Summer Play Festival Announces 2008 Lineup

Seven new plays and one new musical are on tap for the fifth annual Summer Play Festival, which will be preseted from July 1-27 at the Public Theater. The Festival allows emerging writers, directors, designers and producers an opportunity to work on their material at no cost. Artists who will participate include Annie Golden, Krysta Rodriguez, Annie Parisse, Marin Hinkle, Nick Blaemire and David Aaron Baker, with Tony winner Stew providing music for one of the new plays.

The lineup is as follows:

The Black Suits, a new rock musical featuring music and lyrics by Joe Iconis, book by Iconis and Robert Maddock and directed by John Simpkins. With the prospect of a dead-end life looming, a group of Long Island teens struggle to make something of their band and of themselves. The cast includes Nick Blaemire Cry Baby, composer of Glory Days, Sarah Glendening Good Vibrations, Annie Golden The Full Monty, Hair, The Shirts, Krysta Rodriguez In The Heights, A Chorus Line, Lance Rubin The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks, Jason Tam A Chorus Line, “One Life to Live” and Jason Williams The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks.

Esther Demsack, a new comedy by Billy Finnegan, directed by Stafford Arima. When the title character finds herself accidentally employed as young Everette Brewster's governess, Everette tries desperately to turn her into his own Auntie Mame. Moving through their world of showtunes and movie stars, Esther digs deeper to find the dark secret haunting Everette and the entire Brewster family. The cast includes Elzbieta Czyzewska Hedda Gabler, Noah Galvin Les Miserables national tour, Marin Hinkle Two and a Half Men and Claudia Shear Dirty Blonde, The Smell of the Kill.

Future Me, a new drama by Stephen Brown, directed by Joanna Settle, featuring new music by Stew. One irreparable mistake propels Peter from successful lawyer to prison inmate as his world gets turned upside down. The cast includes Aaron Lohr Newsies, Rent, Michael Braun The Breach, Seattle Rep, Chris McCann Paradise Park, Chris McKinney Medea, Nancy McNulty Armed and Naked in America and Linda Powell The Overwhelming.

Green Girl, a new drama by Sarah Hammond, directed by Wendy McClellan. A magic gift entwines the fates of two sets of sisters living over a hundred years apart. Each girl must endure the trials of growing up, but only one can master the gift inherited from her ancestors. The cast includes Campion Hall, Erik Jensen Spain, Julie Jesneck Mr. Marmelade, Keira Keeley The Thugs, Will Rogers From Up Here, 100 Saints You Should Know and Jessica Wortham The Ruby Sunrise.

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom, a new sci-fi thriller by Jennifer Haley, directed by Kerry Whighan. Welcome to everyday suburbia where teens become completely obsessed with an unusual video game. As they advance to each new level, the lines between reality and virtual reality blur and only those with a true ‘killer' instinct survive. The cast includes David Aaron Baker Dead Man's Cell Phone, A Raisin in the Sun, Reyna DeCorucy Asbury Park, Brian Gerard Murray Stretch and Sally Wheeler Two of a Kind.

Tell Out My Soul, a new play by Jacquelyn Honess-Martin, directed by Evan Cabnet. When a young student with an unusual story enters their lives, Thomas and his daughter Ruth find their views of relition challenged in a world of suffering. The cast includes Cynthia Darlow Old Acquaintance, Sherman Howard Inherit the Wind, Jenny Ikeda Top Girls, Laura Leigh The Greeks and Annie Parisse Law & Order, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

The Ones That Flutter, a new drama by Sylvia Reed, directed by Stephen Brackett. Now retired, and with the fate of his family's home resting in his hands, Roddy grapples with the ghosts of his past, and seeks peace in a world where the morality of his job defines him. The cast includes Chris Chalk The Overwhelming, Struan Erlenborn Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Julia Gibson Uncle Vanya, Dan Lauria The Wonder Years and Danielle Skraastad The Receptionist.

Tio Pepe, a new play by Matthew Lopez, directed by Caitlin Moon. Dreaming of a life as Broadway gypsies, the Candelarias refuse to vacate their Manhattan apartment scheduled for demolition. The cast includes Vaniek Echeverria The Ruby Sunrise, Nathaniel Mendez Life & Death of Jimmy Katz, April Ortiz Father of the Bride and Benita Robledo Linnea.

The Summer Play Festival is presented in conjunction with The Public Theater's 50th anniversary delebration. Performance times and dates for each show vary.