Scott Rudin, George C. Wolfe & More Recruited for New Off-Shore Public Park & Performance Space Project

Tony and Oscar-winning producer Scott Rudin along with other theater bigwigs George C. Wolfe, Stephen Daldry and Kate Horton have been recruited to oversee the development and design of three performance venues on a proposed Manhattan public park project. According to The New York Times, the $170 million venture would be built on a 2.4-acre platform 186 feet off the Hudson River shore near 14th Street. The space would feature three performance venues, including an amphitheater.

The ambitious plan was proposed by Barry Diller, chairman of IAC/InterActiveCorp and former Parmaount and Fox CEO. In addition to the $130 million he has agreed to provide, funds would come from the city, the state and the Hudson River Park Trust. Construction for the park, which would be known as Pier 55, could begin in 2016 following the necessary approvals. In addition to the 800-seat amphitheater, Pier 55 would feature a large performance space to hold 3,500 people (1,000 seated, 2,500 on a lawn) and a small stage with 250 seats.

Rudin has produced several Broadway productions, including The Book of Mormon, This Is Our Youth, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The River and A Delicate Balance, as well as the upcoming productions of Fish in the Dark and Skylight. Wolfe, the former Artistic Director of The Public Theater, took home Tony Awards for directing Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk. Daldry, a Tony winner for helming An Inspector Calls and Billy Elliot, will direct The Audience and Skylight on Broadway this spring. Horton, a U.K.-based producer and consultant, is the former deputy executive director of the National Theatre.