Nottage's works include By The Way, Meet Vera Stark; Ruined; Intimate Apparel; Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine; Crumbs from the Table of Joy; Las Meninas; Mud, River, Stone; Por'knockers; and POOF!.
"As Eclipse enters its third decade, we are thrilled to explore the works of one of the most creative and exciting voices in contemporary American theatre," Eclipse Theatre Company artistic director Nathaniel Swift said in a statement. “Lynn Nottage’s plays speak to contemporary issues and deeply human connections, in a voice that is unique, poetic and powerful. We plan to show all the facets of Lynn Nottage’s writing — from her recent hits in Chicago and New York to the rarely explored gems — through our productions and readings. As America, and the world, continues to explore race, gender, identity and class, this is an ideal time to explore Nottage’s artistic vision. As she has said about her own writing, 'I feel it's my social responsibility to shine a light on areas that don't get seen.'"
The season-at-a-glance follows:
Ruined
Directed by Aaron Todd Douglas
The Athenaeum Theatre
April 19-May 25, 2014
"In war-torn Congo, Mama Nadi keeps the peace between customers on both sides of the civil war by serving everything from cold beers to warm beds. This shrewd matriarch both protects and profits from the women whose bodies have become battlegrounds 'ruined' by the brutality of government soldiers and rebel forces alike. Inspired by interviews conducted in Africa, Ruined won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama." Intimate Apparel
Directed by Ensemble Member Steve Scott
The Athenaeum Theatre
July 17-Aug. 24
"Esther lives in a boarding house for women in 1905 New York City, sewing intimate apparel for clients who range from wealthy white patrons to prostitutes. With her skills and discretion in great demand, she uses her gifted hands and her sewing machine to refashion her dreams and make them anew from the whole cloth of her life's experiences."
Mud, River, Stone
Directed by Andrea J. Dymond
The Athenaeum Theatre
Nov. 6-Dec 14
"An African-American couple vacationing in Africa takes a turn off the main highway, finding themselves stranded during the rainy season in the remnants of a grand hotel. As the rains continue, their comic and romantic adventure takes on absurd dimensions when the hotel guests are taken hostage by the angry bellhop. His demands are simple: He wants grain for his village and a wool blanket for his mother. Relationships are tested by the volatile politics of Africa, as we learn what the hungry human spirit will do for food and a warm blanket."
The casts and creative teams will be announced at a later date.
In addition to the three main productions, Eclipse will also explore additional works by Nottage through a year-long free series of intimate readings and discussions, The Playwright Scholar Series.
More information can be found by visiting eclipsetheatre.com.
