Second Stage announce 2013/14 season

Second Stage Theatre has announced three shows for its upcoming 35th Season. The company's 2013-2014 season will feature the previously announced New York Premiere of the new musical Little Miss Sunshine, the New York Premiere Quiara Alegría Hudes' The Happiest Song Plays Last and the New York Premiere of Laura Eason's Sex With Strangers.

A fourth production is still to be announced.

Second Stage Founding Artistic Director Carole Rothman said,

Our upcoming 35th Anniversary Season will represent what we do best at Second Stage - presenting thought-provoking new plays from some of the most exciting American writers working today," I'm thrilled to welcome Quiara Alegría Hudes - and the two indelible characters she introduced in last season's 'Water by the Spoonful' - back to Second Stage with The Happiest Song Plays Last. And I'm very eager to introduce the singular voice of Laura Eason, a vital new writer who will be making her New York City playwriting debut here.

The plays will be presented in the following season order:

Casting announcements and specific dates for each production will be forthcoming.

New York premiere
Little Miss Sunshine
Music and lyrics by William Finn
Book by James Lapine
Directed by James Lapine
Cast: Will Chase (Richard Hoover) and Stephanie J. Block (Sheryl Hoover), with further cast to be announced.
Venue: Second Stage Theatre
Previews: 15 Oct 2013
Opening: tba
Closing: tba

Synopsis: When the coveted title of 'Little Miss Sunshine' is unexpectedly within her reach, young Olive Hoover convinces her family to make the 800 mile trek to the pre-teen pageant of her dreams. Along the way, a series of mishaps threatens to derail the group's quest for the crown, until they realize a young girl's far-fetched goal may actually hold the key to the family's happiness.

William Finn and James Lapine's previous collaborations include the Tony-winning hits 'Falsettos' and 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.' William Finn is also the composer of 'In Trousers,' 'Romance in Hard Times' and 'A New Brain.' James Lapine is the book writer/director of the musicals 'Sunday in the Park with George,' 'Into the Woods,' and 'Passion,' among others.

New York premiere
The Happiest Song Plays Last
By Quiara Alegría Hudes
Director: Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Cast: tba Venue: Second Stage Theatre
Dates: tba (expected Winter 2014)

Synopsis: Cousins Elliot and Yaz, having long searched for their place in the community, discover the joy in coming home again and the comfort of family, both by blood and by love. While Elliot gets a lucky break in the film business, Yaz takes on the role of familial and neighborhood matriarch, nourishing those that pass through her door.

Quiara Alegría Hudes (Playwright) received the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play, 'Water by the Spoonful,' which had its New York premiere at Second Stage last season. The play is the second in a trilogy which began with her play, 'Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue,' which was also a Pulitzer Finalist, and concludes with The Happiest Song Plays Last. Hudes wrote the book to the Broadway musical, 'In the Heights', for which she received a Tony Nomination for Best Book of a Musical, and was named a Pulitzer Finalist. Hudes wrote the book and lyrics for a children's musical, 'Barrio Grrrl!, 'which premiered at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and toured nationally.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Director) is a Tony and Obie award-winning actor, as well as an writer and director. He recently received the 2013 Lucille Lortel and Obie Awards for Best Direction of August Wilson's 'The Piano Lesson' at Signature Theatre. Santiago-Hudson made his directorial debut with August Wilson's 'Gem of the Ocean' at the McCarter Theater and the American Conservatory Theatre. Most recently, Ruben directed 'Jitney' at the Two Rivers Theater Company. Other directing credits include the New York Premiere of Naomi Wallace's 'Things of Dry Hours' at the NY Theater Workshop, August Wilson's 'Radio Golf' at The Kennedy Center, Wilson's 'Seven Guitars' and Leslie Lee's 'The First Breeze of Summer' for The Signature Theater Company, where Santiago-Hudson holds the position of Associate Artist and where he recently directed Athol Fugard's 'My Children! My Africa!'

New York premiere
Sex With Strangers
by Laura Eason
Director: David Schwimmer
Cast: tba Venue: Second Stage Theatre
Dates: tba (expected Summer 2014)

Synopsis: How far will you go to get what you want? Will you be the same person if you finally do? When star sex blogger and memoirist Ethan tracks down his idol, the gifted but obscure novelist Olivia, he finds they both crave what the other possesses. As attraction turns to sex, and they inch closer to getting what they want, both must confront the dark side of ambition and the near impossibility of reinventing oneself when the past is only a click away.

Laura Eason (playwright) is the author of twenty plays, both original works and adaptations, a musical book writer and a staff writer on season two of the Netflix show "House Of Cards." Recent productions include 'The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer' (Hartford Stage, CT; New Victory, NYC; People's Light, PA; Actor's Theatre, KY; KC Rep; St. Louis Rep; Denver Center), 'Around The World In 80 Days' (also director, Lookingglass Theatre, Chicago; Baltimore Centerstage; additional productions at New Vic, UK; Lamb's Theatre, CA), and 'Rewind' (Side Project, Chicago). Other plays include 'The Vast In-Between' (Denver Center commission), 'The Undeniable Sound Of Right Now' (developed by Rattlestick Theatre and Rising Phoenix Rep, NYC) and 'Plainfield Ace' (developed by Two River Theatre, Lookingglass, Theatre and Rattlestick Theatre, NYC). 'Days Like Today,' with music and lyrics by Alan Schmuckler, was commissioned by and will be produced by Writers' Theatre, Chicago in 2014.

David Schwimmer (Director) is co-founder of the Lookingglass Theatre Company of Chicago, where he is currently directing the world premiere of Keith Huff's 'Big Lake Big City.' He has acted in and directed many productions for Lookingglass including 'Trust,' 'Our Town,' 'West,' 'The Master and 'Margarita,' 'The Jungle,' 'Eye of the Beholder,' 'The Odyssey,' 'The Idiot,' 'Of One Blood' and his adaptation of Studs Terkel's book, 'Race.' Television directing includes "Friends," the HBO series "Little Britain USA," and the pilot for the upcoming NBC comedy "Growing Up Fisher." Film directing includes Since "You've Been Gone," "Run Fat Boy Run" and "Trust" starring Clive Owen, Catherine Keener and Viola Davis.