Mary Wiseman leads the cast of the world premiere comedy from playwright Bryna Turner.

The world premiere of Bryna Turner‘s At the Wedding ushers audiences back to Lincoln Center Theater/LCT3’s Clair Tow Theater Off-Broadway as it begins performances March 5. The production is set to open March 21 and will run through April 17.

Mary Wiseman (Thérèse Raquin) leads the cast as Carlo, a lonely single woman who crashes her ex-girlfriend’s wedding to a man. The cast also includes Jorge Donoso, Rebecca S’manga Frank, Keren Lugo, Carolyn McCormick, Will Rogers, and Han Van Sciver.

Jenna Worsham directs the production, with scenic design by Maruti Evans, costumes by Oana Botez, lighting by Oona Curley, and sound by Fan Zhang. Katie Kennedy is the stage manager.

Led by Artistic Director Evan Cabnet—under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director André Bishop—LCT3 is committed to producing the work of new playwrights, directors, and designers and appealing to new audiences.

Looking ahead for LCT, a new production of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic The Skin of Our Teeth will run at the Vivian Beaumont Theater beginning April 1. Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, that cast will feature James Vincent Meredith as Mr. Antrobus and Roslyn Ruff as Mrs. Antrobus with Paige Gilbert and Julian Robertson playing their children Gladys and Henry, respectively. Gabby Beans will play Sabina, the family’s maid, and Tony winner Priscilla Lopez will play the Fortune Teller.

The New York City Center regular and New York City Ballet principal discusses creating the inaugural Artists at the Center program for New York City Center.

“New York sees everything,” admits New York City Ballet (NYCB) principal Tiler Peck.

So when she was tasked with curating and directing a program as part of her duties as City Center’s first-ever Artist at the Center—a new series designed to offer artists their own producing platform—Peck went out of her way to choose works that would be new to New York City audiences: “… as opposed to doing another Tchaikovsky pas de deux, which I love to dance, but can be seen doing regularly at NYCB.”

As a result, audiences will see a new side of Peck, not just as a dancer but also as a choreographer. At first, Peck was reluctant to show her work in New York City for the first time, especially alongside luminaries like William Forsythe and Alonzo King, whose pieces are on the program in addition to a world-premiere collaboration with tap dance artist Michelle Dorrance and Jillian Meyers. A nudge from Mikhail Baryshnikov was what ultimately made Peck decide to include her own Thousandth Orange. “He was the one who said, ‘I really think one of your works should go—it’s your evening,’” she says. “And obviously I take what he has to say very seriously.”

We spoke to Peck about why Thousandth Orange is particularly special to her and what stories are behind the other pieces in the evening.

What was your approach to curating this program?
I wanted to give people something they have never seen before. During the pandemic, I did The Barre Project with Bill Forsythe. It had been a dream of mine to work with him but our schedules could never align. And during the pandemic, I realized it could actually be a possibility. The fact that we created a work that I am so proud of … during a pandemic … over Zoom … is crazy. I really feel like New York needs to see it, and it’s never been performed live. So to me, that was kind of the centerpiece of what I wanted the program to be.

There’s also a new commission by my great friend Michelle Dorrance. I’ve known Michelle since I was 17, and we’ve been really close ever since.

Since this is my evening, I want to share my perspective and highlight people who I have been really inspired by. And in planning the project with Michelle, we decided to ask the LA-based dancer Jillian Meyers to join us as a co-choreographer.

How did the Alonzo King piece come about?
Bill was actually talking to me about Alonzo and how much he respected his work. And Bill and I had gotten very close; we spent like, four hours a day together for two or three months. It’s like I was getting a private lesson on dancing and choreographing and everything with William Forsythe every single day. A dream come true!

So I went to San Francisco and Alonzo asked me, “What do you want me to make for you?” I said, “People always make fast things for me. I’d really like to have something really slow and beautiful.” So Alonzo made me a pas de deux and a solo. It’s funny, the pas de deux was slow, but he was like “… there’s gonna be a little fast section before.” So there’s a powerhouse first part, and then we’re exhausted and we start the duet.

Your piece Thousandth Orange is a bit older—what was the process for that one?
That one I choreographed at Vail Dance Festival in 2018. It means a lot to me because I was injured and I couldn’t move—I had a really serious neck injury. I was surprised at how much I ended up liking it. I think the reason why it still worked is the music: If I’m in love with the music, it comes out pretty easily, and I love Caroline Shaw’s music. And I had to focus more on the bodies in front of me, which I found really interesting because normally when I choreograph, I’m choreographing on myself. And then I have to try and set it on a dancer and they don’t ever move the same way. So in this ballet it was really specific to each dancer; I was really leaning on their body, because I couldn’t do it myself. It is the memory of that time, how scary it was, and how much I was able to rely on my dancers that makes it very powerful for me. I hope that New York audiences enjoy it.

Lauren Wingenroth is a New York City-based writer. 

Artists at the Center | Tiler Peck runs March 4–6.

Billy Bustamante directs and choreographs the musical anthology featuring new works by 21 songwriters at 59E59 Theaters.

Notes From Now, which brings together songwriters from Broadway and beyond, begins previews March 2 at 59E59 Theaters ahead of an official opening March 10.

Directed and choreographed by Billy Bustamante, the limited engagement will continue Off-Broadway through March 20.

Contributing newly commissioned original songs are Jay Adana, Troy Anthony, Masi Asare, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Georgie Castilla and Jaime Lozano, Gretchen Cryer, Tia DeShazor and Derrick Byars, Alexandra Elle and Stephen Schwartz, Adam Gwon, Douglas Lyons and Ethan Pakchar, Peter Mills, Michelle Rodriguez, Ryan Scott Oliver, Angela Sclafani, Paulo K Tiról, and Amanda Yesnowitz and Deborah Abramson.

Interpreting these songs are Ashley Blanchet (Waitress), Thani Brant, Darron Hayes, Josh Lamon (The Prom), Aline Mayagoitia (Love Life), Outer Critics Circle Award winner Judy McLane (Romeo & Bernadette, Mamma Mia!), and John Yi (Soft Power), with understudy Genesis Adelia Collado.

Sean Peter Forte serves as music director for the production, which offers a musical reflection of our contemporary world. Macy Schmidt is the supervising orchestrator.

“In these continued challenging times for the theatre community, Prospect is excited and grateful to return to 59E59 Theaters with a new, collectively-written show,” said Notes From Now curator and creative producer Cara Reichel in an earlier statement. “Connecting so many powerful, artistic voices with audiences—and engaging around the times we are living through—feels especially meaningful.”

The producton also has scenic design by Riw Rakkulchon, costume design by Rodrigo Muñoz, lighting design by Shannon Clarke, sound design by Ben Scheff, and casting by Michael Cassara. The production stage manager is Elizabeth Emanuel.

Visit 59e59.org.