| Spring Class Registration NOW OPEN! Register HERE |
| Each year, Speranza Studio offers a wide array of theatre classes for all ages. Our education program is designed to be inclusive of all students — no matter their age, ability or background. Scholarships are also available. Classes begin the week of April 16th Located at The Brunswick Center 189 Brunswick St., Jersey City, NJ 10% sibling discount (automatically applied) Register before April 1st for $25 OFF CODE = spring 2023 |
| Casting Announced for Roger Q. Mason’s THE PINK with Breaking the Binary Theatre in association with Primary Stages Casting has been announced for the developmental reading of THE PINK by acclaimed Black Filipinx playwright and Kilroys List honoree Roger Q. Mason,presented by Breaking the Binary Theatre in association with Primary Stages as part of the Creative Access Grant Reading Series with Primary Stages. The reading will take place on Monday, April 3 at 7pm at 59E59 Theaters (59 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022). The event is FREE and open to the public. For more information and to reserve your seat please visit https://primarystages.org/explore/creative-access-grants/readings. THE PINK: An Intimacy Ritual is a hook up performed in real time between two queer people of color seeking true intimacy in the age of dating apps and digital sex. As these two humans, Mel and Herman, grasp for “the real” in the bedroom, their conversations, silences, and moments of touch blur the lines between affection, sex, and euphoric romance. The cast will feature Dominic Colón (The War I Know) as Herman and Roger Q. Mason (Lavender Men) as Mel. The reading will be directed by é boylan with dramaturgy by Gaven Trinidad. “Dominic is a dynamite performer and writer who champions the joy of queerness on and off the page like no other,” said playwright Roger Q. Mason. “I’m excited to share our collaboration with New York. It is going to be hot hot hot!” THE PINK is a commission from the inaugural Primary Stages Creative Access Grant, dedicated to amplifying the work of underrepresented communities and artists. Playwright Roger Q. Mason was nominated by one of their long-time advocates, National Queer Theater. Roger Q. Mason (Playwright/Mel) (they/them) is a writer and performer who uses the lens of history to disrupt the biases that divide rather than unite us. Their playwriting has been seen on Broadway (Circle in the Square Reading Series); Off and Off-Off-Broadway; and regionally. Mason’s world premiere of Lavender Men was lauded by the Los Angeles Times as “evoking the mingled visions of Suzan-Lori Parks, Jeremy O. Harris and Michael R. Jackson.” As a filmmaker, Mason has been recognized by the British Film Institute, Lonely Wolf International Film Festival, SCAD Film Festival, AT&T Film Award, and Atlanta International Film Festival. Their films have screened in the US, UK, Poland, Brazil, and Asia. Mason holds degrees from Princeton University, Middlebury College, and Northwestern University. They are a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Page 73’s Interstate 73 Writers Group, and Primary Stages Writing Cohort; the co-host of Sister Roger’s Gayborhood podcast; the host of This Way Out Radio’s Queerly Yours: Portraits in Courage; and lead mentor of the Shay Foundation Fellowship and the New Visions Fellowship. Instagram: @rogerq.mason é boylan (Director) (they/them) is a NYC-based director, creator, and composer developing new work towards trans liberation. é has collaborated in spaces like LCT3/Lincoln Center, Roundabout Theater Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, BAM, the O’Neill, Joe’s Pub, Birdland, Studio Theatre, and elsewhere. In 2022, é received an honorable mention for the Relentless Award and was a finalist for the Jonathan Larson Grant. A graduate of The University of Chicago and NTI, they have served as 2019 Trans Lab Fellow, 2019-20 MTC Directing Fellow, 2021 JMF Songwriter, Member of 2020-22 Roundabout Theatre Company Directors Group, New Writer in Residence at Lincoln Center Theater, and currently serves as a member of Musical Theatre Factory’s Makers Cohort II. www.eboylan.com Dominic Colón (Herman) (they/them) is a Puerto Rican actor, writer, and director from the Bronx. For over 20 years, Dominic taught acting and playwriting at various NYC high schools, hospitals, juvenile detention facilities, and Rikers Island. As an actor, Dominic has appeared in over 60 television shows and movies, including POWER, BULL, MR. ROBOT, LAW & ORDER: SVU, and ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA. As a writer, Dominic’s play THE WAR I KNOW has been workshopped at The Atlantic Theater Company and has been developed by The Sol Project and The Latinx Playwrights Circle. THE WAR I KNOW is the first in a trilogy of plays exploring the impact of HIV on the Latinx community in the Bronx from the late 80s through the Covid-19 pandemic, and was the inaugural recipient of the WRITE-IT-OUT Prize, a prize given to a playwright living with HIV, created by playwright Donja R. Love. Dominic’s short play PROSPECT AVENUE or THE MISEDUCATION OF JUNI RODRIGUEZ was staged at the 38th Annual Marathon of One-Act plays at Ensemble Studio Theater after originally premiering as part of the MTA Radio Plays at Rattlestick Theater. Most recently, Dominic wrote the episode OUR LADY OF THE SIX TRAIN for the new Queer Latinx scripted podcast anthology, LOVE IN GRAVITY. His television pilot PAPI made THE BLACKLIST’s inaugural LATINX TV LIST, a curated list of the ten most promising pilots created by Latinx Writers. As one of the top three finalists, Dominic received a blind pilot deal at HULU. Dominic is a writer on the upcoming Netflix series PINK MARINE, produced by television icon, Norman Lear. Gaven D. Trinidad (Dramaturg) (they/he/siya) is a first generation Filipinx American theatremaker and educator from NYC. Their artistic work examines the intersections of race, language, immigration, queerness, ritual, community, and futurity. They taught undergraduate courses on the work of contemporary BIPOC playwrights at the University of Massachusetts Amherst under the mentorship of Dr. Priscilla Page. They’ve had the privilege to collaborate with folx in various artistic and administrative positions at places such as The Juilliard Drama Division, Musical Theatre Factory, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Roundabout Theatre Company, 2nd Stage, and National Queer Theater. Selected dramaturgy credits: Waiting for a Wake (Page 73), The Pink (Primary Stages), PreP Play, or Blue Parachute (National Queer Theater, NCTC), June is the First Fall (Yantze Repertory Theater), Collidescope 2.0 (Ping Chong + Company), Patience (2nd Stage). Selected directing credits: Joker (National Queer Theater), Are You There Truman? (Pride Plays, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, The Parsnip Ship, Leviathan Lab), Sa Aming Puso (Global Forms Theatre Festival, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, New York Theatre Salon). Playwriting Groups/Fellowships: Orchard Project Greenhouse Lab, The Shelter NYC, Playground NYC, Ma-Yi Labbie, The Parsnip Ship Play Club. BA American Studies, Dickinson College; MFA Dramaturgy, UMass Amherst. Proud former public-school teacher in Memphis, TN with Teach for America. Theatre Communications Group named them a 2021 Rising Leader of Color. As someone living with bipolar disorder, they are an advocate for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention. www.gaventrinidadtheatre.com Primary Stages and Einhorn School of Performing Arts Creative Access Grants are a new initiative providing financial, educational, artistic, and community support to playwrights nominated by four culturally specific NYC-based theater companies, providing support to historically underrepresented communities and amplifying the artists and work of these vital arts organizations. The four 2021/22 Creative Access Grantees each received a stipend and two free classes at Primary Stages ESPA during our Fall and Spring semesters, giving these playwrights resources for their creative and professional development, and expanding their network of connections through support from the Primary Stages ESPA community of fellow artists. As a member of the Primary Stages family, playwrights have access to free tickets for all Primary Stages productions, talkbacks, and artistic events. Playwrights are also invited to participate in roundtable discussions about their creative process and their experience in the theater industry. The Creative Access Grant program culminates in public presentations of the artists’ works in collaboration with the nominating theater company, celebrating this artistry through our joined communities. Primary Stages hopes for this Grant program to further expand their community of artists and collaborating theaters, developing long-lasting partnerships to ensure that playwrights’ voices are supported and amplified. Primary Stages is collaborating with Latinx Playwrights Circle, National Black Theatre, National Queer Theater, and Pan Asian Repertory Theatre on the Creative Access Grants. The inaugural Creative Access Grant recipients are Tyler Dobies, Roger Q. Mason, Derek Lee McPhatter, and Justin Santory. The Creative Access Grants program is made possible, in part, through the generous support of The Ellen M. Violett and Mary P.R. Thomas Foundation. Primary Stages is an Off-Broadway not-for-profit theater company dedicated to inspiring, supporting, producing and sharing the art of playwriting. We operate on the strongly held belief that the future of American theater relies on nurturing playwrights and giving them the artistic support needed to create new work. Since our founding in 1984, we have produced more than 135 new plays, including Theresa Rebeck’s Poor Behavior and Downstairs, Kate Hamill’s Pride and Prejudice and Little Women, Billy Porter’s While I Yet Live; Charles Busch’s The Tribute Artist and Olive and the Bitter Herbs; Sharon Washington’s Feeding the Dragon, Leah Nanako Winkler’s God Said This, In Transit by James-Allen-Ford, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Russ Kaplan, and Sara Wordsworth (on Broadway in 2017); Horton Foote’s The Roads to Home, The Day Emily Married, Harrison, TX, and Dividing the Estate (two Tony nominations); Donald Margulies’ The Model Apartment (1995 premiere and 2013 revival); David Ives’ Lives of the Saints and All in the Timing (original 1993 production and 2013 revival); Deborah Zoe Laufer’s Informed Consent; Ike Holter’s Exit Strategy; Tanya Saracho’s Fade; Michael McKeever’s Daniel’s Husband, A.R. Gurney’s Black Tie; Terrence McNally’s Dedication or the Stuff of Dreams and The Stendhal Syndrome; Danai Gurira and Nikkole Salter’s In the Continuum (which went on to tour the U.S., Africa, and Scotland); and Conor McPherson’s St. Nicholas (which marked the playwright’s U.S. debut). Our productions and artists have received critical acclaim, including Tony, Obie, Lortel, AUDELCO, Outer Critics’ Circle, Drama League, and Drama Desk awards and nominations. Primary Stages supports playwrights and develops new works through commissions, workshops, readings, and our education and training programs: The Dorothy Strelsin New American Writers Group, the Marvin and Anne Einhorn School of Performing Arts (ESPA), the Fordham/Primary Stages MFA in Playwriting, and the Primary Stages Off-Broadway Oral History Project. Through these programs, Primary Stages advocates for our artists, helping them make important—and often transformative— connections within the theater community. For more information, visit www.primarystages.org. Breaking the Binary Theatre is a new work development and community building hub wherein transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2S+) artists come together to reclaim our artistic license and liberty on our own terms in spaces built by and for us. Breaking the Binary Theatre hosts a number of programs and initiatives, including our flagship artistic event each October: the all-TNB2S+ Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival. @BreakingTheBinaryTheatre on Instagram. www.btb-nyc.com |
| Solo Show Written, Directed by and Starring Maggie Lalley at the Soho Playhouse for a Three-Week Run From April 19- May 6, 2023 “Endearingly open and refreshingly funny… Named one of 15 stand out shows in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival”- PopDust “Maggie Lalley is a rare performer. Sex Witch the Musical is marvelously honest, and undeniably side-splitting.” – On Stage Blog Wed, March 15, 2023 – New York, NY – Sex Witch The Musical has announced an upcoming three-week run at the Soho Playhouse in NYC, kicking off on April 19th after wowing audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe fest and in several cities across the U.S. This solo musical comedy from the mind and memory of Maggie Lalley tells the story of the comedian on her demented and hilarious journey through a two-person teen witch sex cult. At the mercy of her then best friend Bethany’s manipulative charm, Maggie was convinced that she and Bethany were teen witches right up until Bethany betrayed her. Using stand up comedy, storytelling, and wacky original music, Lalley manages to turn this honest tale of trauma into a hysterical solo show. Says Lalley: “This completely true story explores my relationship to cult mentality, mind control, folie a deux (a psychological term that means madness between two) sexual abuse, lgbtq exploration, witchcraft, love, mid 2000s popular culture, millennial celebrity culture, and, wait for it… Harry Potter.” Sex Witch The Musical has toured all over the United States and was critically acclaimed in the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She has performed to sold out audiences in New York, Boston, Austin and LA, and was critically acclaimed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. And now Lalley is gearing up for another NYC run at the Soho Playhouse. Tickets Available HERE |
| About Maggie Lalley: Maggie Lalley is a stand up comic, musical comedian and comedy writer, born, raised and living in New York City. She’s performed stand up in countless festivals including the She Makes Me Laugh Festival, She Devil Comedy Festival, and New York Comedy Festival and performs regularly in comedy clubs all over the United States. Maggie also performs True Crime: The Improvised Musical with her musical improv duo every month at the Players Theater in NYC. Her solo comedy show: Sex Witch the Musical has performed to sold out audiences in New York, Boston, Austin and LA, and was critically acclaimed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It’s currently running off Broadway at Soho Playhouse in New York City. |
| Kairos Italy Theater in association with KIT Italia and Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at NYU present In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY 2023 Performance Schedule Announced May 1-16 in All Five Boroughs of NYC and in Boston, Los Angeles, Detroit and San Diego The New York City-based Kairos Italy Theater along with the Italy-based KIT Italia and Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò at NYU will present the 10th anniversary season of the In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY, the festival of Italian theater taking place in all five boroughs of NYC, May 1-16. This year the festival will also return to Boston, while going for the very first time to Los Angeles, Detroit and San Diego. Admission to all shows and events in the festival will be FREE. All shows will be performed in Italian with English subtitles. For more information please visit www.inscenany.com. Each year In Scena! presents a survey of the best Italian theater from Italy, in New York City. The festival features full productions that have already toured in Italy as well as readings of Italian plays in translation, lectures and exchanges between Italian and International artists. The goal is to promote greater awareness of Italian theater and Italian artists among New York theatergoers, and to build a bridge between the artistic scenes in Italy and the US. 2023 In Scena! Performances: Opening Night Presentation of the 2023 artists and of the entire In Scena! Full Program and Award Ceremony of the In Scena Award 2023. Mon May 1 at 7pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) MARIO FRATTI AWARD CEREMONY AND CLOSING NIGHT Reading of the 2023 Mario Fratti Award winner and Award Ceremony. Final greetings and see you in 2024! Tue May 16 at 6pm @ Italian Cultural Institute (686 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021) |
| WE, PUPPETS Story of a life shattered by racism (NOI, PUPAZZI Storia di una vita sconvolta dal razzismo) Written & Performed by Marco De Simone Presented by Associazione Campania Danza The puppeteer Saul makes the inhabitants of his town dream with the fairy tales he invents and stages for them. The advent of the racial laws of ’38 upsets his life and the lives of thousands of people, but his puppets continue to tell his stories to the people who flee and hide with him, offering them the opportunity to distract themselves, be moved, and smile. Despite the unacceptable reality that surrounds them. Tue May 2 at 6pm & Fri May 5 at 10:30am @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) |
| ONLY MOZART IS MISSING (MANCA SOLO MOZART) Based on a true story by Marco Simeoli’s grandfather Written & Directed by Antonio Grosso, Performed by Marco Simeoli Set Design by Alessandro Chiti, Costume Design by Marco Maria Della Vecchia Assistant Director Andrea Vellotti , Photographer Francesco Nannarelli Presented by Altra Scena and Viola Produzioni Marco Simeoli brings to the stage, with words and music, the many stories from his grandfather, founder of the most important, still open, music store in Naples, Italy, Musica Simeoli. Memories of the Belle Époque, the Second World War, the economic boom of the Sixties and the great illusion of the Eighties come alive together with the many famous clients of Musica Simeoli, such as Totò, Roberto Murolo, Renato Carosone, Riccardo Muti, Pino Daniele and Massimo Troisi. Tue May 2 at 8pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) Wed May 3 at 7pm @ Center for Italian Modern Art (421 Broome St 4th floor, New York, NY 10013) Sat May 6 at 6:30pm @ Marygrove Conservancy (8425 W McNichols Rd, Detroit, MI 48221) |
| LUISA Written & Performed by Bruna Braidotti Presented by Compagnia di Arti e Mestieri Luisa is a lonely woman in a bathroom, standing alone on a stool in front of a mirror. She retraces her life and her childhood appears in flashes of memory. The sexual violence by her own father. The ghost of the past in every man she meets. Only the memory of her mother will bring her some relief. Thu May 4 at 6pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) Tue May 9 at 8pm @ Theaterlab (357 W 36th St. 3rd floor, New York, NY 10018) |
| MUBARAK’S NIECE (LA NIPOTE DI MUBARAK) Written by Valentina Diana, Directed by Vinicio Marchioni Performed by Marco Vergani Presented by Anton Egypt: a country quite far for politics and traditions from the Western ones. An ordinary person, “invisible to the world”, who works as a radio speaker becomes friends with Abdul, an Egyptian who prepares and sells kebabs in his shop full of postcards from his country. In the background is the Tahrir Square Revolution. Slowly their friendship and the events following will show many possible versions of each story. Where is the truth? Thu May 4 at 8pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) Tue May 9 at 6pm @ Theaterlab (357 W 36th St. 3rd floor, New York, NY 10018) |
| I AM SO MUCH BETTER LIVE (DAL VIVO SONO MOLTO MEGLIO) Performed by Paola Minaccioni, Music Dj Coco, Directed by Paola Rota Presented by Stefano Francioni Produzione and Teatro Stabile d’Abruzzo TV, cinema, radio and theater icon actress Paola Minaccioni’s characters appeared first on Italian media, offering an insight into our times. Her show is a surreal sequence of those characters that embody doubts, fears and neuroses of today’s world. Paola Minaccioni hides and reveals herself in these characters, guided by the notes of DJ Lady Coco. And yet, describing such a show is truly impossible as she is so much better in person. Fri May 5 at 7pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) Tue May 9 at 6pm @ Italian Cultural Institute Los Angeles (1023 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024) |
| Reading: THE LAND OF SWOLLEN FACES by Paolo Bignami, Mario Fratti Award 2017 Translated by Carlotta Brentan Directed by Beatrice Basso Based on an industrial workplace accident in Italy, The Land of Swollen Faces features one rising voice, alone and essential, that denounces it. A one voice live narration of tragic events portrayed with heart breaking lyricism to highlight a vulnerable underdog’s love for life, in the face of powerful people and their reckless arrogance. The play had its US premiere in May 2022 at The Tank NYC produced by Kairos Italy Theater, the Tank and NYU Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ at NYU. Mon May 8 at 7PM @ Hall of Nations (2191 Pan American W Rd, San Diego, CA 92101) |
| THE GUMMY BEARS’ GREAT WAR (LA GRANDE GUERRA DEGLI ORSETTI GOMMOSI) Written & Directed by Angelo Trofa Performed by Valentina Fadda & Leonardo Tomasi Presented by Batisfera “Theater on a table”, for just 25 audience members per show. The nation of the Gummy Bears starts a war without hope as they attack the neighboring nation of the Dinosaurs. The winner will easily be the Dinosaurs, and the army of the Gummy Bears, and its nation, will be permanently erased. Written in 2018, this show coincidently echoes some of today’s worldwide events. Wed May 10 at 6pm, 7pm & 8pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) |
| LITTLE FUNERALS (PICCOLI FUNERALI) Written by Maurizio Rippa Performed by Maurizio Rippa (voice) and Amedeo Monda (guitar) Presented by 369gradi A dramatic and musical score alternating a small funeral rite with a song dedicated to those who have left. A dedication that is an act of love, a present and a goodbye, an intimate and personal moment, which finds strength in music. Each song brings back a memory. Each funeral is told by those who have left by taking a journey in the life they lived. Little Funerals is a moving and sweet show capable of welcoming pain and turning it into a rebirth. Thu May 11 at 7pm @ BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (2474 Westchester Ave, The Bronx, NY 10461) Fri May 12 at 8pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) Sat May 13 at 3pm @ Snug Harbor Cultural Center (1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301) |
| D.D.D! DONNE DONNETTE DONNACCE Written, Directed and Choreographed by Tiziana Troja Performed by Tiziana Troja, Michela Sale Musio, Angelo Trofa, Valentina Fadda, Michele Sarti with Original music and arrangement by Davide Sardo Costume design by Filippo Grandulli Production Manager Federica Troja Production Assistants Carla Collu and Consuelo Melis Presented by Lucidosottile Two actresses, a comic duo, are on the verge of a nervous breakdown. To save themselves, they audition for the same show as sisters. Secrets, rivalries, hypocrisy, clichés and low blows typical of the entertainment world will lead to a surprising and unpredictable end. Fri May 12 at 6pm @ Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo at NYU (24 W 12th St, New York, NY 10011) Sun May 14 at 6:30pm @ Vino Theater (274 Morgan Ave Suite 201, Brooklyn, NY 11211) |
| In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY In 2013 Kairos Italy Theater, the preeminent Italian theater company in New York City, together with the Italian KIT Italia, created In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY, the first Italian theater festival to take place in all five New York City boroughs and beyond. The festival’s first edition was part of the 2013 Year of Italian Culture in the United States and it was supported by the Embassy of Italy in DC and Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo’ at NYU that became right after one of the organizers. The festival has since become an annual event. www.inscenany.com |
| La MaMa Presents Hong Kong Mississippi A World Premiere Play About Finding One’s Voice While Navigating the Complexities of Identity, Culture and Tradition Written and Performed by Wesley Du Directed by Craig Belknap April 27-May 14, 2023 Thursdays-Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. / Sundays at 4:00 p.m. The Downstairs Theatre at La MaMa 66 East 4th Street, New York City 10003 (bet. Bowery and 2nd Avenue) Tickets are $30. $25 for Students and Seniors. Visit LaMaMa.org or call 646-430-5374 Direct Link: https://www.lamama.org/shows/hong-kong-mississippi-2023 Runtime: 75 minutes with no intermission  Hong Kong Mississippi is the provocative new coming of age story of a Chinese boy on a hero’s journey to find his own voice in a world filled with abuse and racism. While navigating the complexities of identity, culture and tradition, he encounters Cannonball, a brilliant black guitar player. Inspired by blues music, the boy asks Cannonball to teach him the guitar, but Cannonball hates Asians after “they” killed his son in Vietnam. Undeterred, the boy sets out to make Cannonball not only his teacher but also the father he never had. Recommended for theater-goers 18+ for mature content and language. |
| “I was inspired to write Hong Kong Mississippi following the death of my mentor, friend, and teacher, Marvin Sims,” said playwright Wesley Du. “The genesis of the play was formed in 2007, and it has become a goodbye letter and farewell song that I was never able to give to Marvin myself. Funny and sad, poignant and moving, the piece is filled with wonderful blues music that speaks to today’s America.” Assistant Director: Robert Bennett; Lighting Designer: Eric Norbury; Scenic Designer: Michael C. Smith; Costume Designer: Mimi Maxmen; Sound Designer: Bill Froggatt; Dramaturg: Laura Campbell; Production Stage Manager: Molly Foy; Production Assistant: Anne DeAcetis. Press Representative: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR. Wesley Du (playwright/performer) has had a very unique path in life. He was put on academic probation twice while studying Acting at Cal Arts. He eventually finished his degree at Virginia Commonwealth University. Wesley was then accepted into the graduate playwriting program at UCLA only to be expelled. While working a meaningless job at a bowling alley, wondering what has become of his life, he enrolled in graduate school to become a mental health therapist. Now, he works in a thriving private practice. Wesley is also a documentary photographer and was accepted into the prestigious Eddie Adams Workshop in 2018. His previous short film, “Dumpling” was screened at Independent Filmmakers Film Festival (Best Dramatic Short Film), HollyShorts Film Festival, New Filmmakers Film Festival, Asians On Film Festival (Best Dramatic Short Film, Best Director, Best Actor), VC Film Festival, Boston Asian American Film Festival, and Busan West Film Festival. His screenplay of Hong Kong Mississippi placed in the top 3 in Final Draft’s Big Break Competition. Wesley is an avid traveler/scuba diver that has been to more than 20 countries, which has been one of the biggest influences in his life and in his work. Craig Belknap (director) is a professional theatre, film, and television director with over 50 years of experience. He was the founder and artistic director of Direct Theatre in New York which began the careers of such renowned artists as Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Durang, Alan Menken, Albert Innaurato, and Dennis McIntyre. He has directed such notable actors as Al Pacino, Kathy Bates, Calista Flockhart, Condola Rashad, and Dana Delaney and spent 20 years teaching acting and directing at the California Institute of the Arts. He directed Neil Patrick Harris in “Doogie Howser M.D.” for Steven Bochco, and his film “Traveler’s Rest” was screened at over 40 film festivals worldwide, receiving 5 gold medals and 8 honorable mentions. He was nominated for a cable Ace Award for Showtime Television’s 30 Minute Movie and has been conducting workshops in acting and writing in Los Angeles for the past 25 years. |
| IndieSpace Offers Milk & Egg Grants to Struggling Artists IndieSpace, an organization established to disrupt the ongoing displacement of small theaters and to create a new model for equitable funding for the indie theater community, recently distributed Milk and Eggs (Cost of Living) Grants to 81 NYC-based Indie theater artists in need of funds to offset the increases in cost of living. 350 eligible applications were received, with funds prioritized to BIPOC, Trans/Non-Binary, Disabled/Deaf, and Immigrant artists. “The economic downturn in the US has been especially difficult for theatre makers based in New York City,” said Azure D. Osborne-Lee, Theatre Maker and Founding Producer of Roots & River Productions. “It feels like everything is more expensive than ever! I suggested a Cost of Living grant to IndieSpace to help artists in this difficult time. One thing I truly appreciate about IndieSpace is their willingness to listen and step up when artists need them most.” The United States Social Security Administration has predicted an 8.7% increase in the cost of living for 2023. Anyone who has gone grocery shopping or paid an energy bill has felt that. Unfortunately wages aren’t following at the same pace. In an effort to respond to the evolving world and our communities’ need for individual support, IndieSpace opened an emergency Milk and Eggs (Cost of Living) Grant which awarded 81 indie theater makers $250 micro grants to use toward things like groceries, housing, or any bills that have increased over the last year. This number is based on approximately 2 months of the increase of Social Security benefits for individuals. It is IndieSpace’s hope that by providing this financial resource, they can make a small dent in the burden of the increased cost of living, even if just for a couple of months. “Ticket sales have been more solid the last two months and there is an energy around the theater again,” said Randi Berry, Executive Director of IndieSpace. “Unfortunately, that does not mean the individuals working in these spaces are fully back on their feet. Three years of inconsistent work, the affordable housing crisis and the very high cost of food and energy and supplies is taking a toll on artists. Recovery will take a long time and we must support arts workers when they need it if we want them to remain in NYC.” IndieSpace is working hard to advocate for and grow this initiative, with the goal of serving every artist in need of this funding. 124 applications were received in the first weekend, 86 of which were received on the first day. To date, 350 applications have been received, with 91% of applicants identifying as BIPOC, trans, immigrant, or disabled. To donate to the Milk and Eggs fund please visit www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=AM9CG6EDD3C4W. IndieSpace was established in 2016 to disrupt the ongoing displacement of small theaters and to address systemic inequities in NYC real estate. In 2022, it merged with Indie Theater Fund, an organization focused on a new model for equitable funding for the indie theater community. By contributing a nickel per ticket from their shows to a pot of money for funding, the indie theater community could create a method of self-sustainability and could rethink philanthropy and the process of grant making. Through radically transparent and equitable grants, community resources and advocacy, the Fund supported hundreds of indie theater companies and thousands of individual artists. Since its founding, IndieSpace has: consulted with 70+ venues making real estate decisions, including The Tank, FRIGID New York, The Chain, The Wild Project, Wooster Group, and Classical Theater of Harlem; helped 18 organizations sign new leases; saved seven theaters from being closed or repurposed; created four real estate operation partnerships; walked one venue through the purchase of their new home. During Covid, IndieSpace supported over 50 venues navigating their leases by helping them stay open, and also provided over $1.5M in relief grants to the indie theater community. In 2023 IndieSpace opened the West Village Rehearsal Co-Op with HERE Arts Center, New Ohio and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. This 99-year lease for $1 per year will serve over 1,500 artists per year. For service to the community, IndieSpace received the Ellen Stewart Award and a citation from the City Council of New York www.indiespace.org |
| AND THE WINNER OF THE 6TH ANNUAL BATTLE OF THE FANTASY GIRL BANDS IS….. The Gee Spots! Congratulations to: Katherine King Nika Nesgoda Rachel Karmel Elisa Blynn Thank you to our stellar judge, Theo Kogan of Lunachicks, for making the decision and offering her brilliant, supportive feedback to every ferocious band. Thank you to our shining star MC Iris Smyles for keeping things moving, wondrous and wild. The Audience Choice Award honor went to East End Girls! A HUGE, HEARTFELT DOSE OF GRATITUDE FROM ALL OF US AT NPC TO THE TIRELESS PRODUCERS OF THIS EVENT, CHRISTINE SCIULLI & HOLLY LI! Because of their continued commitment to us through this gorgeous night at The Stephen Talkhouse that inspires so many, we can keep forging ahead with our ever-growing programming that serves upwards of 1,000 community members a year. We love our community! From all who donated to our raffle, to Peter, Tami and The Talkhouse Crew, to our powerhouse volunteers, the fabulous women in the bands, and all who cheered on these fearless women- THANK YOU! What a wonderful village we all make together. |
| Coming Up With NPC: This week we launch THREE SCHOOL RESIDENCY PROJECTS! Project Hero- in partnership with Hamptons Film, utilizes film, theater games and conversations to inspire self-awareness, engage self-agency, and build empathy and kindness with middle schoolers. A fun, introspective, and impactful workshop where together we imagine, speak about, and activate the world we wish to create. Dude’s Eye View- In partnership with Hamptons Film, this 8 week, after school workshop brings Teaching Artists into the school to activate youth in powerful self-expression through the creation of their own short films. A welcoming space where conversations, idea-sharing, and creative challenges bring youth together to share their world views, voices and stories with the public in a screening and Q & A at LTV Studios. Girls’ Gaze- In partnership with Hamptons Film, this 8 week, after school workshop brings Teaching Artists into the school to activate youth in powerful self-expression through the creation of their own short films. A welcoming space where conversations, idea-sharing, and creative challenges bring youth together to share their world views, voices and stories with the public in a screening and Q & A at LTV Studios. *** STUDENTS ATTEND WHICHEVER WORKSHOP WITH WHICH THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE. ALL ARE WELCOME IN OUR SHARED, SAFE AND RESILIENT SPACE. *** *ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE FREE TO ALL ATTENDEES* Thanks to The Neo-Political Cowgirls Teaching Faculty for their caring, talents, and ability to powerfully utilize the ARTS as an engine for building better communities and working in concert with youth to instill hope and positive self-agency. |
| Tickets to our NYC premier of THE DREAMER go on sale this week! Look for a soon-to-be-delivered announcement for how to get your tickets to this limited run. We are still accepting playbill ads and sponsorships to help launch this beautiful dream. Contact us here to find out more: info@npcowgirls.org and become a proud supporter before the deadline! |
| League of Professional Theatre Women members are making an impact throughout the theatrical community. In person, virtual & hybrid events are listed below; as are special offers & good news shared by our colleagues. |
| On the Freedom Trail with Ghost Writer Brooklyn Tea, 524 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Feb 25, 3pm Submitted by Alicia Foxworth In celebration of Black History Month, you can visit historic places from Bedford-Stuyvesant to Crown Heights, on the freedom trail that inspired Alicia Foxworth in writing the period play, Ghost Writer, an Abolitionist’s Tale. On foot or by vehicle, each location represents a critical resource for the emancipated and those seeking freedom during the anti-slavery Abolitionist movement in New York State. They include houses of worship, historic homes, and settlements, preserved for future generations. Get your tickets here |
| The First Ladies Coalition Created & Performed by Ginger Grace Directed by Austin Pendleton Albert Wisner Public Library, Warwick, NY, March 5th The Boardman Road Branch Library, Poughkeepsie, NY, March 18th Submitted by Ginger Grace Colleen McCracken, a resilient ex-con, immigrant and survivor of domestic violence, invites the audience to join Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson and Mary Todd Lincoln — as they step into her sewing shop! Mysteries and secrets are unveiled – hers & theirs. These iconic First Ladies speak out, as they once did when impacting history — and here, change the course of events for Colleen. It is a call to action for Colleen, for all of us! For full info on the show, and a short video: http://www.thefirstladiescoalition.com/ ADMISSION is FREE |
| 5 New Musicals Now Available Submitted by June Rachelson-Ospa Leicester Bay Theatricals is publishing 5 of my musicals: WELCOME TO TOURETTAVILLE, S.W.A.K, STUPID WIG, RAPUNZARELLA WHITE, and TRUE COLORS OF WEEDLE Learn more at www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com |
| LYNNIE GODFREY STRAIGHT NO CHASER Submitted by Lynnie Godfrey This is a radio program/podcast in interview form that focuses on strengthening the importance of the ARTS in our Society. The range of interviewees is wide from professionals in the ARTS to Corporate Executives. These episodes comprise a three-part series featuring conversations with LPTW co-President Ludovica Villar-Hauser, LPTW co-President Katrin Hilbe, and LPTW member Valerie David. Listen here |
| Americaring By Kate Gill Directed by Peter Hodges The Institute Library Reading Room, 847 Chapel St, New Haven, CT March 21, 7pm Submitted by Kate Gill Reading of New Play by Kate Gill. Tickets not needed. |
| Bushwacked! And Other Short Plays Greenwich Theatre Company, 100 Arch Street Greenwich, CT March 25th 7:30pm, March 26th 2pm Submitted by Susan Jacobson Absurd, Macabre & Wickedly Funny Plays by Rosemary Foley. Get your tickets here |
| Life of PI Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W 45th Street, NY, NY Broadway previews begin March 9 Submitted by Daryl Roth Winner of five Olivier Awards including Best New Play, LIFE OF PI is an epic tale of endurance and hope that “will make you believe in the power of theater” (The Times of London). After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi is left stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors — a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan and a Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive? Featuring magnificent puppetry and unparalleled stagecraft, LIFE OF PI is an “unmissable” (The Guardian) theatrical experience that will speak to every generation. If you loved it on the page, wait until you see it on stage. Get your tickets here |
| Discount Rental Space for LPTW Membership 14th Street Y, 344 E 14th St, New York, NY Offer available April 10-18, 20-21, 23, 25-28 Submitted by Akia Squitieri A beautiful multi-functional theatre located in the heart of the East Village, within a community center teaming with activity. The venue is perfect for Theatre, Dance & Film performances, Readings, Development work and Film/Video shoots. Offering 50% rental rates in April for LPTW members. Reach out about a rental |
| 474 Days Created by Alisa Matlovsky La Mama Galleria, 47 Great Jones Street, NY, NY March 12, 6pm Submitted by Alisa Matlovsky Created and directed by Alisa Matlovsky with Charles Black, Tori Ernst, Ginger Grace, Kara F. Green, Katherine Alt Keener, Jon Krupp, Evan Maltby. MARCH 12th at 6pm at La Mama Galleria, 47 Great Jones Street Reserve a free seat here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/517073188827 What was it like to be an essential worker during the City’s earliest days of the pandemic? This play draws entirely from the words of workers at a well-known grocery store who served as “front line workers” during this terrifying moment in the City’s, Nation’s….and world’s history. How they coped, what they experienced, and how they emerged from the 474 of the State of Emergency is the focus of this play. RUN TIME: 75 Minutes This reading is a part of MANIFESTATION: La MaMa Umbria 2022 Playwrights Reading Series. The scripts presented are inspired by the La MaMa Umbria International Playwrights Retreat facilitated by Master Artist Todd London and Artistic Director David Diamond in summer 2022. Get your tickets here |
| The Whole Megillah: A Purim Spiel for Grown-ups The Actors Temple Theatre, 339 W 47th St, New York, NY March 17, 8pm Submitted by Jenny Lyn Bader The Jewish Theatre Circle and the Actors Temple Theatre present a staged reading of The Whole Megillah, an irreverent comedy inspired by the Book of Esther and the first Purim play you’ll get to watch on St. Patrick’s Day. Written and directed by Jenny Lyn Bader. Cast: Jason Guy, Evan Maltby, Jon Krupp, Jamen Nanthakumar, Will Nolan, Jeremy Rishe, Danielle Skraastad, and Meredith Starkman. After the temple’s 6:30 Friday night service the reading begins at 8pm and runs about 45 minutes. Reception with refreshments to follow. Get your tickets here |
| Sight Reading Shakespeare New Perspectives Theatre Company, 458 W 37th Street, NY, NY (at 10th avenue) Classes run Saturdays March 19 – April 28, 1-4pm Submitted by Melody Brooks NPTC has received critical and popular acclaim for its many innovative productions of Shakespeare plays and has developed a distinctive performance approach that is notable for immediacy of action and accessibility of the language to audiences of all ages and from all backgrounds. By popular demand, we are re-launching our 4-week workshop program for performers at all levels—from beginners to long-time professionals who want to conquer their fear of the text or strengthen their skills and audition repertoire. Conducted by Melody Brooks, NPTC’s award-winning artistic director and innovative Shakespeare educator, the program takes place in four, 3-hour sessions. Participants must commit to attending all 4 sessions. Resource materials and text copies provided. Visit our website for a description of each session and read some testimonials! Sign up here |
| Free Acting Workshop with Jona Xiao Zoom, March 13-15 Submitted by Illana Stein Many of you met Jona Xiao as one of our panelists during LPTW’s February 6th Professional Seminar. Here is an invite to her next FREE ACTING WORKSHOP March 13-15. ACTORS: Want to book more TV and film on your own without relying on an agent? Then check out a free workshop taught by actress Jona Xiao (THE FLASH, THE GLORY + 45+ TV/Film Credits) March 13-15 (virtual) Here’s What You’ll Learn: *10x Your Auditions: Creative Ways Our Students have Generated a TON of INCREDIBLE auditions & bookings *The Audition Leapfrog Technique: PROVEN approach for auditioning for LARGER roles even if your credits are smaller *The Magnetic Actor Method: the 6 Key Differences Between Actors who Struggle and Actors who Work March 13-15 Grab your spot now. |
| DARKNESS OF LIGHT: CONFESSIONS OF A RUSSIAN TRAVELER DOL PRODUCTIONS AND PIVOT PRODUCTIONS Proudly Presents the World Premiere of DARKNESS OF LIGHT: CONFESSIONS OF A RUSSIAN TRAVELER Written and Directed by ALEXANDER KALETSKI and MICHAEL MAILER Based on the novel “Darkness of Light” by ALEXANDER KALETSKI Nikolai Rodnin – a Russian artist and Soviet defector – takes on the world one conquest at a time. LIMITED ENGAGEMENT MARCH 30 – APRIL 16, 2023 AT THE 36TH STREET THEATRE OPENING NIGHT IS SATURDAY, APRIL 1 AT 8 P.M. TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT DARKNESSOFLIGHT.COM |
| DOL PRODUCTIONS and PIVOT PRODUCTIONS are pleased to announce the world premiere production of Alexander Kaletski’s DARKNESS OF LIGHT: Confessions of a Russian Traveler, directed by Michael Mailer (The Minute You Wake Up Dead with Morgan Freeman, Heart of Champions with Michael Shannon, Blind with Alec Baldwin and Demi Moore) in his legit debut. DARKNESS OF LIGHT will play a limited engagement at The 36th Street Theatre (312 W 36th St. 4th floor, New York, NY 10018). Performances begin Thursday, March 30, and continue through Sunday, April 16. Opening Night is Saturday, April 1 (8 p.m.). Tickets are $25 and available darknessoflight.com. Based on Alexander Kaletski’s semi-autobiographical novel, “Darkness of Light”, the play follows Nikolai Rodnin, a Russian painter and Soviet Defector, chronicling his sexual relationships with women throughout his life. Fighting not to lose his artistic soul, Nikolai travels around the world, while facing the pull to return to Moscow and finish what he started. The production stars Jonathan Glass as Nikolai Rodnin, Alexander Yuille Elmaleh as Sergei, Sarah DeBaets as Anya, Audrey Claire Wilson as Monique, and Christopher Pasi as Max. The production features scenic design by TJ Jacob. Lighting, projection and sound design by Anneke J. Thompson and Alexis Kitchmire. Stage management by Emily Cohen and Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR. DARKNESS OF LIGHT: CONFESSIONS OF A RUSSIAN TRAVELER plays the following regular schedule through Sunday, April 16: Thursdays at 8 p.m. Fridays at 8 p.m. Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available darknessoflight.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the theater a half-hour prior to the performance. Running Time: 105 minutes (with a fifteen-minute intermission) |
| Written & Performed by Marina Celander Part of the 2023 EstroGenius Festival Sunday, March 19 & 26 @ The Kraine Theater The Tale Of An-Noor, written and performed by Marina Celander, will premiere at the 2023 EstroGenius Festival: BAN(NED) TOGETHER, presented by FRIGID New York and Manhattan Theatre Source, March 15-April 2. Performances for The Tale of An-Noor are scheduled for Sunday, March 19 at 11am and Sunday, March 26 at 11am at The Kraine Theater (85 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003). Tickets ($20/sliding scale) are available for advance purchase at www.frigid.nyc. The performance will run approximately 40 minutes and is intended for young audiences. The Tale of An-Noor, written and performed by Marina Celander, is the tale of a magic bird who flies great distances to visit her friends the Old Tree and the Old River. An-Noor listens to her friends and they share tales of epic migrations, sorrows and loss, of overcoming huge odds, and feeling joy in everyday life at the edge of the river. Told through dance, puppetry and light An-Noor lets children know that there is magic all around us as long as we keep on dreaming and following the stars. EstroGenius 2023 is proud to share the gorgeous and thoughtful work of Marina Celandar with parents and children of New York City. A repeat EstroGenius performer, Marina was first curated into the Festival in 2018 with her work Shakespere’s Sisters by producer maura nguyễn donohue. Since then she has returned to the film festival and now with her children’s show. “I was lucky enough to be in the room when Marina first workshopped An-Noor in 2019,” said Melissa Riker, Co-Producer of the EstroGenius Festival. “This graceful and beautiful story held the rapt attention of a room full of edgy Brooklyn performance artists! I have been wanting to share it with EstroGenius audiences ever since that sweet awestruck room fell in love with Marina’s skills as a storyteller! Bring your dreaming, creative, wondering children to meet these characters!” “It is vital to start conversations with young children about what is going on globally in a calm and non-threatening way,” said writer and performer Marina Calendar. “I try to talk real talk with children through the vehicle of glitter and sparkles and magic.” Marina Celander (Writer/Performer) is a theatre artist, singer, dancer, living and working in NYC. She studied music in Sweden, dance at London Contemporary Dance School, England, and then acting at the Gene Frankel Theatre Workshop, NYC. Marina has performed nationally and internationally. Marina received the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre’s annual Red Socks Award 2014 for her contribution to Asian American theatre. In 2016 Marina was nominated for the Innovation In Performance Award for her solo show Mermaid’s Howl at the Stockholm Fringe Festival. She was then invited to the Tony award-winning theatre LaMama ETC as part of their solo festival Series Of One. Shakespeare’s Sisters, another of solo show of hers, was invited to perform at the Estrogenius Festival in NYC. Tree She, part of Marina’s pandemic series Hallway Jam, premiered at Estrogenius Festival 2020, and was nominated for Best Movement Artist by the Young-Howze Theatre Awards. As a hula student Marina has had the pleasure and honor of studying with notable Kumu Hula (hula master teachers), and has then made it her mission to spread aloha and hula in New York City’s public elementary schools. www.marinacelander.com EstroGenius Festival is an annual celebration of the artistry of femme, non-binary, non-conforming and trans womxn artists produced by Melissa Riker and maura nguyễn donohue. Founded as a short play festival in 2000 at Manhattan Theatre Source by Fiona Jones, EstroGenius exists to present the voices of dance-makers, playwrights, experimental performers, teens, musicians, burlesque performers, noise artists, filmmakers, dj’s and anyone else looking to break molds and crack gender codes to the stage, street and forefront of public attention. EstroGenius 2023 is possible in part to generous funding via a 2023 Regrowth and Capacity grant and 2023 NYSCA Support for Organizations through New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, along with the generosity of John C. Robinson and our individual donors. www.estrogenius.nyc FRIGID New York’s mission is to provide both emerging and established artists the opportunity to create and produce original work of varied content, form, and style, and to amplify their diverse voices. We do this by presenting an array of monthly programming, mainstage productions, an artist residency, and eight annual theater festivals that create an environment of collaboration, resourcefulness, and innovation. Founded in 1998, the aim was and is to form a structure, allowing multiple artists to focus on creating and staging new work and providing affordable rental space to scores of independent artists. Now in our third decade we have produced a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater. www.frigid.nyc |
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