Lab Readings

October 23 - November 15, 2008 BARN SERIES Don't miss LAByrinth's ninth annual festival of free staged readings! FREE TICKETS will be distributed 30 minutes before curtain on a first come, first served basis. No reservations necessary. All readings take place at The Public Theater (425 Lafayette St) Oct 23 & 24 at 8pm Objects Are Closer Than They Appear A new play by Megan Mostyn-Brown Directed by Carolyn Cantor A raging thunderstorm. A dumpy motel. Charlie wants to escape from the chaos of his life. Evan just wants to deliver a pizza. A play about what happens when who we were finally catches up with who we are now. Oct 25 & 26 at 8pm The April Hour A new play by Jonathan Smit Directed by Scott Illingworth Writing, drinking, screwing—it’s a writer’s life—old school. No distractions, no kids, no compromises. And that’s the way Henry Slanger likes it. Trouble is, his wife’s bored with the great man routine, his protégé is pregnant, and when a gothy fifteen-year-old shows up from nowhere, Henry’s the last to see the writing on the wall. Oct 27 & Nov 3 at 8pm Night Train A new play by Mel Nieves Directed by Felix Solis At the crossroads of the world, on a dark rainy night, a boy and girl will meet, take a ride into the wee small hours, and perhaps forever change the course of their tomorrows. Oct 28 & 29 at 8pm 7 Captiva Road A new play by Andrea Ciannavei Directed by Michele Chivu 7 Captiva Road explores the pervasive and secret sickness of one family as they gather for their matriarch's final hours and later for a grim birthday party. Through it all they go about their rituals with glee even as they crumble under the weight of their past. Oct 30 & Nov 6 at 8pm Incendiary A new play by Adam Szymkowicz Directed by Damon Arrington Incendiary is a noir romantic bedroom police sex comedy. Elise is a pyromaniac fire chief who falls in love with Jake, the detective investigating her fires. Carrie, Elise's therapist, is trying to get her to stop lighting fires, and Carrie's husband, Gary, is leading the life of a somewhat ineffective corporate spy. Oct 31 & Nov 5 at 8pm A Life Time Burning A new play by Cusi Cram In a perfectly decorated mid-century modern apartment on Mulberry Street, one sister has written a memoir. Another sister claims that not one word of it is true. Both may be right. Is memory ever what really happened—or, in these reality obsessed times, is it possible to rewrite one’s life? Nov 1 & 2 at 8pm Bus Accident Play A new play by Raúl Castillo Directed by John Ortiz A look at a Border town through the eyes of a New York photographer. After the loss of her lover, a woman visits his estranged family in search of the truth about his past. Nov 7 & 14 at 8pm The Transparency of Val A new play by Stephen Belber Directed by John Ortiz Val is born. Within minutes he learns part of the entire history of the world. Then, having finished college, he has to actually live. It's not quite the coconut he was taught, what with all the twisted Buddhists, sexually amorphous mates and frighteningly friendly Nazis. But Val's a survivor and he'll endure. Unless he first goes insane. Nov 8 & 11 at 8pm Burning, Burning, Burning, Burning A new play by David Bar Katz Directed by John Gould Rubin Poland, 1666. A small village community is thrown into chaos when one of their own returns home as the prophet of the messiah, Sabbatai Zvi. Infusing the people with messianic zeal, he coerces them to break every holy law they once held dear, to hasten the End of Days. Nov 9 & 10 at 8pm Thinner Than Water A new play by Melissa Ross Directed by Mimi O’Donnell Martin is in debt. Martin has three ex wives. Martin is a pain in the ass. Martin is dying. Martin needs help. So Martin turns to the people who hate him the most. His family. Nov 12 & 13 at 8pm Face Cream A new play by Maggie Bofill Directed by Mimi O’Donnell No man should ever get between a woman and her face cream. Nov 15 at 7pm and 9pm The Motherf**ker with the Hat A new play by Stephen Adly Guirgis The Motherf**ker with the Hat is a new work in progress about frailty, faith, fidelity, and a defiant act of depraved indifference perpetrated against a male fashion accessory. THE PERFORMERS INCLUDE: Betsy Aidem, Carlo Alban, Maggie Bofill, Eric Bogosian, Elizabeth Canavan, Monique Carboni, Raúl Castillo, Maria Cellario, Beth Cole, J. Eric Cook, Cusi Cram, Alexis Croucher, David Deblinger, John Doman, Jamie Dunn, Kat Foster, Kevin Geer, Yetta Gottesman, Gerardo Guidino, Sarah Nina Hayon, Lauren Heisler, Greg Keller, Florencia Lozano, Sandie Luna, Megan Mostyn-Brown, Didi O'Connell, Kelley O'Donnell, Wilemina Olivia-Garcia, John Ortiz, Melissa Paladino, Gina Maria Paoli, Richard Petrocelli, Paula Pizzi, Portia, Michael Puzzo, Joselin Reyes, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Andy Scully, Maureen Sebastian, Felix Solis, Matt Stadelman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ed Vassallo, Yul Vázquez, Aaron Roman Weiner, Elanna White, Sidney Williams, David Zayas