‘Venus in Fur’ to Dominate in American Theaters This Season

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Hugh Dancy and Nina Arianda in the Broadway production of “Venus in Fur.”

What has fur, four legs and a leather collar? If you guessed a dog, you probably haven’t yet seen David Ives’s dark sex comedy “Venus in Fur.” But you should have plenty of chances, as the play is set to be the most-performed play in American theaters in the 2013-14 season, with 22 productions across the country, more than any other play, according to American Theater magazine. The rankings were compiled through surveys of over 500 member theaters of the Theater Communications Group, an umbrella organization of regional and nonprofit theaters, and the publisher of the magazine. “Venus in Fur” opened on Broadway in 2011 with Hugh Dancy and Nina Arianda in a Tony Award-winning performance.

The reason for the popularity of the sexually frank show, in addition to its mostly positive reviews on Broadway and Off (it ran at the Classic Stage Company in 2010, with Ms. Arianda and Wes Bentley), is one of economy. “Venus in Fur” features only two actors and takes place in one room, a combination that’s music to the ears of budget-conscious regional theaters.

Following “Venus in Fur” are plays that recently had critically-acclaimed Broadway runs: Bruce Norris’s Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Clybourne Park” (16 productions); David Lindsay-Abaire’s “Good People” (14); Jon Robin Baitz’s “Other Desert Cities” (13); and Katori Hall’s “Mountaintop.” Rounding out the list are Amy Herzog’s “4000 Miles” (12); Nina Raine’s “Tribes” (12); Christopher Durang’s “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” (11); Katie Mitchell’s adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s “Cat in the Hat” (8); Lisa D’Amour’s “Detroit” (7); Yasmina Reza’s “God of Carnage” (7); John Logan’s “Red” (7); Matthew Lopez’s “Whipping Man” (7); and Quiara Alegría Hudes’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Water by the Spoonful” (7).

According to the magazine, female playwrights made up half of the list, a feat not seen since the 2005-6 season. Although Christmas shows and Shakespeare plays are not considered for the list, “A Christmas Carol” will be seen in 37 productions, while “Hamlet” and “Romeo and Juliet” are tied for the most produced Shakespeare play, with eight productions each.