"OFFICE HOURS" AND "LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS" ANNOUNCED FOR THE FLEA'S UPCOMING SEASON
Published 2010-07-22
The Flea's Artistic Director, Jim Simpson, and Producing Director, Carol Ostrow, announce the line up for their upcoming Fall 2010 season.
OFFICE HOURS by A. R. Gurney will be up first, directed by Jim Simpson, running September 21 - November 7. Says Simpson, "We are blessed again to produce the work of Pete Gurney-- a distinguished playwright who speaks to our times and who endorses the work of our young company The Bats." Written specifically for The Bats, OFFICE HOURS takes us back to the university campus in 1974 when administrations began to doubt the value of a "Great Books" course. The play offers striking parallels to our contemporary political climate and raises significant questions surrounding the teaching of the classics in our modern world. Gurney adds "I wrote OFFICE HOURS specifically to be performed by the Bats at the Flea Theatre. The play is designed to display the talents, energy, and versatility of these young actors." Opening is set for September 30, 2010.
OFFICE HOURS tickets and information
Next up is the world premiere of LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS. Says Ostrow, "Steven Banks, aka Billy The Mime, was so taken with our young Acting Company when he was at The Flea in AMERICA LOVESEXDEATH that he particularly wrote this piece with them in mind." LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS is a twenty-first century New York City holiday tale - the story of a young, recently fired writer who stumbles upon young, newly arrived actress on Christmas Eve while taking in the famed holiday window displays along Fifth Avenue. From Tiny Tim toting a ray gun to an eager elf with an eye for Mrs. Claus, the familiar characters behind the windows come to life in the most unexpected ways as the pair passes by each display in this quirky love story. LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS will run November 20 - December 31.
LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS tickets and information
A.R. Gurney has been writing plays for over fifty years. Among them are THE GRAND MANNER, SCENES FROM AMERICAN LIFE, THE DINING ROOM, THE MIDDLE AGES, THE COCKTAIL HOUR, LOVE LETTERS, SYLVIA, FAR EAST, ANCESTRAL VOICES, BIG BILL INDIAN BLOOD, CRAZY MARY, and BUFFALO GAL. At The Flea he has premiered POST MORTEM, O JERUSALEM, SCREENPLAY, MRS. FARNSWORTH, and A LIGHT LUNCH. He has also written three novels, a few television scripts, several unproduced movies, and the librettos of two operas. Gurney is a member of the Theatre Hall of Fame and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He has honorary degrees from Williams College and Buffalo State University and taught literature at M.I.T. for many years.
Steven Banks is the Emmy-nominated head writer of 'SpongeBob Squarepants'. He recently co-created a full evening piece, SHADOWLAND, for the renowned dance company Pilobolus, currently touring internationally. He wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed one-man play HOME ENTERTAINMENT CENTER on Showtime and performed it in Los Angeles and San Francisco, winning LA Weekly, Dramalouge and Bay Area Critic's Circle Awards. At The Flea, he presented his controversial mime show AMERICA LOVESEXDEATH. Steven also wrote and
starred in the national PBS series 'The Steven Banks Show' and released a CD, 'Songs from The Steven Banks Show.' His first novel, 'King of the Creeps,' was published by Random House/Knopf. He has written over twenty children's books, including two New York Times best sellers. His play, LOVE TAPES, co-written with Penn Jillette, was nominated for three LA Weekly Theater Awards, winning Best Direction of a Comedy. He wrote the book and additional lyrics for 'SpongeBob: The Musical!' Steven is a drop out of Los Angeles City College and a graduate of the Ringling Brother's & Barnum and Bailey's Clown College.
The Flea Theater, under Artistic Director Jim Simpson and Producing Director Carol Ostrow, is one of New York's leading off-off-Broadway companies. Winner of a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement, Obie Awards and an Otto for political theater, The Flea has presented nearly 100 plays and numerous dance and live music performances since its inception in 1996. Past productions include the premieres of Anne Nelson's THE GUYS; five plays by A.R. Gurney (POST MORTEM, O JERUSALEM, SCREENPLAY, MRS. FARNSWORTH, and A LIGHT LUNCH); Mac Wellman's CELLOPHANE and TWO SEPTEMBER; Roger Rosenblatt's ASHLEY MONTANA GOES ASHORE... and THE OLDSMOBILES; Elizabeth Swados' JABU and KASPAR HAUSER; Karen Finley's RETURN OF THE CHOCOLATE SMEARED WOMAN; Adam Rapp's BINGO WITH THE INDIANS; Will Eno's OH, THE HUMANITY AND OTHER EXCLAMATIONS; DAWN by Thomas Bradshaw; THE GREAT RECESSION; Jonathan Reynolds' GIRLS IN TROUBLE; and most recently Bathsheba Doran's PARENTS' EVENING.
THE FLEA THEATER
Archives
April, 2012
March, 2012
February, 2012
January, 2012
December, 2011
November, 2011
October, 2011
September, 2011
August, 2011
July, 2011
June, 2011
May, 2011
April, 2011
March, 2011
February, 2011
January, 2011
December, 2010
November, 2010
October, 2010
September, 2010
August, 2010
July, 2010
June, 2010
May, 2010
April, 2010
March, 2010
February, 2010
November, 2009
August, 2009
July, 2009
November, 2008
October, 2008
September, 2008
August, 2008
