New Rep presents a winter play reading series
January 16, 2006
This January and February, New Repertory Theatre presents New Plays at New Rep, a reading series. Presenting three new works by American playwrights, New Plays at New Rep is open to the public, and admission is free. All readings will be directed and performed by New Rep artists, and each will be followed by a short talk back session. Readings take place on January 25, January 30, and February 6, all at 7:30 PM.
First up will be The Ice-Breaker, on Wednesday, January 25. Written by David Rambo, who is known nationwide for his writing on the hit television series Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), The Ice-Breaker will be directed by Rick Lombardo and features Will Lyman and Marianna Bassham. The play introduces Sonia, a brilliant academic completing her thesis on climatology, who arrives on the desert of the American Southwest in search of Lawrence, a once-legendary scientist who now lives in self-imposed exile. Lawrence's research in Antarctica helped to inspire Sonia’s work, and when the two meet, sexual and intellectual sparks fly. However, in the course of one sleepless night, both learn that their romantic attraction is as volatile and mysterious as the frontiers of scientific discovery.
The second reading, on Monday, January 30, will be A Crooked Man, by Richard Kalinoski. In 1999, New Rep staged a hit production of Kalinoski's play Beast on the Moon, which recently enjoyed an acclaimed run off-Broadway. A Crooked Man, directed by Doug Lockwood and featuring Ken Baltin and Lewis Wheeler,
explores the developing relationship between Alex, an aspiring journalist, and his Armenian grandfather, Hagop. When choosing to interview Hagop for a newspaper article on World War I, Alex believes he's found the perfect subject for a gripping and "authentic" story. However, as Alex uncovers the layers of emotion beneath his grandfather's laconic exterior and Hagop slowly narrates his experiences during the war, both men achieve a startling change of perspective.
The final reading, on Monday, February 6, will be She Calls Up the Sun, by the emerging playwright Addae Moon and directed by Lois Roach. Taking place in a small fishing village on the coast of Florida, She Calls Up the Sun tells the story of Marie, a schoolteacher from Atlanta, who returns to her hometown upon receiving the news of her mother’s death. Marie plans to leave her childhood home as soon as possible, but when her long-lost father arrives, she finds herself pulled deeper into the mysteries and forgotten heartaches of her family’s past. Written in lyrical and haunting tones, She Calls Up the Sun explores the tidal pull of heritage and family love.
Admission to all three readings is free, though audience members should call for a reservation. New Rep's box office can be reached at 617.923.8487 or tickets@newrep.org.