The new season kicks off Sept. 10 in the Berlind Theatre with Aurélia’s Oratorio, starring Aurélia Thierrée and created and directed by her mother, Victoria Thierrée Chaplin. The production, which runs through Oct. 17, is described as such: "Behind the red velvet curtain lies a topsy-turvy world of surreal surprises, tricks, and transformations, where dreams come to life and the impossible happens before your very eyes."
Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare will star in the one-man showpiece An Iliad, which begins Oct. 19 in the Matthews Theatre. Adapted from Robert Fagles' translation of Homer's epic story, the production will feature direction by Lisa Peterson; performances continue through Nov. 7.
The New Year will begin with the world premiere of Sarah Treem's The How and the Why. McCarter artistic director Emily Mann will helm the production, which will play the Berlind Theatre Jan. 7-Feb. 13, 2011. According to the McCarter, "Evolution and emotion collide in this sharp and thought-provoking new play about science, family, and survival of the fittest. On the eve of a prestigious conference, an up-and-coming evolutionary biologist wrestles for the truth with an established leader in the field."
Beth Henley's bittersweet and Pulitzer Prize-winning Crimes of the Heart will follow, playing March 8-27, 2011, in the Matthews Theatre. Liesl Tommy will direct the play, which "concerns three eccentric sisters, a husband who's been shot, and a lawyer with a vendetta: the recipe for a 30th birthday gone perfectly wrong."
The season concludes with Sleeping Beauty Wakes, which features music and lyrics by two members of the theatrical pop trio Groovelily: composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda. Tony winner Rachel Sheinkin penned the book. Rebecca Taichman will direct the production, which runs in the Berlind Theatre April 29-June 5, 2011, and is described as follows: "When a young beauty whose father claims she's been sleeping for centuries is brought to a 21st-century sleep disorder clinic, all the patients begin to find themselves sharing a familiar fairy tale dream." Theater Series subscriptions range from $75 to $240; for tickets or more information, call the Ticket Office at (609) 258-2787 or visit www.mccarter.org. McCarter Theatre Center is located at 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ.
