59E59 Announces 2016 Summer Season

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) is thrilled to announce the lineup of shows for the 2016 Summer Season. Tickets for the summer season go on sale to 59E59 Members on June 2 at Noon, and to the general public on June 6 at Noon. Shows in the previously announced 5A Season are on sale now. Tickets are available by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or by visiting www.59e59.org.

Summer at 59E59 is better than a day at the beach! Our three cool theaters feature some of the hottest new plays in NYC, and, as always, our popular E:Bar is ready to quench audience’s thirst. The summer season kicks off with our summer staple, EAST TO EDINBURGH, the festival that features shows on their way to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Our star spangled banner unfurls when BUTLER, about Civil War general Benjamin Butler, makes its NYC premiere in July as part of our 5A Season. July wraps up with the return of the coolest short play festival in NYC, SUMMER SHORTS, now in its 10th year. The 2016 line up features new short plays by Neil LaBute, Idris Goodwin, Cusi Cram, A. Rey Pamatmat and Alexander Dinelaris (with his first NYC theater project since winning the Academy Award for Birdman). August is the month for summer love. TOUCHED and ALICE IN BLACK AND WHITE both tell the stories of the aftermath of two intense love affairs. In September, Hershey Felder brings the brilliant Leonard Bernstein to life in MAESTRO, also part of 59E59 Theaters’ subscription season. Summer winds to a close with the US premieres of two new Irish works: the brilliantly off-beat puppet-play BEARS IN SPACE (coming from its sold out run at London’s Soho Theatre) and Conor McPherson’s adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s THE BIRDS.

EAST TO EDINBURGH -July 12 – July 31-Tickets: $12 – $20 ($10 – $17 for 59E59 Members). 59E59 Theaters’ annual festival of shows from the United States heading to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Full festival line up to be announced.

BUTLER-July 14 – August 28- by Richard Strand, directed by Joseph Discher- Tickets: $70 ($49 for 59E59 Members) Ames Adamson, John G. Williams, David Sitler and Ben Sterling. Produced by New Jersey Repertory Company (Artistic Director SuzAnne Barabas Executive Producer Gabor Barabas) Part of the 5A Season at 59E59 Theaters

SUMMER SHORTS 2016-July 22 – September 3-Produced by Throughline Artists- Tickets: $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members- This “shamelessly clever and deeply satisfying” (New York Times) festival of new American short plays from some of the country’s top playwrights returns to 59E59 Theaters for a 10th consecutive season!

ALICE IN BLACK AND WHITE-August 3 – August 14-by Robin Rice, directed by Kathi E.B. Ellis- With Megan Rose Adair, Shannon Woolley Allison, Laura Ellis, Trina Fischer, Joseph Hatfield, Jennifer Thalman Kepler, and Ted Lesley. Produced by Looking for Lillith Theatre Company-Tickets: $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members)

TOUCH-August 18 – September 4-by Toni Press-Coffman, directed by Nathaniel Shaw-With Emily Batsford, Amadeo Fusca, Katrina Lenk, and Pete McElligott. Produced by Libra Theatre Company. Tickets: $18 ($12.60 for 59E59 Members)

HERSHEY FELDER IN MAESTRO: THE ART OF LEONARD BERNSTEIN – August 31 –  October 16 –conceived and written by Hershey Felder, music by Leonard Bernstein and others, directed by Joel Zwick. With Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein. Produced by The Town Hall with Samantha F. Voxakis and Karen Racanelli. Part of the 5A Season at 59E59 Theaters- Tickets: $70 ($49 for 59E59 Members)

BEARS IN SPACE- September 6 – October 2- by Eoghan Quinn, directed by Dan Colley. With Jack Gleeson, Aaron Heffernan, Cameron Macaulay and Eoghan Quinn. Produced by Collapsing Horse- Tickets: $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members)

THE BIRDS- September 9 – October 2- by Conor McPherson, directed by Stefan Dzeparoski- Produced by BirdLand Theatre. With cast TBD. Tickets: $20 ($14 for 59E59 Members)