Just a quick note to direct your attention to this New York Times article about Soho Rep moving to an Off-Broadway contract for its new season. That’s certainly news—although don’t worry about any crazy ticket increases. Every seat at every Sunday performance will be 99 cents. Yes, that’s less than a buck. And during the first week of a show’s run, tickets will be $20. Thereafter, seats will be $25—except, of course, on 99-cent Sunday. However, let's deal with the other news, which is the astoundingly kickass 2007-08 season that artistic director Sarah Benson has lined up: John Jesurun's version of Philoktetes, which I've heard people rave about for years; a six-hour experimental epic by Nature Theater of Oklahama called No Dice; and the New York premiere of Sarah Kane's shattering tragedy of war and morality, Blasted. It was one of New York theater's greatest shames that since this controversial masterpiece opened in the U.K. in 1995, no venue had the nerve to stage it. Now one has. With the possible exception of New York Theatre Workshop's current season, this is the most exciting programming I've heard about in a LONG time. Makes me a little more hopeful about the future.
Update: I should have informed you earlier about who's doing what in this lineup. Jesurun is directing his own script, No Dice will be directed by Pavol Liska and Kelly Copper and the East Coast premiere of Blasted will be under the direction of Soho Rep's own Sarah Benson. She'll have her work cut out for her. The nightmarish script calls for explosions, eyeball gouging, rape, surreal changes in season and full-frontal human cannibalization. No word on casting, but talk amongst yourselves if you've dream teams in mind.