Alphabetical Order at the Clurman Theater



The Obie Award-winning Keen Company has announced their 10th anniversary season celebrating the work of Michael Frayn, author of such acclaimed hits as 'Noises Off' and 'Copenhagen.'

First will be the US premiere of Alphabetical Order, based on the revised version performed at the Hampstead Theater for their 2009 revival. This will be followed by the 25th Anniversary production of Benefactors this spring.

The limited Off-Broadway engagement of Alphabetical Order opens at The Clurman Theatre at Theatre Row on 26 Sep 2010, following previews from 14 Sep and runs through to 26 Oct 2010.

Alphabetical Order: Set in a provincial newspaper office in the 1970s, where it's just another day of chaos in the cuttings library: files all over the floor, phones ringing, but where is Lucy the librarian? Her life (when she finally arrives), and the lives of the journalists who take refuge in her muddled retreat, turn out to be as confused as the library itself. Into this comfortable little world steps Lesley, Lucy's new assistant. She's young, bright, and she wants system and order. Things are about to change.

Directed by Keen's Artistic Director Carl Forsman, Alphabetical Order features Brad Bellamy, William Connell, John Windsor Cunningham, Margaret Daly, Paul Molnar, Angela Reed and Audrey Lynn Weston.

Design team includes Josh Bradford, Jill Du Boff, Nathan Heverin and Jennifer Paar.

Michael Frayn has published ten novels - 'Spies,' 'Headlong,' 'Tin Men,' 'The Russian Interpreter,' 'Towards The End Of Morning,' 'A Very Private Life,' 'Sweet Dreams,' 'The Trick Of It,' 'A Landing On The Sun' and 'Now You Know,' together with two philosophical works, 'Constructions' and 'The Human Touch.' He has written a number of plays for television and for the stage including 'The Two Of Us,' 'Alphabetical Order,' 'Donkeys' Years,' 'Clouds,' 'Balmoral' (Liberty Hall), 'Make and Break,' 'Noises Off,' 'Benefactors,' 'Look Look and Here.' Alphabetical Order, Make and Break and Noises Off all received Best Comedy of the Year Awards, while Benefactors was named Best Play of the Year.

Carl Forsman (Director) is the founder and Artistic Director of Keen Company. Recent work includes 'Love Child' at New World Stages and Primary Stages, 'A Few Good Men' at the Asolo, Tina Howe's new translations of Ionesco's 'The Bald Soprano' & 'The Lesson' for the Atlantic Theater, and 'Sin' by Michael Murphy for The New Group. He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Best Director for his work on Keen Company's revival of 'The Voice Of The Turtle,' which transferred to an extended run off-Broadway. His direction of the American premiere of Conor McPherson's 'The Good Thief' earned an OBIE Award for Brian d'Arcy James.

Originally published on

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