Playwright Carlyle Brown. Photo by Joel Koyama.

Walking Shadow Theatre Company, Carlyle Brown & Company, Shapiro & Smith Dance and Sossy Mechanics are all on tap for the 2011-2012 studio season at the Guthrie.

The theater has announced that Walking Shadow will produce Neil LaBute's "reasons to be pretty," the third LaBute that the company will do. The company did previously staged "Fat Pig" and "The Shape of Things." "Reasons" centers on physical beauty. (Sept. 16-Oct. 2).

"Our sixth season of presentations in the Dowling Studio again promises to showcase some of the most exciting artists in the Twin Cities," said Associate Director of Studio Programming Benjamin McGovern. "I'm thrilled that these four join the already impressive list of 23 other local companies who have brought their talents to the Studio since 2006. The work of these four, and how each creates its pieces, is quite eclectic, and will no doubt compliment the Guthrie's own work in the Studio this season."

Playwright, director and actor Carlyle Brown will do "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been," about Langston Hughes on the eve of his testimony before Sen. Joseph McCarthy (May 4 - 20, 2012).

Dance company Shapiro and Smith revives "Anytown," their Twyla Tharp-esque marriage of dance with the music of Bruce Springsteen (June 21-24, 2012).

The Sossy Mechanics, the charismatic dance duo of Brian Sostek and Megan McClellan, will revive their Minnesota Fringe Festival physical comedy hit "Trick Boxing" in which they play over a dozen characters (Aug. 17-Sept. 2, 2012).

The Guthrie had previously announced other shows in the Dowling Studio: Adam Rapp's "The Edge of Our Bodies" (Oct. 22-Nov. 20), Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" (Jan. 14-Feb. 5, 2012) and Conor McPherson's "The Birds" (Feb. 25-April 8, 2012).

For more info, call the box office, 612-377-2224, or online, www.guthrietheater.org.