Zakiyyah Alexander, Lila Rose Kaplan Plays to Be Part of Second Stage’s 2009 Summer Uptown Series

Second Stage Theatre has announced the two world premiere plays that will comprise its annual summer “Uptown Series,” dedicated to new American plays by emerging playwrights. Both works will be performed at Second Stage Theatre’s uptown home, the McGinn/Cazale Theatre.

The series will kick off with Zakiyyah Alexander’s 10 Things to Do Before I Die (May 12-June 14), to be directed by Jackson Gay. The play involves two sisters who must reconnect and re-examine their complicated history after receiving a delivery of boxes from their recently deceased father. Alexander’s other works include Sick?, The Etymology of a Bird, and Blurring Shine.

Next up will be Lila Rose Kaplan’s Wildflower (July 13-August 8), to be directed by Giovanna Sardelli. The work involves a woman and her troubled son seeking to escape their past in a small town with unexpected consequences. Kaplan’s plays include Aquarium, Catching Flight, and Chicken with Stars.

For more information, visit www.2ST.com.