For those seeking a valuable and unique inside look at the development process, MCC Theater has announced the lineup for its Spring 2013 PlayLab readings of new plays by three members of the company's Playwrights' Coalition: Adam Szymkowicz, Ed Napier, and Ashlin Halfnight. The readings will be held at 7 p.m. on June 3 (Mercy, by Szymkowicz), June 10 (Going Home, by Napier), and June 23, 2013 (New Hampshire, New York, by Halfnight), at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street).


The PlayLab series offers a rare look into the development process of new plays by some of New York's most exciting playwrights. Audience members will also be invited to "meet and greet" the artists at receptions directly following the readings.

Well-known for fostering new works on its main stages and beyond, MCC Theater is now in the twelfth year of its Playwrights' Coalition, which brings together a diverse group of some of the most talented, exciting playwrights working today. The Coalition offers writers the resources and support necessary to help conceive, develop and ultimate present their work to a New York audience, with an emphasis on roundtable readings and intensive script analysis. The resulting works most often reveal bold, original theatrical voices, many of whom have taken scripts developed through PlayLabs further on to full productions at MCC and other renowned theaters across the U.S., in New York, and internationally. The series is offered free of charge, but reservations are recommended.

MCC Theater is currently presenting the final production of its acclaimed 2012-13 Main Stage Season: the world premiere of MCC Playwright-in-Residence Neil LaBute's new play, Reasons to Be Happy, also directed by LaBute.

A Ten-Year History with LaBute

This season marks the 10th Anniversary of LaBute's relationship with MCC. Leslie Bibb (Iron Man, ABC's "GCB") and Jenna Fischer (NBC's "The Office") are making their New York City stage debuts opposite Josh Hamilton (The Coast of Utopia) and Fred Weller (MCC's Still Life and In a Dark Dark House) in this companion piece to LaBute's critically-acclaimed award-winning play, Reasons to Be Pretty, first produced at MCC Theater in 2008 before moving to Broadway where it was nominated for three 2009 Tony Awards (including Best Play). Performances of Reasons to Be Happy began on May 16th at the Lucille Lortel Theatre (121 Christopher Street, NYC) and continue through June 23, 2013. An official opening is set for June 11, 2013. Tickets are now on sale.

2013 Spring PlayLab Readings

Monday, June 3, 7 p.m.
Mercy
Written by Adam Szymkowicz
Directed by Ethan McSweeny
Synopsis: Orville is grieving the vehicular manslaughter of his beloved wife. When by chance he faces the driver who killed her, he begins an agonizing conflict between revenge and forgiveness.

Monday, June 10, 7 p.m.
Going Home
Written & Directed by Ed Napier
Synopsis: When Tony leaves Manhattan for his mother's funeral in Ceredo, West Virginia, he is thrown into the maelstrom of ancient family grudges and unexpressed affection. Rich with local color and ribald humor, this is a story of coming to terms with what place your past has in your future.

Sunday, June 23, 7 p.m.
New Hampshire, New York
Written by Ashlin Halfnight
Directed by May Adrales
Synopsis: Christmas in New York City. This delightful comedy follows the travails of loves found and lost and found again by a group of five confused but endearing characters in search of a soul-mate.

Developing and Producing New Work

Founded in 1986 as Manhattan Class Company, MCC Theater is committed to developing and producing new work that challenges artists and rewards audiences. Its mission is carried out through an annual season of world, American, and New York premieres, literary development programs for emerging writers, and ground-breaking education programs that enable more than 1,100 New York City high school students to find -- and use -- their own unique voice each year through the creation and performance of original theater pieces.

Notable MCC Theater highlights include: the New York premiere of The Other Place, starring Laurie Metcalf (and which transferred to Broadway during the 2012-13 Season); the 2008 Tony Award-nominated Reasons to Be Pretty, by Neil LaBute, the 2004 Tony-winning production of Bryony Lavery's Frozen, Neil LaBute's Fat Pig, Rebecca Gilman's The Glory of Living, Marsha Norman's Trudy Blue, Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit, Tim Blake Nelson's The Grey Zone, Alan Bowne's Beirut, The Submission, winner of the inaugural Laurents/Hatcher Foundation Award for new American plays, and last season's newly reworked and fully re-imagined production of Carrie, the musical. Over the years, its dedication to the work of new and emerging artists has earned MCC Theater a variety of awards.

To learn more about MCC Theater, PlayLabs, or its Playwrights' Coalition, visit their website at www.mcctheater.org.