When Laura Shaine Cunningham first published her novel Beautiful Bodies in 2002, reviewers in the New York Review of Books, New York Observer and New York Times all marveled at the ways in which the renowned memoirist (and upstate resident) mixed snappy dialogue and astute situational plots to revive a genre that everyone thought dead since Mary McCarthy’s explosive post-Vassar fiction, The Group. In play form for several years now, and widely produced throughout Eastern and Western Europe as well as our own hemisphere, Beautiful Bodies is being augmented this weekend by a new play, Beyond Beautiful, by the now-more-simply-named Laura Shaine (back to the maiden!). It gets its world premiere at Actors & Writers’ new Rosendale Theatre home before moving on to a premiere run in Moscow (yes, that Moscow).

Shaine’s new work continues the “tragicomic saga of single women in Manhattan” that she initiated with Beautiful Bodies, which involved six college girlfriends hanging out for an evening in Manhattan at a baby shower for one of them whom they haven’t seen in six months. So how is Claire now, her kid almost a teen? Did passion or pragmatism prevail in her life? What about the hostess’ love affair after three years of no sex? Zoloft model Lisbeth? Sue Carol, the professional wacktress (“a cross between a waitress and an actress”)? Nina, still captured by the Bronx? Does everyone still hate Martha?

As much for her years as a major magazine writer (The New Yorker included) and her memoirs about growing up in the Bronx under the eyes of two odd uncles (Sleeping Arrangements) and finding a place of her own, post-marriage, upstate (A Place in the Country), Shaine is known for her straightforward humor, her way with the complexities of simple lives.

And she’s a longtime member of Actors & Writers, the 26-member ensemble of theatre and film professionals who have produced over 80 readings of original works since their founding 20 years ago, and who moved from their home at the Oddfellows’ Hall in Olivebridge to Rosendale earlier this year. “Our artistic policy, in its entirety, is ‘Nothing by Andrew Lloyd Webber,’” reads their website.

This upcoming world premiere reading will take place at the Rosendale Theatre, located at 408 Main Street in the reviving little arts town once known for its cement, located between Stone Ridge, Kingston and New Paltz. Showtime is at 8 p.m. this Saturday, December 4. For further information call (845) 658-8989 or visit www.actorsandwriters.com.