Monthly Archive for February, 2008

Lysistrata

by Aristophanes
Translated by Drue Robinson Hagan
March 15-30, 2008

Lysistrata Front

Producer: Jen Rogers/The Gallery Players
Director: Alexa Polmer
Set Designer: Stephanie Tucci
Costume Designer: Crystal Fergusson
Lighting Designer: Christina Wantanabe
Associate Producer: Angela Astle
Production Stage Manager: Stephanie Sottile
Sound Designer: Jason Thomas Spencer

Lysistrata
Pictured: The Lysistrata Company as Chorus of Old Men and Women in The Gallery Players production of Lysistrata. Photo by Bella Muccari.

The Cast
Lysistrata- Meagan Prahl*
Calonice- Melissa D’Amico*
Myrrhine- Shannon Noecker
Lampito/Chorus/Theola- Maya Parra*
Ismenia/Chorus/Pheobe- Meg Loftus
Corinthian Woman/Chorus/Alexis- Loren Fenton
Leader of the Men’s Chorus - D. Zhonzinsky*
Chorus- Joseph Raik*
Chorus- Allen Arthur
Chorus/Spartan Herald- Victor Bell*
Leader of the Women’s Chorus- Amanda Bruton
Athenian Magistrate/Spartan Delegate- Jeff Bush
Cinesias/Athenian Delegate- Gabriel Grant

*denotes member of AEA

Lysistrata
Pictured (l to r): Meagan Prahl as Lysistrata and Jeff Bush as Magistrate in The Gallery Players production of Lysistrata. Photo by Bella Muccari.

What keeps us apart, and what draws us together? This audacious antiwar classic, filled to the brim with hilarious innuendo, exposes the shared humanity between two feuding peoples. The women of the warring factions wage a psychological battle of their own when they take over the Acropolis and withhold their sexual favors from the savage local men until such time as the insane conflict is ended.

Lysistrata
Pictured (l to r): Melissa D’Amico, Meagan Prahl, Shannon Noecker, Loren Fenton, Meg Loftus, Maya Parra in the Gallery Players production of Lysistrata. Photo by Bella Muccari.

Man of La Mancha

Book by Dale Wasserman
Music by Mitch Leigh
Lyrics by Joe Darion
April 26-May 18, 2008

Man of La Mancha

Producer: Seth Soloway/The Gallery Players
Director: Tom Wojtunik
Musical Director: Chris Tilley
Choreographer: Ryan Kasprzak
Associate Producer: Brian Michael Flanagan
Set Designer: Martin Andrew
Lighting Designer: Tony Galaska
Costume Designer: David Withrow
Sound Designer: Kristyn Smith
Stage Manager: Lara Terrell

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Pictured (l to r): Robert Anthony Jones and Jan-Peter Pedross in The Gallery Players production of Man of La Mancha. Photo by Jennifer Maufrais.

Cast List
CERVANTES/QUIXOTE: Jan-Peter Pedross*
ALDONZA/DULCINEA: Jennifer McCabe*
MANSERVANT/SANCHO PANZA: Robert Anthony Jones*
GOVERNOR/INNKEEPER: Justin Herfel*
DUKE/DR. SANSON CARRASCO: James Andrew Walsh*
PEDRO: Jonathan Gregg
ANSELMO: Alex Pearlman
QUITO/GUITAR PLAYER: Chris Kind
TENORIO: Rob Langeder*
JUAN: Tim Shelton*
PACO: Todd Metzker*
PADRE: Mark Kirschenbaum*
ANTONIA: Dawn Derow
FERMINA/MOORISH GIRL: Jenn Zarine Habeck
MARIA: Patricia Lavin
THE BARBER: Andrew Boyd*
CAPTAIN OF THE INQUISITION: Dennis Michael Keefe
PRISONER/INQUISITION GUARD: Luke Tudball
PRISONER/INQUISITION GUARD: Aaron Thomsen
JOSE: Joe DiGennaro
HOUSEKEEPER: Angela Dirksen

*Denotes Member of Actors Equity

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Pictured: Jan-Peter Pedross and the cast of The Gallery Players production of Man of La Mancha. Photo by Jennifer Maufrais.

One of the most beloved musicals of Broadway’s Golden Age, Man of La Mancha made its Broadway debut in 1965 starring Richard Kiley. Based on the CBS Dupont Show of the Month original drama, I, Don Quixote, with Lee J. Cobb, the show quickly gained acclaim, containing some of the most beautiful music ever written. The musical tells the tale of author Miguel de Cervantes who, imprisoned and awaiting trial before the Spanish Inquisition, joins with his fellow prisoners to perform a play about Don Quixote de la Mancha, the mad knight who quests for justice and tilts at windmills. “The Impossible Dream”, the show’s world-famous hit song, has been recorded by practically every major vocalist, from Frank Sinatra to Placido Domingo to Elvis Presley.

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Pictured: Jennifer McCabe and the cast of The Gallery Players production of Man of La Mancha. Photo by Jennifer Maufrais.

The Gallery Players’ production will explore the improvisational nature of Cervantes’ story. Director Tom Wojtunik notes, “Traditionally, productions of Man of La Mancha tend to set up this convention and then gloss over it. I’ve always been confused by how quickly the prisoners get caught up in playing their ‘roles’ and with the sudden appearance of very elaborate props and costumes. I plan on adhering to Wasserman’s idea that everything in the story should be adapted from materials already in the prison setting, or whatever can fit in Cervantes theatrical trunk.”

Additionally, this current production explores whether idealism has a place in 2008. Wojtunik remarks, “The character of Quixote celebrates and satirizes idealism in mankind, and on the eve of a major presidential election, it may be the best timing for this story to be told again since its premiere in 1965.”

Listen to the nytheatre.com podcast about Man of La Mancha

The 2008 Black Box New Play Festival

June 6-21, 2008
A co-production with Engine37
.

Producer: Neal J. Freeman & Anna Olivia Moore for The Gallery Players/Engine37

Set Designer: Hannah Shafran
Costume Designer: Ana Marie A. Salamat
Lighting Designer: John Eckert
Festival Stage Manager: Emily Ballou
Stage Manager: G Zhang
Associate Producer: Angela Astle
Assistant Director/Assistant Stage Manager: Emily Johnson

The Reckoning of Kit & Little Boots by Nat Cassidy (World Premiere)
Directed by Neal J. Freeman

Hope’s Arbor by Rich Espey (New York Premiere)
Directed by Heather Siobhan Curran

Presented in repertory
June 6-15 at The Gallery Players
June 17-21 at Manhattan Theatre Source
Full performance schedule below.

Buy your tickets now!

Special two play discount: The purchase of a full price ticket for one production allows the buyer to purchase a ticket for the second production for $10. Details and discount code available with online purchase.

***

The Reckoning of Kit & Little Boots by Nat Cassidy is a fiery, impassioned, hallucinatory, comedic, and ultimately poignant exploration of the art of writing, what it is that calls an author to a particular subject, and the dangers that lie in the obsessions of a creative mind. As Christopher Marlowe lies bleeding to death from a fatal knife-wound to the face, his life flashes before his eyes (or, rather, eye). His host for this journey is his own personal Mephistopheles, a character about whom he never got the chance to write: the infamous Roman emperor, Caligula.

Kit & Little Boots
Pictured: Nat Cassidy (Christopher Marlowe) in The Reckoning of Kit & Little Boots. Photo by Jennifer Maufrais Kelly.

Featuring:
Christopher Marlowe - Nat Cassidy*
Caligula - David Ian Lee*
Thomas Kyd - Alex Herrald
William Shakespeare - Keith Foster*
Dorothy Marlowe - Lara Stoby
Anne Marlowe - Anna Olivia Moore*
Sir Francis Walsingham - Andrew Firda*

*member, Actors’ Equity Association

Kit & Little Boots
Pictured (l to r): Nat Cassidy (Christopher Marlowe) and David Ian Lee (Caligula) in The Reckoning of Kit & Little Boots. Photo by Jennifer Maufrais Kelly.

***

Hope’s Arbor by Rich Espey is a fast-paced comedy that tells the story of Hope Horrishall’s attempted escape from the rigors of prestigious Thwaite Academy, the oldest continuously operating girls’ boarding school southwest of the Connecticut River. Rejecting the life that has been meticulously planned out for her by her parents and school, Hope’s journey through on-line and real-life relationships leads her to a surprising discovery about what, and whom, she really wants. Hope’s Arbor was a 2007 finalist at the Lark Play Development Center’s Playwrights Week 2007 and received the Carol Weinberg Award for best play at the 2006 Baltimore Playwrights Festival.

Hope's Arbor
Pictured (l to r): Justin Herfel (Peter), Lauren Marcus (Hope), Jessica Ko (Saiko), and Justine Campbell-Elliott (Jean) in Hope’s Arbor. Photo by Bella Muccari.

Featuring:
Hope - Lauren Marcus*
Jean - Justine Campbell-Elliott
Peter - Justin Herfel*
Chris - James Holloway*
Caitelynne - Emily Hagburg
Saiko - Jessica Ko

*member, Actors’ Equity Association

Hope's Arbor
Pictured: Lauren Marcus (Hope) in Hope’s Arbor. Photo by Bella Muccari.

***

Please join us at The Gallery Players June 19-21 at 8pm for a staged reading of
The Resurrection of Dismas & Gestas by Jacob M. Appel
A new full-length comedy exploring the fear of dying and the joy of finding meaning in both life and art.
Directed by Angela Astle

Cast:
Luther - Thomas DelPizzo
Molly - Allison Whittinghill
Agatha - Hanna Hayes
Zachariah - Russell Feder
Samantha - Dominique Leavitt

Tickets are $5 and available at the door.

***

Full performance schedule with locations:

Fri 6/6
8pm, Hope’s Arbor at The Gallery Players

Sat 6/7
8pm, Kit & Little Boots at The Gallery Players

Sun 6/8
3pm, Kit & Little Boots at The Gallery Players
7pm, Hope’s Arbor at The Gallery Players

Wed 6/11
8pm, Kit & Little Boots at The Gallery Players

Thurs 6/12
8pm, Hope’s Arbor at The Gallery Players

Fri 6/13
8pm, Kit & Little Boots at The Gallery Players

Sat 6/14
2pm, Kit & Little Boots at The Gallery Players
8pm, Hope’s Arbor at The Gallery Players

Sun 6/15
3pm, Hope’s Arbor at The Gallery Players

Tues 6/17
8pm, Kit & Little Boots at Manhattan Theatre Source

Wed 6/18
8pm, Hope’s Arbor at Manhattan Theatre Source

Thurs 6/19
8pm, Kit & Little Boots at Manhattan Theatre Source
8pm, Dismas & Gestas at The Gallery Players

Fri 6/20
8pm, Hope’s Arbor at Manhattan Theatre Source
8pm, Dismas & Gestas at The Gallery Players

Sat 6/21
4pm, Hope’s Arbor at Manhattan Theatre Source
8pm, Kit & Little Boots at Manhattan Theatre Source
8pm, Dismas & Gestas at The Gallery Players

Buy your tickets now!

***

Nat Cassidy’s plays include a new adaptation of John Fowles’ “The Collector” and an adaptation of Dostoevsky’s “The Eternal Husband.” As an actor, he has appeared in almost 30 productions in New York City. As a director, he has helmed projects at Manhattan Theatre Source, Theatre Row, and the Knitting Factory. As a singer and songwriter, he has written and recorded three albums with Nat Cassidy & the Nines and performed at places like the Knitting Factory, Mo Pitkin’s, Pete’s Candy Store, Galopagos, and others.

Rich Espey is a playwright and teacher living in Baltimore. Rich’s plays have been produced in New York by Three Graces Theater, Turtle Shell Productions, Native Aliens Theatre Collective and This Woman’s Work Theatre Co. Rich is a two time winner of the Carol Weinberg Award for best play at the Baltimore Playwrights Festival and was honored with an Individual Artist Award in Playwriting by the Maryland State Arts Council in 2007. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, a member of Lizard Claw Playwrights, and serves as Chair of the Baltimore Playwrights Festival. He teaches science at The Park School of Baltimore.

Jacob M. Appel’s plays have been performed at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre, Adrienne Theatre (Philadelphia), Detroit Repertory Theatre, Heller Theater (Tulsa), Curtain Players (Columbus), Epilogue Players (Indianapolis), and the Little Theatre of Alexandria. He has also published eighty short-stories, most recently in Alaska Quarterly Review, Greensboro Review, Missouri Review, and Southwest Review. Jacob is a graduate of the MFA program in creative writing at New York University and currently teaches at the Gotham Writers Workshop.




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