| PlayCo Announces Cast and Creative Team for Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas' "Recent Alien Abductions" (February 21 - March 24) | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 05:47 pm EST 01/23/19 | |
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| THE PLAY COMPANY ANNOUNCES CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR THE NEW YORK PREMIERE OF RECENT ALIEN ABDUCTIONS, WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY JORGE IGNACIO CORTIÑAS, FEBRUARY 21-MARCH 24 Cortiñas’ Wry and Wrenching Latest Work—a Highlight of the 2017 Humana Festival for New Plays— Morphs Form and Perspective as it Zeroes in on Interpersonal and Political Power Imbalances Cast Includes Maria Cellario, Daniel Duque-Estrada, Vivia Font, Yetta Gottesman, Ronete Levenson, and Rafael Sardina The Play Company (PlayCo; Founding Producer Kate Loewald, Managing Director Robert Bradshaw) today announces the full cast of the New York premiere of Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas’ Recent Alien Abductions (February 21-March 24). Through magnetic characterization and playful yet shattering storytelling, Recent Alien Abductions explores how families—and societies—are haunted by their pasts. Recent Alien Abductions was an acclaimed highlight of the 2017 Humana Festival for New American Plays, where it was hailed as a “dark and unsettling…shape-shifter, a mystery to be unfurled, and ultimately a very human story” (WFPL News Louisville). Performances take place February 21-March 24 at Walkerspace, 46 Walker Street, New York. The cast includes Maria Cellario (Hedda Gabbler on Broadway; underneathmybed at Rattlestick), Daniel Duque-Estrada (Native Gardens, Othello at Trinity Rep), Vivia Font (PlayCo’s Villa, Fernando at The New Ohio), Yetta Gottesman (The Last Days of Judas Iscariotat The Public, Women’s Project Theater’s Touch), Ronete Levenson (Recent Alien Abductions at Actors Theater of Louisville, Our Town at Barrow Street), and Rafael Sardina (Jorge Cortiñas’ Sleepwalkers with Alliance Theatre Company, Sea of Tranquility at Atlantic Theater). The creative team includes Adam Rigg (Set Design), Fabian Fidel Aguilar (Costume Design), Amith Chandrashaker (Lighting Design), and Mikaal Sulaiman (Sound Design). When Recent Alien Abductions begins, Álvaro, a queer artist from Puerto Rico—who relocated to New York after becoming estranged from his family—is obsessing over an early episode of The X-Files. Since he saw the original broadcast at age twelve or thirteen, he’s been unshakably intrigued by the character of a Puerto Rican teenager whom Fox Mulder encounters. As Álvaro remembers it, Mulder quickly gets to know the teen and teams up with him in a stormy, dreamlike escape from an alien abduction. But though Álvaro has obsessively considered every aspect of what he remembers of the episode, his recollection has been slowly challenged by what he believes is a second, revised version with which mysterious conspirators are trying to replace the original broadcast. In this revised episode, the character is denied the safety, camaraderie, and subjecthood of the previous ending, and is simply abducted by aliens and left forever in obscurity. A few years after Álvaro has recounted the uncanny details of this childhood X-Files memory, his dear friend, a lesbian Nuyorican artist, visits his family in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, seeking their permission to publish his writings. As the barely-welcome visitor gets a sense of Álvaro’s family life, his conspiratorial interpretation of the episode in question begins to reveal its place in reality. In Cortiñas’ play, small gestures and off-handed comments slowly reveal the colonial, racist, misogynist, and homophobic dynamics that constrain possibility in the lives of the characters. These power imbalances have been left to fester for so long that they create the alienating nightmare at the story’s core. Following PlayCo’s celebrated production of Intractable Woman—the “carefully composed,” “furtively poetic,” and “vivid portrait” (The New York Times Critics’ Pick review) of the intrepid and accomplished Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, assassinated in 2006—the company turns to another searing depiction of power imbalance and personal and political responsibility. Cortiñas, the author of plays such as Bird in the Hand and Blind Mouth Singing, has steadily built a celebrated body of work that uses the interpersonal realm to illuminate big political questions. As the austerity crisis and the aftershocks of Hurricane Maria continue to roil Puerto Rico, Cortiñas's exploration of Puerto Rican nationhood and its contested relationship to the United States becomes eerily prescient. His plays have been praised as “strange and beautiful” (The New York Times) and for their “visionary wit” (Chicago Tribune). Performance Schedule and Ticketing Performances of Recent Alien Abductions will take place February 21 – March 24, 2019 at Walkerspace, located at 46 Walker Street, New York, NY. Critics are welcome February 28, March 1, 2, & 3 for an official opening on Sunday, March 3 at 7pm. Regular performances will take place beginning Tuesday, March 5, Tuesday-Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are now on sale, and can be purchased by visiting playco.org or calling 866 811 4111. Regular prices are $35 General Admission/$45 Premium Reserved. PlayCo began a new ticketing initiative earlier this year, with multiple pricing levels to increase accessibility. On this initiative, Kate Loewald says, “PlayCo is committed to maintaining affordable access as part of our mission. We always maintain modest ticket prices, and our new OpenHouse Access Program will advance our efforts to remove price as a barrier.” As part ofthe program, there will be a limited number of $15 “Theater for Everyone” tickets available from December 13 to January27. $15 student tickets can be purchased in advance with a valid school ID presented at will call. Group rates and discounts for teachers, librarians, first responders, and active duty personnel will also be available—call 212.389.2977 for details. About Jorge Ignacio Cortiñas (Playwright, Director) Jorge Ignacio Cortiñasis a theater-maker based in New York. His most recent plays include Bird in the Hand (Fulcrum, New York Times Critics Pick) and Blind Mouth Singing (NAATCO, New York Times Critics Pick). His many awards include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts (three years), and the Helen Merrill Award, among others. He is an alumnus of New Dramatists and a NYTW Usual Suspect. About the Cast Maria Cellario (Olga) has appeared on Broadway in The Royal Family with Rosemary Harris and in Hedda Gabler with Kate Burton. She has performed in many Off-Broadway companies, including Lincoln Center, The Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, Playwrights Horizons, Rattlestick Playwrights Theatre, The Flea, La Mama, CSC, INTAR, Puerto Rican Traveling. For many years Maria was a member of The Lion Theatre Co. Her films include: My Father’s Will; Chasing Butterflies; Fools Rush In; Children of A Lesser God; and Without A Trace. TV appearances include: Cold Case; NYPD Blue; Law & Order; Silk Stalkings; Kojak; and many soaps. Maria was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Daniel Duque-Estrada (Néstor) is thrilled to be making his New York debut. He has been a resident actor at the Dallas Theater Center and at Trinity Repertory Company, where he currently works, as well as two seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He holds an MFA from Brown University/Trinity Rep. Para mi familia, como siempre… Vivia Font (Ana) PlayCo: villa (Wild Project). Other NYC: underneathmybed (Rattlestick), Fernando (The New Ohio), Romeo & Juliet (NY Classical Theatre). Regional includes: Bad Dates (Cincinnati Playhouse), Native Gardens (Merrimack Repertory Theatre), Oregon Shakespeare Festival (2 seasons) The Old Globe,Denver Center, NJ Rep. Other work with Ensemble Studio Theatre, PlayOn!, Playwrights Realm, Primary Stages, The Public, Clubbed Thumb, New Dramatists, The Lark & others. Film and TV: One Life to Live, Sarbanes Oxley, Love;Repeat. www.viviafont.com Yetta Gottesman (Beba) LA Theater: The Power of Duff (Geffen Playhouse), El Nogalar (Fountain Theater). Select N.Y. Theater: underneathmybed (Rattlestick Theater) The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (World Premiere, The Public Theater written by Stephen Adly Guirgis/ dir. Philip Seymour Hoffman), Touch (Women’s Project), Where’s My Money? (World Premiere, written & directed by John Patrick Shanley). Regional: Mariela in the Desert (Denver Center Theater, Ovation Award Nomination), The Cook (Seattle Rep), Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (Hartford Stage). Film and TV credits include: The Last Thing He Wanted; Driven; Sex, Death and Bowling; Rabbit Hole; 27 Dresses, The Oath, Startup, Nurse Jackie, Sex and the City, Law and Order: Criminal Intent. Member of Labyrinth Theater Company and The Actors Studio. Ronete Levenson (Patria) Television/Film: Law & Order: SVU; Possible Side Effects (dir. Tim Robbins); Taking Woodstock; and recurring on House of Lies (Showtime). Off-Broadway: Our Town (w/David Cromer); What Once We Felt (LCT3); Origin Story (Public Theater); Blood Play (Bushwick Starr); Stunning (NYTW). Regional: Humana Festival (2 seasons); Our Town (w/Helen Hunt); Bus Stop (IRNE Award Winner); August: Osage County (dir. Sam Gold). Directed and scored the documentary Life Through a Lens (LA Reel Film Festival Award Winner). Rafael Sardina (Álvaro) is excited to be making his debut with the Play Company. Favorite credits include: Sea of Tranquility (Atlantic Theater Company); Of Mice and Men (Westport Country Playhouse); and Jorge Cortiñas’ Sleepwalkers (Alliance Theatre Company). He received his MFA in Theater from the University of Missouri-Kansas City; Rafael has also trained with Terry Schreiber, Ron Van Lieu, and Marci Phillips. Favorite film and TV credits include: The Brave One with Jodie Foster; Law and Order (SVU and CI!); and War of the Worlds directed by childhood hero Steven Spielberg. Rafael lives in New York City with his wife and daughter. About the Creative Team Adam Rigg (Scenic Design) 2015 Princess Grace Award and a three-time Henry Hewes Design finalist. Recent: The House That Will Not Stand (New York Theater Workshop); Is God Is (SOHO REP); Fabulation (Signature Theater); Actually(Williamstown Theater Festival); Henry IV Parts 1&2 (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); Breaking The Waves (Opera Philadelphia); Blue Ridge (Atlantic Theater Company); and Prism(LAOpera). Other credits include: The Public Theater, The Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Mark Taper Forum, REDCAT, Cincinnati Symphony, Manhattan Theatre Club, Yale Rep, A.R.T., Oper Zurich, The Foundry Theatre. BA UCLA, MFA Yale School of Drama www.adamriggdesign.com Fabian Fidel Aguilar (Costume Designer) was born in El Paso, TX and one based in Brooklyn, NY. He attended Yale University for his MFA and Boston University before that for his BFA in costume design. Most recently he designed Man of La Mancha at Westport Country Playhouse and around New York City, Atlanta and Philadelphia. While in Boston he worked for various theatres, conservatories, and universities including American Repertory Theater, Boston Ballet, Moscow Ballet, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, among others. In his spare time he likes to dabble in watercolor portraiture and urban sketching or cook. Amith Chandrashaker (Lighting Designer) Recent credits include: Time’s Journey Through A Room (PlayCo); The Lucky Ones (Drama Desk nomination, Ars Nova); Blue Ridge (The Atlantic); Cardinal (Second Stage); Twelfth Night (The Public Theater); Fairview (Soho Rep); Fire in Dreamland(The Public Theater); Her Requiem (LCT3); Stuffed (The Westside Theatre); FADE (Primary Stages); [PORTO](The Bushwick Starr/The Women’s Project); Alligator (New Georges/Sol Project); Seven Spots on the Sun(Rattlestick); and Quiet, Comfort (Hoi Polloi). Opera credits include: The Flying Dutchman (Houston Grand Opera); Falstaff (Opera Omaha); The Scarlet Letter(Opera Colorado); and Abduction from the Seraglio (Atlanta Opera). Dance credits include premieres by Alexander Ekman, Aszure Barton, Kate Weare, Liz Gerring, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Rennie Harris, Aalto Ballett Theatre Essen, Staatstheater Nürnberg, The National Dance Company of Wales, and The Royal New Zealand Ballet. Mikaal Sulaiman (Sound Designer) Off-Broadway: Vera Stark(Signature Theatre); Blue Ridge (Atlantic Theatre); The Thanksgiving Play (Playwrights Horizons); Rags Parkland (Ars Nova); Fairview (Soho Rep); Light Shining in Buckinghamshire (NYTW); Time's Journey Through a Room (PlayCo); Rape of the Sabine Women (Playwrights Realm); Master (Foundry Theatre Co.); Underground Railroad Game (Ars Nova); The Oldsmobiles (The Flea). Regional Credits: Berkeley Rep, The Alley, Woolly Mammoth, Trinity Rep, Pig Iron, Arden Theatre Co., Early Morning Opera, California Shakespeare Theatre. www.mikaal.com Funding Credits Recent Alien Abductions was commissioned by Playwrights Horizons with funds provided by The New York State Council on the Arts. The script received development from Fulcrum Theater, efforts that were supported in part by the National Association of Latino Arts and Culture, the Ford Foundation and the Surdna Foundation. Special thanks also to New Dramatists, NYTW and The Corporation of Yaddo. The Play Company gratefully acknowledges the leadership support of the Kaplen Brothers Fund, as well as major support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. About The Play Company (PlayCo) The Play Company is an OBIE Award-winning Off-Broadway theater production company. Since launching in 1999, PlayCo has produced 35 new plays from the United States, Palestine, Germany, Romania, Poland, Sweden, Japan, India, Russia, Chile, Mexico, France, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and England. PlayCo develops and produces adventurous new plays from the U.S. and around the world, advancing a dynamic global experience of contemporary theater and expanding the American theater repertoire. As the only New York company regularly producing outstanding contemporary plays from around the world alongside new American work, PlayCo’s distinctive international programming links American theatre with world theater, American artists with the global creative community, and American audiences with a whole world of plays. Previous productions by PlayCo include Lee Sunday Evans’ New York Times Critics’ Pick production of Stefano Massini’s Intractable Woman: A Theatrical Memo on Anna Politkovskaya, the sold-out run of Amir Nizar Zuabi’s critically-acclaimed Oh My Sweet Land, Guillermo Calderón’s Villa, Christopher Chen’s Caught (Obie award for Playwriting, 2017), Maria Milisavljevic’s Abyss, Kyle Jarrow & Lauren Worsham’s The Wildness, debbie tucker green’s generations, Aya Ogawa’s Ludic Proxy, Antonio Vega’s The Duchamp Syndrome, and more. |
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