Atlantic 2006-2007 Season to Include Plays by Howe, Butterworth and More

The Atlantic Theater Company has announced three of its 2006-2007 main stage offerings. The group will present Tina Howe's Birth and After Birth, a David Mamet adaptation of Harley Granville-Barker's The Voysey Inheritance and the world premiere of Jez Butterworth's Parlour Song.

The season will kick-off with Birth and After Birth, running September 13 through October 29. The play centers on Bill and Sandy Apple, who absolutely insist on upholding a perfect image of blissful family life with their rambunctious four-year-old, Nicky. Things soon go haywire, however, when Nicky's antic personality goes out of control on his birthday and the Apples' best friends, the childless Freeds, call into question their deeply held assumptions about child-rearing and fertility. Christian Parker directs.

The Voysey Inheritance explores the timely issue of morals vs. money as an upper middle class family goes to pieces when it is revealed that the patriarch has amassed the family fortune by secretly embezzling money from his clients. As his son tries to put things in order, he discovers that the family is more than willing to perpetuate this way of doing business, rather than sacrifice their comfort and luxury. The Atlantic mounting is scheduled to run November 15 through January 7.

Playing February 7 through April 1 is Parlour Song, which explores what happens when two ordinary people discover they hate who they have become. In the play, a demolitions expert suspects his wife is stealing from him. Atlantic Artistic Director Neil Pepe will direct the production.

An additional Atlantic main stage production and the Atlantic Stage 2 season will be announced shortly. The Atlantic is currently housing Spring Awakening, which was recently confirmed for a Broadway transfer.