More than 150 theatre artists will come together for Brave New World—a three-day benefit performance at Town Hall designed to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11. The unique event, which features dozens of new plays and songs, begins at Town Hall on Sept. 9, with performances on Sept. 10 and 11 to follow.
Brave New World is the brainchild of playwright J. Dakota Powell. According to Powell's associate, Erica Gould, Powell felt an immediate impulse to respond to Sept. 11 through her art. She soon discovered that many of her fellow artists felt the same way. The idea for Brave New World was born soon after.
Each one of the playwrights, composers, actors, singers and directors involved were personally invited to participate by Powell and Gould. Among those slated to take part are Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, Alec Baldwin, Len Cariou, Jill Clayburgh, Edie Falco, Adolph Green, John Guare, Marvin Hamlisch, Neil Patrick Harris, Ethan Hawke, Beth Henley, Jerry Herman, Tina Howe, Elias Koteas, Marsha Mason, Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann, Neil Labute, Julianna Margulies, Terrence Mcnally, Alan Menken, Idina Menzel, Bebe Neuwirth, Phyllis Newman, Michael Nouri, Jason Patric, Amanda Peet, Ann Reinking, Isabella Rossalini, Lea Salonga, John Patrick Shanley, Marlo Thomas, Marisa Tomei and Stanley Tucci.
A performance schedule, subject to change, follows:
Monday, Sept. 9 at 8 PM:
The Other Line by Alfred Uhry, with Dana Ivey, directed by Doug Hughes
"A Song for LaChanze" a song by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, sung by LaChanze, who lost her husband, financial trader Calvin Gooding, in the attacks
"Alive," a song by John Patrick Shanley and Daniel Harnett, performed by Orfeh, directed by John Gould Rubin
Nine Ten by Warren Leight, a play about a group of Manhattanites assigned to jury duty on Sept. 10, previously presented in a "24-Hour" play event Off Broadway last fall, performed by Chris McCann, Jenny McGuire, Brennan Brown, Harriet Harris, Jenna Stern, Tim McCracken, directed by Randal Myler
"I Am Strong in the Face of Everything Except Nuclear War," a poem by Eve Ensler, performed by Isabella Rossallini
Excerpt from Return to the Upright Position by Caridad Svich
"Cassandra Song", a song by Ellen McLaughlin, music by Peter Foley, performed by Melissa Errico
2001: an Oral History by Lillian Ann Slugocki, performed by Judith Hawking, Catherine Curtin, Brian Carter, Saidah Eukolona, Carolyn Baeumler, Steven Rattazzi, directed by Erica Gould
"give them wings," an excerpt from 110 Stories by Sarah Tuft, performed by Elias Koteas, directed by Barry Edelstein
Impact by Jose Rivera, performed by Kristin Davis and Jason Patric, directed by Barry Edelstein
Land of the Dead by Neil LaBute, performed by Kristin Davis and Paul Rudd, directed by Neil LaBute
A Broken Head by Andrew Solomon, performed by Len Cariou, directed by Jack Wrangler
Skylab by Christopher Durang, performed by Dana Ivey, directed by Walter Bobbie
No One You Know by Neal Bell, performed by Peter Gallagher and Lorraine Bracco, directed by Mark Wing-Davey
The Crazy Girl by Frank Pugliese, performed by Jill Clayburgh and Lily Rabe, directed by Frank Pugliese
"There Will Be a Miracle", a song by Michael John LaChiusa, performed by Donna Murphy
Climate by Joe Pintauro, performed by Marsha Mason, Austin Pendleton and Peggy Lipton, directed by Damian Gray
Terror Eyes by Oyamo, performed by Reg E. Cathey, directed by Marion McClinton
Adopt a Sailor by Charles Evered, performed by Bebe Neuwirth, Michael Nouri and Neil Patrick Harris, directed by Craig Carlisle
Elevator by Rinne Groff, directed by Edward Stern
A Prayer by Terrence McNally, performed by Frances Sternhagen
"And My Friend", a choral by David Simpatico/Will Todd Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 8 PM:
Excerpt from Return to the Upright Position by Caridad Svich
First Day of School by Lynn Nottage, performed by Kenajuan Bentley, Catherine Curtin, Judith Hawking, Elias Koteas, Timothy Britten Parker, directed by Matthew Penn
The Last One by Ed Seebald (U.S. Coast Guard), performed by Alec Baldwin
Nun Danket Alle Gott, song by Rinde Eckert
Exodus by J. Dakota Powell, performed by Maya Gabrielle (UK), Robert Neill, Laura Flanagan, Ninon Rogers, Christen Clifford, Kenajuan Bentley, Ivan Davila, Randy Ryan, Sarah Hayon, directed by Stephen Wisker (UK)
"September Morning", poem by Kathryn Stern, performed by Frances Sternhagen
Black Alert in Sarajevo by Ruth Margraff, directed by Molly Smith
Aunt Pitti-Pat in the Tower by David Simpatico, performed by Mario Cantone, directed by Stephen Williford
Throw by Brian Silberman, performed by Trudie Styler, Matt Servitto, and David Bennett, directed by James D. Stern
"The Ballad of Mary O'Connor", a new song by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann, performed by Rich Krueger
Passengers by Betty Shamieh, performed by Rosie Perez, Christen Clifford, Jenny Maguire, Sarah Hayon, directed by Billy Hopkins
Second Skin by Chay Yew, directed by John Ruocco
Haiti by Keith Reddin, performed by Amy Irving, Michael Potts, and Boris McGiver, directed by Mark Brokaw
7-11 by Kia Corthron, performed by Rosie Perez, Kenajuan Bentley and Darius Kashani, directed by John Michael Garces
Redesign by Beth Henley, performed by Holly Hunter, Elias Koteas, and Bud Cort
"That's How I Say Good-bye", music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Craig Cornelia, performed by Kelly O'Hara
His Wife by Romulus Linney, performed by Jessica Hecht, Jason Patric, and Boris McGiver, directed by Penelope Cherns (UK)
After by Nicole Burdette, performed by Jason Patric, directed by Nicole Burdette
"Hands Holding Hands", a song by Gilles Chaisson and Chris Roberts, performed by Idina Menzel
Woman at a Threshold, Beckoning by John Guare, performed by John Turturro, directed by Michael Wilson
"Anthem", a song by John Patrick Shanley Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 2 PM:
Excerpt from Return to the Upright Position by Caridad Svich
The Moon Please by Diana Son, performed by Gloria Reuben and Frank Wood, directed by Christopher Smith
Stop All the Clocks by Erin Cressida Wilson, performed by Joel Grey and Anne Reinking, directed by Steve Lawson
Exodus by J. Dakota Powell, performed by Maya Gabrielle (UK), Robert Neill, Laura Flanagan, Ninon Rogers, Christen Clifford, Kenajuan Bentley, Ivan Davila, Randy Ryan, Sarah Hayon, directed by Stephen Wisker (UK)
"give them wings", an excerpt from 110 Stories by Sarah Tuft, performed by Chita Rivera
Impact by Jose Rivera, performed by Marisa Tomei and Jason Patric
3 Weeks After Paradise: A Voice From NYC by Israel Horovitz, performed by Israel Horovitz
"I'm Still Here", a song by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Polly Bergen
"Strong as a Lion, Soft as Silk", a poem by Tyler Wallach, performed by Eli Wallach
Adopt a Sailor by Charles Evered, performed by Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson and Craig Williams, directed by Stephen Wisker (UK)
We Never Knew Their Names by John Henry Redwood, performed by Brennan Brown, Gina Bardwell, Kate Rigg, James Ascher, James Martinez, directed by Amy Saltz
Woman at a Threshold, Beckoning by John Guare, performed by John Turturro, directed by Michael Wilson
Antigone's Red by Chiori Miyagawa, performed by Christina Chang, Mishi Baral, Brian Niishi, Andrew Garmen, George Sheffey, directed by Mary Robinson
Some Other Time, song by Adolphe Green and Leonard Bernstein, performed by Phyllis Newman
4/19(/95) by John Pielmeier, directed by Shep Sobel
The Marriott by Jacqueline Reingold, performed by Michael Nouri and Louise Pitre, directed by Michael Warren Powell
Strange Fish by Jaye Austin-Williams, performed by Robert McKay, Mylika Davis, Sue Jin Song, Jeff Breckfield, Jeanine Carter, Craig Williams, Haythem Noor, Carl Vitali, Louis Menken, directed by Monika Gross
The Grand Design by Susan Miller, performed by Marlo Thomas and Scott Cohen, directed by Cynthia Croot
"Coming Together", a song by Jason Robert Brown Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 8 PM:
Excerpt from "Return to the Upright Position" by Caridad Svich
Ribbon in the Sky by Jonathan Marc Sherman, performed by Ethan Hawke and Amanda Peet, directed by Michael Wilson
2001: An Oral History by Lillian Ann Slugocki, performed by Judith Hawking, Catherine Curtin, Brian Carter, Saidah Eukolona, Carolyn Baeumler, Steven Rattazzi, directed by Erica Gould
Pops by Edwin Sanchez, performed by Ivan Davila, directed by Dennis Smith
Lakeera by Christopher Shinn, performed by Armando Riesco, directed by Mark Brokaw
Land of the Dead by Neil LaBute, performed by Kristin Davis and Liev Schreiber, directed by Neil LaBute
"Last Year", a song by Michael John LaChiusa
9-19 by Eric Mendelsohn, performed by Edie Falco and Stanley Tucci The New Rules by Laurence Klavan, performed by Erik Jensen and Danny Zorn, directed by Robert Knopf
Hands by Erin Cressida Wilson, performed by Julianna Margulies, directed by Nela Wagman
Steve by Bill Leavengood, performed by Fisher Stevens and Dariush Kashani, directed by Larry Sacharow
Thirty-Fourth and Dyer by Lee Blessing, performed by Cynthia Nixon and Keith Nobbs, directed by Nela Wagman
"Lullaby", music by Geoffrey Menin, performed by Geoffrey Menin
Woman at a Threshold, Beckoning by John Guare, performed by John Turturro, directed by Michael Wilson
Anonymous Remailers by Constance Congdon
"I Am Strong In the Face of Everything Except Nuclear War", a poem by Eve Ensler, performed by Marlo Thomas
"Will the Sun Ever Shine Again?", a song by Alan Menken/Glenn Slater, performed by Alan Menken
Skylab by Christopher Durang, performed by Dana Ivey, directed by Walter Bobbie
Special Price for You, Okay?, by Leah Ryan, performed by Kate Rigg Adopt a Sailor by Charles Evered, performed by Liev Schreiber, Sam Waterston and Amy Irving
Late Night, Early Morning by Frank Pugliese, performed by Marisa Tomei and Scott Cohen, directed by Frank Pugliese Disorderly Conduct by Tina Howe, performed by Lorinne Towler, Ned Eisenberg, Kate Rigg, Blake Robbins, Malika Davis, Charles Montgomery, Kalimi Baxter, Kenajuan Bentley, Ivan Davila, Rana KazKaz, Mather Zickel, directed by George White *
Erica Gould told Playbill On-Line that the longest selection will last 20 minutes. Others will take only a couple minutes. Some plays will be staged in a rough form, with scripts held by actors. Others will be rehearsed and polished. "We want the plays to be considered," Gould said. "It won't be slapdash."
No short musicals were submitted, but several songs were written for the evenings.
The creators are well aware that two hours of cathartic Sept. 11 plays could prove shattering—or, at the very least, nerve-wracking—to a New York audience. Gould said the order of each night will be carefully ordered, with a balance of dramatic pieces, lighter material and music.
All proceeds will benefit the New York Childrens Foundation, created to help children affected by 9/11. The name of the event is taken from Shakespeare's The Tempest, in which the young Miranda finds herself shipwrecked on an island and seeing her first site of men: "O, wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, that has such people in't!"
For more information visit www.bravenewworldarts.com or call (212) 252 3539.
Tickets to the event, are now on sale. Tickets run $35 $100. Call Ticketmaster at (212) 307-4100.
—By Robert Simonson
