Tony Award-winning director Mary Zimmerman, whose production of Metamorphoses began at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre and transferred to Broadway, will return to New York venue with The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci. The co-production with Chicago's Goodman Theatre is set to begin at Second Stage June 3, 2003, following its run in Illinois.
In Metamorphoses, Zimmerman drew on the tales of Ovid, re-envisioning the ancient texts — with the help of a large pool as the actors' stage. With da Vinci the Chicago-bred director-adapter dramatizes the ideas of the Italian Renaissance scientist, inventor and artist.
Notebooks will play Apr. 4-May 11, 2003, at The Goodman in Chicago — where it first debuted in November 1993 prior to a New York premiere at Lincoln Center’s Serious Fun! Festival in NYC in the summer of 1994.
Zimmerman won a Tony Award for her direction of Metamorphoses, which is still playing at Circle in the Square, where it opened March 4, 2002, after an extended, sold-out run at Second Stage. The show was also nominated for Best Play. An unlikely hit in the commercial Broadway arena, the simple yet stylized ode to death and rebirth recouped its investment last May.
The Zimmerman work will complete the Second Stage 2002-03 season which also includes works from Regina Taylor, Michael John LaChiusa, and Craig Lucas. *
Playwright Taylor also directs her new play with music, Crowns, to kick off the season Nov. 13 and officially open Dec. 4. Broadway favorite Lillias White will headline in the Off-Broadway production based on the book by photographer Michael Cunningham and journalist Craig Marberry — a volume of photos of African-American women in their Sunday church hats — the new play features gospel music.
Composer of Broadway musicals such as The Wild Party and Marie Christine, Michael John LaChiusa will present the world premiere of his new musical, Little Fish. The show, beginning Jan. 21, 2003, centers around a neurotic New Yorker who reflects on her attempts to quit smoking, exercise regularly, and find the man of her dreams. Hyphenate Graciela Daniele (Once on This Island, Marie Christine, A New Brain) directs and choreographs the work with book, lyrics and music by LaChiusa.
Playwright Craig Lucas' Reckless — originally produced in 1983 — gets a second staging at Second Stage under the direction of Mark Brokaw (Lobby Hero, Marty) set to begin April 1, 2003. In Reckless, a suburban wife lives in bliss until one Christmas Eve when a hitman — hired by her hubby — makes an attempt on her life.
For subscriptions or single tickets, call Second Stage, 307 West 43rd Street, at (212) 246-4422. For more information, visit the Second Stage website at www.secondstagetheatre.com.
— by Ernio Hernandez
