Desai, Lenox, Mann, Moran and More to Be Part of Second Stage Theatre New Works Festival

By Andrew Gans
and Ernio Hernandez
09 Jun 2008

Adriane Lenox
Adriane Lenox
photo by Aubrey Reuben

Initial casting has been announced for the Second Stage Theatre New Works Festival, the by-invitation-only event that will be presented June 13 at 11 AM at the Off-Broadway theatre company's midtown mainstage.

The morning event will feature readings of selected scenes from eight of the ten new plays that were commissioned by Second Stage's Time Warner Commissioning Program.

Those taking part in the readings of the plays will include Carlo Alban, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Tala Ashe, Carolyn Baeumler, Michi Barall, David Wilson Barnes, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Reed Birney, Brienin Bryant, Reg E. Cathey, Caroline Stefanie Clay, Joel de la Fuente, Angel Desai, Colman Domingo, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, Jamie Farr, Lynda Gravatt, Carla Harting, Christine Toy Johnson, Albert Jones, Isabel Keating, Patrick Kerr, Sue Jean Kim, Adriane Lenox, Terrence Mann, Martin Moran, Nick Offerman, Kellie Overbey, Lorenzo Pisoni, Roslyn Ruff, Jeremy Shamos, Ryan Shams, Brian J. Smith, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Sharon Washington and Welker White.

The works that will be presented include:

  • 10 Things to Do Before I Die by Zakiyyah Alexander (featuring Carlo Alban, Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Reg E. Cathey, Albert Jones and Roslyn Ruff)
  • Manifesto by J. Holtham (featuring Reed Birney, Angel Desai, Adriane Lenox and Terrence Mann)

  • Animals Out of Paper by Rajiv Joseph (to be seen this summer in the Uptown Series) (featuring Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kellie Overbey and Jeremy Shamos)

  • Mothers on Fire by Sandra Tsing Loh (featuring Michi Barall, Colman Domingo, Isabel Keating, Martin Moran, Nick Offerman and Welker White)

  • Happy by Sung Rno (featuring Joel de La Fuente, Carla Harting, Christine Toy Johnson, Patrick Kerr, Sue Jean Kim, Lorenzo Pisoni and Ryan Shams)

  • As Soon as Impossible by Betty Shamieh (featuring Tala Ashe, Jamie Farr and Brian J. Smith)

  • Wash Your Rabbit by Cheryl L. West (featuring Brienin Bryant, Caroline Stefanie Clay, Saidah Arrika Ekulona, Lynda Gravatt, Myra Lucretia Taylor and Sharon Washington)

  • Buzzer by Tracey Scott Wilson (featuring Carolyn Beaumler and David Wilson Barnes)

    The two other Time Warner-commissioned playwrights, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Lynn Nottage, will attend the festival to discuss their plays but will not present a scene.

    For more information on Second Stage Theatre, visit 2ST.com.