Literary Trio Shines Anew in Premiere of Knee's Jazz Age, Feb. 8-March 2 in NYC
By Kenneth Jones
15 Jan 2008
Allan Knee's play with music, The Jazz Age, putting Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Sayre in the spotlight, will get its world premiere Feb. 8-March 2 at Off-Broadway's 59E59 Theaters.
Christopher McElroen directs the 1920s-set play by the librettist of Broadway's Little Women, and the playwright of Syncopation and The Man Who Was Peter Pan. Opening is Feb. 14. Jana Robbins is executive producer.
"Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Sayre and Ernest Hemingway set out to invent a new world – and almost did," according to production notes. "Knee has created a stunning snapshot of three members of the literary elite. Set in the cosmopolitan hub of Paris, The Jazz Age travels through the artistically vibrant 1920s, examining the complex and stormy relationship between these compelling figures."
The cast features Amy Rutberg as Zelda, PJ Sosko as Hemingway and Dana Watkins as Fitzgerald.
The design team includes Troy Hourie (sets), Colin D. Young (lights) and Kimberly Glennon (costume). The production stage manager is Anita Ross.
Inspired by Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast," Knee "went on to read several biographies about Hemingway, Fitzgerald and Sayre to bring their unique relationships — which were artistically fruitful but tinged with jealousy and betrayal — to the stage."
Knee's play The Man Who Was Peter Pan was adapted into the film, "Finding Neverland." As previously reported, he is currently working on a musical adaptation of the film for the Weinstein Company.
Director McElroen is the co-founder of the Classical Theatre of Harlem where he has helped produce 30 productions in the past seven years.
The performance schedule is Tuesday-Friday at 8:15 PM, Saturday at 2:15 PM and 8:15 PM and Sunday at 3:15 PM. There is an added performance Feb. 10 at 7:15 PM. Tickets are $35. To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.ticketcentral.com. For more information visit www.59e59.org.
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59E59 Theaters is run by Elysabeth Kleinhans, artistic director, and Peter Tear, executive producer.
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