The New Century, With Lavin, Houdyshell and Bartlett, Opens Off-Broadway April 14

By Adam Hetrick
14 Apr 2008

Linda Lavin in The New Century.
Linda Lavin in The New Century.
Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

Worlds collide with comic effect in Paul Rudnick's The New Century, which officially opens at Lincoln Center Theater's Mitzi E. Newhouse April 14.

The Manhattan-set comedy – a series of four short plays, Pride and Joy, Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach, Crafty and The New Century – stars Peter Bartlett, Jayne Houdyshell, Linda Lavin, Mike Doyle and Christy Pusz under the direction of Nicholas Martin.

The New Century began previews at the Newhouse March 20. Tickets are currently on sale through June 8.

According to the Lincoln Center website, "Linda Lavin is Helene, a Jewish matron from Massapequa and the self-proclaimed 'most loving mother of all time' to her three gay children. Peter Bartlett is the flamboyant Mr. Charles, currently of Palm Beach, described by Mr. Rudnick as 'an aging homosexual hounded out of New York City by younger gay men, who find his flamboyance a threatening throwback to an earlier tougher time.' Mike Doyle plays two roles: Helene's son, the doctor, David, and Shane, Mr. Charles's partner in life and on their cable television show, 'Too Gay.' Jayne Houdyshell is Barbara Ellen, a Midwestern craftswoman and competitive cake-decorator on a visit to New York, and Christy Pusz is Joanne, the cable show's young receptionist."

The New Century features set design by Allen Moyer, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and original music and sound design by Mark Bennett.

Rudnick's Regrets Only received its world premiere by the Manhattan Theatre Club under the direction of long-time collaborator Christopher Ashley in 2007. The two previously worked together on The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Valhalla, Rude Entertainment, The Naked Truth and Jeffrey, for which Rudnick won an Obie, Outer Critics Circle and the John Gassner Playwrighting Award. Rudnick has also penned Mr. Charles – Currently of Palm Beach, Pride and Joy, and I Hate Hamlet as well as the screenplays for "Addams Family Values," "Jeffrey" and "In & Out."

Nicholas Martin previously directed the Lincoln Center Theater productions of Observe The Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, John Guare's Chaucer in Rome and Arthur Laurents' The Time of the Cuckoo.

Show times are Tuesday-Saturday at 8 PM with matinees Wednesday and Saturday at 2 PM and Sunday at 3 PM.

Tickets, priced $70 and $75, are available by phoning (212) 239-6200 or by visiting www.telecharge.com.