reasons to be pretty: MCC Off-Broadway production to come to Broadway in 2009

MCC THEATER has announced that their World Premiere production of Neil LaBute�s new comic drama reasons to be pretty will make the leap to Broadway in early 2009.

The critically acclaimed new play will be produced on Broadway by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and Steve Traxler, in association with MCC Theater. reasons to be pretty will mark the author�s Broadway debut.

Rehearsals are scheduled for January 26, with performances beginning Friday, February 13, 2009 at a theatre to be announced.

Currently performing at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, the entire cast of reasons to be pretty will be represented in the Broadway production: Piper Perabo, Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski and Pablo Schreiber, under the direction of Terry Kinney.

MCC Artistic Director Telsey commented, �Our longstanding, unique and highly rewarding collaboration with Neil LaBute is what MCC is all about.� He added, �We are excited to be coming back to Broadway following our 2004 Tony-winning production of Frozen and are thrilled to be part of Neil�s Broadway debut.�

Jeffrey Richards declared, �Jerry, Steve and I feel Neil LaBute is an exciting and distinctive American voice � it�s time for him to be presented on Broadway. We feel as strongly about �reasons� and MCC Theater as we did last season about Steppenwolf and Tracy Letts� �August.��

In reasons to be pretty, Greg�s tight-knit social circle is thrown into turmoil when his offhanded remarks about a female coworker�s pretty face (and his girlfriend�s lack thereof) get back to said girlfriend. But that�s just the beginning. Greg�s best buddy Kent, and Kent�s wife Carly also enter into the picture and the emotional equation becomes exponentially more complicated. As their relationship crumbles, their friends are pulled into the fray and all are forced to confront a sea of deceit, infidelity and betrayed trust in their journey to answer that oh-so-American question: How much is pretty worth?

This is the final piece in LaBute's trilogy of plays that began with 'The Shape of Things' and 'Fat Pig,' which were also premiered by MCC). reasons to be pretty marks the sixth collaboration between MCC Theater and Neil LaBute, who is MCC�s Resident Playwright.

Piper Perabo (Carly) is making her New York theatrical debut in the off-Broadway production of reasons to be pretty. Her film credits include Jerry Bruckheimer�s 'Coyote Ugly.' She was seen in Christopher Nolan�s 'The Prestige' with Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale and Scarlett Johansson. In 2007, Piper starred in 'Because I Said So' with Diane Keaton and 'First Snow' with Guy Pearce.

Alison Pill (Steph) recently starred in Manhattan Theatre Club's (MTC) Off-Broadway production of 'Blackbird', for which she received Outer Critics Circle and Drama League nominations. In 2005 she was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for her work in 'On the Mountain.' Pill was nominated for a Tony Award for her Broadway debut in 'The Lieutenant of Inishmore' and recently starred in MTC's Broadway production of 'Mauritius.'

Thomas Sadoski's (Greg) off-Broadway credits include 'All This Intimacy' (Second Stage), 'Jump/Cut' (The Women�s Project), 'Where We�re Born' (Rattlestick) and The General From America (Theater For A New Audience). He made his Broadway debut in 'Reckless' (2004).

Pablo Schreiber (Kent) received a Tony Award nomination for his Broadway debut in 'Awake and Sing!' (2006). Off-Broadway credits include 'Dying City' (Lincoln Center Theater), 'Mr. Marmalade' (Roundabout Theatre Company) and 'Manuscript' (Daryl Roth Theatre).

Terry Kinney (Director) is a co-founder of Steppenwolf Theatre Company and a producer of Steppenwolf Films. Reasons to be Pretty marks Kinney�s directorial return to the New York stage where he was last represented by Steppenwolf Theatre Company�s Tony Award-winning revival of 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo�s Nest.' (2001).

Neil LaBute (Playwright) works include 'In a Dark Dark House,' 'Wrecks,' 'Some Girl(s),' 'This Is How It Goes,' 'Fat Pig,' 'The Distance From Here,' 'The Mercy Seat,' 'The Shape of Things.'