From St. Paul’s Pioneer Press:

By Dominic P. Papatola

dpapatola@pioneerpress.com

Mixed Blood Theatre Company's production of "Pure Confidence" will transfer to New York for an off-Broadway engagement this summer, a move the local theater hopes could lead to bigger and better things for the well-traveled script.

Twin Cities' playwright Carlyle Brown's story of an African-American jockey riding to earn his freedom in the pre-Civil War South will play the 59E59 Theatres in Manhattan. Previews are scheduled to begin May 22, with a May 27 opening of a production scheduled to run through July 3. Tony Award nominee and St. Paul native Marion McClinton directs the staging, which played Mixed Blood in January.

Gavin Lawrence, who created the role of Simon Cato, again will star. The entire Mixed Blood cast will reunite for the New York staging, with the exception of Regina Marie Williams, who will be appearing in the Guthrie Theater's production of "Caroline, or Change" through June 21.

Under the terms of Mixed Blood's agreement with 59E59, the New York theater will pay Mixed Blood a fixed fee for the production, meaning the Minnesota company will bear no economic risk — nor will it benefit if the show sells especially well. But Mixed Blood will retain the rights to the production, and artistic director Jack Reuler said his company will invite commercial backers to the run to gauge interest for another New York production.

"The business model has no risk for us," said Reuler. "And because it's an all-Minnesota company, it's a good way to get exposure for our actors and for the theater."

"Pure Confidence" premiered at the Actors Theatre of Louisville during the 2005 Humana Festival of New American Plays. In the intervening years, Brown's script has been staged at regional theaters in Ohio, Alabama, Florida and Colorado, each time with Lawrence in the leading role. The Mixed Blood cast included Casey Greig, Karen Landry, Chris Mulkey and Mark Sieve. Director McClinton said Christiana Clark will replace Williams in the New York staging.

McClinton, who earned a Tony nod for his Broadway direction of "King Hedley II" in 2001, calls the transfer of "Pure Confidence" "one of my most important personal goals left undone now to be done. It's more important to me than winning a Tony, frankly."

Theater critic Dominic P. Papatola can be reached at 651-228-2165.

What: Mixed Blood Theatre Company's production of "Pure Confidence"

When: previewing May 22-May 26, opening May 27 and running through July 3

Where: 59E59 Theatres, 59 East 59th St., New York