Manhattan Theatre Club Adds Female Playwright to 2015-16 Season

”The Village Bike” playwright Penelope Skinner rounds out the season with a world premiere.

| |

August 21, 2015

Penelope Skinner adds a world premiere to Manhattan Theatre Club's 2015-16 season lineup. — Penelope Skinner adds a world-premiere play to Manhattan Theatre Club's 2015-16 season lineup.
(© David Gordon)

According to the New York Times, Manhattan Theatre Club artistic director Lynne Meadow has announced the final production joining the company's 2015-16 season.

Meadow announced that The Ruins of Civilization, a futuristic world premiere by Penelope Skinner (The Village Bike), will round out the season, though contracts have yet to be signed. The premature announcement comes on the heels of controversy surrounding the rest of the season lineup, which exclusively features white male playwrights.

As previously announced, the Broadway and off-Broadway rosters include Sam Shepard's Fool for Love, Richard Greenberg's Our Mother’s Brief Affair, David Lindsay-Abaire's Ripcord, Nick Payne's Incognito, Nick Jones' Important Hats of the Twentieth Century, John Patrick Shanley's Prodigal Son, and Florian Zeller’s The Father.

Meadow, who will direct Our Mother's Brief Affair, is also the only woman slated to direct in the upcoming season. Lila Neugebauer will bring that number to two if her tentative plans to helm Skinner's play come through.