The New York premiere of Rebecca Gilman's Blue Surge, directed by Robert Falls, begins April 9 at The Public Theater with a cast that includes Steve Key, Sarah Knowlton, Rachel Miner, Joe Murphy and Colleen Werthmann.

Playbill On-Line previously reported the engagement, which takes the place of Suzan-Lori Parks' Fuckin' A, now bumped to The Public's 2002-2003 season. Official opening for Blue Surge at The Public's Anspacher Theater is April 21.

Blue Surge was staged by Goodman Theatre artistic director Robert Falls (Death of a Salesman) at the Albert Ivar Goodman Theatre in Chicago, June 29-Aug. 5, 2001. The punning title of Blue Surge (blue serge is a type of suit, once a staple of every man's closet) ostensibly refers to two underground policeman in the drama, who arrest two "massage parlor workers" in a small Midwestern town. During the interrogation of the suspects, however, the four discover they went to high school together and associated with the same group of people. The ensuing revelations cause one of the cops to question his role in the arrest.

Actors Steve Key and Rachel Miner appeared in the Goodman staging of Blue Surge. Sarah Knowlton appeared in The Public Theater's Broadway production of On the Town as Claire. Murphy's Broadway credits include Closer (standby for Rupert Graves) and The Homecoming (Joey understudy).  Off-Broadway, he appeared in The Dead Eye Boy at MCC. Werthmann (Heather) performed her solo show, She Hates Her Supervisor in Joe's Pub at The Public Theater.

Designers are Walt Spangler (set), Birgit Rattenborg Wise (costume), Michael Philippi (lighting) and Richard Woodbury (sound). *

Gilman's racism-themed Spinning Into Butter created a sensation when it premiered in the Goodman Studio in 1999, winning a Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Work.The play received its New York premiere at Lincoln Center Theater. Boy Gets Girl premiered at The Goodman in 2000, winning a Jeff Award for Best New Work. The production was remounted at Manhattan Theatre Club. Gilman's other plays include Crime of the Century and The Glory of Living.

Blue Surge tickets are $45 and go on sale March 22. The Public Theater is at 425 Lafayette Street in Manhattan. For information, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.publictheater.org.

*

Parks' Fuckin' A was to have been the final production of the 2001-02 Public season, though dates for the production were never nailed down. Parks is a hot property for the Public right now. With Topdog/Underdog, she is experiencing her biggest success to date. The play ran at the Public last summer to general acclaim and a commercial Broadway transfer began previews March 12. Jeffrey Wright and Mos Def star in the staging, directed by Public Theater producer George C. Wolfe.

Since Gilman debuted in New York with Spinning Into Butter at Lincoln Center Theater, her work has rarely been absent from Gotham stages. Subsequent productions include Boy Gets Girl at Manhattan Theatre Club and The Glory of Living at MCC.

— By Kenneth Jones
and Robert Simonson