Alan Rickman Set to Lead KRAPP HOUR at Flea Theatre in 2013

Jim Simpson, artistic director and Carol Ostrow, producing director, announced today the line up for the upcoming 2012/2013 season at The Flea.  Says Ostrow, "We are incredibly excited to unveil a season of astonishing World, American and New York City premiere productions."

Opening the season the "prolific provocateur" Thomas Bradshaw takes on a sacred biblical text to explore issues of faith - JOB. How low will God go? Bradshaw calls his play an honest, un-cynical adaptation of the book of Job. "We are living in this oddly religious moment in America. I did a ton of research. The Talmud has like eight different theories about when Job lived and who he was, so I had to sit down with a Jewish scholar and figure out which would be best for my purposes." JOB performances begin August 31.

Next up is the world premiere of HERESY by A.R. Gurney. This production marks the seventh collaboration between Gurney and The Flea's Artistic Director, Jim Simpson. Following previous Flea productions, MRS. FARNSWORTH, O JERUSALEM, SCREEN PLAY, POST MORTEM, A LIGHT LUNCH, and OFFICE HOURS, Mr. Gurney again turns his attention to the state of our nation. "Having HERESY play during the final lead-in to the Presidential Election will delight and incite," says Simpson. In a Government Building, in a terrifying near future, HERESY takes on the American Dream. Shall we have another cocktail or release the man who we will kill or follow to a new beginning? HERESY: men have died for less. HERESY performances begin September 29.

Running in repertory with JOB and HERESY will be the World Premiere of AMERICAN SONG, a 13 episode live theater radio play series that explores the history of the 20th century through song, written by Caldecott Medal author, Arthur Yorinks. Performances begin September 10.

KRAPP HOUR, an adaptation of Beckett's KRAPP's LAST TAPE by Canadian poet, essayist, translator and professor of Classics, Anne Carson will premier in late August (date TBD). Starring Alan Rickman as Krapp, this Flea venture is a part of the Virtual Theater Collaborative, the NEA funding initiative – a partnering of video game technology and professional Theater Productions to create a New Medium for the performing arts.

Also in the works for spring 2013 are Flea commissions THE VANDAL by actor/writer Hamish Linklater and a new play by Beau Willimon (Farragut North) to be directed by noted film director Joel Schumacher.

Shows in the Flea's downstairs space including #Serials, The Flea's weekly late night series of ten minute plays – five plays enter and only three plays continue after an audience vote. And look for the Obie award winning Play Company who will be returning to The Flea this season with a new slate of plays. Go to www.theflea.org for more information.