Broadway Premiere of "How I Learned to Drive"

Winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Opening Tuesday, April 19
At MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre

Manhattan Theatre Club’s (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director and Barry Grove, Executive Producer) long-awaited Broadway premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning How I Learned to Drive begins performances tonight, Tuesday, March 29, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).

Produced with Daryl Roth and Cody Lassen in association with the Vineyard Theatre, How I Learned to Drive will celebrate opening night on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

The thrilling Broadway premiere of Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece How I Learned to Drive reunites the two original stars with their award-winning director for a new production. Tony Award® winner Mary-Louise Parker (Proof) and Tony nominee David Morse (The Iceman Cometh) head the cast of this remarkably timely and moving memory play about a woman coming to terms with a charismatic uncle who impacts her past, present and future life. Also returning is original cast member and Tony Award nominee Johanna Day, who is joined by Alyssa May Gold and Chris Myers. Directing is Mark Brokaw (Heisenberg).

The creative team for How I Learned to Drive includes Rachel Hauck (scenic design), Dede Ayite (costume design), Mark McCullough (lighting design), David Van Tieghem (original music & sound design), Lucy Mackinnon (video design), Stephen Oremus (music direction & vocal arrangements), Deborah Hecht (dialect coach), and James Fitzsimmons (production stage manager).

How I Learned to Drive was originally produced by the Vineyard Theatre in 1997 and transferred to a commercial Off-Broadway production produced by Daryl Roth and Roy Gabay. It opened to critical acclaim and won numerous awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama; New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play; Outer Critics Circle Award; OBIE Awards for David Morse, Mary-Louise Parker, Mark Brokaw, and Paula Vogel; Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Lead Actor, and Outstanding Lead Actress; Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play; and Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding New Play, Outstanding Actor in a Play and Outstanding Director of a Play.

HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION
MTC has aligned with our Broadway colleagues in setting safety protocols. For performances through April 30, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test, and a valid I.D. will be required to enter the theatre. Masks must be worn at all times. Protocols for performances beginning May 1 will be announced at a later date. For more specific information go to: manhattantheatreclub.com/protocols.

TICKETING INFORMATION
Tickets for How I Learned to Drive are available online at Telecharge.com, by phone at 212-239-6200, or in person at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre box office (261 West 47th Street).

MTC SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PATRON MEMBERSHIPS
To join MTC’s season of plays as a Subscriber or a Patron, call the MTC Clubline at 212-399-3050 or go to www.manhattantheatreclub.com.

To sign up for MTC’s “30 Under 35” program, offering $30 tickets for theatregoers age 35 and under, visit www.manhattantheatreclub.com/30under35/.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
· WEEK OF MARCH 29: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7PM; Friday and Saturday at 8PM; matinee on Sunday at 2PM.
· WEEK OF APRIL 5: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7PM; Friday and Saturday at 8PM; matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2PM.
· WEEK OF APRIL 12: Tuesday and Thursday at 7PM; Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 8PM; Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM.
· WEEK OF APRIL 19: Wednesday and Thursday at 7PM; Friday and Saturday at 8PM; Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2PM. The opening night performance on Tuesday, April 19 is at 6:45PM.
· WEEK OF APRIL 26: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7PM; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8PM; Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2PM.
· WEEK OF MAY 3: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7PM; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8PM; Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM.
· WEEKS OF MAY 10, MAY 17, AND MAY 24: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7PM; Friday and Saturday at 8PM; Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM.

MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB, under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, has become one of the country’s most prominent and prestigious theatre companies. Over more than four decades, MTC productions have earned numerous awards including 7 Pulitzer Prizes, 27 Tony Awards, 40 Drama Desk Awards and 49 Obie Awards. MTC has a Broadway home at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) and two Off-Broadway theatres at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street). For more information on MTC, please visit www.ManhattanTheatreClub.com.

Manhattan Theatre Club is committed to being an anti-racist organization that respects and honors all voices while upholding the values of community, equity, access, and belonging. We understand that the United States is a country founded on white supremacy and anti-Blackness, and that these belief systems are tightly woven throughout American arts and culture. We recognize MTC’s place within that history, and understand that uprooting biases requires ongoing work. To this end, we have been reviewing, and are continuing to review, our policies and practices in order to create an inclusive, anti-racist environment for our artists, staff members, and audiences. We wish to express solidarity with and gratitude towards those from historically oppressed communities whose voices have raised consciousness and encouraged action. We will continue to post regular progress reports on our website at manhattantheatreclub.com/edi.


by heart

DARYL ROTH holds the singular distinction of producing 7 Pulitzer Prize-winning plays: the original commercial production of How I Learned to Drive in 1997; Anna in the Tropics; August: Osage County (2008 Tony); Clybourne Park (2012 Tony); Proof (2001 Tony); Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women; and Wit. The proud recipient of 12 Tony Awards and London’s Olivier Award, her over 120 productions include Kinky Boots, 6 years on Broadway and around the globe (London, Toronto, Australia, Korea, Japan, Germany); Gloria: A Life; Nora and Delia Ephron’s Love, Loss, and What I Wore; The Normal Heart (2011 Tony); The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; and Paula Vogel’s Indecent. www.DarylRothProductions.com.

CODY LASSEN, along with producing partner Alex Wyse, aim to bring fresh voices and moving stories to Broadway. Select credits: What The Constitution Means To Me, Paula Vogel's Indecent, The Band's Visit (Tony Award), Torch Song, Significant Other, Deaf West's Spring Awakening. Upcoming: The first revival of Titanic, The Flamingo Kid, based on the Garry Marshall film, Alice By Heart, by Duncan Sheik, Steven Sater & Jessie Nelson, Some Lovers, by Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater and the digital series Indoor Boys (Indie Series Award.) Learn more at www.LassenWyse.com

VINEYARD THEATRE (Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern, Artistic Directors; Suzanne Appel, Managing Director) is one of America’s preeminent homes for the creation of new plays and musicals, dedicated to nurturing the voices of daring artists. Notable premieres include Paula Vogel’s How I Learned to Drive (Pulitzer Prize) and Indecent (two Tony Awards), Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women (Pulitzer Prize), Avenue Q (Tony Award, Best Musical), The Scottsboro Boys, [title of show], Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill, Harry Clarke, Wig Out!, The Lyons, Gloria, Do You Feel Anger?. The Vineyard is the recipient of special Drama Desk, OBIE, and Lucille Lortel Awards for Sustained Excellence. www.vineyardtheatre.org