New York Stage and Film to Produce New Plays by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and More During 2012 Season

The 2012 season of New York Stage and Film at Vassar College will include plays from Roberto Aguire-Sacasa and Stephen Belber, as well as workshops of a new musical from director Trip Cullman, and more. Casting for the season will be announced shortly.

The season will begin with Aguirre-Sacasa's Abigail/1702 at the Powerhouse Theater, running June 27 through July 8. Directed by David Esbjornson, the play follows Abigail Williams ten years after the events of The Crucible as she is living under a new identity in Boston. When a mysterious figure appears, she confronts Salem’s dark history head on and must atone for her role in it.

Next up is The Power of Duff by Belber, which runs July 18 through July 29. Directed by Peter DuBois (Sons of the Prophet), the plays tells the story of Charles Duff, a news anchor in a mid-market backwater, who has an unexpected spiritual awakening on live TV. His prayers, and their answers, change his audience, family and own life forever.

The season will also see the Martel Musical Workshop of The Fortress of Solitude. Based on the novel by Jonathan Lethem and conceived and directed by Daniel Aukin, the show features music and lyrics by Michael Friedman and a book by Itamar Moses. The workshop takes place June 29 through July 1 at the the Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film. The show tells the story of two boys in the 1970’s, Dylan and Mingus, and their impossibly joyful afternoons of games in the street and living in a society that they don’t belong to. 

Following is Murder Ballad by Julia Jordan and Juliana Nash. The workshop runs July 27 through July 29 and is directed by Trip Cullman. The rock musical follows a love triangle gone wrong and centers on Sara, an Upper West Side mom who seems to have it all, but whose downtown past lingers enticingly and dangerously in front of her.

The season also includes Inside Look Play Workshops at the Susan Stein Shiver Theater. First up from July 20 through July 22 is Fires Are Confusing by Eva Anderson, Will Berson and Zach Helm. Created by Teatro de Facto, the play tells the real-life story of Cameron Todd Willingham. Scheduled for execution in the arson death of his children, Willingham awaits his fate while a scientist recreates his crime, casting shadows over Willingham’s conviction, and his community.

Next is The House That Will Not Stand by Marcus Gardley, beginning performances July 20 and running through July 22. After the mysterious death of her lover, Beartrice Albans imposes a period of mourning on her household, keeping her three daughters locked in the house to embroider linens. When a handsome bachelor comes calling, and a familial secret is revealed, the foundation of Beartrice’s house is rocked to its core.