Washington DC's Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company will preview its spring 2000 world premiere, David Lindsay-Abaire's comedy, Wonder of the World, in a Nov. 29 reading at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Deb Gottesman, Nancy Robinette and Michael Willis will perform 7:30 PM under the direction of Woolly Mammoth's associate artistic director, Tom Prewitt, who will stage the full production in spring 2000. The reading is part of the troupe's ForePlay Reading Series at the Corcoran.
The play, by the author of the celebrated New York comedy, Fuddy Meers (now at Manhattan Theatre Club), is described as a "hilarious and wacky adventure of escape" about a wife named Cass, who has "a sweet husband and a normal life," but "wants to break away from the tedium" by indulging in a list of "wants" including talking to strangers, wearing an odd wig, learning Swedish and getting into bar room brawls.
Cass hops a bus to the Wonder of the World, Niagara Falls, and befriends Lois, a suicidal alcoholic ready to ride the rapids in a pickle barrel.
* Playwright Lindsay-Abaire is working on another new play for 2000, a vehicle for Janeane Garofalo.
Robinette, who plays Lois, is currently appearing in Brian Friel's Give Me Your Answer Do! Off-Broadway (Roundabout Theatre) and was last seen at Woolly in Freedomland (1999 Helen Hayes nomination). Gottesman (playing Cass) appeared in Woolly's Freedomland and The Psychic Life of Savages.
The reading cast also includes Emily Townley, Michael Russotto, Kerri Rambow and Brian McMonagle.
Tickets for this event are $15 (Corcoran members) and $20 (non members) and are available by calling The Corcoran Gallery of Art at (202) 639 1770. The Corcoran is located at 500 17th Street, NW in Washington, DC.
Tickets are available at the door.
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According to the theatre, ForePlay, "Woolly Mammoth's free reading series, showcases the area's best actors and directors. As the newest step in Woolly Mammoth's development of cutting-edge playwrights, the theatre offers a series of eight free public readings annually. This allows us to: test-drive scripts for possible production; give playwrights an opportunity to gain essential feedback on their plays; work with new directors and actors; and build informed, committed and enthusiastic audiences for adventurous new plays. Previous ForePlay readings have already yielded compelling and provocative new works such as The Gene Pool, The Last Orbit of Billy Mars, The Art Room and Man Woman Dinosaur.
This is season No. 20 for the DC theatre committed to edgy, provocative works.
-- By Kenneth Jones
