New York Spotlight: September 2005

Company, lots of company. Lots of New York theater companies are kicking off their seasons this month, making for an unusually star-studded September.

The Roundabout starts off the Broadway season with Tony Award winner Richard Greenberg’s comedy A Naked Girl on the Appian Way, starring Jill Clayburgh, Richard Thomas, and Matthew Morrison (previews begin September 13); while Manhattan Theater Club revives Alan Ayckbourn’s laugher Absurd Person Singular at the Biltmore, starring Mireille Enos, Clea Lewis, Sam Robards, Alan Ruck, Deborah Rush, and Paxton Whitehead (previews begin September 22).

Heading Off-Broadway, Playwrights Horizons gets its much-talked about season going with James Lapine’s drama Fran’s Bed (opening September 25), starring Mia Farrow, Julia Stiles, Heather Burns, and Harris Yulin. Manhattan Class Company brings over British playwright Laura Wade’s Colder Than Here (opening September 28) starring Brian Murray, Lily Rabe, Sarah Paulson, and most importantly Judith Light as an obsessive mother planning her own funeral. The ever-provocative Rattlestick Theater serves up Craig Wright’s drama The Pavilion — the latest chapter in his “Pine City” plays — starring Stephen Bogardus, Brian D’Arcy James, and Jennifer Mudge (opens September 20). Meanwhile, the Atlantic Theater presents the New York premiere of Rolin Jones’ offbeat comedy The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow about an unhappy girl and her robot (opens September 19).

Elsewhere, the award-winning Keen Company gets on the Somerset Maugham bandwagon with a rare production of his domestic comedy The Breadwinner directed by Carl Forsman (previews begin September 6). For a double-dose of Brecht, Jean Cocteau Repertory is offering Mother Courage (opening September 4), while Creative Mechanics is presenting his rarely-seen Edward II (opening September 8). New York Theater Workshop brings in the improvisational British import Spirit (opening September 15), from the creators of Shockheaded Peter.

Stewart F. Lane’s backstage comedy In The Wings (opens September 29) comes to the Promenade starring Peter Scolari, Marilyn Sokol, and Lisa Datz. Irish Arts serves up Ronan Noone’s drama The Blowin of Baile Gail (opens September 13). And the Mint Theater presents the world premiere of the late Dawn Powell’s play Walking Down Broadway (opens September 25).

And musical lovers fear not: The Great American Trailer Park Musical (opening September 15), moves into Dodger Stages with a cast led by Shuler Hensley, Orfeh, Linda Hart, and Kaitlin Hopkins; The Vineyard Theater will serve up Kirsten Childs’ Brazilian-flavored musical Miracle Brothers with Tyler Maynard, Clifton Oliver, Kerry Butler, and Cheryl Freeman heading the cast (opens September 18). Former “Altar Boyz” Andy Karl and David Josefsberg re-team for the sure-to-be-popular Slut at the American Theater of Actors (previews begin September 13), while Drama Desk nominee Jennifer Simard and Brian Noonan play those wild-and-crazy researchers, Alfred and Clara Kinsey, in Dr. Sex at the Peter Norton Space (opens September 20).

And last but not least, The New York Musical Theater Festival returns for a second season September 12-October 2. Among its most anticipated offerings are Douglas Carter Beane’s The Big Time with a cast headed by Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte; The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde, with former “Bat Boy” Deven May as the handsome killer; and You Might As Well Live, with the fabulous Karen Mason as Dorothy Parker.