Not Yet Open, Coen's Offices Gets Extended One Week in NYC

By Kenneth Jones
23 Apr 2009

F. Murray Abraham and Mary McCann
F. Murray Abraham and Mary McCann
Photo by Doug Hamilton

The Atlantic Theater Company's world premiere of Academy Award winner Ethan Coen's new trio of short plays, Offices, starring F. Murray Abraham, Mary McCann, Joey Slotnick and more, has been extended to June 7.

Off-Broadway previews began April 15 toward its official opening of May 7 at ATC's Linda Gross Theater in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. (The run was originally announced to play to May 31.)

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Artistic director Neil Pepe (Romance, Broadway's Speed-the-Plow) directs the triptych of workplace plays. According to ATC, "Hiring and firing are antisocial acts. Workplace pressures make for nasty competition. And the work itself can be meaningless and alienating. Accordingly, the three short plays that make up Offices are comedies."

Coen ("No Country for Old Men") reteams with Pepe, who staged Coen's sold out 2008 run of Almost an Evening, which had a commercial transfer.

For Offices, the ensemble cast of 11 includes Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham ("Amadeus," Almost an Evening), Daniel Abeles (Behold, the Bowery!), Brennan Brown (Atlantic's Celebration), Aya Cash (From Up Here), John Bedford Lloyd (Some Americans Abroad), Daniel London ("Patch Adams"), Mary McCann (Spring Awakening), Joey Slotnick (Almost an Evening, Lookingglass' Our Town), Greg Stuhr (November), C.J. Wilson (The Voysey Inheritance) and Daniel Yelsky (upcoming film "Meet Monica Velour").

Coen's one-acts collection Almost an Evening in 2008 played at Atlantic Stage 2, the intimate 16th Street space, and then moved to a commercial Off-Broadway run.

Coen has made 14 movies with his brother Joel, including the Academy Award-winning films "No Country for Old Men" and "Fargo," plus "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," "Raising Arizona," "Barton Fink," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "The Big Lebowski" and "Burn After Reading."

Offices features scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez, costume design by Laura Bauer, lighting design by David Weiner and sound design by Obadiah Eaves.

Offices plays Tuesday-Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM & 7 PM.

Atlantic Theater Company's Linda Gross Theater is located at 336 West 20th Street.

Tickets are $65 and available by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 (ticketcentral.com). For more information visit www.atlantictheater.org.