The Explorers Club

The Explorers Club 

By Nell Benjamin

Originally produced at Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, NY .

May 14, 2013 through June 4, 2013


About the Premiere Production

A new madcap comedy from Tony-nominated writer Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde). London, 1879. The prestigious Explorers Club faces the worst crisis in their history: their acting president wants to admit a woman, and their bartender is terrible. True, the female candidate is brilliant, beautiful and has discovered a legendary Lost City, but the decision to let in a woman could shake the very foundation of the British Empire, and how do you make such a decision without a decent drink? Grab your safety goggles for some very mad science involving deadly cobras, irate Irishmen and the occasional airship.



Artistic Statement

Manhattan Theatre Club is pleased to announce that our world premiere production of Nell Benjamin’s The Explorers Club is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award. MTC is proud to receive this honor which generously supports our passionate commitment to living playwrights and their continuing professional development. The Explorers Club is Nell Benjamin’s first, full-length play, and is a departure from writing lyrics and books for musicals, the creative work for which she is best known, including most notably Legally Blonde the Musical (Tony Award Nomination). The Explorers Club wonderfully demonstrates that Nell is a gifted playwright, and also that she has the rare ability to craft a truly engaging, contemporary farce.



Grant Statement

With the generous support of the Edgerton Foundation, MTC will be able to provide Nell Benjamin, and the creative team with an additional week of rehearsal on The Explorers Club, allowing them more time to refine and carefully orchestrate the intricate physicality and timing necessitated for this comedy, readying it for production. The Explorers Club is an exciting complement to the other work we are doing on Stage I next season and we believe that audiences will be impressed, as we are, with Nell Benjamin’s unique comedic voice. We hope for an enthusiastic reception for the play and we look forward to working with Nell Benjamin in future seasons as she continues to develop her voice.