tHe neW YORK tiMes -tHe neW YORK tiMes

							“essential”
          --tHe neW YORK tiMes
            tHe




           2 0 0 9 – 2 0 1 0




 neW   4 - p l aY           pacKage
“New York TheaTre
 workshop is aN
 esseNTial parT of The
 New York culTural
 laNdscape.”
 -The New York Times

during the past ten years, NYTw’s achievements have included producing seminal
theatrical experiences from the finest theatre artists working today such as martha
clarke’s Vienna Lusthaus (Revisited), Tony kushner’s Homebody/Kabul, caryl churchill’s
A Number, paul rudnick’s The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, and Beckett Shorts
directed by Joanne akalaitis and featuring mikhail Baryshnikov. The internationally
renowned flemish director ivo van hove continued to electrify New York audiences
with his unique interpretations of Hedda Gabler and The Misanthrope. we introduced
new writers adam rapp, itamar moses and will power, and gave the daring theatre
company elevator repair service their off-Broadway debut with The Sound and The
Fury (April Seventh, 1928). our offerings are always certain to surprise you, and by
being a member of NYTw the one thing you are guaranteed is that you will see a range
and variety of theatre unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else.


show-stopping claudia shear stars in her own play Restoration for NYTw’s 2009-
2010 season which includes productions by award-winning playwrights Jessica Blank
and erik Jensen, Rebecca gilman’s adaptation of carson Mccullers’ The Heart is a
Lonely Hunter and the exquisitely crafted narrative scaffolding in geoffrey cowan and
leroy aarons’ Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers.


we hope that after joining us for these four innovative and eclectic productions, you
will agree with The New York Times and make
New York TheaTre workshop an esseNTial
part of your theatregoing experience.
photos by Joan marcus




  2009–2010 seasOn
                                                             afteRM
Jessica BlaNk
erik JeNseN
afteRMatH
March 20, 2003. A date that the ordinary people
of Iraq will never forget. A day that changed their
lives forever. The day the Americans arrived
in their country.



N
            ew York Theatre workshop sent Jessica                      Blank and
            Erik Jensen, the award-winning creators of The Exonerated,
            to Jordan in June 2008 to find out firsthand what happened to
the iraqi civilians as a result of the events that began on that fateful day.
They interviewed some 35 iraqis—a cross-section of lives interrupted—
and following their visit to amman, Jessica and erik crafted their
conversations with the iraqis into an unforgettable theatrical event.


“Aftermath depicts the real people behind the phrase ‘collateral damage.’ In our
interviews with Iraqi civilians, we explored their hopes, fears, backgrounds, families,
professions, and loves, as well as what they have endured throughout the war. The
play is steeped in our belief that theatre has a distinct ability to create connections
among individuals normally separated by geography, experience, nationality, or
beliefs. Through the simple act of speaking to an audience, the characters portrayed
in this play reveal the experiences of a community of people with which we, as
Americans, are indelibly connected.” — Jessica Blank & erik Jensen



wriTTeN BY
Jessica BlanK & eRiK Jensen

direcTed BY
Jessica BlanK
AFTERM


 septeMBeR-OctOBeR 2009
nOVeMBeR-DeceMBeR 2009
carsoN
mccullers




                                                   The he
tHe HeaRt is
a lOnelY HUnteR
C
       arson McCullers’ classic novel is adapted for the stage by acclaimed
       playwright Rebecca gilman (Spinning Into Butter) and directed by
       Doug Hughes (The Beard of Avon at NYTw, Doubt). The Heart is
a Lonely Hunter is a beautiful and timeless tale about the universal need
for human connection. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter follows the story of
deaf John singer as he navigates the world without his dearest friend
who has been committed to an insane asylum. when singer moves to
a small southern town, the locals flock to him as a newfound confidant,
seeking compassion and understanding from the one person who needs it
the most. singer’s isolation in the world is mirrored in a few of the towns-
people he meets along the way – a café owner, a rebellious teenager, a
black physician, and an idealistic labor organizer whose dreams have been
shattered. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter intertwines the lives of these
characters in a surprising way that results in a deeply moving story of out-
casts in the south during the Great depression.



Based oN The NoVel BY
caRsOn MccUlleRs
adapTed BY
ReBecca gilMan
direcTed BY
DOUg HUgHes
co-produced wiTh
tHe acting cOMpanY
GeoffreY cowaN
leroY aaroNs
tOp secRet:
tHe Battle fOR tHe
pentagOn papeRs

T
      op Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers
      is an inside look at The Washington Post’s decision to
      publish     the    classified     study    documenting        u.s.
involvement in Vietnam. The epic legal battle went to the nation’s
highest court and asked the question, “in a democratic society, when,
if ever, should a government be allowed to protect secrets in the name
of national security?” featuring a cast of 11, representing the real life
characters at the center of this historic event (from Washington Post
editor Ben Bradlee to Post publisher katherine Graham to richard
Nixon himself), this real life story about one of the great “stand up
and cheer” moments in american journalism rivals The Front Page
for drama, wit, and the sheer exuberance of watching the good
guys triumph.



wriTTeN BY
geOffReY cOWan anD leROY aaROns

direcTed BY
JOHn RUBinstein
a co-producTioN wiTh
l.a. tHeatRe WORKs aNd
affinitY cOllaBORatiVe tHeateR
pentag


         spRing 2010
sUMMeR 2010
claudia shear




                                                     oratio
RestORatiOn

T
     wo-time Tony Award-nominee, playwright and actress claudia shear
     reunites with acclaimed director christopher ashley to create and star in
     her comic and inspired new play Restoration. Shear plays the lead role
of Giulia, a feisty, down-on-her-luck art restorer from Brooklyn who receives
the possibly career-reviving job of “refreshing” Michelangelo’s sculpture David
in time for its 500th birthday celebration in Florence. Claudia Shear and
Christopher Ashley first met and worked together on the legendary NYTW
production of Shear’s Obie Award-winning solo performance piece Blown
Sideways Through Life. Directed by Ashley, Blown Sideways played an
extended New York run and was later filmed for PBS’s “American Playhouse”.
Shear triumphantly returned to NYTW with Dirty Blonde, a comic exploration
of the life of Mae West, directed by James Lapine, for which she won a Theatre
World Award, as well as Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for Best
Play and Best Actress. Christopher Ashley’s directing credits include Xanadu,
for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director
of a Musical, and The Rocky Horror Show for which he received nominations
for the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical and the Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Director of a Musical.

“One of the best new American plays to come my
way in quite some time.” — Wall Street Journal


BY
claUDia sHeaR
direcTed BY
cHRistOpHeR asHleY
HOW tO ORDeR
BY mail:      New York TheaTre workshop
              aTTN: Membership
              79 east 4th street
              New York, NY 10003
oNliNe:       Use our secure server at      www.nytw.org
BY phoNe: 212-460-5475 (Tuesday – saturday, 11am – 5pm)
BY faX:       212-979-1449
BY e-mail:    joinus@nytw.org

       i would like                      4-play membership(s) x $190 =

                  i would like                         smartpasses x $190 =

                                        handling fee = $6 x # of memberships                =
              i wish to make a fully deductible gift to NYTw and support its activities.
                      (Gifts of $1,500 or more entitle you to the benefits as a patron –    =
                   The society of repeat defenders – of NYTw.) our heartfelt thanks.
                                                             Total amount enclosed          =

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79 easT 4Th sTreeT, New York, NY 10003




2009–2010                                neW   4 - p l aY   pacKage
4-plaY MeMBeRsHip pacKage
pay only $190 and get one ticket per membership for Aftermath, The Heart is a Lonely
Hunter, Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers, and Restoration with no restrictions on
booking. Be part of it all!

NYTW MEMBERSHIPS AFFORD YOU THE ULTIMATE IN CHOICE AND FLEXIBILITY!
There is no need to commit to performance dates now. approximately six weeks before the first
performance of each production, you will receive a letter and production calendar notifying you
that it is time to reserve your tickets. all members receive a priority booking period before tickets
go on sale to the general public. as a member, you are guaranteed seats when you book during
the priority period, get the pick of the best seats in the house, and receive exclusive exchange
privileges in case your plans change.

SmartPaSS
NYTw’s smartpass offers you the ultimate flexibility. pay only $190 per smartpass and get
4 tickets to be used however you’d like for the 09/10 season: use one ticket per show or all
your tickets for one show or anything in between! smartpasses purchased now are valid for
the 09/10 season only.

ALL MEMBERS RECEIVE:
• Advance booking before the general public
• Priority seating
• Discounts on guest tickets
• Ticket exchange privileges
• Advance notification of NYTW Public Programs
• Special discounts to outside productions in the 4th Street Theatre
• Free coffee and tea all season at the concessions bar
• Discounts at local restaurants
• FAB Pass for discounts at other local arts organizations

BECOME AN NYTW “INSIDER” – JOIN NEW YORK THEATRE WORKSHOP’S
SOCIETY OF REPEAT DEFENDERS, an extraordinary group of theatre lovers who play a
vital role in supporting the artistic endeavors of the workshop.

an annual contribution of $1,500 or more entitles you to two prime tickets to the workshop’s
next four productions and provides you exclusive access to the most comprehensive
behind-the-scenes theatre activities in New York city.

• receive personalized ticket handling through a dedicated phone line that provides access
to the best seats in the house, even on a last minute basis.

• meet with artists involved in our current productions and learn more about what goes on
backstage at the workshop.

• receive exciting opportunities to gather with our community of artists, NYTw staff,
and fellow patrons at pre-show cocktail receptions, fireside chats, staged readings, and
presentations of works-in-progress.

• members at the $5,000 level can request personalized additional benefits.

if you are passionate about theatre and want to be a part of what goes on
behind-the-scenes, please join us as a member of the society of repeat defenders.
for more information contact Norma scheck at 212-780-9037 or at normas@nytw.org.

Programs, artists and dates subject to change.