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Former Theater Resident @EthanLipton returns to @KimmelCenter to debut hilarious song cycle #TheOuterSpace before its @PublicTheaterNY Premiere
Press Contact:
Amanda Conte
215-790-5847
aconte@kimmelcenter.org
KIMMEL CENTER DEBUTS THE OUTER SPACE, NEW WORK BY THEATER RESIDENCY ALUMNI ETHAN LIPTON, DECEMBER 1–3, 2016
“[An] expert at keeping music, jokes and personal narrative tightly knitted together into one consistent human package.” – The New York Times of Lipton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, October 20, 2016) –– Obie-winning playwright and songwriter Ethan Lipton returns to the SEI Innovation Studio December 1–3, 2016 to debut his newest work, The Outer Space, which was begun during his participation in the Kimmel Center’s Theater Residency program in partnership with Joe’s Pub at The Public. Lipton’s new hilarious and bittersweet song cycle follows a married couple as they leave the noise, pollution, and overpriced rents of Earth for the vast beauty and treacherous terrain of the final frontier. Tony-nominee Leigh Silverman directs this out-of-this-world musical about the sacrifices we make for sustainable living and love. The Outer Space will be part of The Public Theater’s spring season beginning in February 2017.
“Ethan participated in our Theater Residency program and we cannot wait to see what he has come up with, presenting in the place where it all began, our SEI Innovation Studio,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “A storyline that touches on real-life scenarios through an out-of-this-world context, this show will surely challenge us to view our lives in a different light.”
With music by Vito Dieterle, Eben Levy and Ian Riggs and performed by the quartet (Ethan Lipton & His Orchestra), The Outer Space brings up many questions about life, love, and tests this couple on their journey to their new home. A singular playwright, Ethan’s work has been seen and heard across the nation in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle, and internationally in Edinburgh (Scotland) and Berne (Austria.) Lipton is a winner of the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) grant and a Drama League Award for playwriting. He has been a Kesselring nominee, an O’Neil Conference finalist and a member of the Public Theater’s Emerging Writers Group.
Under the guidance of Jay Wahl, Artistic Director of Programming & Presentations at the Kimmel Center, and Shanta Thake, Director of Joe’s Pub, the Theater Residency program serves as an incubator for artists and collaborators to create and develop innovative new musical theater projects and music.
Other upcoming performances on the Kimmel Center Campus include The Second City Live: We’re All in this Room Together (February 3–4, 2017, Perelman Theater,) Ryan Raftery is the Most Powerful Woman in Fashion – The Anna Wintour Musical (February 9 – 11, 2017, SEI Innovation Studio), and the Aaron Diehl Trio (April 1, 2017, SEI Innovation Studio).
THE OUTER SPACE BY ETHAN LIPTON
SEI Innovation Studio
December 1, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
December 2, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
December 3, 2016, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets
General admission tickets are available now and cost $15.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling (215) 790-5883. More information at kimmelcenter.org.
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, the Kimmel Center’s mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience through diverse programming, arts education, and community outreach. The Kimmel Center Campus is comprised of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, SEI Innovation Studio, and the Merck Arts Education Center), the Academy of Music (owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association), and the University of the Arts’ Merriam Theater. The Kimmel Center is also home to eight Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2016-2017 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.
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For a PDF version of this press release, please click here