SEARED, PERRY STREET, and More Round Out MCC's Season
By: Julie Musbach Apr. 18, 2019
MCC Theater announces five new productions for its 33rd Season at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space (511 West 52nd Street). The season includes a mix of world and New York premieres from artists both familiar and new to MCC Theater audiences - each fulfilling MCC's longtime commitment to bold, risk-taking works from the most vital voices working in theater today. For more information, please visit mcctheater.org/2019-20-season.
Highlights of the 2019/2020 Season include: the World Premiere of The Wrong Man, a new musical with book, music and lyrics by Ross Golan, with direction by Thomas Kail, music supervision, vocal arrangements, and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, and choreography by Travis Wall; the New York Premiere of Seared byTheresa Rebeck, with direction by Moritz von Stuelpnagel; the World Premiere of All The Natalie Portmans by C.A. Johnson, with direction by Kate Whoriskey; the World Premiere of Nollywood Dreams by Jocelyn Bioh, with direction by Saheem Ali; and the World Premiere of Perry Street by Lucy Thurber, with direction byThomas Sadoski.
"Our new home has already enriched the experience of our friends, neighbors, and audience. This season ahead is a banquet and we will surprise you all with the ways we set the table," said Will Cantler, Co-Artistic Director of MCC Theater.
The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space, boasts two theaters: the Newman Mills Theater, a 245-seat proscenium stage, and the Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater, a 100-seat black box theater.
The multi-theater complex supports the theater's mission to develop new work and new artists in expanded ways, and will continue to host the popular PlayLabsreading series, which brings audiences into the development process. Over the years, MCC has developed more than 500 plays that have gone on to productions in the U.S. and around the world.
MCC Theater's Public Engagement & Education Department will continue to host the theater's Let's Talk Series and community events. The new home will also host performances by the MCC Youth Company. Nineteen years ago, MCC Theater initiated a series of intensive in-school and after-school education programs that now serve approximately 1,200 New York City public high school students each year in all five boroughs. At the core of all MCC education programs, be they in school, after school, or in the office, is this: MCC programs for teens and young adults foster the desire to be heard and the courage to speak out.
Subscriptions are now on sale on the company's website at www.mcctheater.org
The MCC Theater 2019-2020 Season
World Premiere
THE WRONG MAN
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Ross Golan
Music Supervision, Vocal Arrangements, and Orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire
Directed by Thomas Kail
Choreography by Travis Wall
First Preview: September 18, 2019
Opening Night: October 7, 2019
Closing: October 27, 2019
In the Newman Mills Theater
The Wrong Man is a new musical by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ross Golan that reunites Hamilton's Tony Award-winning director Thomas Kail & three-time Tony Award- winning orchestrator Alex Lacamoire. The wrong man meets the wrong woman in the wrong place at the wrong time. Set in Reno, Nevada, The Wrong Man is the story of Duran, a man just scraping by who is framed for a murder he didn't commit, told through poetic lyrics and haunting melodies. The animated video of Ross Golan's concept album of The Wrong Man will premiere at Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. He has written hits for artists spanning multiple genres including Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, Charlie Puth, Flo Rida, Lady Antebellum, Selena Gomez, Pink, Michael Bublé, Idina Menzel, and more.
New York Premiere
SEARED
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel
First Preview: October 3, 2019
Opening Night: October 28, 2019
Closing: November 10, 2019
In the Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater
Seared is a new fit-for-foodies comedy by critically-acclaimed playwright Theresa Rebeck (Bernhardt/Hamlet) directed by Tony® nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel (MCC's Hand To God). Brilliant, hot-headed chef Harry scores a mention in a food magazine with his signature scallops, and his business partner Mike finally sees profits within reach. The only problem is Harry refuses to recreate his masterpiece for the masses. Mix in a shrewd restaurant consultant with a waiter with dreams of his own and it all goes to hell in this hilarious and insightful new play that asks us to consider where art ends and commerce begins. You've never seen (or smelled) a production quite like this. Audiences will be up close to the action of Seared's working kitchen onstage in our intimate and flexible space.
The world premiere of Seared was produced by the Williamstown Theatre Festival in July 2018, Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director.
World Premiere
ALL THE NATALIE PORTMANS
By C.A. Johnson
Directed by Kate Whoriskey
First Preview: February 6, 2020
Opening Night: February 24, 2020
Closing: March 15, 2020
At the Susan & Ronald Frankel Theater
All The Natalie Portmans is a fantastical new coming-of-age comedy written by C.A. Johnson (MCC debut) and directed by Kate Whoriskey (Sweat, Ruined). Keyonna is sixteen years old, extremely close with her older brother Samuel, and dreams of a better tomorrow. When brother and sister find themselves on the brink of eviction, their tenuous life on the edge of poverty is forever changed by a few hundred dollars, a pretty girl, and a famous Hollywood actress. Too smart, "too gay", and too lonely to fit in, Keyonna escapes by writing to her muse (or muses) Natalie Portman in her most iconic roles. When All The Natalie Portmans start talking back to her, Keyonna finally has to finally face her own off-screen drama in this imaginative new play about the beauty of life even if we can't see the stars.
All The Natalie Portmans was developed, in part, at the 2018 Sundance Institute Theatre Lab
World Premiere
NOLLYWOOD DREAMS
By Jocelyn Bioh
Directed by Saheem Ali
First Preview: March 19, 2020
Opening Night: April 13, 2020
Closing: April 26, 2020
In the Newman Mills Theater
Jocelyn Bioh (MCC's School Girls..., "She's Gotta Have It") returns with a new romantic comedy directed by Saheem Ali (Sugar in our Wounds, Fireflies). It's the 1990s and in Lagos, Nigeria, the Nollywood film industry is exploding and taking the world by storm. Ayamma dreams of stardom while working at her parents' travel agency alongside her lovable and celebrity-obsessed sister Dede. When Ayamma lands an audition for a new film by Gbenga Ezie, Nigeria's hottest director, she comes head-to-head with Gbenga's former leading lady, Fayola. Tensions flare just as sparks start flying between Ayamma, the aspiring ingénue, and Wale, Nollywood's biggest heartthrob, in this hilarious new play about dreaming big.
World Premiere
PERRY STREET
By Lucy Thurber
Directed by Thomas Sadoski
First Preview: June 4, 2020
Opening Night: June 22, 2020
Closing: July 12, 2020
In the Newman Mills Theater
Written by Lucy Thurber (MCC's Transfers) and directed by Thomas Sadoski (HBO's "The Newsroom," MCC's Reasons To Be Pretty), Perry Street is a funny and subversive new play that explores family, class, and sex. (And sex.) Phil and Maggie live a life of leisure in their handsome West Village brownstone. They indulge in the finer things. They find joy bringing aspiring artists into their home and making them part of the family, with a few strings attached. But when their daughter returns from Brown with her new girlfriend, Annabelle, the family is challenged by a series of startling and unsettling events. In the tradition of the great American family dramas, Thurber's provocative and unpredictable new play asks: what are you willing to pay for the people and things that you desire most?
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