South Coast Repertory announces its 50th season

South Coast Repertory's 31st anniversary production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," in November 2010, adapted by Jerry Patch and directed by John-David Keller.

By Deborah Vankin

May 31, 2013 6:57 AM PT

South Coast Repertory announced the lineup for its 50th season Thursday – and it includes the mix of new and recent works, classics and modern masterpieces they are known for.

Among the highlights: Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” directed by the company’s artistic director, Marc Masterson, with an all-black cast, starring Charlie Robinson as Willy Loman and the world premiere of the SCR-commissioned “Rest” by Samuel D. Hunter, which will be directed by SCR co-founding artistic director Martin Benson. Earlier this year Benson directed Hunter’s play “The Whale.”

The 50th SCR season will also feature the coming-of-age drama “4000 Miles” by Amy Herzog, directed by SCR co-founding artistic director David Emmes. Writing about the American Conservatory Theater production of “4000 Miles” under the direction of Mark Rucker, Los Angeles Times theater critic Charles McNulty said “…the work is so richly inhabited that it transcends the quirky familiarity of its genre.”

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The season also includes a revival of the musical “The Light in the Piazza,” written by Craig Lucas with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel (and based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer).

“Trudy and Max in Love Or That Forever Feeling (an affair in twenty four scenes),” by 29-year-old actress/screenwriter Zoe Kazan, is another SCR-commissioned work. Kazan, daughter of screenwriters Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord, and granddaughter of legendary director Elia Kazan, also wrote and starred the 2012 indie film “Ruby Sparks.”

SCR will once again present “A Christmas Carol,” adapted by Jerry Patch and with Hal Landon Jr., Nov. 29 through Dec. 26.

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Offering something of a cyclical twist, this SCR season will end with the play it kicked off with in 1964: Molière’s “Tartuffe.”

Three of the plays on the company’s schedule were presented at this year’s Pacific Playwrights Festival: “Fast Company” by Carla Ching, “Reunion” by Gregory Moss and the Kazan play.

SCR, founded in 1964, has a long tradition of showing both classic and modern titles and of new play development. Two SCR-developed works have won Pulitzer Prizes, “Wit” by Margaret Edson and “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire.

Among the highlights of the upcoming 50th season are the 17th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival April 25-27, 2014. The three-day festival -- which has presented 98 staged readings of works by 82 playwrights so far -- will this season feature five staged readings and two full productions.

Season subscriptions are currently available; single tickets will go on sale Aug. 1.

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