The Essentials return to school, with five new education programs this year.  In honor of that, we thought we’d post this video from Sir Ken Robinson at TED.  He talks about how our educational system can move from one designed to produce efficient workers to one that incubates visionary entrepreneurs, inquisitive doctors, and creative artists in all walks of life:

Evill July, in association with The Essentials, are proud to present Emmy Award winner Holland Taylor  and Oscar and Emmy winner Buck Henry in MOTHER by Lisa Ebersole.

Directed by Andrew Grosso, the cast features Henry, Taylor, Keith Randolph Smith (whose Broadway credits include Come Back, Little Sheba; and King Hedley II), Haskell King, David Rosenblatt and playwright Ebersole.  Opening night is July 15, and performances will continue through Aug. 1. All shows at The Wild Project, 195 East 3rd Street in Manhattan. Tickets, priced $25, are available by calling (212) 352-0255; $30 onstage seats (which include a complimentary glass of Prosecco) are also available.

MOTHER, is set in an upscale resort in West Virginia where an eccentric family gathers for their annual New Year’s holiday. The get-together turns out to be far from traditional when matters of infidelity, sibling rivalry, copious bottles of bubbly, and even attempted kidnapping come to call — all in the hotel dining room.

Creative team includes scenic designer Sandra Goldmark, costume designer Becky Lasky, lights by Brian M. Jones, sound by Daniel Kluger and Brandon Wolcott.

For Tickets & More Information

Buck Henry and Holland Taylor lead the cast of Lisa Ebersole’s new play, MOTHER,  produced by Andrew Cahill and EVill July in association with The Essentials.

MOTHER is set at a throwback West Virginia resort over the New Year, where two thirty-ish siblings end up once again spending their holiday vacation with their parents. The eccentric family, fueled by Prosecco
and old wounds, barrels through an evening of rivalries and revelations, with a side of light kidnapping.

The cast includes Buck Henry,  Holland Taylor, Haskell King as the brother, and playwright, Lisa Ebersole does double duty as the sister.  Andrew Grosso, Artistic Director of The Essentials, directs.

For Tickets & More Information

Susan’s new gig in BLITHE SPIRIT, made us think of all the folks who’ve been Essential who’ve been on Broadway this past season or so. A picture seemed to be the best way to show it:

Smith & Krause has included Perfect Harmony in three of their “Best Of” books for 2009:
Best Scenes and Monologues for Men 2009,  Best Scenes and Monologues for Women 2009 and Best Scenes, 2009

Available soon from Smith & Krause, Amazon or at the Drama Bookshop.

(Left to right): MARGIE STOKLEY and SEAN DUGAN in The Essentials production of "PERFECT HARMONY," at The Clurman Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street. The official opening was July 10, 2008. Photo credit: Jim Baldassare. Press rep: Jim Baldassare, jbpressrep@aol.com, 212-362-3346.

Just missing Tax Day, the IRS has recognized The Essentials (technically The Essentials Organization, Inc) as a 501c3 not for profit organization. This means that donations are deductible to the full extent of the law (and this is retroactive to our incorporation last year). We’re super grateful for our amazing legal team, and to all of our supporters in the past year who helped us launch. 

To make a tax deductible contribution, click here.

A very short documentary of interviews and rehearsal footage from the SLJ Drama Club production of The Perfect Murder - their adaptation of the Leopold & Loeb story.

SLJ Drama Club - The Making of Perfect Murder from andrew g on Vimeo.

Susan Louise O’Connor (who along with Arthur Aulisi and Drew Cortese was one of the professional actors who performed with the SLJ Students in 2008’s Romeo & Juliet) is making her Broadway debut in Blithe Spirit along side Angela Lansbury, Christine Ebersole, Jayne Atkinson and Rupert Everett. 

Susan Louise OConnor, Susan Louise O'Connor, courtesy of Broadwayworld.com newsdesk. Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd. (www.retna.com)

We’re looking for a few talented and hard working interns. If you’re a college or graduate school student or recent grad, have a love of theater, an interest in making it a career, and a desire to work with an innovative new Off Broadway theater company in a custom made internship, then check out our intern page.

 Some famously successful interns through history:

Tommy Schrider stars in the New York premiere of GREEK HOLIDAY at the Abingdon Theatre Company. He plays a travel writer tormented by memories of a passionate romance with another woman in this fantastical black comedy. Tickets are available through SmartTix.