Boston Theatre Works Announces 06-07 Season

Boston Theatre Works presents a season of premieres and continues its tradition of contemporary Shakespeare.

The local regional premiere of “I Am My Own Wife,” the New England Premiere of a 2004 Obie Award winner, the Boston premiere of “Confessions of a Mormon Boy” and a new production of “A Midsummer Night's Dream” bow at BTW.

Boston Theatre Works will kick off its 06/07 Season in September with the local regional premiere of the 2004 Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play “I Am My Own Wife.” The production stars American Repertory Theatre actor Thomas Derrah and is presented by special arrangement with A.R.T. at Zero Arrow Theatre under the helm of BTW Artistic Director Jason Southerland.

The season continues in December with the regional premiere of the 2004 Obie Award-winning “A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant” by Kyle Jarrow (author of last season's “Gorilla Man”). This tongue-in-cheek holiday pageant devoted to the life of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, was dubbed "an instant cult classic!" by the Los Angeles Times. BTW will present it at the Boston Center for the Arts for the holiday season.

In February returning BTW company member Daniel Elihu Kramer will direct a new production of William Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night's Dream.” BTW was nominated for a pair of Elliot Norton Awards including Outstanding Production for its February hit production of “Othello.” “Dream” will play for five weeks at the BCA and will include a dozen student matinee performances.

BTW will close out its mainstage season with the Boston premiere of “Confessions of a Mormon Boy” by Steven Fales and directed by Tony Award winner Jack Hofsiss. This captivating true story is the winner of the Overall Excellence Award for a Solo Show at the New York International Fringe Festival. The New York Times called it "compelling confessional theater" while the Associated Press wrote, "this is the stuff of great theater...riveting."

In addition to the mainstage season, BTW will continue its tradition of developing new work with the 9th installment of our weeklong festival of new plays, “BTW Unbound.” Several new plays have come through Unbound and later debuted on BTW's mainstage or stages around the country, including “Conspiracy of Memory,” “Veronika Vavoom Volcanologist,” and the 2002 Jefferson Award-winner (Chicago), “Waving Goodbye.”

"I'm extremely pleased by the dynamic mix of work we're able to offer in the upcoming season," Jason Southerland said today. "Our two solo shows reach theatrical heights by exploring deep emotional journeys while Kyle Jarrow, with tongue firmly planted in check, takes us though the doctrines of one of America's most controversial religions. I am also excited to partner with the American Repertory Theatre and use their beautiful new facility." “I Am My Own Wife” will be presented at Zero Arrow Theatre in Cambridge, while the remaining shows will be presented at the Boston Center for the Arts. Subscriptions are available at www.BostonTheatreWorks.com or by calling (617) 728-4321.

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2006/07 Season at Boston Theatre Works

I AM MY OWN WIFE
By Doug Wright
Starring Thomas Derrah
Directed by Jason Southerland (“The Laramie Project,” “Not About Nightingales”)
Dates: Sep 14 - Oct 8, 2006
Venue: Zero Arrow Theatre

Inspired by interviews conducted by the playwright over several years, Wife tells the fascinating story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who managed to survive the Nazi onslaught as well as the following repressive Communist regime. The one-man play stars Thomas Derrah as 35 characters, including the controversial figure herself and the American writer who became intrigued with her. Wright won a 2004 Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award for Best Play, and a dozen others for “Wife.” He is also author of “Quills.” The New York Times described “I Am My Own Wife” as "a spectacular story, beautifully written." The New York Post hailed it as, "the dramatic event of the year."

A VERY MERRY UNAUTHORIZED CHILDREN'S SCIENTOLOGY PAGEANT
Book, music and lyrics by Kyle Jarrow (“Gorilla Man”)
From a concept by Alex Timbers
Directed by Jason Southerland
Dates: Nov 24-Dec 16,2006
Venue: Boston Center for the Arts

A jubilant cast of children celebrate the controversial religion in uplifting pageantry and song. The actual teachings of The Church of Scientology are explained and dissected against the candy-colored backdrop of a traditional nativity play. Avant-garde performance art and children's theater meet in one of the funniest holiday shows you will ever see. The New York Times called this Obie Award-winning piece, "a cult-hit blueprint for a young generation that prefers its irony delivered with not a wink but a blank stare."

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Daniel Elihu Kramer (“Romeo and Juliet,” “Love Suicide”)
Dates: Feb 1-Mar 3, 2007
Venue: Boston Center for the Arts

Shakespeare's comedy follows lover Hermia and Lysander, who defy father and king to elope. Meanwhile, Bottom the Weaver, and his troupe of would-be actors, venture into the woods to rehearse a play. But once inside the charmed realm of warring Queen Titania and King Oberon, fantasy and reality reverse Oberon's trickery; aided by the roguish, Puck, ensnares lover and laborers alike.

CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY
By Steven Fales
Directed by Jack Hofsiss
Dates: April 26-May 19, 2007
Venue: Boston Center for the Arts

Steven Fales' hilarious and inspiring true story about how a young man went from being the model Mormon boy in a model Mormon family in Utah to a high priced call boy in New York City. His captivating tale takes audiences though his excommunication from the Mormon church, divorce, his "coming out" in gay New York, and his time as a male prostitute, as he struggles to reclaim himself, his children, and his "Donny Osmond smile." This production is directed by Tony Award winner Jack Hofsiss and stars Mr.Fales.

BTW UNBOUND 2007:
A FESTIVAL OF NEW PLAYS
Date: July 2007
Venue: Boston Center for the Arts

BTW Unbound is a great showcase of the hottest new work by the country's best playwrights and a terrific opportunity to see several pieces in progress. Works that started here and later premiered in New York City include Emily Mann's Meshugah, the Off-Broadway hit Bug and the 2002 Jefferson Award-winner, Waving Goodbye.