Heche, Mason, Kurtz, and Leonard to Headline L.A. Theatre Works’ 30th Anniversary Season
L.A. Theatre Works (LATW) has announced the nine works that will make up its 30th anniversary season of star-studded play readings, all of which will be recorded and broadcast on LATW’s nationally syndicated radio show “The Play’s the Thing.”
Anne Heche and Marsha Mason will star in the season opener, David Rambo’s adaptation of the Academy Award-nominated screenplay Adam’s Rib (October 8-11), which tells the story of a married couple of lawyers’ harried relationship inside and outside the courtroom. This will be followed by Noël Coward’s 1932 comedy Design for Living (November 5-9), a morality comedy about a woman and the two men she’s trying to decide between; the production will be directed by Michael Hackett. Next up will be Sophocles’ timeless tragedy Oedipus the King (December 11-13), adapted and directed by Nicholas Rudall, featuring Swoosie Kurtz as Jocasta.
Dr. Carl Djerassi’s An Immaculate Misconception, about a doctor who uses reproductive technology to fertilize her own egg with the sperm of an infertile man, begins the new year (January 7-11, 2004). It will be followed by Our Lady of 121st Street (February 4-8), Stephen Adley Guirgis’s acclaimed character study of a group of former schoolmates who are brought together at the funeral of a nun who had taught them, directed by Richard Masur. Next up is Hugh Whitemore’s Pack of Lies (March 3-7), the Cold War-inspired story of a London family discovering that some longtime friends are Russian spies.
Robert Sean Leonard will star in the seventh production of the season, Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July (April 14-17). He will recreate the role that he recently played Off-Broadway: that of Ken Talley, a man who confronts his emotional demons during a holiday weekend spent with friends and family. Adam Arkin is slated to direct this production. Peter Levin will direct Kevin Daniels in “MASTER HAROLD”…and the boys. (May 12-16), Athol Fugard’s drama about the explosive relationships between two black men and the white boy whom they serve under the shadow of Apartheid. The final show of the season has yet to be decided but will run June 16-20.
All live performances will be given at the Skirball Cultural Center, located at 2701 North Sepulveda Drive in Los Angeles. They Play’s the Thing” may be heard on KPCC 89.3 FM in Los Angeles, KPFA 94.7 FM in Northern California, WGBH 89.7 FM in Boston, WBEZ 91.5 FM in Chicago, KUOW 94.9 FM in Seattle, KUNM in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and XM Satellite Radio. For more information, phone 800-708-8863 or visit www.latw.org.
