The playwright and director Richard Nelson débuted his intimate “Rhinebeck Panorama” series of plays in 2010, starting with That Hopey Changey Thing, which followed the fictional Apple family on the night of the midterm elections—the same night that the play opened. After four Apple installments, Nelson added two more imagined families, the Gabriels and the … Continued

A murdered King. A remarried Queen. A state on the precipice. When society starts to collapse, do we fight or flee? Farber’s reimagining of this classic text featured Academy Award nominee Ruth Negga in the title role. The production was originally presented at Dublin’s Gate Theatre in September, 2018.

Agnes, an actress in Weimar Germany, and her cadre of passionate, progressive friends, are torn between protest, escape, and survival as the world they knew crumbles around them. Her story is interrupted by an American woman enraged by the cruelty of the Reagan administration, and a new character, grappling with the anxiety, distraction, hope, and … Continued

The Michaels places the audience directly into the kitchen of Rose Michael, a celebrated choreographer. Dinner is cooked, modern dances are rehearsed, and the meal is eaten — all amidst conversations about art, death, family, dance, politics, the state of America, and how the world sees our country… and a host of everyday questions that … Continued

Vanya and his niece Sonya struggle to care for the estate owned by Vanya’s brother-in-law, a wealthy and celebrated professor. When this local legend returns with a beautiful new wife and announces his plans to sell the estate, hidden passions explode and the lives of the entire family come undone. This production was first presented … Continued

It is 1958, and New York City is in the midst of a major building boom; a four-lane highway is planned for the heart of Washington Square; Carnegie Hall is designated for demolition; entire neighborhoods on the West Side are leveled to make room for a new “palace of art.” And a young Joe Papp … Continued

Legacy playwright Athol Fugard has made a home at Signature since being the inaugural Residency One playwright at the Center, and his South African-set stories, with themes of complex identities, racial tension, and social protest, remain as relevant as ever. In this new production of the “prophetic and brilliant” (The New York Times) Boesman and Lena, … Continued

At a dinner party in the wilds of New Jersey, George and her husband talk with a fellow married couple about a younger acquaintance—a polyamorous woman who also hunts her own meat. Fascinated, they invite this mysterious woman and her two live-in boyfriends to a New Year’s Eve party which alters the course of their … Continued

In a small tea shop in South Africa, two black men and a young white boy joke and dance together, defying the brutalities of apartheid through their joyous love. But festering issues of family, race, and power are not so easy to ignore, and a single phone call can trigger catastrophe. Winner of the Drama … Continued

London, 1967. Beatlemania is in full effect, the “Me” generation is in its prime and Kenneth and Sandra have the world at their fingertips. It’s the summer of love, and that’s all they need. But what will happen when the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll fade away and these boomers have babies of their … Continued

The final play in Richard Nelson’s The Gabriels trilogy, Women of a Certain Age takes place in the course of a single night, eight months after we first meet the Gabriels. Patricia, the family matriarch, joins her children and daughters-in-law as they prepare a meal from the past and consider the future of their country, town … Continued

The second play in Richard Nelson’s The Gabriels trilogy, What Did You Expect? brings us back to the kitchen of the Gabriel family, with the country now in the midst of the general election for President. In the course of one evening in the house they grew up in, history (both theirs and our country’s), … Continued

The first play in Richard Nelson’s The Gabriels trilogy, Hungry is set to the rhythm of peeling, chopping and mixing, placing us in the center of the Gabriel’s kitchen. The family discusses their lives and disappointments, and the world at large and nearby. As they struggle against the fear of being left behind, the family attempts to … Continued

Emmy Award winner Joe Morton stars in this comedic drama about the extraordinary and explosive life of Dick Gregory, that shines a light on the first Black comedian to expose white audiences to racial comedy. Gregory confronted bigotry with shockingly disarming humor, marched alongside Martin Luther King, Jr., and deeply influenced comics from Richard Pryor to … Continued

World Premiere of David Greig’s adaptation of Swedish playwright, August Strindberg’s, 1887 drama. Played in repertory with Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen’s, A Doll’s House.

Thornton Wilder’s adaptation of Norwegian playwright, Henrik Ibsen’s, landmark 1879 drama. Played in repertory with David Greig’s adaptation of Swedish playwright, August Strindberg’s, The Father.

The Catholic working-class Donellan family live in a block of flats in 1969 Belfast, which is being patrolled by the British army. The women of the family are anti-violence, but the men seek to actively defend the home and family, describing the struggle of life as being that of privilege versus underprivilege, rather than motivated … Continued

The Road to Mecca tells the story of an eccentric elderly artist facing mounting pressure to abandon her independent life for a church retirement home. Out of desperation, she calls upon her only confidant, a fiery young teacher from Cape Town. When the village minister arrives to coax out her decision, the three enter a … Continued

In a small provincial town in 1870’s Ukraine, a group of friends hunger to join the national movement for Socialist revolution. Under the influence of their idealistic new leader, Peter Verkhovensky, they risk arrest by producing a poster advocating a national strike. However, when their charismatic founder, Nicholas Stavrogin, returns from abroad on the verge … Continued

This is the moving story of an old man’s love for his dutiful grandchild. Buks’ Jonkers is a poor yet dignified war veteran who is devoted to his vegetable furrows in a remote South African province. He is anxious to shield his dreamy, restless sixteen year old granddaughter from temptations beyond the valley. She is … Continued

“Most of my major accomplishments in life are the things I’ve stopped doing.” Meet Alex Chaney, all powerful theater critic at the heart of Steve Teisich’s hilarious and disturbing Arts and Leisure. “Oh, I know, we had our little spats as most couples do, but the only substantive issue which stood in the way of … Continued

The Captain’s Tiger draws on Fugard’s youth as an idealistic young writer penning his first novel aboard the S.S. Graigaur, a rusting tramp steamer bound for Asia. There he meets Donkeyman, the ship’s Swahili crew member, and Betty, the story’s heroine. In the drama, the writer character is haunted by a cherished photo of his … Continued

It is London, Spring 1945. Five years earlier, three teenaged siblings were evacuated and separated for their safety, and the last has finally come home. But now on a crash course toward adulthood and sexual maturity, these virtual strangers strive to rediscover each other and themselves- to rebuild a family in a world blown apart … Continued

When conservative candidate Therm Pooley’s criticism of Kerr’s government-sponsored performance art lands him a Senate seat, Kerr seeks revenge. The centerpiece of Pooley’s political career is his labrador retriever, Lucky, whose tricks ingratiate Pooley to voters. Kerr seeks to kidnap and retrain Lucky, but his attempt is foiled by a mysterious and supernatural transformation that … Continued

Set in a gypsy cab company (or jitney station) in Pittsburgh, Jitney takes a ride back to the late ’70s and into the lives of a group of black men scraping out a living however they can. All is about to change if the city, in its urban renewal mode, makes good on its threat to … Continued

The Clearing is a drama of love, greed and betrayal between an English aristocrat and his Irish wife during the time of Oliver Cromwell.

In this fresh take on Euripides’ tragicomedy, Helen never went to Troy but spent the war fought in her name in an Egyptian hotel room waiting for her husband Menelaus to come find her and take her home. In her odd exile, Helen receives visits from Io, a mythical figure who was once turned into … Continued

Summer, 1957. The streets of Greenwich Village sizzle with the insistent rhythm of jazz. Accompanied by their grandmother, two teenage sisters from the country visit their married cousin in the city. Soon, the young women have embarked on their own private missions involving love, a forgotten child, and a lost mother. Set against the bustling … Continued

Two women meet in a small Karoo village after the funeral of David, the man they both loved. One is white and was his wife. The other is black and the mother of his child. David, who was driven into exile because of his political activism against apartheid, reappears in the searing memories of the … Continued

Three eccentric, disaster-prone Southern sisters come together after one shoots her husband, in Beth Henley’s Pulitzer Prize-winning dark comedy.

An iconoclastic portrait of America’s quintessential traitor, Benedict Arnold. The focus is on how and why a military hero who nearly gave his life for the cause of American freedom ended up disclosing vital information to the British. The circumstances necessarily reveal some of the founding fathers’ less than heroic machinations. The General From America was … Continued

It is summer, 1923, and architect Frank Lloyd Wright has recently left Chicago for California, determined to embrace Hollywood’s youthful zest and mend broken relationships with his adult children.  Having recently completed his latest “wonder of the world” – Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel – Wright is poised to settle down and embrace his new home.  But … Continued

In this chapter of McDonagh’s Leenane plays, all set in Ireland’s remote west country, Mick Dowd is again setting about the task he’s hired for every fall — digging up the old bones in the local cemetery to make room for new arrivals. This year, however, he comes upon the remains of his late wife, … Continued

What constitutes a life? Incapacitated, surrounded by her family, Fran guides us on an unpredictable journey into her past in an effort to help understand her present situation. An offbeat, colorful tale of a woman at a midlife crossroads, Fran’s Bed is a delicate portrait of a family in crisis, told with ironic humor and … Continued

Spring 1946.  The plan was simple – a German for every Jew.  Its execution would be swift, clean, its impact undeniable.  In this daring, new romantic thriller inspired by actual events, a band of Jewish freedom fighters attempts to avenge a society’s wrongs – if they can keep from tearing each other apart along the way.

A unique blend of music, comedy, dance, theatre and juggling that is sure to dazzle young and old alike, 4Play features The Flying Karamazov Brothers, New York’s favorite multi-faceted new-vaudevillians at the apex of their ambidextrous and alliterative ability. Watch the Flying K’s as they prove with each performance that chaos and unexpected events in … Continued

It’s Thanksgiving of 2000 and the presidential election still has not been decided. Ellen insists that her friends and family don’t understand how bad the situation really is. But no one — not her loving partner, Danny, nor the passionate Amy, nor the brutally pragmatic and world-weary Judy — can make Ellen see the blind … Continued

The first play in The Apply Family Plays: Scenes from Life in the Country. Election day, November 2, 2010. Uncle Benjamin’s dog has died and his nieces and nephew have gathered for dinner in Rhinebeck, New York, to surprise him with a new one. As they anxiously wait for the polls to close, the Apple family … Continued

A family portrait shattered by issues of rage, revenge, power and betrayal. When a young man returns home to South Texas to confront his father, everyday life erupts into a battle for personal survival. At once fiercely intimate and explosive, The Book of Grace weaves the story of three people bound together by love and … Continued

A cocksure TV bigshot faced with dwindling ratings installs America’s favorite news anchor as host of a popular reality show.   Meanwhile in Middle America, a houseful of roommates bickers over high-stakes real-world conflicts:  Merv doesn’t clean the bathroom.  Someone ate Alice’s yogurt.  And the rent is long past due.  Soon, as reality collides with reality … Continued

At the end of the Civil War, General Mannon’s wife and daughter await his return with very different agendas. When battle-scarred son Orin arrives, he finds his house divided. A classic tragedy of Freudian proportions, Mourning Becomes Electra is a tale of adultery, obsession and madness. Lili Taylor, Jena Malone and Joseph Cross portray the toxic mother/daughter/son triangle in … Continued

The country you love and the values it represents are being destroyed by a misguided leader. You can continue to live in relative comfort by not involving yourself, or you can take action to save the democracy you love.

Guy would do anything for Sam. Sam would do anything.  Drunk Enough To Say I Love You? is a modern day love story with consequences far greater than any foreign affair.

A dark comedy that takes a look at the complex marriage of Bette and Boo. Three decades of marriage, divorce, alcoholism, nervous breakdowns and death — all blended in a unique mix of irony, humor and farce — are played out in 33 quick scenes.

Roelf, a train driver, has spent weeks searching for the identities of a mother and child he unintentionally killed with his train. After a fruitless journey through shanty towns, he encounters an old gravedigger named Simon who helps the desperate man unburden his conscience. Based on a true story, The Train Driver is a soulful exploration of … Continued

The third play in The Apple Family Plays: Scenes from Life in the Country. A year after Sweet and Sad, the Apple family again share a meal in Rhinebeck, as they sort through personal and political feelings of loss and confusion on the morning of the day the country will choose the next president.

A long feud between two Spartan families has ended with the loving engagement of their children, Penthea and Orgilus. Penthea’s father, however, dies before the wedding can take place, and her twin brother, Ithocles, forces her into a socially advantageous match with a ridiculously jealous older man. Ithocles returns to Sparta a war hero and … Continued

It is 1951, and Sid Silver is on a mission to be the guardian of one of the most moving and provocative accounts of the 20th century. Deeply moved by Anne Frank’s diary, he is driven to bring her story to the American masses by promoting the book’s publication and adapting the diary into a … Continued

A lawyer, facing mortality, desperate to find the son he drove away years before, travels in the dead of night to a mysterious cave. There he engages the services of a wizard, who conjures up visions of the romantic, adventurous, perilous life the lawyer’s son has been living since his father expelled him from home. … Continued

Elective Affinities brings audiences into witty octogenarian Alice Hauptmann’s home—an Upper East Side townhouse—for a funny and savage portrait of civilized life. Sarah Benson directed the New York premiere of the one-woman play in which Zoe Caldwell starred, serving tea, sandwiches and lady fingers to an audience of 30 in the site-specific production that took place in … Continued

The second play in The Apple Family Plays: Scenes from Life in the Country. The Apple Family finds themselves together again for the first time since Election Night, 2010. Marian, reeling from a personal tragedy, now lives with her sister Barbara; sister Jane is back with her boyfriend Tim; their brother Richard has come up from Manhattan; … Continued

From the controversial pen of Elfriede Jelinek, winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Literature, flows the solo play Jackie, an intensely theatrical dissection of Jackie Kennedy Onassis and the myths surrounding her well-coiffed veneer. Jackie is a disturbing exploration of submission, power, and the hypocrisy of everyday life.

Fifteen-year-old Anna’s weight makes her a target for bullies. When her mom Fiona transfers Anna to the school where she teaches in order to protect her daughter, it only makes things worse. Anna’s environmentalist dad, determined to finish his new book and save the planet, is no help at all. Just as Anna gets suspended for … Continued

John Guare probes the lives of an exiled actress, a writer and a mysterious traveler.  In 3 Kinds of Exile, he weaves the stories of three real émigrés from Czechoslovakia and Poland into a riveting and dramatic tapestry; probing the meaning of home, identity and how we carry the past with us. This world premiere … Continued

Beginning in 2010, Tony Award winner Richard Nelson premiered a new play each year at The Public Theater about the fictional, liberal Apple family of Rhinebeck, New York. These plays about family, politics, change, and the way we live today burst with remarkable immediacy. Each of The Apple Family Plays originally premiered on the night … Continued

The first play in The Apple Family Plays: Scenes from Life in the Country. Election day, November 2, 2010. Uncle Benjamin’s dog has died and his nieces and nephew have gathered for dinner in Rhinebeck, New York, to surprise him with a new one. As they anxiously wait for the polls to close, the Apple family … Continued

The third play in The Apple Family Plays: Scenes from Life in the Country. A year after Sweet and Sad, the Apple family again share a meal in Rhinebeck, as they sort through personal and political feelings of loss and confusion on the morning of the day the country will choose the next president. Sorry premiered at the … Continued

The second Play in The Apple Family Plays: Scenes from Life in the Country. The Apple Family finds themselves together again for the first time since Election Night, 2010. Marian, reeling from a personal tragedy, now lives with her sister Barbara; sister Jane is back with her boyfriend Tim; their brother Richard has come up from Manhattan; … Continued

The fourth play in The Apple Family Plays: Scenes from Life in the Country. Late into the night, the Apple Family keeps vigil for a beloved family member on the 50th anniversary of JFK’s assassination and raise their voices together one last time—in discussion, dissent, hope, and song.

Between patchwork walls in a one-room shack, two biracial South African brothers grapple with crippling poverty and lonely isolation. Morris, the punctilious force that keeps their room tidy, is light-skinned enough to pass for white, but dark-skinned Zach feels imprisoned by his job at a whites-only park. When they find themselves on some dangerous new … Continued

Sam Shepard’s 1978 Pulitzer Prize winning play. Dodge and Halie are barely hanging on to their farmland and their sanity while looking after their two wayward grown sons. When their grandson Vince  arrives with his girlfriend, no one seems to recognize him, and confusion abounds.  As Vince tries to make sense of the chaos, the rest of … Continued

David Rabe’s 1972 Tony-winner, Sticks and Bones, is a savage and savagely comic portrait of an American family pulled apart by their son’s return from the Vietnam War. Ozzie, played by Bill Pullman, and his wife Harriet, played by Holly Hunter, are overjoyed to see their eldest son David again, but the furies that haunt David begin to overwhelm … Continued

Revenge, rage, grief and delusion thunder upon the Delacorte as Tony and Emmy Award winner John Lithgow takes the stage as one of theater’s great tragic heroes, King Lear. New York’s most treasured summer tradition, Free Shakespeare in the Park, celebrated its 52nd season in Central Park’s famous Delacorte Theater with Shakespeare’s classic drama about a King … Continued

It’s winter in Minnesota, and a Zimbabwean family is preparing for the wedding of their eldest daughter, a first-generation American. But when the bride insists on observing a traditional African custom, it opens a deep rift in the household. Rowdy and affectionate, Familiar pitches tradition against assimilation, drawing a loving portrait of a family: the customs they keep, and the … Continued

In a society ravaged by warring gangs and a hallucinogenic-drug epidemic, Elliot and Darren, under the sway of the ruthless Spinx, throw parties for rich clients in abandoned apartment buildings – parties that help guests act out their darkest, most sinister fantasies. As the teenage brothers prepare for the latest festivities, some unexpected guests threaten … Continued

Aging farm laborer Nukain has spent his life transforming the rocks at Revolver Creek, South Africa, into a vibrant garden of painted flowers. Now, the final unpainted rock, as well as his young companion Bokkie, has forced Nukain to confront his legacy as a painter, a person and a black man in 1980s South Africa. … Continued

Nobody likes Ben. Ben doesn’t even like Ben.  He’s been kicked out of grad school, lives off his parents’ money, and bullies everyone in his life, including his roommate Kalyan, an earnest Nepalese immigrant. When Ben discovers that his grade school crush is marrying a straight-laced banker, he sets out to destroy their relationship and … Continued

Norway’s most celebrated sculptor is hired to create the last official bust of its most famous writer, but Henrik Ibsen proves to be an irascible, contentious sitter, as the two men wage war over both his legacy and his likeness. Posterity explores the nature of artistic success and the fear of being forgotten.

Art imitates Life. Life imitates Art. When two actors with a history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930s melodrama, they quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows them offstage. Sarah Ruhl’s Stage Kiss is a charming tale about what happens when lovers share a stage kiss—or when actors share a … Continued

In William Shakespeare’s royal-family tragedy, the aging King Lear (played by Michael Pennington) divides his estate between his three daughters, ultimately refusing his youngest and favorite her share because she won’t publicly admit her love for him. The decision leads to chaos and treachery within the kingdom and madness for its monarch.