Monday, May 7th at 7pm
One-Night-Only Reading to Benefit The New Group

Women Behind Bars
By Tom Eyen
Directed by Scott Elliott

with Charles Busch, Janeane Garofalo, Nancy Giles,
Josh Hamilton, Natasha Lyonne, Cynthia Nixon, Rosie O'Donnell,
Rosie Perez, Rhea Perlman, Chloë Sevigny, and Jennifer Tilly

It's New Year's Eve 1952 in The Women's House of Detention in Greenwich Village. When the innocent and lovely Mary-Eleanor is framed by her husband and put away, her arrival in the house of detention sparks rivalries that build to increasingly dangerous -- not to say unspeakable and hilarious -- conflicts among her fellow prisoners and the sadistic Matron. An outrageous send-up of the classic genre of 1950s movies set in women's prisons, Women Behind Bars is a wild ensemble piece by Tom Eyen (who went on to write Dreamgirls). Women Behind Bars premiered in New York in 1974 (The New York Theatre Ensemble) and transferred to Off-Broadway's The Astor Place Theatre, where it opened in May 1975.

For tickets and information, please contact: Brandon Suisse brandon@thenewgroup.org.

Click here to read the Playbill.com article.

REFLECTING RABE

Readings from David Rabe's work

featuring

Bobby Cannavale, Judith Ivey, and Matthew Modine

Sunday April 15, 4 pm
Acorn Theatre, Theatre Row

The final Dark Night of our season will present readings of diverse excerpts from the body of work of David Rabe, author of the classic plays Hurlyburly and Streamers, as well as The New Group's current premiere, An Early History of Fire. Special guests, including Bobby Cannavale, Judith Ivey, and Matthew Modine, will read selections from Rabe's acclaimed novels and lesser known plays like Those the River Keeps, as well as reflect on Rabe's singular and brilliant career. Public discussion with David Rabe and the actors will follow.

The New Group is committed to fostering artistic dialogue, and this is the fourth season that we are presenting Dark Nights at The New Group, in which important theater artists discuss their creative process and present works-in-progress. These events are free to all, and allow our audience to interact with our artists around thought-provoking topics. Recent Dark Nights have included filmmaker Todd Solondz speaking with Thomas Bradshaw about writing about taboo subjects; readings of scenes from Hamlet, with Lisa Emery, Mamie Gummer, Josh Hamilton, and Wallace Shawn; and Ethan Hawke and Jonathan Marc Sherman discussing Jonathan’s new play inspired by Brecht’s Baal, and performing Brecht scenes and songs. All events are on Sundays in the Acorn Theater at Theatre Row.

To RSVP please email seats@thenewgroup.org.
There is a $20 suggested donation. Event is free to subscribers.
Space is limited, so reservations are a must.

CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT

AN EARLY HISTORY OF FIRE
By David Rabe
Directed by Jo Bonney

With
Deema Aitken, Gordon Clapp, Erin Darke, Jonny Orsini,
Devin Ratray, Dennis Staroselsky, Theo Stockman, Claire van der Boom

 An Early History of Fire is set at the tipping point of the early 1960s. In a Midwestern town, Danny's days are defined by friendship and loyalty - but the bigger world encroaches in the form of Karen, back from college in the east, alluring and unsettling because of all she has learned. Awhirl in longing and eyeing a chance for radical change, Danny struggles against the grip of his immigrant father, who mourns a vanished world of lost prestige while clinging to his only son. This world premiere marks David Rabe's return to The New Group, following the company's acclaimed 2005 revival of Hurlyburly.

Previews begin April 5th

Complete Casting Announced for David Rabe's An Early History of Fire; Lily Rabe Withdraws

Broadway.com - full article

Claire Van Der Boom Replaces Lily Rabe in An Early History of Fire Off-Broadway

Playbill.com - full article

Lily Rabe Leaves Cast of New Group's EARLY HISTORY OF FIRE

BroadwayWorld.com - full article

Click here for tickets.