Ninth Midtown International Theatre Festival'
With over 50 plays in seven separate venues in a 21-day period, the Ninth Midtown International Theatre Festival (MITF9) running from 14 Jul - 3 Aug 2008, presents something for everybody's palate.
Productions this year include a new musical about life, love and a Greek island; a drama about a successful blackface act in the 19th century which led to the formation of the Jim Crow laws; a musical where a successful career woman uses her business skills to try to land the man of her dreams; and a one-man show chronicling a young man's arrival in New York City and billed as "Spalding Gray meets Jerry Seinfeld."
"This has been a tremendous year of growth for the Festival," MITF founder and executive producer John Chatterton noted. "After last year's overwhelming response at the box office, we realized it was time to expand. So while we're keeping our base of operations at the venues where we were last year, we're also returning to the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex, our home in 2003, as well as using the Barrow Group Theatre for our Commercial Division, which features shows with a specific eye to moving to the next level once they've finished their MITF run."
Inaugurated in 2000, the Midtown International Theatre Festival was created to offer an opportunity for productions and performances that might otherwise not be seen by as broad an audience as possible. Since its inception, the MITF has presented over 300 different works.
Following is a complete program schedule, arranged by theatre, of all productions performing in the Midtown International Theatre Festival
Dorothy Strelsin Theatre
Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex
1st Floor
312 West 36th Street
(between 8th & 9th Avenue)
New York, NY 10018
| A Thousand Variations on a Lie Told Once (comedy/drama) How many times do you have to tell a lie before it becomes the truth? Three sisters return to their childhood home on Christmas Eve to meet their mother's new beau and to resolve an issue involving their deceased father. | |||||||||||
| Written by: Stacey Lane Directed by: Brad Fryman Presented by: Oberon Theatre Ensemble Cast: Linda S. Nelson, William Laney, Laura Siner, Dianna Martin, Jane Cortney Length: 1hr 25mins
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| Couldn't Say (drama) When Ethan and Liz are stranded on a deserted highway, the past they've avoided finally catches up to them. Forced to cooperate until help arrives, Ethan and Liz confront the issues that have undermined their marriage: his long hours at work, her history of depression, their emotional and physical estrangement, and the recent death of their son and who, ultimately, is to blame for it. | |||||||||||||
| Written by: Christopher Wall Directed by: Lisa Rothe Presented by: Cast: Elizabeth Rich and Brent Langdon Length: 65mins
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| Eugenio (drama) A rabbi, an intellectual, and a Nazi convert from their original religions in World War II Italy. Rome's aloof and scholarly Chief Rabbi Zolli loses faith following the apparent slaughter of his Polish family during the Holocaust. He receives asylum in the Vatican, where he comes to appreciate Jesus as God suffering for humanity. The Rabbi re-finds faith and converts to Roman Catholicism. This is seen as a betrayal of his spiritual duty and a defection to the age-old enemy. Was his conversion one of conviction or merely gratitude? What does he demand at his baptism that eventually removes a major symbol of discrimination? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Anthony E. Gallo Directed by: Roland Branford Gomez Presented by: The Seventh Street Playhouse Cast: Mark Adams, Mary Ayala-Bush, Albert Petrasek, David Seemiller, Bill Branigan, Bonnie Jourdan, Jim Howard, Eddie Page Length: 1hr 15 mins
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| Flies in the Snuffbox (three one-act comedies) Provincial Russia: pancakes, peasants, vodka, bears, drunken landowners, dueling lovers, cheating spouses, family feuds. All the things you love about your Great Russian Literature, minus the angst, the crime, the punishment, the war and the peace - and with just a little slapstick thrown in for good measure. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Anton Chekhov Translated by: Dustin Condren Directed by: Dustin Condren Presented by: Tonic Productions Cast: Daryl Brown, Rick Delaney, Rhett Henckel, Letitia Lange, Victoria Levin, Chance Mullen Length: 1hr 15mins
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| Gerald's Method (drama/thriller) In the wake of a campus killing, a legendary acting teacher guides students through a master class based on his shadowy past. Students Reid and Cynthia realize that their teachers' tutorial may reveal the murderer's identity. | |||||||||||||
| Written by: Daniel Gallant Directed by: Daniel Gallant Presented by: Cast: Elya Ottenberg, Kira Sternbach, Daniel Gallant Length: 1hr
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| Kidnapping Laura Linney (comedy) Josh is the brains of the operation; Steve is funding the operation; Carla is the�umm� well� she's the breasts of the opee operation. Josh and Steve are bound for Hollywood with their new hit sitcom "Kidnapping Laura Linney". Tagging along, Carla is willing to use all of her 'assets' to get a lead role. But when Laura Linney shuts down their operation, the three actors are forced to get revenge on the film star. Can these young - and oh-so-good-looking - people stop being so damn funny long enough to pull off the ultimate celebrity heist? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Philip Mutz Directed by: Nadia Wahhab Presented by: MU Productions Cast: Philip Mutz, Raisa Ellingson, Chris Critelli, Alley Scott Length: 1hr 10mins
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| Natalie (comedy/drama) Natalie has a master plan for her life: graduate; get a job; rent an apartment; find a boyfriend; get married; buy a house; have kids. But when life tosses her a pretty big curveball early on, the way she confronts it leads her down a path she never planned. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Eastcheap Rep Directed by: Chris Chaberski Produced by: Eastcheap Rep Cast: Peter Chenot, Sally Jackson, and Luke Rosen Length: 1hr 15mins
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| Out of Control (dark comedy) Potheads, alcoholics, shopaholics and chocoholics--who can save these women from themselves? Chronicles the effects of a self-help guru on a women's support group, Overindulgers Anonymous. Peter Quick, a popular motivational speaker, comes to town as a guest lecturer to help the women overcome their various addictions, bringing more than just his astute instruction. When he begins to woo single-mother and group member, Sweetie, he faces the skepticism of her over-protective reading tutor Brenda, a lesbian and fellow overindulger. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Bridget Harris Directed by: Leah Bonvissuto Produced by: Cast: Kat Ross, Beverley Prentice, Dorothy Frey, Marca Leigh, Danaher Dempsey, and Maria Portman Kelly Length: 1hr 30mins
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| Sympathetic Division (family drama/science play) When Julie Helms, the daughter of two famous neuroscientists, begins a careful dissection of the events that split her family apart, her seemingly routine lecture explodes into a harrowing investigation of the human brain and the human heart. | |||||||
| Written by: Gia Marotta Directed by: Maura Farver Produced by: Sweeter Theater Productions Cast: Colleen Allen, Robyn Frank, Charlotte Patton and Ron Stetson Length: 1hr 25mins
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| 10 Speed Revolution (comedy): In a world controlled by City Hall, the ruthless Bike Lock Industry, and tasteless poser sheep, only a trio of collective living, hammer-wielding hipsters care enough to save us all from the perils of corporate homogenization. | ||||||||||
| Written by: John Heimbuch Directed by: Nathan Lemoine Produced by: Direct Current and Walking Shadow Theater Company Cast: Alexander Demers, Jordan Kamp, Bonnie Sherman, and Nathan Lemoine Length: 1hr 10mins
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June Havoc Theatre
Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex
1st Floor
312 West 36th Street
(between 8th & 9th Avenue)
New York, NY
| Cherry Hill (dark comedy) In the spring of 1990, new college graduate Bernie Morton returns to his home in Cherry Hill, a subdivision of a Maryland suburb stuck between DC and Baltimore. As Bernie rekindles his obsession with a troubled former beauty queen and finds comfort in his old job as a part-time movie theater usher, he assumes that the lives of his family and friends haven't changed much. But before long, the altered existences of his childhood friend Judd, of Judd's quirky girlfriend and his newly widowed mother, and of Bernie's government lab employee father come to light. And innocent Bernie finds himself deeply immersed in a nightmare that leads him to make choices that could change his life forever. | |||||||||||
| Written by: Matt Okin Directed by: Matt Okin Presented by: Matt Okin Cast: Vanessa Altshuler, Bill Barnett, Noah DeBiase, Tim Decker, Chadwick Elliot, Giselle D'Souza, David Thornton, and Etty Weiner Length: 1hr 30mins
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| Cleopatra - A Life Unparalleled (musical) Although many in Egypt wanted to fight the Roman invaders, Cleopatra realized the futility of such an action. Rather she wanted Egypt to become part of the Roman Empire, enjoying its protection, while remaining a power in its own right. This required her to form an alliance with Julius Caesar (using her own body as collateral). Soon after Cleopatra saw her protector cruelly snatched away, she found new opportunities (and love) in the arms of Marc Antony. | ||||||||||
| Book, music and lyrics by: Cheryl E. Kemeny Directed by: Cheryl Kemeny & Char Fromentin Choreography by: Char Fromentin Presented by: Crystal Theatre Cast: Matthew Surapine, Melissa Labbadia, Jessica Labbadia, Gregory Kisken, Kyle Alexander Brenn, Samantha Kulish, Jennifer Van Buskirk, Daniel Hague, David Vogel, Joe Santaniello, Cidalia Alves, Laura Piacenza Length: 2hrs
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| Conduct of Life (drama) Having rapidly achieved his military promotion, it becomes clear that Orlando is a self-acknowledged professional torturer now using violence to subdue and destroy others, including his wife, Leticia. His friend and colleague, Alejo, wretchedly watches Orlando's behavior, numb and unable to help. Despite living in this horrible reality where the world has forsaken her, 12-year-old Nena strives to live each day in the best possibly way and not become blind with rage towards those that are unkind, even those who torture. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Maria Irene Fornes Directed by: Joshua Lee Ramos Presented by: DFX Entertainment Cast: Adam Slemon, Carolyn Paine, Mark Ohanesian, Jade Anderson and Najaterry Gonzalez. Length: 1hr
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| Eighty-1 (musical) Phileas Fogg in the 21st century: How many days to fall in love? Indiana Jones meets When Harry Met Sally in this romantic adventure musical that gives a modern twist to a classic tale. Phileas Fogg must recreate his great-grandfather's eighty day journey or lose his shirt; only two things stand in his way his own ambition and a beautiful woman . . . | ||||||||||||||||
| Written by: Mary Stewart-David Music by: Clive Chang Directed by: Mary Stewart-David Presented by: FACADE Cast: Length: 1hr 25 mins
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| The Ghost Dancers (drama, magic realism, historical fiction) South Dakota, 1890 / South Dakota, 1973. What happens when progress engages the past and forces the Lakota Sioux to redefine borders and cross bloodlines? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Adam Hunault Directed by: Nadine Friedman Presented by: tone Soup Theatre Arts Cast: Alton Alburo, Mala Bhattacharya, Jennifer Boehm, Seiko Carter, Don Castro, Justin Dilley, Alejandro Garcia, DR Mann Hanson, Al Patrick Jo, Sam Joseph, Teresa Jusino, Marsha Martinez, Galway McCullough, Maysie Mills, Maria Schirmer Length: 1hr 30mins
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| My Life as a Bald Soprano (musical) A changing reflection threatens a young girl's identity sending her into a surreal world with sinking hair follicles, talking wigs, and a ruthless fashion designer who will stop at nothing to make Margaret her guinea pig. How does a bald girl find her place in a society obsessed with hair and the beauty norm? Will Margaret be able to cope with the pressure? Or will she succumb to a life "in the closet"? | ||||||||||
| Book & Lyrics by: Margaret H. Baker Music by: Clint J. Borzoni Directed by: Presented by: Cast: Margaret H. Baker, Gina Bonati, Alika Hope, Sabina Maschi, Kyle Minshew, Okema T. Moore & Jane Pejtersen Length: 1hr 15 mins
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| Prince Trevor Amongst the Elephants (comedy/gay) When good King Kartoffelpuffen gives up his kingdom to his oldest son Tater and marries off his other children for peace (and for political gain), Prince Trevor, his youngest son, trades places with his manservant Grumbelino in order to escape his fate and find his true love: Toby, the stable boy. Meanwhile, will Princess Lana find love with King Soigne of the Blind Sybarites, or will she continue pining for Geoffrey, her lost love? Will Grumbelino make friends with his new wife Queen Bluebella of Chryselephantinople and her harem of eunuchs, or will he foolishly poke his nose into the Forbidden Ballroom? Can anyone keep King Tater from starting a new war and destroying all their Kingdoms? Are the rumored Elephants of Style more than just a fable? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Duncan Pflaster Directed by: Duncan Pflaster Presented by: Cross-Eyed Bear Productions Cast: Eric C. Bailey, Chris C. Cariker, Patricia Comstock, Jon Crefeld, Keith Patrick Dunn, Carlos Rafael Fernandez, Paula Galloway, Clara Barton Green, Jason Alan Griffin, Kelly Nichols, Luke Strandquist, Jess Cassidy White Length: 1hr 30mins
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| Writer's Block (comedy) Daniel has been infected with writer's block and can't deliver a follow-up to his smash hit play. After a few failed attempts to find the antidote, Daniel discovers the cure for his malady in an unexpected place. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Shaun Gunning Directed by: Michael Kimmel Produced by: 81st Street Productions Cast: Kate Dulcich, Lauren Gleason, Kevin Gunning, Shaun Gunning, Alan Jestice, Josh Lacasse, Jack Marshall, Steve Orlikowski, Sara White Length: 1hr 30mins
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Barrow Group Theatre
Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex
3rd Floor
312 West 36th Street
(between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY
| Exit Cuckoo (solo show) a one-woman show that explodes the myth of motherhood. How is a busy parent expected to produce offspring, rear young, build her nest, and still find time to forage for food and a decent living? In nature, the cuckoo bird solves this problem by leaving its egg in another bird's nest and the host bird then assumes responsibility for the unborn hatchling. Answers for the modern, diverse and driven women of New York City are more difficult to uncover�In the jungle of Manhattan, Ramirez takes us into the homes of, and sits us on park benches with nannies, mothers, and the children they both leave and care for. | |||||||||||||||||
| Written by: Lisa Ramirez Directed by: May Adrales Presented by: Lotus Productions Cast: Lisa Ramirez Length: 1hr 15mins
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| Love, Incorporated (musical comedy) Faith Stillman is an average NYC businesswoman. Smart, sweet�and seriously single. So, she did what aany ordinary gal would do: create a business plan and incorporate. Phase 1: "Research & Development." Rent a Midtown office. Hire assistants. Phase 2: "Determine strategic initiatives." Generate a dossier on Dream Man. Dye hair blonde & buy heels. Phase 3: "Dinner Date." Finesse the buyer. Sing a musical number. To close the deal on Love, Faith can't leave anything to chance. | ||||||||||||||||
| Book, music and lyrics by: Marc Castle Directed by: Igor Goldin Presented by: Tzipora Kaplan in association with Katherine Heberling Cast: Jennifer Blood, Jonathan Rayson, Hollis Scarborough, Tally Sessions Length: 2hrs
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| OPA! (Musical/comedy) The tiny Greek island of Elia has been left off the national map since�forever. Costa, the newly electted mayor, tries to reinvigorate the dispassionate villagers by announcing his recent discovery of the island on a globe. When a cruise ship is spotted from a distance heading straight for the island, the villagers band together in a desperate attempt to gain recognition from the outside world, and from each other. | ||||||||||||||||
| Book by: Mari Carras & Laurel Ollstein Lyrics by: Mari Carras & Nick Kitsopoulos Music by: Nicholas Carras & Nick Kitsopoulos Directed by: Spiro Veloudos Choreography by: Wendy Waring Presented by: Double Play Connections, LLC and Wild Bird Productions, Inc. Cast: Demetri Bonaros, Michael Dionissiou, Carolee Goodgold, Abigail Hardin, Jan Leslie Harding, Michael Alan Jacobs, Costa Nicholas, Eric Ruben, Natasha Tabandera Length: 2hrs
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Stage Left Studio
5th Floor
348 West 37th Street
(between 9th & 10th Avenues)
New York, NY
| Entwine (drama) After years of knowing nothing other then their relationship, Annie and Sam appear relieved to finally be free of each other, able to explore their own individuality. However, after Sam flies across the country to rekindle their once burning flame or to finally extinguish it, they expose their raw internal struggles between who they are and who they are trying to be. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Sean Michael Rice Directed by: Eileen Trilli Produced by: Husky Dog Productions Cast: Annie Keating and Jeff Todesco Length: 1hr 15 mins
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| How I Found an Affordable Apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan Without Really Trying (solo show) Affordable apartments in Manhattan, romance in an elevator & a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Theatre Critic, Charles Gross, Host of TV's 'Two On The Aisle', steps to the other side of the footlight in this Spalding Grey-meets-Jerry Seinfeld take on life in the big city. | |||||||
| Written by: Charles Gross Directed by: Produced by: Cast: Charles Gross Length: 1hr 25mins
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| Mother May I? (solo show/comedy/drama) The story of a devoted Mormon mother and her adoring little namesake, Joy. They criss-cross the country with the help of their best friend Jesus. From food stamps to swindling, He's got all the answers. But when Joy gets a mission of her own all hell breaks loose. Will she choose Mom? Jesus? Or get sent to outer darkness? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Joy Gabriel Directed by: Produced by: Joey Productions Cast: Joy Gabriel Length: 1hr
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| A Perfect Specimen of Femininity (solo show/comedy/drama) Lisa and her girlfriends decide that they are sick of boys their age. But where can they meet real men? The answer is Unproductive-the hottest nightspot in Queens. Will they be able to sneak out of their houses? How will they get in? Will they find the men of their dreams? Will Lisa's father follow her? | |||||||
| Written by: Lisa Dominique Directed by: Matt Hoverman Produced by: Cast: Lisa Dominique Length: 1hr
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| Sacred is the New Profane (solo show/comedy) The spawn of a sex-educator mother and a Reverend-father, we follow Cheryl on her journey from drama queen to dharma queen. Desperate to replace life's moaning with meaning, she quits anti-depressants after 13 years, falls in love and realizes she reflects the Divine. A shaman, channelers and an epiphany while teaching inner city kids help her to accept her sacred nature, and her humanity, too. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Cheryl Harnest Directed by: Jeremy Bloom Produced by: Cast: Cheryl Harnest Length: 55 mins
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Where Eagles Dare Theatre
Ground Floor
347 West 36th Street
(between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10018
| A Shot in the Dark (comedy/revival) What's a French maid to do when she's found naked and unconscious next to the body of her dead lover - with a gun in her hand? Sex, murder, and true love get cross-examined in a courtroom of comedy | |||||||
| Written by: by Marcel Achard (L'Idiote) Adapted by: Harry Kurnitz Directed by: Produced by: Wildcat Theatricals, by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. Length: 1hr 30mins
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| As You Like It - The Big Flush (comedy/experimental) This adaptation highlights the two characters called Jaques/Jakes, and the character whose pocket watch identifies him as Sir John Harrington, the inventor of the flush toilet! What are these characters, a dunghill, and many references to excrement doing in this play? | |||||||
| Written by: Amelia Bassano Lanier Directed by: Stephen Wisker Produced by: John Hudson Cast: Kirsta Peterson, Kate Murray, Emily Moment, Donna Lazar, Ashley Diane Curie, Lindsay Tanner, Alexandra Cohen-Spiegler, Jen Browne, Sarah Jadin, Daniela Dakic Length: 1hr 30mins
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| By The Light of the Silvery Moon (The Yellow Wallpaper) (drama/comedy) A woman describes a mysterious "condition" she may or may not be suffering from. Stripped of any creative outlet, she develops a bizarre relationship with the hideous wallpaper in her bedroom. Crawling vines, bulbous eyes, severed heads and creeping figures abound. Based on the semi-autobiographical short story 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman | ||||||||||
| Written by: Sara Jeanne Asselin Directed by: Melissa Firlit Presented by: Fine Feathered Friends Length: 50 Mins
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| Daguerreotypes (comedy/drama) What do the following individuals have in common: a photographer who takes photographs of recently deceased babies to provide a visual record for the grieving parents; a fading actress who has lost just about everything due to her long relationship with the bottle; her daughter who's getting over an emotionally devastating affair with her married professor; a young man who was once ready to do himself and many others great bodily harm; a confused pregnant woman and a restless spirit that can't quite cross over to the other side? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Elisa Abatsis Directed by: Karen Raphaeli Presented by: Shoes for Royalty Productions Cast: Length: 1hr 30mins
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| The Director's Reality (four one-acts): Four directors sat around one night discussing the power of the theatre. The discussion quickly boiled down to one word � reality. In that bllurred line between fact and fiction, theatre can change the course of lives, can skew ideas and beliefs. The line fascinates, seduces, and ultimately beckons us to play with it. These directors decided to take on that challenge and create something that redefines the definition of fact and fiction. | ||||||||||
| Mug Act 1 Two men sit on a city park bench. One of them pulls a gun. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Matthew Jellison Directed by: Aaron Gonzalez Produced by: Cast: Billy Magnussen and Hardhi Harris | ||||||||||
| The Claw of the Schwa Act 2 If you're not careful, you could get hooked on diction� | ||||||||||
| Written by: Zach Udko Directed by: Michael Schwartz Produced by: Cast: Lija Fisher, Ari Brand and Maggie Surovell | ||||||||||
| Shuffle Act 3 What would you do if you died and found yourself playing poker with your undead friends? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Erica Schreiber Directed by: Jessica McVea Produced by: Cast: Amy Dannemueller, Kristin Woodburn, Matthew Bondy, Sherin Parikh | ||||||||||
| Mondays at Eight Act 4 One man. One crazy woman. And an umbrella. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Linda Guiliano Directed by: Laura Credidio Produced by: Cast: Julie Cotton and Jeff Stevens
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| FlagBoy (solo show/gay) Cornelius Jones' solo performance tells the autobiographical story of his childhood and teenage years as a fiery and curious young African-American boy, exploring the stepping stone of his burgeoning, and sometimes frightening, sexuality as he maneuvers through the urban worlds of Richmond, Washington DC, Philadelphia, and a major health crisis that can end everything he worked so hard for in his life. | |||||||
| Written by: Cornelius Jones Jr. Directed by Joshua Ian Presented by: Cast: Cornelius Jones Jr. Length: 1hr
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| Jump Jim Crow (drama) Tom Rice, a white performer in black face, and his black, life-long friend and collaborator, Jack Washington. Tom performs what Jack writes and Jack is perfectly content until he learns that their act, Jump Jim Crow, has led to the hanging of a black child in Georgia. Jack tries to convince Tom of the harm they both might be doing, but Tom intends to pursue his career, and with it his rise in popularity and fame, rejecting any connection between the act and the hanging. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Henry Meyerson Directed by: Tom Thornton Produced by: Cast: Lawrence Floyd, Michael Gnat, Tom Thornton Length: 1hr 15mins
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| Interning (comedy/satire) Four interns are hired at a prestigious event planning firm in New York. There may or may not be a reality TV show involved. Only one will be America's Next Top Event Planner. The others will be eliminated. Or, everyone will return to their desks and resume checking their e-mail. Poo cupcakes will fly, hair weaves will be ripped out, and celebrity events will be planned. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Nadia Owusu Directed by: Rye Mullis Produced by: Where's My Waitress Productions Cast: Jenna Pace, Nadia Owusu, Kristen Howard, Anderson Lim, Ryan Andes, Michael Galyon Length: 1hr
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| Quake (dramedy) Lucy is on a cross-country mission, looking for the love of her life. Her journey takes her across the American landscape, through hilarious and eccentric relationships in which time and emotion pass in a warped instant. When her quest becomes intertwined with that of a quirky female serial killer - an astrophysicist gone bad - the landscape changes once again, as they cross state lines and fault lines, exploring the geography of the human heart. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Melanie Marnich Directed by: Miguel Rosales Produced by: On the Square Productions Cast: Eric Fleming, Adam Gutbezahl, Jackie LaVanway, Michael Lutton, Rachel McPhee, and Kristy Powers Length:
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| Striptease Into The Trip to Bahia Blanca (drama) Two short pieces by Argentinean playwright Griselda Gambaro about solitude, love and life seen through the eyes of a sensitive woman who is, at the same time, being seen by the eye of the unconscious. A combination of film and live theater will get the audience involved in the big complexity of existence. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Griselda Gambaro Directed by: Oscar A. Mendoza Produced by: The Drop Theater Cast: Sarah Doudna, Barbara Mundy, Pasquale Failla, Paul Daily Length: 1hr 5mins
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| Zen and The Art of Doing Nothing (comedy/drama) It's opening night for Terence's new avant-garde show when the shattering truth of the meaning of Zen finally pierces him. What is the meaning of life? Why am I an actor? Why is my dad here? Will I wait tables when I'm fifty? How bad is that? Do I have to go onstage? Maybe I should have gone to law school� | ||||||||||
| Written by: Mike Wallach Directed by: Mike Wallach Produced by: Up to Nothing Productions Cast: Allen Warnock, Brad Russell, Daniel Zen, Bethany Sacks, Susana Kraglievich, Kam Metcalf and Charles Roby Length: 1hr
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Where Eagles Dare Studio Theatre
13th Floor
347 West 36th Street
(between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY
| Dreamless: a comedy about the "tragedies" of motherhood (comedy/drama) Dreamless reveals what all mothers find out, but few tell their daughters. Long after mothers have been "liberated," Cheryl Smallman sits at the playground, skewering traditional female roles with dark and comic stories about her ambition, her fellow mothers and their struggles to live up to an impossible ideal. We see what it's like when the drive for perfection lands her on "the other side of the click" - the door of the locked ward in the mental hospital. Cheryl shares adventures with her fellow patients, and shows us how, in a mere week's time, she realizes that personhood must precede motherhood. | ||||
| Written by: Cheryl Smallman Directed by: Cheryl King Produced by: Cast: Cheryl Smallman Length: 1hr
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| The F Trip (solo show) Fraud Forgiveness Falling Father Faith Facts Freak: what do you choose to believe? Unbelievably autobiographical, The F Trip give the audience a front-row seat for 3 life-changing journeys showing what liars, inquisitive children, and big holy rocks can teach. | |||||||
| Written by: Kim Schultz Directed by: Avriel Hillman Produced by: Lemonade Productions Cast: Kim Schultz Length: 1hr 30mins
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WorkShop Theater
MainStage
4th Floor
312 West 36th Street
(between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10018
| Bubby's Shadow (A ghostly dramedy, world premiere): Bubby's Shadow is the story of a dysfunctional, estranged family reunited - for better or worse - by their grandmother�who just happens to be dead. How far will a grandma go to save her troubled family? For Bubby, not even death will stand in her way. | |||||||||||
| Written by: Andrew Rothkin Directed by: Ramona Pula Presented by: White Rabbit Theatre and Mo Pula Productions Cast: Yury Lomakin, Natasha Malinsky, Eric Percival, Caroline Samaan, Stewart Schneck, Randi Sobol, and 12-year-old Noura Jost Length: 1hr 25mins
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| childhood Montana (Drama): Wayne Miller, owner and supervisor of a slaughterhouse, waits in his Montana ranch with his socially stunted son, Owen, for his attorney to arrive with the finalized paperwork of a legal settlement. Wayne is instead visited by legal secretary, Courtney Updike. Since Courtney looks exactly like Wayne's wife who recently passed away, she discovers she has a haunting effect on Wayne that causes him to spin off into his memories of his wife. In attempting to retrieve Wayne's signature for the settlement, Courtney befriends Wayne's son Owen and brother-in-law Bill Mason, and learns the truth behind the mysteries of the slaughterhouse. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Mira Gibson Directed by: Mira Gibson Presented by: Cast: Amber Bogdewiecz, Jill Leithauser, Jamie Watson, and David Ballog Length: 1hr 10mins
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| The Higher Education of Khalid Amir (comedy/gay): When the Mad Burka Army burkas the statue of Liberty, suspicion falls on mild-mannered musical-theater-loving professor Khalid Amir. The gay, cross-dressing Middle East studies professor is pursued by the dumbest FBI agent in history, with a cameo by President Bush! Will his friends defend him when he's accused of terrorism? Can Khalid discover his own courage to "fight the power"? | ||||||||||
| Written by: Monica Bauer Directed by: Craig J. George Presented by: Good Works Productions and Howling Moon Cab Company Cast: Joan Barber, Amir Darvish, Amanda Duarte, Alexander Elisa, John Fico, Tyler Hollinger, and Norm Golden Length:
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| Hillary and Monica: The Winter of Her Discontent (dramedy): What would have happened if the former First Lady and the Infamous Intern had a chance meeting before the scandal broke? Takes a look at the evolution of the role of First Lady, as well as the age-old problem of infidelity which affects first ladies from all walks of life. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Yvette Heyliger Directed by: Yvette Heyliger Presented by: Twinbiz Cast: Heidi Dallin, Jacqueline Kristel, Vanessa Shaw, and Jeff Pierce Length:
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| Intimate Exchanges (Comedy): Trapped in a sterile marriage, Celia seeks solace elsewhere, but her desire to escape from the humdrum is not as straightforward or rewarding as she hopes. The testosterone-charged, odd-job man Lionel seems a highly attractive proposition for the love-starved Celia, but her antics threaten to increase the stress levels of her suspicious husband Toby, whilst Lionel's long-suffering partner Sylvie is reaching the end of her tether. | |||||||||||
| Written by: Alan Ayckbourn Directed by: Ann Garner Presented by: Next Stage Theatre Company Cast: Kay Francksen and Andrew Ellison Length: 1hr 30mins
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| Penang (drama): The Mekong Delta, Viet Nam, Fall 1968: moments before boarding a chopper for home, Navy Lieutenant Timothy Riordan, a man with seemingly everything to live for, inexplicably slashes his wrists, leaving his Executive Officer to find him in a pool of blood. Months later, in a San Diego Naval Hospital, as a doctor tries to forge a fragile connection with the young officer, flashbacks reveal the sudden death back home in California of Riordan's best friend, the senseless death of his closest Navy buddy in a horrible accident on the flight deck and Riordan's intense relationship with another young officer, Army Reserve Captain G. Richard "Luke" DeLuca after the two meet on R&R in Penang, Malaysia. | ||||||||||
| Written by: James L. Larocca Directed by: Donya K. Washington Presented by: Cast: Brett Davidson*, Ben Hersey*, Ingrid Kullberg-Bendz, Gloria Lai, Leigh Walker Montanye*, Dave Powers, Peter Sabri Length:
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| Scandal in Manhattan (comedy/farce/gay): All hell, lust, and love break loose when a handsome gentlemen and an impatient Southern belle, accused of killing her father with roach poison, cross paths with a flamboyant front-desk supervisor and his not-so-bright sexy assistant at a midtown Manhattan hotel. | |||||||
| Written by: Bobby Holder Directed by: Bobby Holder Produced by: The Actor's Project NYC Cast: Joe Iozzi, Elizabeth Phillipp, Kelly Kemp, Tina Xenos, Michael Nastu, Brittany Bell Spencer, Evan Dahme, Ed Malone, Mimi Rodriguez, Rose Costanzo, Rebecca Kudryavsky, and Robert King. Length: 1hr 30mins
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| The Wendy Complex (drama/love stories): A skydiver prepares to break world records by free-falling from just within the ozone layer. Time: the hours prior to his harrowing leap. Gathered: the press, supporters, dignitaries and his wife, Wendy. With their eyes on the huge purple sky, they brace themselves like Wendy Darling did before jumping from the window in Peter Pan. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Jeremy Bloom Directed by: Jeremy Bloom Produced by: The Vagabond Theatre Ensemble/Sarah Ann Masse Cast: Meredith Forlenza, Sarah Billington Stevens, Sarah Ann Masse, Mycah Hogan, Atley Loughridge, Dillon Porter Length: 1hr 20mins
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| They Walk Among Us (drama/dance/video/gay): follows three young adults who have died and become guardian spirits for the living, as they descend from Heaven to the streets of New York to help a young man who is struggling with his homosexuality. | |||||||
| Written by: Nicholas O'Neill Directed by: Merete Muenter Choreographer by: Merete Muenter Produced by: Rene Bionat and My Own Delirium Length: 1hr 30mins
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| Those Whistling Lads: The Poetry and Short Stories of Dorothy Parker (Comedy): brings 5 light-hearted, romantic stories and 5 bitingly satirical poems of Dorothy Parker to life, while drawing you into the dark side of Mrs. Parker's world and the loves and friendships that inspired her writing. | ||||||||||
| Adapted for the Stage by: Maureen Van Trease Directed by: Bricken Sparacino Produced by: TimeSpace Theatre Company Cast: Maureen Van Trease, Ethan Angelica, Hannah Wolfe, Justin Herfel, Annalyse McCoy, Glenn B. Stoops and Natalie Wilder. Length: 1hr 30mins
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| Yom Kippur (drama): Israel, October 6, 1973. Husband and wife Ephraim and Miriam and best friends Yitz and the very pregnant Yael (also married) are preparing to observe the Yom Kippur holiday. Americans all, the four have long since emigrated to Israel. But despite their seeming happiness, there is a lot of tension present. Ephraim has never gotten over his feelings for Yael, who Yitz stole from him long ago; a fact of which Miriam is all too aware. Yitz is also angry with Ephraim for not enlisting in the Israeli army as he himself has done, calling him a coward. These issues come even more quickly into focus as an air raid siren announces the beginning of war with Egypt and Syria. | ||||||||||
| Written by: Meri Wallace Directed by: Halina Ujda Produced by: Howling Moon Cab Company Cast: Leah Vanessa Bachar, Orion Delwaterman, Shane Jerome, Annalisa Loeffler, Aylam Orion, Daniella Rabbani, Arela Rivas, Gayle Robbins, Evan Sokal Length: 1hr 30mins
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MITF Staged Reading Series
All readings are free and open to the public:
All readings are at the:
June Havoc Theatre
Abingdon Arts Complex
1st Floor
312 West 36th Street
New York, NY 10018
| Alice (musical/comedy/insanity): On a seemingly typical late-running workday for Alice, she finds herself in Wonderland by way of her subway commute. As the characters try to teach her the rules of the game as well as a litany of morals, Alice lets it be known that she has her own dreams. All seems to work well for her, including a dreamy knight that pursues her by order of the Red Queen. But the citizens of Wonderland have been on to her since she arrived - no move unnoticed. Alice is being set up for the trial of her life, but if she can win the game, she'll win the crown, the knight, and her own head. May the best queen win! | ||||
| Music & Lyrics by: William Wade Book by: Frank Blocker Directed by: Presented by: E-Merging Writers Cast: J.L. Acosta, Heather Koren, Michael Alan Jacobs, Tyrick Wiltez Jones, Stefani Maulice Miller, Robbie Neigeborn, Richard J Portela, Krista Severeid, Michael Yeshion Length: 1hr 50mins
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| Don't Cry Butterfly: Puccini's Unwritten Opera (musical): | ||||
| Written by: Directed by: Presented by: Cast: Length: 2hrs
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| Fuel (absurd comedy): President Bush is called from his ranch in Crawford, Texas to an emergency energy summit with OPEC officials at a secret location in Texas. The President is hopeful for a resolution to America's current energy crisis. He needs some good news - and fast. Just when it looks like George can use his clever negotiating skills to sail to victory, the proverbial rug is pulled out from under him. | ||||
| Written by: Joseph Beck Directed by: Presented by: Cast: Length: 1hr 30mins
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| Gentleman's Wish (drama) United States Senator Hanford Drake and his staff have returned to his family's estate to work on damage control because of a scandal. After telling his wife, Sarah, that he wants a divorce, she discovers that he has been having a twenty-year affair with his best friend, Lake. | ||||
| Written by: Lawson Caldwell Directed by: Lawson Caldwell Presented by: Cast: Kim Chapman, Billie Colombaro, Einar Gunn, Neil Holland, Tyler Hollinger*, Deidre Lynn*, Matthew Porter, Scott Wagner & Susan E. Wilson Length: 2hrs
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| Moishe and Mohammed (drama) It is the year 2003. Moishe is an Israeli Jew, Mohammed a Palestinian Arab. In a free-wheeling, no-holds-barred discussion, sparks fly as both men hurl charges and countercharges at each other, each blaming the other side for causing the Arab-Israeli conflict. Although both men offer frank and compelling arguments, neither is willing to make concessions. Can their political differences ever be resolved? Can the chasm that separates them ever be bridged? Or is their debate a mere smoke-screen that conceals deeper, more painful and profoundly more troubling personal resentments that form a web of mutual hate? | ||||
| Written by: Phillip W. Weiss Directed by: Phillip W. Weiss Produced by: Phil's Literary Works Cast: Isaac Scranton, Tobi Kanter, Phillip W. Weiss Length:
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| The Raggedy Ann & Andy Musical (musical comedy/family audiences) A story of friendship and self -discovery, this musical raises the issue of childhood obesity and how it affects our children. | ||||
| Music & Lyrics by: Joe Raposo Book by: Jenny Greeman and Elliot Lanes Directed by: Jenny Greeman and Elliot Lanes Presented by: Cast: Richard Kent Green, Johnnie Mae, Ben Rauch, Mary Sheridan, Jesse R. Tendler Length: 1hr
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| Stumbling Down the Aisle on Doomsday (black comedy) The end of the world is beginning - with trailer parks and senior communities of West Central Florida becoming the vanguard of survival. Originally, these people were stranded here when they didn't have bus fare to Key West. Nobody has history with anybody. So when they begin to lose everything, a drug-addicted lesbian nurse, a 90-year-old bride and a son that nobody quite remembers take a number and get in line to march down the aisle - while vying for each other's ATM codes, life insurance policies and refillable prescriptions. But does anybody mind when the world has no future? And why is it starting to snow? | ||||
| Written by: David Patrick Stearns Directed by: Presented by: Cast: Length: 1hr 30mins
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