The first show of the 2010-11 Season is the Philadelphia
premiere of Miss Witherspoon by Christopher Durang.
Featuring Julie Czarnecki, Indika Senanayake, Russ Widdall, Wendy Staton, and
Ginger Dayle.
About the play….
Things are a little stressful in Veronica’s afterlife. Depressed about the
state of the world and her place in it, she kills herself, only to find that
death is not much more relaxing. Sent back to earth to be reborn and
try again, she tries resisting, but her afterlife guides aren’t having any
of it—the universe has a job for her, she has a lesson to learn, and
she’s going to do it, like it or not. In a funny, silly, and thought
provoking journey, Veronica—or Miss Witherspoon, as her guide
nicknames her—discovers there’s more to this life thing than she may
have realized.
Playwright and Bucks County resident Christopher Durang is known
for his remorseless skewering of contemporary American culture. A
no-holds-barred comic genius, beneath his darkly funny surface burns
a reformer’s zeal. With Miss Witherspoon, Mr. Durang confronts the
complications of the 21st century, and forces us to consider our role in
it.
This play was commissioned by the historic McCarter Theater on
Princeton University’s campus and had its world premiere there, and
New City Stage is thrilled to bring the Philadelphia premiere to
audiences this winter.
Single tickets and subscriptions will be on sale by November 1! Please
check back to this web site soon.
This is part of our 5th season: No Way Out
In times of uncertainty, people do crazy things ad take extreme measures.
We are using this season to explore a subject that seems to have been
forgotten… suicide amongst women.
A 2008 study released by the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine shows
that the suicide attempt rate in the United States rose for the first time in
ten years and that the steepest rise appears to be among Caucasian women
aged 25 to 35 and over 45 (http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2008/10/081021093938.htm). In a 2009 Temple University
study, it was shown that teenagers and young adults living in
Philadelphia have almost twice the national average of suicide attempts
among high school and college students, with females having a higher
attempt rate than males
(http://www.temple.edu/newsroom/2009_2010/12/stories/Suicide.htm).
All three of the plays New City Stage Company has chosen for next year
include a suicide attempt by a Caucasian woman in these age groups. The
time is right and the issuing is pressing…. We look forward to exploring
this important and relevant topic with two over-the-top comedies and a
drama. Please don’t miss this unique and ground-breaking season!
Miss Witherspoon
By Christopher Durang
Directed by Ryder Thornton
December 9, 2010 to January 9, 2011
Adrienne Theatre Main Stage
Pterodactyls
By Nicky Silver
Directed by Brenna Geffers
March 3 to 27, 2011
Adrienne Main Stage
Featuring Barrymore Award-winning actresses Cheryl Williams and
Bruce Graham
‘Night Mother
By Marsha Norman
Director to be announced….
June 9 to July 3, 2011
Adrienne Theatre Second Stage
We are once again in residence at the Adrienne Theatre at 2030 Sansom
Street in center city Philadelphia. More information about the season,
upcoming events, and a brand new web site will be coming shortly, so
please stay tuned!