The world premiere of Arthur Laurents' new play, 2 Lives, a co-production of the Lyric Stage Company and Huntington Theatre Company in Boston, will play the Lyric space March 14-April 12, 2003.
In an interview with Christopher Wallenberg for the Boston edition of Playbill in February, Huntington artistic director Nicholas Martin — who is set to direct the work — spoke of the upcoming season, mentioning a new Broadway-bound Arthur Laurents play to be a co-presentation with the Lyric Stage. Martin said the play needed "a smaller space," which the Lyric could provide.
2 Lives centers on the complicated life of a 72 year-old playwright and his lover of 35 years. Following a five-year hiatus, the scribe's work is sought for Broadway, resulting in a sudden flow of inspiration. This newfound cascade of writing is cut short by the death of his long-time partner.
Laurents is the author of plays such as Home of the Brave, A Clearing in the Woods, Invitation to the March, The Enclave, Scream, The Radical Mystique, My Good Name and Jolson Sings Again. His musical credits include West Side Story, Gypsy, Anyone Can Whistle, Do I Hear A Waltz?, Hallelujah, Baby! and Nick & Nora. Also known as a director (La Cage aux Folles, Invitation to a March, I Can Get It for You Wholesale and his own Gypsy), Laurents also wrote the screenplay to "The Way We Were."
No information was immediately available about a New York future for the new play, which is part of Laurents' own burst of creative energy in recent years. Lyric Stage's season also includes Claudia Shear's Dirty Blonde (Sept. 13 Oct.12), Douglas J. Cohen's The Gig (Oct. 18-Nov. 16), Larry Coen and David Crane's Epic Proportions (Nov. 22-Dec. 21), Tom Dudzick's Over The Tavern (Jan. 3-Feb. 1, 2003), Jason Sherman's It's All True (Feb. 7-March 8, 2003) and Bill Russell and Henry Krieger's Side Show (April 25-May 31, 2003).
Lyric Stage Company is located at 140 Clarendon Street in Boston. Subscriptions and single tickets are available by calling (617) 437-7172. For more information, visit their web site at www.lyricstage.com.
