O'Neill artistic director Wendy C. Goldberg announced that due to scheduling conflicts, Neena Beber's Italian Sojourn will replace Wright's Mistakes Were Made in the conference, which began July 3.
Wright's work – a metaphysical journey into the mind of a small time Broadway producer – was to have starred Maggie Lacey (Inherit the Wind) and Michael Shannon (Bug).
"Though I am sorry to not have Craig with us this summer, but am delighted to be able to support the work of Neena Beber in the development of her inventive story," Goldberg said in a statement.
Goldberg will direct Italian Sojourn, which will be presented July 18 and 20. The timely work is described as such: "An American exchange student goes on the lam in Italy after the murder of her roommate. Escaping arrest, she traverses the Italian landscape, experiencing its beauty and its sorrows. A chance encounter with the victim's brother causes her to reexamine her ideas about fate, free will, guilt and freedom. Very loosely based on a current true crime case, Italian Sojourn explores the passions of youth and the seductions of foreign lands."
Casting will be announced shortly. Eight plays have been selected for development at the O'Neill Center, with directors including O'Neill artistic director Wendy C. Goldberg, Passing Strange director Annie Dorsen, Red Bull Theater artistic director Jesse Berger, Obie-winning Drama Dept. member Lisa Peterson, former Soho Rep artistic director Daniel Aukin, Asolo Rep associate director Greg Leaming and Jackson Gay.
Included plays for the O'Neill Playwrights Conference are: The Near East; Box Americana: a dream of WalMart; Smudge; Magnolia; Thunder Above, Deeps Below; The Legend of Minnie Willet and Without You.
For tickets phone (860) 443-1238 or visit www.theoneill.org.
The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center was founded in 1964 and is based in Waterford, CT. Programs at the Center include the Puppetry Conference, Playwrights Conference, Critics Institute, Music Theater Conference and the National Theater Institute. The Monte Cristo Cottage, O'Neill's childhood home, is also owned and operated by the group.
