'CLAY' Hip-Hop Musical to Begin Performances Oct. 6 at the Duke Theatre

The first production of LCT3 (Lincoln Center Theater's new programming initiative) CLAY , a hip-hop musical written, scored and performed by Matt Sax and developed in collaboration with and directed by Eric Rosen, will begin performances on Monday (October 6), at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street® project, (229 W. 42 Street). Opening night is Wednesday, October 15.

CLAY tells the coming-of-age story of Clifford, a suburban boy who escapes his fractured family and finds a mentor in Sir John, a master of the spoken word. Clifford becomes hip-hop star Clay, but he discovers that he can't escape his past. CLAY will have sets by Meghan Raham, costumes by Emily Rebholz, lighting by Jason Lyons and sound and orchestrations by Josh Horvath. The U.S. Premiere of CLAY was produced in 2006 by About Face Theatre and Lookingglass Theatre Company, Chicago, Illinois.

CLAY, which will play a five week run though November 8, will be performed Monday through Friday evenings at 8 pm, and Saturday evenings at 7 pm and 10:30 pm, with matinees Wednesdays at 2 pm. Beginning Friday Oct. 24 there will be two performances on Fridays at 7 and 10:30pm in lieu of the Wednesday matinee. Tickets, all priced at $20, are available at The Duke Box Office, by visiting Dukeon42.org or by calling 646.223.3010.

Citing the need to develop strong relationships with a new generation of artists, and recognizing the frustrations that young playwrights have with the current system of readings and workshops, LCT3 will offer its artists fully staged, modestly budgeted productions. A second production will follow in the spring. For additional information and details on LCT3 and its first production CLAY, visit www.lct.org.

Lincoln Center Theater is currently presenting the critically acclaimed, award-winning production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, winner of seven 2008 Tony Awards including Best Musical, directed by Bartlett Sher at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. This fall LCT also will present Horton Foote's Dividing The Estate, directed by Michael Wilson, on Broadway at the Booth Theatre and Noah Haidle's Saturn Returns, directed by Nicholas Martin, at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.

About the organization: The New 42nd Street®

Founded in 1990, The New 42nd Street is an independent, nonprofit organization charged with long-term responsibility for seven historic theaters on 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. In addition to running The New Victory®, The New 42nd Street built and operates the New 42nd Street Studios - a ten-story building of rehearsal studios, offices and a 199-seat theater named The Duke on 42nd StreetSM - for national and international performing arts companies. Since its opening on June 21, 2000, the New 42nd Street Studios has been fully occupied by both nonprofit and commercial theater, dance and opera companies. With these institutions and the other properties under its guardianship, The New 42nd Street plays a pivotal role in fostering the continued revival of this famous street at the Crossroads of the World.

About New 42nd Street Studios

Designed by Charles Platt and Ray Dovell of Platt Byard Dovell Architects, the New 42nd Street Studios opened on June 21, 2000. This 84,000 square foot building consists of five floors of rehearsal studios, three floors of office space for nonprofit performing arts companies; and a 199-seat theater appreciatively named The Duke on 42nd StreetSM in recognition of a generous grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The largely glass building was conceived as a "structure of light" in collaboration with lighting designer Anne Militello. An innovative system of multicolored lights play across the façade of the building, with a translucent "light screen" encasing the space for The Duke on 42nd Street and a 175-foot wand of light soaring skyward at the west end of the building. By day, the building stands as a work of post-modern architecture; by night, it is a fantasy of light and motion, hinting at the creative processes transpiring within.

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