| WAR DREAMER at Wild Project thru March 25 | |
| Last Edit: Official_Press_Release 11:47 am EST 03/11/23 | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 11:46 am EST 03/11/23 | |
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| LOADING DOCK THEATRE, IN ASSOCIATION WITH WILD PROJECT, PRESENTS WORLD PREMIERE OF WAR DREAMER, MARCH 3–25 Claustrophobic, Sonically-Rich, Psychological Horror Play Follows Female Veteran Grappling with Conspiracy Theories in Post-War Life Loading Dock Theatre, "a magnificent example of what Off Off Broadway can do" (New York Times ), in association with wild project, is proud to present War Dreamer, a claustrophobic, sonically-rich, psychological horror play that follows a female veteran grappling with conspiracy theories in post-war life. Written and co-directed by Leegrid Stevens, whose body of work explores the extremes of the human experience, War Dreamer was developed with extensive research, including several interviews with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. This world premiere, co-directed by Jacob Titus, is set to run March 3–25, 2023, at Wild Project (195 E 3rd St, Manhattan) with an opening set for Thursday, March 9. Tickets are now on sale at www.loadingdocktheatre.org. Inside Jesse, they are building something. Tormented by subdermal machines and disillusioned amid a flood of conspiracy theories, paranormal visions, and traumatic events, Jesse tries to build normalcy and a purpose for herself in America. With an original electronic score, War Dreamer explores the impact of new technology within the mental landscape of an Iraq war veteran struggling for a cohesive reality, jumping between the past, the present, and the delusional without explanation or warning. Playing with perspective and aided by an immersive sound design, the audience dives into Jesse's experience and beliefs, realizing how far from reality she's traveled. War Dreamer builds on Loading Dock Theatre's decades-long reputation of creating emotionally rich, character-driven works that ultimately ask: when do both belief and fantasy become essential to survival? The company was recently seen in New York with Spaceman, which The New York Times called, "imaginative… ingenious and punishing." The New Yorker noted, "in this intense and finally frightening play, the sound design, lights, and even the lack of gravity, come to feel like characters, too." "War Dreamer is not a study in PTSD nor does it seek to provide answers," notes playwright Leegrid Stevens. "My conversations with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans revealed a common theme among soldiers: they were often confused about their purpose, flooded with rumors and misinformation, disillusioned with their leadership, all while being subjected to traumatic and horrific events. Their unimaginable new reality back home in America is where my new play begins." Loading Dock Theatre is proud to partner with Poetic Theater Productions, Veteran Voices on a series of events that will run alongside performances of War Dreamer. Details will be announced at a later date. Additionally, complimentary tickets will be made available to U.S. military personnel, veterans, and their families. The cast for War Dreamer is led by Erin Treadway as Jesse who is joined by Shawn J. Davis, E. James Ford, Miles Purinton, and Sam Tilles as well as child actors Poppy Luch, Rowan Luch, and Ruby Titus who share the role of Alex. The creative team includes C Rodriguez (set design), Stoli Stolnack (lighting design), Jevyn Nelms (costume design), Leegrid Stevens (sound design), Jonathan Taikina Taylor (movement /choreography), Justin Cox (special props design), Emily Venezia (stage manager), and Sloane Fischer (assistant stage manager). Form Theatricals (Anthony Francavilla and Reed Ridgley) serves as General Manager. Sixteen performances of War Dreamer will take place March 3–25, 2023, at Wild Project, located at 195 E 3rd Street in Manhattan. The performance schedule is Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7 PM and Sundays at 3 PM with no performance on Wednesday, March 8. Critics are welcome as of March 3 for an opening on Thursday, March 9. The anticipated running time is 120 minutes, which includes one intermission. Tickets, starting at $40, can be purchased at www.loadingdocktheatre.org. Please visit www.loadingdocktheatre.org for more information. About the Creative Team Leegrid Stevens (writer, sound design, co-director | he/him) is a Texas/Utah raised playwright. Leegrid's recent work includes Spaceman, which received two Drama Desk nominations and two NY Innovative Theater Awards; The Dudleys! (eight B. Iden Payne Awards and a NY Innovative Theater Award); and The Twelfth Labor (two NY Innovative Theatre Award nominations). Leegrid was the recipient of the Alec Baldwin Playwright Fellowship at the Singer's Forum, the John Golden Playwriting Award at Columbia, and was named one of the "People of the Year" by NYTheatre.com. Some of his published work includes: Post-Oedipus, Leda's Swan, Sun Stand Thou Still, and Lovers In The Park. Leegrid is the co-founder of Loading Dock Theatre with Erin Treadway. He is also co-authored the fantasy novel Fall with Craig Bridger. Jacob Titus's (co-director | he/him) work has been seen in New York at The Public in the 365 Plays/365 Days, HERE Arts Center, Ontological-Hysteric Theater, among other theatres off-off-Broadway, in Brooklyn, as well as LA and San Francisco. In 2010, he directed Promise Tomorrow Today which won Best Play in the Downtown Urban Theater Festival at Theater for the New City. In 2012, Jacob directed Falling by Amy E. Witting at the 2012 NY Fringe Festival for which he received an Overall Excellence in Directing Award. In 2013, Jacob directed victor by Amy E. Witting which won best play in the Thespis Festival in New York City. Jacob directed The Rise of Mediocrity by Larry Phillips which was a finalist for best play in the Venus/Adonis Theater Festival 2016. Recently, he directed Your Invisible Corset by Patricia Lynn with Hunger & Thirst Theatre and Spaceman by Leegrid Stevens with Loading Dock Theatre at The Wild Project, which was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards. Jacob holds an MFA in Directing from Boston University. www.jacobtitusdirector.com. C Rodriguez (set design | they/them) is a creative, maker & designer focused on inventive and imaginative production. With a background in Architecture, they possess a design eye that's led by the unconventional. Stoli Stolnack (lighting design | they/them) is an NYC-based lighting designer and associate. Lighting design credits include Terminus (Monk Parrots, NYTW's Next Door Series), Queen of Spades, Stomping Grounds, Lost Luggage (Pavilion at the Glimmerglass Festival), The Misanthrope and Tartuffe (Moliere in the Park). Assistant credits include Prayer for the French Republic (MTC), Dance Nation and Wives (Playwrights Horizons), Boesman and Lena (Signature Theater Center), Fire in Dreamland (The Public), Show Boat and Traviata (The Glimmerglass Festival), West Side Story (Atlanta Opera). Special effects work includes assistant special effects designer on Beetlejuice The Musical, effects programmer for the Hadestown National Tour, and effects crew member for New Year's Rockin' Eve 2018-2022. Stoli is the lighting director for the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY. sstolnack.com. Jevyn Nelms (costume design | she/her) is a costume designer and fabric artist from New York by way of Chicago. After receiving her BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology, she began her career as a costume designer. She works in theater and film and designs videos and commercials. She has had the privilege of working with many notable actors including, Danny Glover, Steven Guttenberg, Frankie Fasion, and Jessica Walter. www.jevynnelms.com Jonathan Taikina Taylor (movement/choreography) is an actor, director, and movement artist based in Brooklyn & Mexico City. As Artistic Director of The SuperGeographics, he has directed: Un Castillo de Cartas, Panic Everything's Fine, Bacchic, Moving Mouths, RePlay: Shelter Island, and Signal. Under his direction, The SuperGeographics work has been seen across the U.S. and in Sweden, Chile, and India. Jonathan has performed with AnikayaDance, Kairos Dance Theatre, and En Guard Arts. BFA in Theater Arts from Boston University and an MA in International Relations and Global Justice from Brooklyn College. Jonathan is an Associate Artist of Anne Bogart's SITI Company. He teaches Suzuki & Viewpoints at The Atlantic & NYU. Justin Cox (special props design | he/him) is a Texas born, New York based art director, production designer & prop and SPFX designer for television, film and live performances. He comes from a line of Texas artists and artisans - his grandparents were carpenters, painters, and toy inventors. From them Justin learned the importance of creating things with his hands. His connection to objects, environments, and how things function, as well as an eclectic aesthetic, has served the world's storytelling community from film, network television and streaming platforms to Lady Gaga and Broadway. About the Cast Erin Treadway (Jesse | she/her) is a frequent collaborator with playwright/director Leegrid Stevens. Recent roles with Loading Dock Theatre and Leegrid Stevens: Spaceman (Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance; NY Innnovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Solo Performance), A Peregrine Falls (The Wild Project), The Dudleys! (HERE), Ms. Julie, Asian Equities (The Dock at Loading Dock, Brave New World), The Twelfth Labor (Gene Frankel Theatre). Other projects include Sawyer in Larry Phillips' Rise of Mediocrity, Mayo Methot in Reid & Sara Farrington's Casablancabox (HERE). She was named one of Indie Theatre Now's 2012 People of the Year. She is also a member of Workshop Theatre and Brave New World Rep. Shawn J. Davis (Dustin | he/him) has previously worked with Leegrid Stevens in productions of Spaceman, Post Oedipus, and Match. Other favorites include: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, All My Sons, The Glass Menagerie, Night and Her Stars, Forever Plaid, and Almost, Maine. BFA from Southern Methodist University E. James Ford (Doctor / Date / Solider | he/him) is a performer, writer, and designer based in NYC. On TV, he has appeared on "Gotham" as an Arkham Asylum inmate who was co-murdered by The Penguin and The Joker, on "Happy!" as a psychotic easter bunny, and on "Pioneer One" as a hapless Homeland Security agent. Favorite NYC theater roles include The Dreary Coast (dir. by Jeff Stark, NY Times Theatre Pick), Biter: Every Time I Turn Around (Title:Point, Time Out NY Best of the Year), Private Manning Goes to Washington (The Representatives), and The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini (dir. Cynthia von Buhler). As a voiceover actor he can be heard on the animated "Pokémon," "Toy Cop," "The Donkey King," "The Christmas Witch." Miles Purinton (Boss / Doug | he/him) is thrilled to be making his debut with Loading Dock Theatre! Selected NY Theatre Credits: Jayson with a Y (The New Group), The Notebook (Second Stage), The Hook (Brave New World), Audio/Video (Drama League), A Penny For the Guy (Penguin Rep). Film and TV: Dogville (dir. Lars von Trier), Confess, The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Bear, Daria, Strangers with Candy, Between the Lions. Voice of Charlie Brown for the first PEANUTS merchandise sanctioned by the Schulz Estate following Charles Schulz's passing. Graduate of The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Kenyon College. www.milespurinton.com Sam Tilles (Anders | he/him) is a New York based actor, playwright, and sound designer. Recent credits include The Rise of Mediocrity (Randomly Specific Theatre), Henry V (Quis Que Ya Productions), The Ferberizing of Coral (Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival), and Fire Dance (Loading Dock Theatre Company). Sam is in the process of producing his first full length play, Genesis, which is inspired by a journey he took down the route of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Sam graduated from Boston University with a BFA in Acting in 2013. He is also the recipient of the Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Award. Poppy Luch (Alex | she/her) is 10 years old. She is a pianist, composer, dancer, and actor. Poppy gave her first solo piano recital in Steinway Hall, NYC, at age 6. She performed in an official Steinway release promoting the children's book series, Henry the Steinway, in 2021. Poppy will appear in an upcoming episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, performing a Mozart Sonata. Poppy attends the School of American Ballet. She performed with the New York City Ballet in a 5-week run of The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center in 2022. Poppy is incredibly excited to be part of War Dreamer. Rowan Luch (Alex | he/him) is 8 years old. He is a pianist, composer, dancer, and actor. He performed his own piano composition at the Javitz Center vaccination site in 2021. He attends the School of American Ballet, the training academy for the New York City Ballet. He is appearing for the first time as an actor in War Dreamer. Ruby Titus (Alex | she/her) is excited to be joining Loading Dock Theatre on their production of War Dreamer. She can be seen on Sesame Street's youtube video, "Cookie Monster Helps a Lonely Shelter Dog Find A Girl Who Loves Him With Dodo Kids." Ruby loves studying outerspace, rock climbing, skateboarding, and pokemon. About Loading Dock Loading Dock is a Brooklyn-based company committed to the creation and production of original theatre that explore the extremes in the human experience. We produce emotional, character-driven shows with an experimental edge. We create big plays, like: A woman on a solo mission to Mars (Spaceman), Family memories coming alive as a malfunctioning 8-bit video game (The Dudleys!), transforming our small loft into an investment bank (Ms. Julie, Asian Equities), seeing through the eyes of young woman with a damaged mind on a farm in 1950's America (The Twelfth Labor) and the Trojan War told through the lens of an Texas high school in the 80's (Trojans). We also produce Forklift, a monthly reading series in our space where we invite companies, playwrights, and theatre-makers to use our space for staged works-in-progress. As a company, Loading Dock has earned 2 Drama Desk nominations, 9 Innovative Theatre Award nominations and 4 Innovative Theatre Award wins. Critics have called Loading Dock productions "Ingenious and punishing… a magnificent example of what Off Off Broadway can do" (NY Times - Spaceman), "richly dark and rending drama" (The New Yorker – A Peregrine Falls), "a marvel of theater craft and theater art" (NY Theatre – Spaceman), "a masterpiece of science fiction…a work of compassion, humor, and keen insight" (NY Science Fiction Review – Spaceman), "hits us right in the gut and heart" (Theatre That Matters – The Twelfth Labor), "heartbreaking…boasts performances that are nothing short of spectacular" (Stage Buddy – The Twelfth Labor), and "all the actors have fun with their roles...visually, the production offers plenty of diversion" (Charles Isherwood NY Times – The Dudleys), "something truly innovative...with stunning visual effects" (Medium – The Dudleys). Please visit www.loadingdocktheatre.org for more information. |
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