59E59 Theaters has revealed the lineup for its 2024 summer season, including the second annual AMPLIFY Festival. This year marks the company's 20th anniversary. Full casting and creative teams for each production will be announced at a later date.
The season will kick off with the East to Edinburgh Festival, showcasing 16 New York productions headed to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe later in the summer. The festival will run July 9-28 in 59E59's Theater C.
Next in the season, Twilight Theatre Company will present John Jiler's The Rosenberg/Strange Fruit Project. Directed by Margarett Perry and with musical accompaniment by Sweet Lee Odom, the production will run July 10-August 4 in the company's Theater B. Opening night is set for July 16.
The Sabbath Girl: A New Musical, presented by Penguin Rep Theatre, will run July 23-September 1 in Theater A, with opening night set for July 28. The musical features a book by Cary Gitter, music by Neil Berg, and lyrics by Gitter and Berg. Joe Brancato will direct. The cast will feature Marilyn Caserta, Diana DiMarzio, Rory Max Kaplan, Lauren Singerman, and Max Wolkowitz.
The Negro Ensemble Company will then present Charles White's Unentitled, running August 16-September 1 in Theater B. Opening night is set for August 23. Unentitled played a sold-out run at 59E59 last summer.
Paula B. Stanic's Tracks will be next in the season, presented by New Light Theater Project and Pendragon Theatre. Tabatha Gayle and Sarah Norris will direct the production, running September 11-28 in Theater C. Opening night is set for September 15.
The summer season will conclude with Arlene Hutton's Blood of the Lamb, presented by Occasional Drawl Productions in association with Harbor Stage Company. The production will run September 14-October 20 in Theater A. Opening night is set for September 23, and Margot Bordelon will direct.
Throughout the year, 59E59 will stage the world premieres of three plays by Chisa Hutchinson as part of their 2024 AMPLIFY Festival. The first will be The Bleeding Class, presented by Undiscovered Works with executive producers Ruth & William Isenberg and Leah S. Abrams. Directed by Cezar Williams, the production will run August 10-September 1 in Theater C, with an August 15 opening.
The second of Hutchinson's plays will be Redeemed, directed by marcus d. harvey and featuring Elizabeth Sun and Doug Harris. Presented by the Contemporary American Theater Festival, the production will run September 15-October 5 in Theater B, with opening night set for September 21.
Finally, Primary Stages will present Hutchinson's Amerikin, running March 1-April 13, 2025 in Theater A. Opening night is set for March 18. Jade King Carroll will direct. Hutchinson develpoed Amerikin as as part of the Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group at Primary Stages, 59E59's Resident Off-Broadway Theatre Company.
“I knew that Chisa’s unique perspective was the right choice for our second AMPLIFY Festival,” 59E59 Artistic Director Val Day said in a statement. “Her impressive ability to entertain, challenge, and surprise audiences aligns perfectly with our mission. This festival would not be possible without three visionary artistic directors (Erin Daley of Primary Stages, Peggy McKowen of Contemporary American Theater Festival, and Leah Abrams of Undiscovered Works) who have dedicated themselves to uplifting Chisa’s plays.”
Founded by Elysabeth Kleinhans and operating under the Elysabeth Kleinhans Theatrical Foundation since 2004, 59E59 Theaters has served as an artistic home for over 400 non-profit theatre companies presenting more than 600 shows in their three spaces to over 1.4 million audience members.
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