Off-Broadway's Public Theater will showcase a trio of new plays in the inaugural Judith Champion New Works Series, a collection of readings showcasing works currently in development at The Public. The inaugural series will be held on October 21, 28, and 29, with matinee and evening readings each day.
Works to be showcased include Pulitzer Prize finalist Shayok Misha Chowdhury's Ronnie and Kripa, directed by Chowdhury with dramaturgy by Sarah Lunnie; Pulitzer Prize winner James Ijames' Proxy, directed by Saheem Ali with dramaturgy by Jack Moore; and Else Went's Degenerates, directed by Emma Went with dramaturgy by Lunnie.
Judith Champion—an architect, violinist, and dedicated supporter of the theatre—made major gifts to six New York nonprofit theatre companies in the final year of her life to help foster the production of original plays. Other initiatives supported by Champion's donations include Atlantic Theater Company's Judith Champion Caribbean MixFest and Manhattan Theater Club's Judith Champion Playwriting Fellowship.
“The Judith Champion New Work Series is an exciting endeavor as we expand our programming and invite audiences to experience dynamic, thought-provoking new plays in the early stages of their development,” Amrita Ramanan, The Public's Director of New Work Development, said in a statement. “I am thrilled that our inaugural Series features James Ijames, Else Went, and Shayok Misha Chowdhury—playwrights whose artistry, curiosity, courage, and humanity give me hope for the future of the American theatre.”
“Judith loved the theatre and loved the new. This reading series will highlight the exciting playwrights working on brave and brilliant new work. The series will be an integral part of our development process, bringing the audience into the collaboration as our artists experiment, take risks, and break boundaries,” added Artistic Director Oskar Eustis. “We are deeply grateful to Mel Litoff for his support, and to Judith Champion for her lifelong passion for the theatre."
Visit PublicTheater.org for more information.
