Let Me Down Easy to launch Second Stage's 31st season

Second Stage Theatre will launch its 31st season this fall with the New York premiere of Anna Deavere Smith's Let Me Down Easy.

Conceived, written, and performed by Smith and directed by Leonard Foglia, Let Me Down Easy will begin preview performances on 15 Sep 2009 and will officially open in early Oct 2009.

Channeling a range of interview subjects, from artists and athletes to doctors and those they treat, Let Me Down Easy is an exploration of the power of the body and the resilience of the human spirit, featuring first person accounts from a wide variety of sources, including Lance Armstrong, Anderson Cooper, and former Texas Governor Ann Richards. The play explores the world of healthcare from both the patient and practitioner perspective in this timely and absorbing new play.

"At once epic and intimate, the works of Anna Deavere Smith have continually explored the pressing issues of our day, whether the ostensible topic is the American presidency, racial tensions, or, in the case of Let Me Down Easy, the world of healthcare," explains Second Stage Theatre Artistic Director Carole Rothman. "And while the subject matter is politically charged and topical, the beauty of Anna's work lies in her ability to humanize the issue by focusing on the personal, singular stories of those affected. She is an original and visionary theatre artist and we are very honored to have her new work at Second Stage Theatre."

During the eight-year development of this project, Smith interviewed hundreds of subjects, including doctors and patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine and Stanford School of Medicine and Hospital, as well as healthcare practitioners in Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, and in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Working closely with director Leonard Foglia, Smith has re-conceived Let Me Down Easy from the earlier developmental versions presented at New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre (winter 2008) and Boston's American Repertory Theatre (summer 2008).

The complete design team will be announced shortly.

Anna Deavere Smith's work in the theatre explores American character and our multifaceted national identity. She has won numerous awards, among them two Obies: 'Fires In the Mirror,' 'Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992'; two Tony nominations for 'Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992' (1994: Best Play, Best Actress); and a MacArthur fellowship. She was runner up for the Pulitzer Prize for her play 'Fires In the Mirror.' Her work combines the journalistic technique of interviewing her subjects with the art of interpreting their words through performance.

Leonard Foglia Broadway credits: 'Thurgood' (2008) 'On Golden Pond' (2005), 'Wait Until Dark' (1998), 'Master Class' (1995), and 'The Heidi chronicles' (1989). Off-Broadway credits include: 'Encores! One Touch of Venus' (City Center), 'The Stendahl Syndrome' by Terrence McNally (Primary Stages), 'By the Sea' (Manhattan Theatre Club).