28 February 2023
Newsdesk
Nine British theatre productions will make their New York premieres as part of the newly announced programme for the 2023 Brits Off Broadway Festival, running this spring-summer in all three 59E59 theater spaces in New York.
Co-curated by 59E59 and New Diorama’s Artistic Directors Val Day and David Byrne, the programme cements the transatlantic partnership between the two theatres and marks the festival’s first full return since the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown
The 2023 season features some of the UK’s most exciting new talent, including NYC debuts for work from The Bush Theatre and Theatre Royal Plymouth, and shows such as Defibrillator’s multi-award-winning Foxes, the US premiere of Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art and Laura Horton’s Fringe First award-winning Breathless.
The annual Brits Off Broadway season has been running at 59E59 Theaters since 2004. New York's leading showcase for independent British work, helping theatre makers break into international markets by sharing their work audiences and critics in NYC. Previous NYC Brits off Broadway debutantes include Frantic Assembly, Mike Bartlett, John Tiffany, Steven Hoggett, Francesca Moody, Jon Brittain and Moira Buffini.
David Byrne, Artistic Director of New Diorama Theatre says “I had my New York debut as a writer and director at 59E59, and as soon as we met Val Day and I hit it off. I’m delighted to be working together again to ensure this programme of outstanding British theatre talent gets the opportunity to showcase their work to audiences in NYC and make those connections. It’s going to be a brilliant summer.”
Val Day, Artistic Director of 59E59 says “I’m so grateful to have found David so early in my tenure. It’s invaluable to the festival to work with someone so respected by, and connected to, the UK indie theater community. Our partnership feels so natural and easy - he’s a gift, really.”
Full casting and creative teams for the productions will be announced at a later date.
Brits Off Broadway 2023
18 April – 2 July
59E59 Theaters, 59 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022, United States
Full 2023 Brits Off Broadway Season Listings:
18 April – 7 May
Theatre Royal Plymouth Presents
Breathless
By Laura Horton
Directed by Stephanie Kempson
29 April – 28 May
Original Theatre Presents
The Habit of Art
By Alan Bennett
Directed by Philip Franks
2 – 21 May
Cecil Beaton’s Diaries
Adapted and Performed by Richard Stirling
Text © the Literary Executor of the Late Sir Cecil Beaton
9 – 21 May
Yesyesnono
We Were Promised Honey!
Written and Performed by Sam Ward
Additional Direction by Atri Banerjee
23 May – 11 June
Jessie Anand Productions, in Association With Boondog Theatre
Orlando
Written and Performed by Lucy Roslyn
Directed by Josh Roche
25 May – 11 June
Original Theatre Company Presents Adrian Lukis in
Being Mr. Wickham
By Adrian Lukis and Catherine Curzon
Directed by Guy Unsworth
1 June - 2 July
Defibrilator and M. Green Productions Present
Foxes
By Dexter Flanders
Directed by James Hiller
13 June – 2 July
Patch of Blue and Xinyi Shen for Verse Unbound Present
Cassie and the Lights
Written and Directed by Alex Howarth
13 June – 2 July
Ameena Hamid Productions Presents the Bush Theatre Production of
Invisible
Written and Performed by Nikhil Parmar
Directed by Georgia Green
