Cutting Ball Theater Announces 2013-14 Season

San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater has announced the lineup for its 15^th season. The season opens in October with the World Premiere of SIDEWINDERS by Basil Kreimendahl, directed by M. Graham Smith, followed by Alfred Jarry's UBU ROI in January, directed by Yury Urnov, in a new translation by Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose. RISK IS THIS...THE CUTTING BALL NEW EXPERIMENTAL PLAYS FESTIVAL returns in February with five new works, including two new plays from resident playwright Andrew Saito, in staged readings that push the boundaries of what theater can be. Rounding out the season in April is the American Premiere of Samuel Galett's COMMUNIQUÉ N°10 in a World Premiere translation, and directed, by Rob Melrose. In addition to the main stage season, Cutting Ball Theater continues its Hidden Classics Reading Series with six new installments. The entire 2013-14 season will be staged in San Francisco at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street at Ellis). Season memberships on sale May 13; single tickets on sale September 1. For tickets and information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205.

"I am very excited about our 15^th season," said Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose. "It is hard to believe that our company, which started with a play in the 1999 SF Fringe Festival, is still going strong after a decade and a half. This is in large part due to an adventurous audience who continues to be deeply engaged with our work, an audience that loves exploring the coming together of imagination, intellect, and innovation."

Continued Melrose, "Our three main stage productions offer a range of experiences. Sidewinders by Basil Kreimendahl is a kind of Waiting for Godot set in the Wild West, exploring issues of sexuality and gender; it is hard to imagine a more perfect fit for Cutting Ball and for San Francisco. My new translation of Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi will be directed by up and coming Russian director Yury Urnov. This play caused riots when it premiered in Paris in 1896, and Urnov's directorial vision promises to make Cutting Ball's production as remarkable an event as it was over a century ago. The season closes with my translation of Samuel Gallet's riveting Communiqué N°10. Gallet is a promising young French playwright and Cutting Ball is honored to present the American Premiere of this new work."

"Additionally this season, both the RISK IS THIS...The Cutting Ball New Experimental Plays Festival and Hidden Classics Reading Series will be heavily influenced by our new resident playwright Andrew Saito, who will be in residence with the company for the next three years thanks to a generous grant from The Andrew Mellon Foundation. Andrew will have two new plays featured in RISK IS THIS, and has also chosen two works to be featured in Hidden Classics, introducing our audiences to a little-known Mayan play, and a surrealist play by a Brazilian playwright. This promises to be an extraordinary season, one of our most adventurous seasons yet."

Season memberships on sale May 13; single tickets on sale September 1. For tickets or more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205; group discounts and student rush tickets available. Pay What You Can tickets are available to neighborhood residents for all productions.

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