RUINED Makes Its London Debut At The Almeida Theatre 4/15/2010-6/5/2010

The Goodman Theatre-commissioned, Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined by Lynn Nottage will have another life overseas at London's famed Almeida Theatre this spring, April 15 - June 5, 2010. In a new production at the Almeida, Ruined will be directed by Indhu Rubasingham and feature Jenny Jules as Mama Nadi and Lucian Msamati as Christian. The production will include original music by Dominic Kanza, as well as a new creative team including Robert Jones (set), Oliver Fenwick (lighting) and Christopher Shutt (sound).

Ruined was commissioned and developed at Goodman Theatre, where it received its world premiere in a co-production with Manhattan Theatre Club. In addition to the Pulitzer, Ruined also received seven Best Play awards including the New York Critics' Circle Award, two Drama Desk Awards, four OBIE Awards-and most recently, four Joseph Jefferson Awards. Ruined was hailed as a "remarkable theatrical accomplishment! Dazzling!" (Chicago Tribune) and "explosive...brash, searing" (Chicago Sun-Times). For its run at Manhattan Theatre Club, critics declared it "an intense and gripping new drama from one of our finest playwrights...the kind of play we desperately need" (NY1) and "a vibrant...superbly acted?deeply moving new play" (New York Post).

The Almeida is a 325-seat theater in the heart of Islington, London, producing a diverse range of British and international drama with some of the world's best artists. Under the Artistic Directorship of Michael Attenborough, the Almeida has developed a reputation as a local theater with a world profile.

Artistic research and development programs at Goodman Theatre were initiated in 1988 through a gift from The Lester and Hope Abelson Fund for Artistic Development. Funding for artistic development, including the New Stages Series, has been provided, in part, by the Leading National Theatres Program, a joint initiative of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Artistic development of Ruined was sponsored, in part, by The Davee Foundation. Production support was provided by the Sara Lee Foundation, the Owen Season Corporate Sponsor; the World Premiere Season Sponsors; New Works Season Sponsors and the Director's Society Sponsors.