Annie Baker's New Signature Play POSTPONED

[Pashacar]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 12:09pm

I fear this is the first of many notices like this we'll be seeing....

Due to ongoing health and safety concerns, we and Annie Baker have made the difficult decision to postpone the upcoming production of Infinite Life. We and Annie agree that this is the best choice for this show at this time.

We will continue, in discussion with artists, to evaluate on a case-by-case basis how to proceed with other programming planned for this season. At this time our plans are still to move forward with the remainder of the season as planned.

https://signaturetheatre.org/shows-and-events/Productions/2021-2022/Infinite-Life.aspx

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 12:17pm

This was announced a few days ago and I'm surprised no one is really talking about this. It'll be interesting to see what happens in the next few weeks. 

I have a trip to Broadway planned in December and my thoughts about the likelihood it'll get cancelled by me or by a shutdown changes every other day. 

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 12:19pm

Yeah, very disappointing. It's a bit perplexing in the sense that it seems to be the only announcement of its kind, meanwhile every other theatre in the city - both commercial and non-profit - seems to be going full-steam ahead. The only way this makes sense to me is if this does prove to be the first of many postponements (knock on wood!). 

Or maybe - is it possible that Baker's play presented particular challenges with COVID protocols, such as having an inordinately large cast, with lots of close interaction? Or, come to think of it, Baker has a small child who wouldn't be eligible for the vaccine - could it be a concern around that? She can't possibly be the only one in that position though. 

In any case, I trust that they did what made the most sense for them, whatever the reason is, and however disappoint it may be for audiences. 

[PlayItAgain]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 12:59pm

This was Annies preference

also it was a cast of six just for reference

[mattmarkowski99]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 1:29pm

PlayItAgain said: "This was Annies preference

also it was a cast of six just for reference"

Do you know who was cast?

 

[Pashacar]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 3:04pm

Another factor that I considered is that the play is (I believe) about serious illness. So perhaps it just feels like the wrong moment to release it, from an artistic perspective.

Also, just speculating, but this has been pushed back a few times now and the listed title has changed just in the past few weeks. So it's also possible Baker has just realized she wants more time with it, even if that's secondary.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 3:15pm

Pashacar said: "Another factor thatI considered is that the play is (I believe) about serious illness. So perhaps it just feels like the wrong moment to release it, from an artistic perspective.

Also, just speculating, but this has been pushed back a few times now and the listed title has changed just in the past few weeks. So it's also possible Baker has just realized she wants more time with it, even if that's secondary."

Unless the plot just changed over the past week, they knew what it was about when it went on sale last week -- so that explanation makes no sense.

 

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 8/24/21 at 3:19pm

Annie specifically stated on Twitter that the play has been done for a while and she supports the decision.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 8/25/21 at 11:08am

This + the Stars in the House postponement + a few big movies being sold to streaming (Hotel Transylvania among them) were all bad omens last week. 

[Pashacar]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 3:27pm

Signature announced their next season today, and this was not in it. Is it correct to assume it’s dead in the water, at least on one of their stages?

[rg7759]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 4:00pm

Perhaps jokes aren't needed but I pictured them finally getting the script and it's just people sitting alone in quarantine, no dialogue

[JBroadway]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 5:35pm

Disappointing news, but it's difficult to know at the moment what this actually portends.

It's possible that the show was permanently cancelled due to some behind-the-scenes issue that was not made public. Or, it could just be that they had already promised their slots for the next season - who, notably, are all pretty high-profile playwrights like Baker, in their residency program. So they have to keep them happy. It already seems like they're prioritizing their Premiere Residency playwrights, rather than doing their Spotlight or Legacy programming as they often do.

It's odd though, that Hunter, is being allowed to bring back a decade-old play while he is in his Premiere Residency, and that this was prioritized over Annie Baker's play.

If the show has been permanently cancelled, I wonder what that would mean for this play's future. I don't know enough about the industry rules, but wouldn't this play have been the result of a commission from Signature? If so, does that limited Baker's ability to present it elsewhere? I should hope not. She already wrote the dang thing, and she's a pretty major playwright. Hard to imagine it just sitting in a drawer for the rest of her career.

But anyway, it seems more likely to me that, for some reason or another, Signature just has to wait until next season to put it on.

[blaxx]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 6:51pm

I don't get her plays at all. Saw John and I'm still confused. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/19/22 at 9:20pm

Same. Truly no clue why she is hyped so much. Not a fan, but I gave it a try. 

[Pashacar]

Posted: 5/20/22 at 10:13am

JBroadway said: "It's odd though, that Hunter, is being allowed to bring back a decade-old play while he is in his Premiere Residency, and that this was prioritized over Annie Baker's play."

This was the most confounding one for me. Hard to imagine they would have prioritized this over a Baker world premiere.

I wonder if something came up in rehearsals that required major, major reworking. Or if there's now some beef between her and Signature...in which case, like you said, there are likely some upsetting legal implications about what happens with the work. Either way, a major bummer we have to wait at least a couple more years for this, if not much more.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/4/23 at 12:16pm

FYI, Access25 $25 seats for preview performances of Infinite Life at Atlantic are on sale now.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 8/4/23 at 12:30pm

Annie Baker and Christine Nielsen. I’m there.

[Dom P]

Posted: 8/4/23 at 4:55pm

This is still listed on National Theater of Great Britain's site for late October, November. Is that still happening?

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/4/23 at 5:00pm

Dom P said: "This is still listed on National Theater of Great Britain's site for late October, November. Is that still happening?"

First preview is November 22, and they're selling tickets, so, yes.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 8/4/23 at 6:14pm

ColorTheHours048: Annie Baker and Christine Nielsen. I’m there.

And the original Kimberly Akimbo, Mary Louise Burke. I'm there too.

[pathman2]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 8:06am

Did anyone see the first preview last night (8/18)? So curious about this one!

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 9:38am

Same, going next Saturday.

Updated On: 8/19/23 at 09:38 AM

[EthelMae]

Posted: 8/19/23 at 9:55am

Please change the title of this Post! I freaked out that the show was cancelled! I have tickets for September.

[blaxx]

Posted: 8/20/23 at 9:52pm

pathman2 said: "Did anyone see the first preview last night (8/18)? So curious about this one!"

And is it about anything or makes any sense? 

[ijest22]

Posted: 8/22/23 at 11:29pm

blaxx said: "pathman2 said: "Did anyone see the first preview last night (8/18)? So curious about this one!"

And is it about anything or makes any sense?"

I’m sure it is about something, but I’m not exactly sure what that is. Maybe how we all live with pain and find a way to find joy in life nonetheless?  It certainly makes sense on a basic level. No plot.   Just somewhat odd people trying to muddle through. The actors are sublime. It held my interest throughout. Word of warning though— I was in the front row and had to strain to hear some of the whispered dialogue.  I’ve seen complaints that some scenes were too dark, but I think that was the point.