CHINGLISH Cast Members and More Star in LUTHER, etc. at Summer Works 5/26-6/30

The annual season of new plays at Summer Works is presented the Obie Award-winning theater company Clubbed Thumb -- has announced complete casting for its 17th season running May 26 to June 30 at the HERE Arts Center (145 Sixth Ave. at Dominick Street) in Manhattan.

Joining the previously announced casts of SUMMERWORKS 2012 will be Angela Lin (CHINGLISH), Nick Choksi (INVASION!), Francis Benhamou (INVASION!). Boo Killebrew (author THE PLAY ABOUT MY DAD), John Ellison Conlee (THE CONSTANT WIFE), Pete Simpson (Young Jean Lee's LEAR), Paul Juhn (30 Rock), Glenn Kubota (Pan Asian's THE SECRET OF OSONO), Kelly Mares (THE WOMEN), Crystal Finn (JULIUS BY DESIGN), Linda Marie Larson (DEUCE) and Mike Shapiro (EAVESDROPPING ON DREAMS).

Featuring productions of three new plays – TAKARAZUKA!!! by Susan Soon He Stanton, directed by Lear deBessonet; LUTHER by Ethan Lipton, directed by Ken Rus Schmoll; and MOTEL CHERRY by Peggy Stafford, directed by Meghan Finn – SUMMERWORKS 2012 will offer longer runs for each production, with each show playing nine performances, up from six in past SUMMERWORKS.

About the increased number of performances for each production, SUMMERWORKS Producing Artistic Director Maria Striar says, "Summerworks has always been a hot ticket in the theater community. We want to give all theater goers more of a chance to catch exciting work by ascendant artists for the first time, in an intimate space, and for a super affordable price."

This year Clubbed Thumb will co-produce MOTEL CHERRY with New Georges. “We're so excited at the prospect of collaborating with our close colleagues at Clubbed Thumb, and on MOTEL CHERRY, the perfect vehicle for our intersecting theatrical interests,” states Susan Bernfield, Producing Artistic Director of New Georges.

With its track record for discovering and supporting new playwriting talent -- in many cases providing writers with their very first production in New York or anywhere -- SUMMERWORKS is one of the most eagerly-anticipated theatrical offerings kicking off the summer stage season in the city. In seasons past, Clubbed Thumb's SUMMERWORKS has presented new works by Sarah Ruhl (IN THE NEXT ROOM or THE VIBRATOR PLAY; THE CLEAN HOUSE), Rachel Sheinkin (THE 26th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE) , Gina Gionfriddo (Becky Shaw; RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN), Adam Bock (A SMALL FIRE; THE THUGS), Rinne Groff (COMPULSON; THE RUBY SUNRISE), Jordan Harrison (MAPLE AND VINE), Jason Grote (NBCs SMASH), and Lisa D'Amour (DETROIT).

Clubbed Thumb describes its mission as one that "commissions, develops and produces funny, strange and provocative new plays by living American writers." Since its founding in 1996, the company has presented over 80 productions, earned four Obie Awards, and incubated and nurtured hundreds of scripts, careers and collaborations.

Summerworks ‘12 is a part of HEREstay, HERE's curated rental program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical support.

TAKARAZUKA!!!

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