The first annual two-week festival, presented by Tribeca Film Festival co-founders Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff, with the Drama Dept., will run Oct. 19-31.
Hare's new work, which depicts nearly every major politico attached to the Bush White House, follows the prelude to the invasion of Iraq. Currently making its debut at London's National Theatre, Stuff Happens will be read Oct. 18 at 7 PM at the New York Theatre Workshop under the direction of Michael Sexton. Cast is to be announced.
The work is part of the "Downtown Readings" series in which downtown theater companies will present staged readings of new and developing works at Tribeca Cinemas. (The Hare work will perform at the NYTW's space at 79 East 4th Street.
Other readings (with presenting company in parenthesis) include Anne Washburn's The Internationalist (The Vineyard Theater), directed by Ken Rus Schmoll; Zina Camblin's Her Hair Went With Her (The Culture Project), directed by Leigh Fondakowski; Lucy Thurber's Bottom of the World (Women's Expressive Theater, Inc.), Daniel Voll's Dear Mr. President (Naked Angels), directed by David Warren; Nicole Burdette's Yes! We Have No Pajamas (Naked Angels), starring Tim Hutton and Bill Sage as directed by Brian Mac Devitt; Megan Mostyn Brown's The Secret Lives of Losers (LAByrinth Theater); Caryl Churchill's This Is a Chair (New York Theatre Workshop), directed by Michael Sexton; and Rich Orloff's Cripperella or The Cracked Glass Slipper (The National Theatre Workshop Of The Handicapped) with music and lyrics by John Spalla, directed by Rick Curry.
For times and more information on all of the free reading, visit www.tribecatheaterfestival.com. For reservations, call (212) 941-2010. The festival will also feature The Downtown Plays which comprises short works by Jon Robin Baitz, Douglas Carter Beane, David Henry Hwang, Neil LaBute, Warren Leight, Kenneth Lonergan, Frank Pugliese, Paul Rudnick and Wendy Wasserstein. The two-hour evening which focuses on "the world below 14th Street" will be directed by Tony Award-winner John Rando (Urinetown).
Billy Crudup, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Tovah Feldshuh, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Michael Imperioli, Ben Stiller, Anna Deveare Smith, Christopher Walken, Michael C. Hall, Tony Danza and Isaac Mizrahi will serves as celebrity hosts for The Downtown Plays.
Other events that are part of the inaugural Tribeca Theater Festival include "Stage on Screen" film screenings, theatre panel discussions and a "Tribeca All Access Open Stage" development program
For tickets and more information, call (212) 941-2450 or visit www.TribecaTheaterFestival.org.
