Guthrie announces new season

St. Paul, Minn. — The Guthrie Theater will present 19 plays in its 2008-2009 season, including world premier productions of a new "Little House on the Prairie" musical and a new play by Tony Kushner.

Guthrie Artistic Director Joe Dowling said with works by Shakespeare, Harold Pinter, Samuel Beckett, Edward Albee and Arthur Miller in the season, the new Guthrie complex is fulfilling its potential.

"I think what's fascinating for me is that in spite of the fact that we are 45 years old, with the exception of one play in the studio, none of these plays that we are doing in the 08-09 season have actually been seen at the Guthrie before," Dowling said. The season also features several co-productions with other Twin Cities theaters such as Penumbra, Frank, Theater Latte da, Pillsbury House Theater and Live Action Set.

Dowling will direct Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen of Verona" and "Shadowlands" by William Nicholson.