the work next season work... It is a call to action and synonymous with the playwriting, designs and performances that
make theater anything but that four-letter word. This season brings us more “work” than ever before with adaptations and re-imaginings of classics and some new (and many returning) artists who look forward to welcoming you to the theater. Whether you have attended the Geffen recently or are considering a visit for the first time, our theaters offer a familiar and welcome setting in which you can appreciate the fruits of our labor. Beyond a mere job, we endeavor to bring you more art, more plays and more “work” as our vocation. It is this calling that created a season that, I hope, entices you to join us this coming year. Sincerely,
Randall Arney Artistic Director
Photo by Andrew Southam
rapture, blister, burn “Intensely smart, immensely funny!” –the new york times
wait until dark The Suspense Will Kill You in this new adaptation
play dead You Are Never So Alive As When You Are Scared To Death
the birthday party Nobel Prize Winning Playwright Academy Award Winning Director
“A tour de force for an actor at the top of her craft.”
slowgirl Helmed by Geffen playhouse Artistic Director Randall Arney
ruth draper’s monologues Annette Bening Performs ruth draper’s awe-inspiring monologues
death of the author another World Premiere Production only in the audrey
the country house Pulitzer Prize Winning playwright tony award winning director
“Intensely smart, immensely funny!” — The New York Times
Geffen Playhouse presents the Playwrights Horizons production of
rapture, blister, burn written by
gina gionfriddo directed by
peter dubois August 13 – September 22, 2013
gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
the suspense will kill you
wait until dark written by
frederick knott adapted by
jeffrey hatcher directed by
matt shakman october 8 – november 17, 2013
gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
you are never so alive as when you are scared to death
play dead written by
teller & todd robbins starring
todd robbins november 5 – december 15, 2013
audrey skirball kenis theater at the geffen playhouse
the classic returns in a comedy of menace
the birthday party written by
harold pinter directed by
william friedkin february 4 – march 16, 2014
gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
“HAD ME SMILING ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.” — The New York Times
“ENGROSSING AND IMPRESSIVE.” — Theatermania
the steppenwolf theatre company production of
slowgirl written by
greg pierce directed by
randall arney march 4 – april 20, 2014
audrey skirball kenis theater at the geffen playhouse
“A tour de force for an actor at the top of her craft.”
ruth draper’s monologues written by
ruth draper featuring
annette bening april 8 – may 18, 2014
“i was in awe of ruth draper. each of her characters was like a rembrandt on stage — a total human being, a total portrait.” — uta hagen
gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
A world ... premiere or is it? de. i c e d u o y
death of the author written by
steven drukman directed by
bart delorenzo may 20 – june 29, 2014
audrey skirball kenis theater at the geffen playhouse
pulitzer prize winning playwright tony award winning director a new masterpiece
the country house written by
donald margulies directed by
daniel sullivan june 10 – july 20, 2014 By special arrangement with Manhattan Theatre Club Lynne Meadow Artistic Director • Barry Grove Executive Producer
gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
west coast premiere Geffen Playhouse presents the Playwrights Horizons production of
rapture, blister, burn Written by Gina Gionfriddo Directed by Peter dubois Featuring Amy Brenneman, Beth Dixon, Virginia Kull, Kellie Overbey & Lee Tergesen august 13 – september 22, 2013 in the gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse Hailed as a “genius” by Variety, playwright Gina Gionfriddo’s West Coast premiere tackles feminism’s foibles in what The New York Times called an, “intensely smart and immensely funny,” new play. Three generations of women share their raucous and refreshing approaches to navigating work, love and family. Rock star academic Catherine envies her friend Gwen who finds her domestic responsibilities less than satisfying. Meanwhile the witty and wry student Avery wonders whether she has more in common with Catherine’s aging mother than any of today’s modern feminists. This new comedy takes a sharp look at how women, and men, find happiness and conquer disappointment.
world premiere adaptation
Wait Until Dark Written by Frederick Knott Adapted by Jeffrey hatcher Directed by Matt Shakman october 8 – november 17, 2013 in the gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse Don’t let the quaint apartment of Susy and Sam Hendrix fool you; hidden within is a score for which thieves and conmen would kill. Employing disguise and deception, three newly acquainted crooks become all the more desperate and depraved, but must wait until dark to play out this classic thriller’s chilling conclusion. Frederick Knott’s play inspired the eponymous film and multiple Broadway productions earning Tony and Academy Award nominations for many of the actors involved — including the film’s star, Audrey Hepburn. This world premiere adaptation captures the suspense made famous by the previous work in a new time/setting. For more information on this production, visit geffenplayhouse.com/suspense.
“A tour de force for an actor at the top of her craft.”
west coast premiere The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of
Slowgirl Written by Greg Pierce Directed by Randall Arney Featuring William Petersen with additional cast to be announced march 4 – april 20, 2014 in the audrey skirball kenis theater at the geffen playhouse When seventeen year-old Becky is shipped-off to her Uncle Sterling’s Costa Rican home — a sanctuary to which he escaped many years ago — the two lost souls navigate contrasting philosophies and a maze of regret. Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Randall Arney returns to his old stomping grounds at Steppenwolf and brings home this intimate and elegant glimpse at two characters seeking forgiveness and finding each other. With sharp humor and authenticity, this West Coast premiere reminds us that escape is easy but redemption is hard.
world premiere performance
ruth draper’s monologues Written by ruth draper Featuring annette bening april 8 – may 18, 2014 in the gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse A pioneer in 20th century drama, Ruth Draper was described as, “the greatest individual performer that America has ever given.” Her uncanny ability, while alone on stage, to shift between many characters brought awe to actors, royalty and throngs of crowds for decades. Now, Annette Bening makes Draper’s timeless monologues her own — highlighting their continued influence on audiences and artists alike. Meet the harried society woman, the hostess, the wife, the mistress; like Draper before her, Bening embraces and embodies these monologues in this tour-de-force premiere.
west coast premiere
the classic returns
Play Dead
The Birthday Party
Written by teller & todd robbins Featuring Todd robbins
Written by Harold Pinter Directed by William Friedkin
november 5 – december 15, 2013 in the audrey skirball kenis theater at the geffen playhouse
february 4 – march 16, 2014 in the gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
Invite death to come out and play in a creepy creation from Teller and performer/ co-creator Todd Robbins who hosts a mesmerizing and terrorizing look at life, death and the horrific wonder between. Weaving together storytelling, illusion and telepathy proves that there is nothing more arousing than unholy resurrection and we’re never so alive as when we’re scared to death.
Academy Award winner William Friedkin directs a new production of Nobel laureate Harold Pinter’s most famous and enigmatic work. Two imposing strangers arrive at an English seaside boarding house disrupting the monotony and disturbing the puzzled Stanley — a former pianist now out of a job and maybe out of his mind. In celebration of Stanley’s birthday, a party is planned but menace arrives and mayhem ensues. Facts twist into half-truths and the night unravels into a mix of the characters’ whimsical, eccentric, clownish and ultimately darkest desires. Like seeing through a broken lens or playing an instrument out of tune, this celebrated and darkly comic work mixes the familiar with the strange and the anticipated with the offbeat for an unconventional experience that is anything but expected and nothing but extraordinary.
The stories and events of this production contain some disturbing images, brief moments of nudity and a great deal of fun. Material may be inappropriate for the faint of heart — or those under 18.
world premiere
world premiere
Death of the Author
The Country House
Written by Steven Drukman Directed by Bart DeLorenzo
Written by Donald Margulies Directed by daniel sullivan
may 20 – june 29, 2014 in the audrey skirball kenis theater at the geffen playhouse
june 10 – july 20, 2014 in the gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
With a world of knowledge just a smart phone away, is there still such a thing as an original idea? When a young professor suspects a student of plagiarism, his inquiry sparks a chain of events affecting the lives of four people in very real terms. Drukman’s beautifully drawn characters must navigate heartbreak, blind ambition and the cutthroat competition that thrives within these ivy-covered walls. Extending beyond post-modern literature and academic rigors, this smart, funny and engrossing world premiere becomes a personal battle to decide what is right, what is wrong and what must be done.
Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s pastoral comedies, Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies brings this funny and poignant world premiere — helmed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan — to the Geffen Playhouse. Gathering in their Berkshire home during the Williamstown summer theater season, a family of actors wrestles with fame, art and, as always, each other. But when the events of the weekend go off-script, secrets are spilled and bonds are broken — threatening an already fragile foundation of a home brimming with old memories, new love and discarded dreams. By special arrangement with Manhattan Theatre Club Lynne Meadow Artistic Director • Barry Grove Executive Producer
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Adi Greenberg & Miriam Kabatchnik
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seating charts gil cates theater at the geffen playhouse
2013/2014 season
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audrey skirball kenis theater at the geffen playhouse
subscription benefits • • • • • • •
Complimentary parking† Priority seating Easy ticket exchange into other performances of the same production Save at least 10% — previous season subscribers saved up to $130! Waived convenience fees Reserved seats for future seasons Attend any of the following Signature Series events for no additional cost! TALK BACK TUESDAYS Dig deeper into plot, character and themes in this post-performance Q & A with Geffen Playhouse artists. GIRLS NIGHT OUT An ordinary evening turns into a one-of-a kind night out at this festive after-party!
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the artists at work Geffen Playhouse Artistic Director Randall Arney
Academy Award Winner William Friedkin
Pulitzer Prize Winner Donald Margulies
annette bening
amy brenneman
william friedkin
donald margulies
william petersen
todd robbins
daniel sullivan
teller
Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter
Tony Award Winner Daniel Sullivan
Emmy Award Winner Teller
BACK TO WORK & play
2013/2014 SEASON