LAByrinth Theater Company Announces Line-up for 2010-2011 Season

LAByrinth Theater Company (Co-Artistic Directors Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O'Donnell, Yul Vázquez and Managing Director, Danny Feldman), Off-Broadway's home of exhilarating and incendiary theater, has announced the line-up for the 2010-2011 season featuring the 11th Annual Barn Reading Series, as well as world premiere productions of two works from the 2008 Barn Series written by LAB members: Thinner Than Water by Melissa Ross and The Motherf**ker with the Hat by LAB co-artistic director Stephen Adly Guirgis and a 24/7 marathon of free readings and special events celebrating the city we live in, NewYorkNewYork!

The season launches in late November with the 11th Annual Barn Reading Series, a festival of staged readings highlighting 14 new plays. The Barn Series is a second step in LAB's play development process, allowing artists to assess how audiences connect with their work, and letting them shape and refine the text in preparation for production. The festival gives audiences an opportunity to see exciting new work, to engage in LAB's development process by giving feedback to the artists, and to catch an early glimpse of future productions.

The Barn Series is open to the public beginning Monday, November 29th through Tuesday, December 21st at The Cherry Pit (155 Bank Street). All are welcome. Admission is free. Reservations are not necessary and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis at each performance. Patrons should arrive at the theater 1/2 hour before the performance they would like to attend. (Plays and Schedule below.)

The season continues in February with the world premiere of Thinner Than Water, a new play by Melissa Ross with direction by LAB co-artistic director Mimi O'Donnell. In Thinner Than Water, Martin is debt ridden, gambling addicted, pissed as hell, and dying. Unfortunately his three estranged children couldn't care less. Instead they argue with each other and everyone around them in a desperate struggle to do the right thing and mend their rapidly deteriorating lives. As the world around them crumbles, they are each surprised to discover family in unexpected places. Whether a spouse, a friend, or a chance encounter with a random stranger blood is often Thinner Than Water. Performances begin February 8, 2011 for a limited run through March 6, 2011 at The Cherry Pit (155 Bank Street). Opening night is Sunday, February 13, 2011.

It was also recently announced that Scott Rudin, The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson), LAByrinth Theater Company and Stuart Thompson will present on Broadway the world premiere of the new play, The Motherf**Ker With The Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis, starring Bobby Cannavale, Chris Rock, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Annabella Sciorra and Yul Vázquez. Directed by Anna D. Shapiro, the production will open on Monday, April 11, 2011 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street, New York City). The strictly limited 14-week engagement will begin previews on Tuesday, March 22, 2011.

The Motherf**Ker With The Hat is a new high-octane, verbal cage match about love, fidelity, and misplaced haberdashery from playwright and LAB co-artistic director Stephen Adly Guirgis. Jackie and Veronica have been in love since the 8th grade. But now, Jackie is on parole and living clean and sober under the guidance of his sponsor, Ralph D, while still living and loving with his volatile soul mate Veronica who is fiercely loving, but far from sober. Still, their love is pure. And true. Nothing can come between them - except a hat.

The creative team includes scenic design by Todd Rosenthal, costume design by LAB Co-Artistic Director Mimi O'Donnell and lighting design by Donald Holder.

Last season, LAByrinth Theater Company began its community building program with a 24/7 celebration marathon of free readings and special events in honor of Tennessee Williams 99th birthday -- TENN99 - that packed the house from early morning through the wee hours all weekend long. Audience members, LAByrinth company members and a host of theater luminaries ate, drank, and shared the stage taking turns reading Tennessee's legendary plays, poems, and letters in joyful tribute to the much beloved master American dramatist from down South. The response was overwhelming and gratifying with many patrons asking, "What are you guys planning for next year"?

This Spring, LAByrinth turns the focus home to the concrete backyards and side alleys by proudly presenting NewYorkNewYork!, in celebration of the plays, poets, playwrights, and New York artists past and present who have presented and represented the five great boroughs so memorably throughout the years. Expect a party. Expect to participate. Expect top line talent. All are welcome. Admission is free.

LAByrinth Theater Company offers an opportunity for theater patrons to get in on the ground floor and to be a part of the future of theater in New York with a LABPASS Membership. LABPASS ensures each member first-hand information on all the happenings on-stage and off with LAByrinth this year - plays, parties, and everything in between! And with play development at the forefront of LAB's creative mission, LABPASS members are more partners than patrons as the company presents new work with the knowledge that audiences' responses and insights serve only to strengthen the art.

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