Vineyard Theatre Announces First Two Productions for 2007-08

The Vineyard Theatre has set its first two productions for the 2007-2008 season. First up is the off-Broadway premiere of Julia Cho's The Piano Teacher in October, followed by the new musical The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island or the Friends of Dr. Rushower by Ben Katchor and Mark Mulcahy in January. A third mainstage production for Spring 2008 will be announced shortly.

The Piano Teacher, which will directed by Kate Whorinskey, tells the story of Mrs. K, who lives in a twilight world where she serves cookies and enjoys sweet memories of students past. But a tugging darkness permeates just beyond her memory and the ghosts who haunt this lonely woman stand on the brink of making their way to light. This new play by Cho Durango will begin previews in October and open in early November.

The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island or the Friends of Dr. Roshower, featuring a libretto and drawings by cartoonist and write Ben Katchor and songs by Mark Mulcahy, will be directed by Bob McGrath. Katchor's drawings form the animated background for this darkly funny new musical, set in and around Manhattan and a tropical factory-island of exploited workers.

Next Spring, the Vineyard will continue its Developmental Lab Series, a popular presentation of small-scale works-in-progress productions presented for members only, and not open for review by critics. The season's lab productions will be Adam Rapp's The Metal Children and Tarell Alvin McCraney's Wig Out!. Additionally, the Vineyard will hold developmental workshops of The Burnt Part Boys, a new musical by Mariana Elder book, Chris Miller music and Nathan Tysen lyrics and a presently untitled work by playwright/composer Polly Pen.