| Theater Helping Parkinson's Patients | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 05:41 pm EDT 10/11/17 | |
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| Room 15 Theater Group Present a Special Production of GOLDEN BOY By Clifford Odets Co-Directed by Aaron Latham & Graydon Gund Benefiting Bicoastal Non-Profit stoPD And its Groundbreaking Exercise and Art Programs For People Living with Parkinson’s Disease November 9 - 19 GK Arts Center (29 Jay Street - Brooklyn, NY) Room 15 Theater Group announced today that the company will present a limited engagement of Clifford Odets’ famed 1937 play Golden Boy, from November 9 through November 19 at The GK Arts Center (29 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY). Through a special partnership with stoPD, a bicoastal non-profit dedicated to support and training to overcome Parkinson’s Disease, Room 15 is excited to announce that all proceeds from this production will be donated to the organization. In addition, Golden Boy will be helmed by co-directors Aaron Latham, author of Urban Cowboy and a participant in stoPD’s boxing program to help combat his own Parkinson’s, and Graydon Gund, nephew of Tony Award-winning Broadway Producer Louise Gund. The company will also feature several actors who are all participants in stoPD’s unique boxing based program specifically designed for people with Parkinson’s, which continues to improve the quality of life for changing the lives Parkinson’s patients in New York and Los Angeles. Golden Boy focuses on Joe Bonaparte, an accomplished violinist who longs to be top man in the boxing ring. When prizefight promoter Roxy Gottlieb offers to sponsor him as a boxer, he finds himself torn between the lure of big money and the distinct possibility of injuring his hands, thereby destroying his musical career. "Parkinson’s Disease is a life-altering condition, but it’s by no means a death sentence” says Dr. Roberta Marongiu, Co-Founderof stoPD. “We know that intense exercise is key in the treatment of this neurological disorder. Boxing happens to be the quintessential intense workout, that improves all the motor skills affected by Parkinson’s: balance, strength, eye-hand coordination, and flexibility. Alex Montaldo (stoPD Co-Founder and Golden Boy company member) added, “Boxing training is also extremely helpful on a psychological and emotional level. Through exercise we trigger a shift in perspective toward positivity and pro-activity, showing participants that they can do much more than they ever imagined and how they can greatly improve their quality of life by taking charge.” In addition to Mr. Montaldo, who stars as conflicted protagonist Joe Bonaparte, Golden Boy will star Gregg Prosser as Tom Moody, Ron Shetler as Mr. Bonaparte, and Kathleen Simmonds as Lorna Moon. They will be joined by actors Jon Spano as Eddie Fuselli, Mia Christo as Anna Bonaparte, Fady Kerko as Siggie, professional boxer John Duddy as Tokio, Montgomery Mauro as Frank Bonaparte, David Cohen as Mr. Carp, James Rich as Roxy Gottlieb, Jeffrey Alkins as Pepper White, Miah Kane and Patrick Faerber. The production will feature scenic & costume design by award-winning Off-Broadway and Off-West End designer Anna Driftmeir, fight choreography by Michael Olajide, and live music performed by Filip Pogady. Performances of Golden Boy will run November 9 – November 19 according to the following schedule: Wednesday-Fridayat 8:00pm; Saturdays at 2:30pm & 8pm; and Sundays at 2:30pm. A special Gala will be held following the first performance on November 9, which will be open to all patrons with Tier 1 tickets ($250 each). To purchase tickets and learn more about the production please visit www.gkartscenter.org/goldenboy To learn more about stoPD, including how to make a donation, please visit www.stop-pd.org ----- ABOUT ROOM 15 THEATER GROUP Room 15 Theater Group was formed after a short, site-specific run of Clifford Odets’ Golden Boy, directed by Aaron Latham in 2016. That production, presented at world famous Boxing Mecca, Gleason’s Gym, was a fundraiser for Parkinson’s. It was so well received by audiences and critics, that it’s coming back this year in a bigger venue and higher production value. Right after Golden Boy, in 2016, Room 15 Theater Group presented its second show, ‘Orphans’ by Lyle Kessler, which featured three actors from the previous production: Alex Montaldo as Phillip, Gregg Prosser as Harold and Fady Kerko as Treat. This production was directed by Aaron Latham, assisted by Graydon Gund, and ran at The Bridge Theater (Shetler Studios) in Manhattan, for over two weeks; selling out every night. The 2017 production of Odets Golden Boy, presented by non-profit stoPD (Support and Training to Overcome Parkinson’s disease), in collaboration with Shetler Studios and GK Arts Center, is going to be Room 15’s third show, and will be a fundraiser to support stoPD programs for people with Parkinson’s in New York and Los Angeles. Room 15 was named after Aaron Latham’s apartment number, because that’s where everything started, a couple years ago, with Alex Montaldo and Aaron Latham getting together on Thursday afternoons, for what they call Diet Coke Meetings. Room 15 is committed to producing plays that make an impact, with a focus on marginalized individuals and groups and disabilities. ABOUT stoPD Our mission is to help improve the quality of life for people living with Parkinson’s disease. We provide support, intense exercise, art programs, and education to encourage proactivity and a positive shift in perspective. We are devoted to helping people who are living with Parkinson’s and their families to adapt, eliminating the all too common occurrence of negative self-talk and depreciating self-image accompanying this illness. We emphasize the possible enhancements to their quality of life and ability to perform and enjoy activities of daily living. We promote the concept of “moving forward” by creating a new, dynamic balance. Our strategic intervention is integrated and personalized, aimed to improve self-confidence and social interactions. stoPD is a non-profit organization committed to: Granting scholarships for our intense exercise and art programs Raising funds for clinical trials to support the implementation of exercise regimens as part of Parkinson’s treatment And developing new programs specifically geared towards improving Parkinson's motor and non-motor symptoms Our mission is to give those living with Parkinson’s the tools and support they need to achieve a higher quality of life. ABOUT THE ARTISTS AARON LATHAM (Director)is the author of Urban Cowboy. He first wrote it as an article for Esquire magazine entitled “The Ballad of the Urban Cowboy: America’s Search for True Grit.” Then he wrote it as a movie with a shorter title, Urban Cowboy, starring John Travolta and Debra Winger. He received both “story by” and screenplay credits. He also directed one scene. The movie told the story of a strange love triangle: a girl, a boy, and a mechanical bull. Next, he wrote Urban Cowboy, the novel. Then he wrote Urban Cowboy: The Musical, which played on Broadway. He later wrote the movie Perfect, starring John Travolta and Jamie Leigh Curtis, which was set in the world of health clubs. Next came The Program, starring Halle Berry and James Caan, a football movie that many teams watch before every game. Following Urban Cowboy: The Musical, he wrote a Cajun musical called Pogo and Evie. It opened in a site-specific setting, a Cajun restaurant in New York, where it sold out a one month run. It later appeared in the Fringe Festival. Next, he wrote another musical entitled Revolution on the Roof, which also appeared in the Fringe Festival. It told the story of an anti-war demonstration at Stanford University in 1969. Then he wrote The Murder that Gave Birth to the Beats about a 1941 killing that saw the arrest of Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs. He is currently turning a book by Tom Wolfe – The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test – into a musical. His eleven books include Crazy Sunday's: F. Scott Fitzgerald in Hollywood. GRAYDON GUND (Co-Director). New York directing credits include: Must Win (Broadway Bound Fest), Ginny (Sam French Fest), I and You (Actorly Productions), Summertime Sadness (Ugly Rhino), The Photo Album (FringeNYC), The After-Dinner Joke (Planet Connections…). Assisting Credits include: Fireflies, Most Beautiful Room..., Endgame, My Paris (Long Wharf Theatre), Orphans (Room 15), Constellations, The Velocity of Autumn, Family Furniture (White Heron Theatre), A Wonderful Life, La Cage aux Folles (Goodspeed Musicals), Clybourne Park (Chautauqua). BS in directing from Skidmore College. SDC Associate Member. GraydonGund.com. ALEX MONTALDO (Joe Bonaparte and stoPD Board Member) was drawn to acting through his love of make believe and his fascination with invented personas like David Bowie’s, and he has tried to take on very varied roles in order to explore these. His formal studies began in 2008, when he was offered ‘a full scholarship in acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute, Conservatory Program in New York City. He has acted in numerous theater productions, including Zero Hour (directed by Tea Alagic), Guns, Shackles, Winter Coats, and La Revolution at Symphony Space and Mint Theater, NYC; Split Screen at Hellen Mills Theater in NYC and Let Live Theater in Los Angeles. In 2016, Alex played the lead role of Joe Bonaparte in Clifford Odets Golden Boy and Phillip in Lyle Kessler’s Orphans, which were both directed by screenwriter and playwright Aaron Latham (Urban Cowboy, The Program, Perfect) and staged in New York City. Alex’s film credits include Portraits in Dramatic Time, produced by the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts (2011), with William H. Macy, Lili Taylor and Liev Shreiber; and a leading role in feature film The Will, a Norwegian/American production with a New York Cast, released in 2014 in the US and Europe. Alex can be seen in the third season of USA Network series “Mr. Robot” and will play the lead role of Johnny Martinez, a young actor diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, in the upcoming feature film In the Ring, written by Aaron Latham and Jeff Musillo. Alex has been following his passions for literature, music and sports since he was eleven years old. His band Kid and the Pagans just released its first single, “Pagan Love,” which is available on Spotify, Amazon Music and I-Tunes. Alex is an avid boxer and kick boxer, runner, kayaker as well as a regular fixture on Santa Monica beach volleyball courts. He is certified as a stage fighter in several forms. Alex is also a staunch supporter of animal rights and animal welfare, he holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and has participated in drama therapy programs for psychiatric patients. Alex co-founded stoPD (support and training to overcome Parkinson’s disease), a bi-coastal non-profit organization that provides physical and emotional support for people with Parkinson’s. He is an advocate for the importance of intense exercise in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, and his organization collaborates with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, HollyRod Foundation and National Parkinson’s Foundation in both New York and Los Angeles. Alex is proud to be part of this wonderful production of Odets’ masterpiece ‘Golden Boy’. GREGG PROSSER (Tom Moody) was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He studied at T. Shrieber studio under the direction of Peter Jensen. Gregg is currently studying with Paul and Catherine Calderon. He is a member of Primitive Grace Theatre company. Recently he has begun working privately with Pamela Scott on all his projects. Recent theatre credits include Fringe of Humanity, Orphans, and the precursor site specific Golden Boy. Film and TV credits include Deception, “White Collar,” “The Americans,” and “Power.” KATHLEEN SIMMONDS (Lorna) holds an MFA from the Actors Studio Drama School in New York and is a Lifetime Member of The Actors Studio. She studies improv at The PIT (thanks to the incredible MVRP Scholarship!), and is a proud member of the Drilling Company in New York. She is extremely honoured to be a part of this Golden Boy production supporting StoPD and The Michael J. Fox Foundation, and to be working with such a phenomenal cast and crew. Recent New York theatre credits include: Olivia in Twelfth Night (Bryant Park Shakespeare Festival), Helena in A Midsummer Nights Dream (Shakespeare in the Parking Lot), Tina in Missing Pieces (American Theatre of Actors). This year, a number of Kathleen's short films have been officially selected in festivals in both the US and Australia. Look out for “Lost and…” the series - coming soon (@lostandtheseries), and for more about Kathleen visitwww.kathleensimmonds.com |
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