Photo Flash: ATC's THE NEW YORK IDEA

Atlantic Theater Company Neil Pepe, Artistic Director; Jeffory Lawson, Managing Director is proud to present the world premiere adaptation of THE NEW YORK IDEA, written by Tony Award® winner David Auburn from the original play by Langdon Mitchell and directed by Mark Brokaw.

Commissioned by Atlantic, the new world premiere adaptation of the 1906 comedy stars Patricia Conolly, Michael Countryman, Francesca Faridany, Mikaela Feely-Lehmann, Rick Holmes, John Keating, Peter Maloney, Jaime Ray Newman, Patricia O'Connell, Jeremy Shamos, Joey Slotnick and Tom Patrick Stephens. It began previews Thursday, January 6, will officially open Wednesday, January 26, and will play a limited engagement through Sunday, February 13, 2011 Off-Broadway at The Lucille Lortel Theatre 121 Christopher Street while Atlantic's main stage Linda Gross Theater undergoes renovation.

Cynthia Karslake is a freewheeling young divorcee in 1906 New York City society. She has decided to settle down again into a much more stable, reliable relationship with the prominent Judge Philip Phillimore. Little does she know, however, that neither of their impetuous and unpredictable ex-spouses, nor her beloved race horse Cynthia K is yet down for the count. In this sharp-tongued comedy, David Auburn sheds new light on a little known play from a century ago that offers a surprisingly contemporary look at social mores, status and attitudes about sex and divorce in upper crust New York.

Pulitzer and Tony Award® winning playwright David Auburn's plays include Proof, An Upset and Amateurs and Skyscraper. He wrote the screenplays for the feature films The Lake House starring Sandra Bullock and The Girl in the Park starring Sigourney Weaver, which he also directed. He recently staged A Delicate Balance at The Berkshire Theatre Festival.

Director Mark Brokaw is currently represented Off-Broadway with his staging of The Language Archive. He has directed After Miss Julie, The Constant Wife, Reckless and the musical Cry-Baby on Broadway. Off-Broadway, he received Obie, Drama Desk and Lortel Awards for his direction of Paula Vogel's acclaimed play How I Learned to Drive, a Lortel Award for Kenneth Lonergan's This is Our Youth and Lortel nominations for Lonergan's Lobby Hero and Vogel's The Long Christmas Ride Home. He has directed at London's Donmar Warehouse and Dublin's Gate Theatre and is the Artistic Director of the Yale Institute for Music Theatre.

Patricia Conolly returns to Atlantic following last season's acclaimed production of Moira
Buffini's Gabriel. Michael Countryman recently appeared on Broadway in Mary Stuart and has starred in Trumpery and The Bald Soprano at Atlantic. Francesca Faridany recently appeared on Broadway in the hit The 39 Steps and Off-Broadway in Sarah Ruhl's play Orlando. Mikaela Feely-Lehmann returns to Atlantic in a central role following understudying roles in Gabriel last season. Rick Holmes has starred in the Broadway musicals Spamalot and Cabaret and recently Off-Broadway in Distracted, directed by Mark Brokaw. John Keating most recently appeared in Measure for Measure Off-Broadway and in the HBO miniseries "John Adams." Peter Maloney has appeared in 17 Atlantic plays, most recently in Lucy Thurber's Bottom of the World and Peter Parnell's Trumpery. Jaime Ray Newman makes her New York stage debut following starring in Neil LaBute's Some Girls and Fat Pig at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. Patricia O'Connell returns to Atlantic after appearing in the award winning production of Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmann which also toured Ireland and England. Jeremy Shamosjoins the cast direct from the Broadway comedy Elling. He received Lortel and Drama League nominations for his acclaimed performance in Clybourne Park Off-Broadway last season. Joey Slotnick returns to Atlantic after starring in the world premiere productions of Ethan Coen's Offices and Almost an Evening. Tom Patrick Stephens makes his debut in a central role after understudying roles in Atlantic's productions of The Collection, Gabriel and Parlour Song.
The creative team for THE NEW YORK IDEA features scenic design by Allen Moyer, costume design by Michael Krass, lighting design by Mary Louise Geiger and original music by Lewis Flinn.