The upcoming season will also feature Phylicia Rashad directing August Wilson's Fences and the two-person Jason Robert Brown musical The Last Five Years as well as The Underpants and 4000 Miles.
"We've assembled a wide range of engaging, enlightening, and exhilaration opportunities for people to have a great night out at the theatre. It's a season about laughter, love, family, work and disappointment—in short, stories about human beings connecting," artistic director Gordon Edelstein said in a statement. "We want to remind people that what they get through the live experience they can't get anywhere else."
The season at a glance follows:
The Underpants
By Carl Sternheim
An adaptation by Steve Martin
Directed by Gordon Edelstein
Oct. 16-Nov. 10
The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre
"Pretty young Louise is bored. Bored with her stuffy bureaucrat of a husband and with her small life. Dreaming of adventure and romance, she goes out to see the King on parade and an unexpected thing happens—her lacy bloomers accidentally fall to her ankles, winning her notoriety, a series of smitten suitors, and more excitement than she's had in years. Adapted by film actor and legendary comedian Steve Martin, The Underpants is a stylish and giddy farce where one learns to never underestimate the power of a glimpse of lingerie. Co-production with Hartford Stage."
Fences
By August Wilson
Directed by Phylicia Rashad
Nov. 27-Dec. 22
The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre
"Troy Maxson found glory in the Negro Leagues battling fastballs on the outside corner, the pitches that meant life or death for a baseball player. But it's the 1950s, and his opportunity to play in the major leagues has passed. Now he's a garbage man struggling to provide for his family, trying to contain his bitterness as he seeks solace from spinning tales on his front porch. Because of his race, Troy is left in a world where life's daily battles take on the scope of epic conflict. Co-production with the McCarter Theatre." The Consultant
By Heidi Schreck
Directed by Kip Fagan
Jan. 8, 2014-Feb. 9
Stage II
"Does anyone still actually work at Sutton, Feingold and McGrath? Through all the layoffs and the tough times, the remaining employees find themselves thrown together by the vagaries of the modern workplace. This unlikely crew negotiates downsizing, promotions, friendship, and love, in hilarious and often poignant ways."
4000 Miles
By Amy Herzog
Directed by Eric Ting
Feb. 19-March 16
The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre
"Twenty-one-year-old Leo is lost. He has just biked 4,000 miles from California looking for life's answers, and is now holed up in a Greenwich Village apartment living with his ninety-one-year-old grandmother, Vera. Does he really need his feisty left-wing Grandma offering him new perspectives on the world?"
The Shadow of the Hummingbird
By Athol Fugard
Directed by Gordon Edelstein
March 26-April 27
Stage II
"What is the best way to live your life? Legendary playwright Athol Fugard asks this ultimate question in this brand new play. When a grandfather, played by Fugard in his first return to the stage since 1997, is surprised by the arrival of his ten-year-old grandson who is playing hooky from school, the two end up spending a memorable afternoon together."
The Last Five Years
Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
May 7-June 1
The Claire Tow Stage in the C. Newton Schenck III Theatre
"Sparks fly when Jamie, and Cathy first meet and fall desperately in love. They soon learn, however, that as their careers head in very different directions, happily ever after can be hard to find. This uniquely told musical filled with intimacy, honesty, and humor features a lush and witty score. Cathy tells their story starting at the end of their marriage and ending on their first amazing date, while Jamie tells their story from the first stirring of their romance to the collapse of their marriage."
Tickets and more information can be found by visiting longwharf.org.
