Abel Ferrara’s films have also been somewhat underground but it seems that since the ’90s they’ve disappeared off the map entirely. His last two efforts – “Go Go Tales” and “Chelsea On The Rocks” – were seen by pretty much no one, while potential projects like “Game Of Death” and “Jekyll & Hyde” have stalled at various stages of development.
Perhaps it’s no surprise then that the edgy director has turned his attention to Broadway for this next project. The maverick director is set to helm “Short Eyes,” which is aiming to hit the stage in the 2010-11 season. The play, not seen on stage since it debuted in 1974, was written by Miguel Pinero as part of a prisoners’ writing workship. As usual, this is gritty, yet familiar territory for Ferrara. The “story follows the lives of a racially mixed group of inmates at a New York prison, where they are joined by a white middle-class man accused of raping a young girl.”
There is no word on casting yet, though the producers are seeking actors who have worked with the director before. Production designer Frank DeCurtis, who worked with Ferrara on “Mary” and “Go Go Tales,” will design the sets. No solid playdates are in line yet, but we just hope this is a project that sees its way through to completion. At least it’s one that has the potential to be seen by more people than his last two films combined.
