Atlantic Theater Announces 2014/2015 Season

The Atlantic Theater Company, based at the off-Broadway Linda Gross Theater and Atlantic Stage 2, has announced its 2014/2015 season. Under the artistic directorship of Neil Pepe, the venue will present a series of world premiere productions from Hunter Bell and Lee Overtree, Halley Feiffer, Rajiv Joseph and Doug Wright, an American premiere from Moira Buffini and a revival from Atlantic's founder David Mamet.

On the main stage at the Linda Gross Theater, the season includes:

The previously announced production of Found, a new musical with a book by Hunter Bell and Lee Overtree featuring original musical and lyrics by Eli Bolin, directed by Lee Overtree. The show is an original musical based on scores of surprising and eccentric discarded notes and letters that have been 'found' in the real world by every-day people. This will run from 18 Sep to 19 Nov 2014.

This will be followed by the American premiere of Moira Buffini's play Dying For It, returning to the Atlantic Theater following her 2010 play 'Gabriel'. Described as an outrageous satire on the hypocrisy and illogic of Soviet life, this play was banned by Stalin before it ever saw the light of day, and is now regarded as an under-known 20th century classic comedy. It will be directed by Artistic Director of the Atlantic, Neil Pepe and run from 17 Dec to 25 Jan 2015.

The world premiere of Doug Wright's play Posterity will run from 25 Feb 2015 to 5 Apr 2015. The production has been commissioned by Atlantic Theater Company, and made possible, in part, by support from The Ibsen Awards. Doug Wright will also direct this original piece which explores the nature of artistic success and the fear of being forgotten.

The final production to be announced at the Linda Gross Theater is the world premiere of Rajiv Joseph's Guards at the Taj. Set in 1648 at the completion of the Taj Mahal, two Imperial Guards watch from their post and are forced to question the concept of friendship, beauty and duty that changes them forever. This production runs from 6 May 2015 to 14 June 2015.

Two new productions at the Atlantic 2 Studio Space include: I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard by Halley Feiffer runs from 7 Jan 2015 to 8 Feb 2015. Directed by Trip Cullman the play follows Ella, a precocious and fiercely competitive actress whose sole aim in life is making her famous playwright father David proud. As they deliberate over whether to read the reviews of her off-Broadway debut, events begin to unravel.

A revival of David Mamet's Ghost Stories: The Shawl & Prairie Du Chen will run from 27 May 2015 to 21 Jun 2015. This intimate production will honour the Pulitzer Prize winning dramatist and co-founder of the Atlantic Theater Company.

  As well as the main stage and studio productions, the Atlantic Theater Company will also continue the 'Atlantic For Kids' series, presenting a pair of musicals at the Linda Gross Theater on weekend mornings in the fall and spring.

Ivy & Bean the Musical is based on the New York Times best-selling children's books series by author Annie Barrows and Illustrator Sophie Blackhall. It will feature music and lyrics by Scott Elmegreen, and tells the story of an unexpected friendship between two very different second graders. It will run from 10 Oct 2014 - 09 Nov 2014 at the Linda Gross Theater.

This will be followed by Camp Kappawanna which features music and lyrics by Lisa Loeb, Michelle Lewis and Dan Petty​ with a book by Cusi Cram and Peter Hirsch. The show follows the misadventures of 12-year old Jennifer Jenkins and portrays the fear and excitement of leaving home for the first time. It will run from 21 Mar to 12 Apr 2015.

- by Dom O'Hanlon