McClatchy Newspapers

Here's a listing of upcoming Off-Broadway shows to check out. For tickets in advance, call either Telecharge at 1-800-432-7250 (www.telecharge.com), Ticketmaster at 1-800-755-4000 (www.ticketmaster.com) or the specific box office numbers indicated in each show description. If prices aren’t listed, that means tickets haven’t gone on sale yet.
"Almost an Evening," Atlantic Theater Company, 330 W. 16th St.; previews Jan. 9, opens Jan. 16 (through Feb. 3); www.atlantictheater.org; 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com: Successful filmmaker Ethan Coen (responsible, with brother Joel, for "Fargo’’ and a number of other hits) makes his Off-Broadway debut with three one-act plays.

"The American Dream’’ and "The Sandbox,’’ Cherry Lane Theater, 38 Commerce St.; previews March 4, opens March 18 (through April 12); $51-$61; www.cherrylanetheatre.com; Telecharge: Edward Albee’s 80th birthday year is being celebrated in part with this double bill of one-acts that originally premiered at the Cherry Lane.

"Beckett Shorts,’’ New York Theatre Workshop; 79 E. Fourth St.; previews Dec. 5, opens mid-December; 212-460-5475 or www.nytw.org: JoAnne Akalaitis directs Mikhail Baryshnikov and his fellow actors in four one-act plays by Samuel Beckett.

"Bingo With the Indians,’’ Flea Theater, 41 White St.; previews Oct. 25, opens Nov. 9 (through Dec. 22); 212-226-2407 or www.theflea.org: Adam Rapp’s new play is about members of an avant-garde theater company scheming to pay for their next show with money stolen from a bingo game.

"Black Nativity,’’ The Duke on 42nd Street, 229 W. 42nd St.; Nov. 30 (through Dec. 30) $50; 646-223-3010 or www.New42.org; The Classical Theater of Harlem performs Langston Hughes’ play in which a street preacher tells the story of a girl searching for peace on earth.

"The Black Suits,’’ MCC Theater at Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St.; previews May 14 (through July 5); 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com: With music and lyrics by Joe Iconis, book by Iconis and Robert Maddock (the team has already won several awards for their work), this new musical is about a garage band playing its way toward adulthood.

"The Brothers Size,’’ Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St.; Oct. 23 to Dec. 23; $50; 212-967-7555 or www.publictheater.org: Miami’s Tarell Alvin McCraney, who graduated from the Yale School of Drama last spring, gets a high-profile world premiere of his mythic play about two very different brothers.

"Dead Man’s Cell Phone,’’ Playwrights Horizons, 416 W. 42nd St.; previews Feb. 8, opens March 4 (through March 16); $65; www.playwrightshorizons.org: ``Weeds’’ star Mary-Louise Parker and ``Angels in America’’ Tony nominee Kathleen Chalfant star in MacArthur "genius grant’’ recipient Sarah Ruhl’s new comedy, to be directed by Anne Bogart.

"Die, Mommie, Die!,’’ New World Stages, 340 W. 50th St.; opens today (through Feb. 17); $35-$71.50; www.dmdtheplay.com; Telecharge: Charles Busch plays killer diva Angela Arden in his play about a woman who slays her hubby with the help of her much younger lover.

"Frankenstein,’’ 37 Arts, 450 W. 37th St.; opens Nov. 1; $41.25; www.frankensteinthemusical.com or Ticketmaster: This ``other’’ Frankenstein musical, not nearly as spoofy as the Mel Brooks version, stars Hunter Foster as Mary Shelley’s mad scientist.

"Fuerzabruta,’’ Daryl Roth Theater, 20 Union Square East; $42.50; Telecharge: The creators of the in-your-face (or above-your-head) ``De La Guarda’’ have come up with a show in which actors fly and the audience gets wet.

"The Glorious Ones,’’ Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center, 150 W. 65th St.; opens Nov. 5 (through Jan. 6); $75; www.lct.org; Telecharge: Ex-South Floridian Marc Kudisch is one of the stars of this new musical by the "Ragtime’’ team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty; Graciela Daniele directs the show, based on the 1974 Francine Prose novel.

"Grace,’’ MCC Theater at Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St.; previews Jan. 23 (through March 8); 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com: Lynn Redgrave stars in this London hit about a scientist and atheist fighting her son, a lawyer planning to become a minister.

"Hunting and Gathering,’’ Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th St.; previews Jan. 22, opens Feb. 5 (through March 1); $60; 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com: Brooke Berman’s new play is about interconnected young New Yorkers looking for love.

"Occupant,’’ Signature Theatre Company, 555 W. 42nd St.; May 6-29; $20; 212-244-7529 or www.signaturetheatre.org: Edward Albee’s play paints a portrait of sculptor Louise Nevelson.

"The Overwhelming,’’ Laura Pels Theater, 111 W. 46th St.; opens Oct. 23 (through Dec. 23); $55-$65; 212-719-1300 or www.roundabouttheatre.org: J.T. Rogers’ new play is about an American family arriving in Rwanda in 1994, just as the nation is sliding into genocide.

"Paradise Park,’’ Signature Theatre Company, 555 W. 42nd St.; Feb. 12 to April 6; $20; 212-244-7529 or www.signaturetheatre.org: Charles Mee’s play is about an amusement park that becomes a bizarre carnival of life.

"Peter and Jerry,’’ Second Stage Theater, 307 W. 43rd St.; opens Nov. 11 (through Dec. 9); $56-$70; 212-246-4422 or www.2st.com: Edward Albee, who turns 80 in March, gets a production of his first play (1958’s ``Zoo Story’’) and its 2004 companion ``Homelife,’’ with Bill Pullman, Johanna Day and Dallas Roberts.

"Pumpgirl,’’ Manhattan Theatre Club at City Center, Manhattan Theatre Club at City Center, 131 W. 55th St.; previews Nov. 8, opens Dec. 4 (through Jan. 13); 212-581-1212 or www.mtc-nyc.org: Irish playwright Abbie Spallen spins the story of a girl at a gas station who falls in love with a married local racetrack star.

"Queens Boulevard (the musical),’’ Signature Theatre Company, 555 W. 42nd St.; Nov. 6 to Dec. 30; $20; 212-244-7529 or www.signaturetheatre.org: Charles Mee’s musical, inspired by an Indian dance-drama, is about a husband searching for the perfect gift for his bride on their wedding day.

"Rag and Bone,’’ Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place; previews Nov. 13, opens Nov. 20 (through Dec. 16); $20-$40; 212-868-4444 or www.smarttix.com: Noah Haidle (‘’Mr. Marmalade’’) has a new play about brothers struggling to make ends meet, as one engages in the black-market sale of human hearts.

"The Receptionist,’’ Manhattan Theatre Club at City Center, 131 W. 55th St.; opens Oct. 30 (through Dec. 16); 212-581-1212 or www.mtc-nyc.org: ``Well’’ star Jayne Houdyshell plays a no-nonsense receptionist in the world premiere of Adam Bock’s new play.

"The Starry Messenger,’’ Manhattan Theatre Club at City Center, 131 W. 55th St; previews Feb. 7 (through April 13); 212-581-1212 or www.mtc-nyc.org: Matthew Broderick stars in Kenneth Lonergan’s new play about an aspiring astronomer (and married man) drawn to a young single mom.

"Two Thousand Years,’’ Acorn Theater at Theater Row, 410 W. 42nd St.; Jan. 8 through March 1; www.thenewgroup.org: Scott Elliott directs Mike Leigh’s new play about a suburban London Jewish family thrown into turmoil when their son becomes devout.

"War,’’ Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, 224 Waverly Place; previews Jan. 29, opens Feb. 11 (through March 2); 212-868-4444 or www.smarttix.com: Lars Noren’s play about a mother, two daughters and a missing father becomes a history of genocide.

"Yellow Face,’’ Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St.; Nov. 20 (through Dec. 23); $50; 212-967-7555 or www.publictheater.org: David Henry Hwang’s play is about the protests over the casting of British actor Jonathan Pryce as the Eurasian pimp in ``Miss Saigon.’’

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