Manhattan Theatre Club ( Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove , Executive Producer; Daniel Sullivan, Acting Artistic Director 2007-2008 Season) is celebrating 2007 as one of the most successful years in its history, including the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for David Lindsay-Abaire’s RABBIT HOLE, which was originally produced at MTC’s Biltmore Theatre in 2006. This marks the fifth time a play produced by MTC has won the Pulitzer Prize, an accomplishment unparalleled among New York theatrical institutions.

Below are some highlights of 2007:

• JANUARY 25, 2007 – The critically acclaimed production of Brian Friel’s TRANSLATIONS opens at MTC’s Biltmore Theatre. Directed by Tony Award® winner Garry Hynes, the production was lauded by critics. The New York Times said the show was “nothing short of glorious” and The Wall Street Journal called the production “unforgettable.” The production went on to receive a Tony Award nomination for Best Revival of a Play.

• FEBRUARY 23, 2007 – MTC announces that “After Words,” its highly successful post-performance discussion series, will be available via podcast. The discussion series launched in January 2007 with MTC’s production of TRANSLATIONS. “After Words” is part of MTC’s continuing effort to deepen and enrich the theatre-going experience for its audiences. This exciting series of talks with writers, cultural critics, journalists, and MTC artists provides provocative and illuminating insights into the political, cultural, and artistic contexts of MTC’s Biltmore Theatre productions. Noted “After Words” participants include: award winning Irish writer Nuala O’Faolain; New Yorker music critic Alex Ross; The Village Voice’s chief theatre critic Michael Feingold; and Bloomberg’s chief theatre critic John Simon. These guests have joined MTC artists such as Dylan Baker ( Mauritius), Patricia Birch (LoveMusik), Garry Hynes (Translations), and Theresa Rebeck ( Mauritius).

• MARCH 20, 2007 –Charles Busch’s OUR LEADING LADY receives its world premiere at MTC. The production, directed by Lynne Meadow, stars Kate Mulgrew as Laura Keene, the real-life 19th century American stage luminary, as she prepares to perform at Ford's Theatre on the fateful night when Abraham Lincoln is in the audience. The comedy was acclaimed by critics and audiences and celebrated a sold out run at New York City Center – Stage II.

• APRIL 9, 2007 - MTC kicks off its annual series of rehearsed readings of new work at New York City Center – Stage I. The series, held on Monday evenings in the spring, featured new works by Hilary Fannin (Horse Latitudes), David Adjmi (Stunning), Melanie Marnich (A Sleeping Country), Paul Gordon, Jay Gruska, Seth Friedman (the musical The Front), Bathsheba Doran (The Last Best Place), and Sarah Treem (Human Voices). MTC is committed to the creation of new plays and musicals through an intensive Artistic Development Program that offers commissions, script evaluation, dramaturgical support, readings and workshops. This year MTC held 29 readings.  Through our continued partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, MTC commissioned plays by Craig Lucas, Rona Munro, Kenneth Lin and Brett Neveu this season.  In addition, MTC recently commissioned Tarell McCraney through the Time Warner Foundation. 

• APRIL 10, 2007 –David Harrower’s Olivier Award-winning play BLACKBIRD receives its American premiere at MTC. Directed by Joe Mantello, the production starring Jeff Daniels and Alison Pill was universally praised by critics. The New York Times called the production “a miracle” and The Toronto Star praised Daniels and Pill’s “breathtakingly intense performances.” The production set box office records at New York City Center – Stage I and became the spring’s sold out must see Off-Broadway hit. BLACKBIRD received three Drama Desk Award nominations including Outstanding Play , three Drama League nominations including Distinguished Production of a Play, and an Outer Critic Circle nomination.

• APRIL 16, 2007 – David Lindsay-Abaire’s RABBIT HOLE receives the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. RABBIT HOLE received its world premiere at MTC’s Biltmore Theatre and marked Lindsay-Abaire’s fourth collaboration with MTC. MTC previously presented Lindsay-Abaire’s Fuddy Meers, Wonder of the World, and Kimberly Akimbo. RABBIT HOLE marks the fifth time a play produced by MTC has won the Pulitzer Prize, an unparalleled accomplishment among New York’s non-profit theatres.

• APRIL 16, 2007 – John Patrick Shanley’s DOUBT, which received its world premiere at MTC and went on to win the Tony for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize for Drama, receives the 2007 Touring Broadway Award for Best Play. The national tour starred Tony Award winners Cherry Jones and Adriane Lenox and played 20 cities including critically acclaimed runs in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

• MAY 3, 2007 – MTC presents the world premiere of LoveMusik, MTC’s first musical at the Biltmore Theatre. LoveMusik features the songs of Kurt Weill, a book by Pulitzer Prize winner Alfred Uhry, and direction by the legendary Harold Prince. The production stars Michael Cerveris as Kurt Weill, Donna Murphy as Lotte Lenya, David Pittu as Bertolt Brecht, and John Scherer as George Davis. LoveMusik was honored with four Tony nominations; 12 Drama Desk nominations, receiving two awards for Donna Murphy’s performance and Jonathan Tunick’s orchestrations, and five Outer Critics Circle nominations, receiving two awards for Donna Murphy and David Pittu’s performances.

• JUNE 4, 2007 – MTC hosts its annual Write on the Edge Festival, the culmination of a program in which disadvantaged and at-risk students develop original scripts inspired by an MTC production. Using the work on its stages, MTC’s Education Program promotes active participation in the arts through in-class instruction, playwriting, student and family matinees, teacher training, internships and internet-based distance learning. During 2007 MTC served 3,283 students representing 56 schools in New York, around the country, in Greece and provided valuable learning tools to 143 classroom teachers.

• OCTOBER 4, 2007 –Theresa Rebeck’s MAURITIUS opens at MTC’s Biltmore Theatre. Directed by Doug Hughes, the production features F. Murray Abraham, Dylan Baker, Bobby Cannavale, Katie Finneran, and Alison Pill. The dramatic thriller is highly praised by critics: Liz Smith called the play, “a deliciously vicious drama that has a cast to purr over,” and The New York Times called the play, “a corkscrew-twist drama of suspense that crackles with original life.” The play recently ended its extended engagement at the Biltmore.

• OCTOBER 30, 2007 –Adam Bock’s THE RECEPTIONIST receives its world premiere at MTC. The production, directed by Joe Mantello, features Josh Charles, Robert Foxworth, Jayne Houdyshell, and Kendra Kassebaum. Time Out New York’s Five Star review hailed the show as “extraordinary” and The Journal News said, “This play must be seen. You can't miss Houdyshell's breathtaking performance, in a play that will have you thinking and perhaps arguing for days. Adam Bock is a startling new voice in New York theater.” The play recently extended at New York City Center – Stage I and is currently on sale through Sunday, December 30.

• DECEMBER 4, 2007 – The American premiere of Abbie Spallen’s PUMPGIRL opens at MTC at New York City Center – Stage II. The play, which received critical acclaim in Dublin and London and was the recipient of a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, is directed by Carolyn Cantor and features Hannah Cabell, Geraldine Hughes, and Paul Sparks.

• DECEMBER 6, 2007 – 18 teachers from four U.S. time zones and Greece arrive in New York to participate in an intensive training for TheatreLink, MTC’s internet-based distance learning program. Through TheatreLink, students communicate and collaborate in a playwriting/production project over the course of their spring semester with peers around the globe and learn about theatrical processes from experienced professionals.