women who have been overlooked by history for too long. Written expressly for Audible through its Emerging Playwrights Fund, the play will be available to Audible listeners globally in the coming months. Previous productions to come out of Audible's Emerging Playwrights Fund include the best-selling and critically acclaimed releases of Madhuri Shekar's Evil Eye, Chisa Hutchinson's Proof of Love, Carla Graul's Life Ever After, Nick Carr's Wally Roux: Quantum Mechanic, and the forthcoming Leah Nanako Winkler's Nevada Tan. Additional plays to come out of the Emerging Playwrights Fund will be both released and announced regularly.

The Half-Life of Marie Curie was commissioned for Audible's Emerging Playwright program, a dedicated $5M fund that enables the creation of original plays driven by language and voice, keeping with Audible's core commitment to elevating listening experiences through powerful performances and extraordinary storytelling. Twenty-five commissions have already been announced, with new playwrights identified on an annual basis.

The creative team includes Rachel Hauck (scenic design), Sarah Laux (costume design), Amith Chandrashaker (lighting design), and Darron L. West (sound design).

Photo Credit: Monica Simoes

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