New Primary Stages Season to Feature New Works by A.R. Gurney and Jonathan Tolins

The new Primary Stages season will include works by A.R. Gurney and Jonathan Tolins, as well as a world premiere musical. The Primary Stages season will kick off in July 2010 at the company's 59E59 Theaters space. Casting will be announced at a later date.

Opening the 2010-2011 season is the New York premiere of new play Secrets of the Trade by Jonathan Tolins with direction by Matt Shakman. In show business, it’s all about who you know. Or is it? Andy Lipman, a smart, ambitious kid from Long Island, dreams of a career on Broadway and hopes that his idol, theater legend Martin Kerner, can give it to him. Will Kerner open Andy’s door to success, or will their complicated relationship force him to question a life in the theater? Performances begin July 27, 2010 for a limited run through September 4, 2010. Opening night is set for August 10, 2010.

The lineup continues with new musical In Transit, with book, music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez, James-Allen Ford, Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth and direction by Joe Calarco. In a fresh take on the modern musical, seven performers take on multiple roles and create every note with their own voice for a theatrical experience that goes beyond your typical tuner. In Transit follows an aspiring actress, a fledgling financier, a street-savvy beatboxer, a cab driver and others as they find their way in New York City. The result is a tapestry of characters and music in the city that never stands still. Performances begin September 21, 2010, for a limited engagement through October 30, 2010. Opening night is set for October 5, 2010.

The season closes with returning Primary Stage playwright A.R. Gurney's newest comedy, Black Tie, directed by Mark Lamos. Father of the groom Curtis simply wants to make a memorable toast. But before he is able to raise his glass, he must defend the time-honored ways of his past, including his attire. Cultures clash when a surprise guest is announced, threatening to throw convention out the window. Curtis finds that balancing the standards of his late father and the needs of his future family may prove too messy for a black tie affair. The celebrated author of Buffalo Gal, Indian Blood, The Dining Room, Love Letters and numerous other plays returns to Primary Stages when performances begin January 25, 2011 for a limited run through March 5, 2011. Opening night is set for February 8, 2011.

Creative team details for each show will be announced in the coming months.