The Fab Marquee

August 13, 2008, New York, NY–MAIEUTIC THEATRE WORKS’ (MTWorks) production of David Stallings’ Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell, received horrific news on Sunday, 4 hours prior to the performance. After premiering their latest work on Friday, to a sold-out house, Maggie Benedict, who played Cleopatra, lost her father; she was to fly out to South Africa immediately to be with her family and would not be able to continue with the run. MTWorks sympathies were with the family and their immediate response was to cancel the show.

This type of sudden predicament happens in the theater world, and the answer has always been “The Show Must Go On”, but for a small and fresh theater company that has only been around for three years, this was a first. Fortunately Kristina Kohl, a company actress, and David Stallings’ original inspiration for the role of Cleopatra, jumped right in, grabbed a script, scribbled down stage directions and saved the night.

Kristina Kohl & Shelly Feldman (Anaïs Nin)

Duncan Pfaster of Broadway World who was in the audience said, “on the night I attended, Ms. Benedict had a death in the family, and Kristina Kohl, another actress from Maieutic Theatre Works, took over her role with 4 hours notice, on book, and gave a fine performance.”

MTWorks, the cast and crew of Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell would like to dedicate the remaining 3 performances to Maggie Benedict and the memory of her father.

“When Maggie told us that she lost her father and had to go back to South Africa, I was devastated. Devastated for her loss of her father so suddenly-I can’t imagine the pain of that and I feel terrible that she has to go through that. I was also devastated to lose her in the show. She played the role of Cleopatra so beautifully and brought so much fire and individuality to the part that I knew that losing her would change the effect of the play. I of course understood the situation and agreed there was no question about her having to leave and take care of her family. She will be missed.” Said Cristina Alicea, director of Anais Nin Goes to Hell.

Kristina Kohl will be finishing out the run starring as Cleopatra in the final three performances of ANAÏS NIN GOES TO HELL. This limited engagement is part of the 12th annual New York International Fringe Festival-FringeNYC at The Connelly Theater (Venue # 17; 220 East 4th Street-between Avenue A & Avenue B).

Stallings immediately thought of Kohl as the replacement because she was the actress who had told him Cleopatra belonged in the play. Even with their history, Stallings was amazed at her ability to step into the role. He remarked, “When we lost Maggie, Kristina did not hesitate to save us–she has nerves of steel. It was a blessing for us to find an actress who implicitly understood the character and was able to walk seamlessly in her shoes. I have never met an actress with the ability to enter stage with not even a full day rehearsal, with a script in hand, and then wink at me when it was over.”

What reviewers are saying about ANAÏS NIN GOES TO HELL:

“For a play about woman, but written by a man, it tapped into the greater female psyche…”
-NY Press

“[Shelly] Feldman is a gleeful delight as Nin- owning every moment she’s onstage with stylish grace and power- one really believes her as the catalyst for all the change her character inspires.”
–Broadway World

“It’s nice to see a play that relies on strong women.”
–NY Theatre.com

“Cristina Alicea’s direction is wonderful- she brings the most out of the talented cast.”
–Broadway World

 

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Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell only has 3 performances remaining in FringeNYC:

Sunday, August 17th at 7:15 pm
Thursday, August 21st at 5:15 pm
Sunday, August 24th at 2:45 pm

Tickets are $15.00. $10 senior citizens (65 years or older), and for those who purchase groups of 20 or more tickets to a single performance. Tickets can be purchased at www.FringeNYC.org or 866.468.7619. Tickets may also be purchased in person at FringeCENTRAL, the main box office for the Festival, up until 24 hours before the actual performance. On the day of the performance, tickets must be purchased at the venue where the show is playing. Venue box office opens 15 minutes before the performance. (Cash only.)

Please check www.fringenyc.org and www.mtworks.org for updates.
Promo Photos are available at http://picasaweb.google.com/kampfirefilms/AnaSNinGoesToHellFringeNYC2008

[from press release]

There’s Still Time to Check Out
The Midtown International Theatre Festival
…but only until August 10!!

With 60 shows in seven different venues (all within a block or so walking distance of each other) the Ninth Avenue Midtown International Theatre Festival is shaping up to be our most successful and enthusiastically received offering to date. Our Festival, with its many eclectic shows and musicals, is receiving rave reviews from the media and the audience, “rivaling the Fringe in terms of sheer weirdness” (New York Post) and is “giving a boost to Off-Off-Broadway” (New York Sun).

When it comes to the MITF, the Chelsea Clinton News said it best: “Why not spend the summer
hopping from theater to theater instead of bar to bar?” (We’ve got that one covered too; you can
enjoy a reasonably priced selection of beers, soft drinks and snacks at several of our venues before
and after the show.)

If you haven’t done so already, and even if you have, you’re invited to check out the Midtown International Theatre Festival and see shows that make you laugh, think, cry and, most importantly,
make you want to come back time and again – but do it fast, as there’s not much time before the
curtain comes down on August 10!

“I am very happy with both our product and the audience response,” noted MITF founder and
executive producer John Chatterton. “Our submission vetting process, which included extensive
hands-on input from the various Festival artistic directors, yielded some excellent entries this year,
many of which have viability beyond our Festival and  will move on to other venues.”

Some of our Festival’s most outstanding offerings include:

o       Bubby’s Shadow - a ghostly grandmother goes to extraordinary lengths to reunite her
fractured family

o       Cleopatra: A Life Unparalled - a rock-operatic, hip-hop flavored, Latin and reggae
influenced musical about one of the most powerful, sensual and cunning women of all time

o       Couldn’t Say - a marriage comes apart on a lonely strip of highway

o       Exit Cuckoo - Lisa Ramirez’s one-woman show about motherhood, nannies and children

o       Flies in the Snuffbox -  three hilarious one-act comedies by Anton Chekhov

o       Hillary and Monica - a comedy that asks the question: what would happen if these
two women happened to meet BEFORE a certain infamous incident?

o       Intimate Exchanges -  a series of comedies by Alan Ayckbourn, with a cast imported
directly from London for the Festival

o       OPA! – a joyous musical about the celebration of love and life on a tiny Grecian island

o       Love, Incorporated - a musical about a successful career woman who develops a sound business plan to land the man of her dreams

o       Penang – a deeply felt drama about two soldiers on leave in wartime, and how they
begin to rediscover their lost humanity

o       Prince Trevor Amongst the Elephants -  a hilariously fractured fairytale comedy in
naked (and epic) Shakespearean style

o       Sympathetic Division –  a taut exploration of falling apart and finding your way home

o       Writer’s Block – several hilariously awful plays within one very comedic play about
a writer who is on the brink of becoming a one-hit wonder

(Exit Cuckoo, OPA! and Love, Incorporated are all part of the newly formed MITF Commercial Division, featuring shows with an eye specifically on future production beyond their Festival runs.)

Running now through August 10th, the Ninth Annual Midtown International Theatre Festival is being performed at these 7 theatres in 3 locations:

o       June Havoc Theater & Dorothy Strelsin Theater, The MainStage Theater and the
TBG Theater, all located at 312 West 36th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues) on
the 1st, 4th and 3rd floors, respectively

o       Where Eagles Dare Theatre and Where Eagles Dare Studio Theatre, located at 347
West 36th Street on the ground and 13th floors

o       Stage Left Studio, located at 438 West 37th Street (between 9th & 10th Avenues), Suite 5A.

Tickets to all MITF shows are $18.00, $15.00 for students and seniors.
Reservations: 212-279-4200 or www.ticketcentral.com.

For complete up-to-date information, go to the MITF website at www.midtownfestival.org.

New York, NY: On July 21, 2008, the IT Awards (New York Innovative Theatre Awards), the organization dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2008 nominees at a standing-room only event at “Our Lady of Pompeii” located at 25 Carmine Street. The 2008 Nominees were selected from an adjudication pool of over 3,000 artists. Nominees include 127 individual artists, 47 different productions and 40 theatre companies.

Among the nominees are a husband and wife team, Jack and Rebecca Cunningham, who share a nomination for Outstanding Set Design for Mill Fire, which was produced by their daughter, Heather Cunningham. Three artists; Dan Bianchi, Michael Kramer and Qui Nguyen are each nominated for more than 1 production. And although most of the nominated productions have already closed, two of them, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind and Elizabeth Rex continue to have performances in the new season. “To have done this amazing play to packed houses and then make the move to an Off-Broadway Premiere is a great experience. And now to be honored with two IT Award nominations is just the icing on the cake! The judges and audience votes have just been really terrific and the whole cast is incredibly pleased and excited for our August run at Center Stage” states Stephanie Barton-Farcas, Actor and Artistic Director, Elizabeth Rex produced by Nicu’s Spoon.

Elizabeth Rex

A major announcement was made: Blue Man Group, the wildly popular Off-Broadway sensation at the Astor Place Theater and international entertainment phenomenon which combines music, comedy and multimedia theatrics to create a totally unique form of entertainment, will be performing the opening number at this year’s award ceremony on September 22^nd, 2008.

Blue Man Group

“We are excited about participating in this New York tradition of honoring diverse theater in NYC,” states Blue Man performer, Wes Day. “Blue Man Group celebrates its New York roots and is proud to be grounded in this vibrant New York theatre culture.”

Outstanding Ensemble
Tanya Calamoneri, Heather Harpham, Lisa Ramirez, Cassie Terman
Art of Memory, Company SoGoNo

Jessica Burr, Zenzele Cooper, Dave Edson, Jason Griffin, Anna Kepe, Eunjee Lee, Celli Pitt, Matthew Sincell, Darrell Stokes, Laura Wickens
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

Elena Chang, Noshir Dalal, Jon Hoche, Kelley Rae O’Donnell, Melissa Paladino, Maureen Sebastian, Andrea Marie Smith, Paco Tolson, Temar Underwood
Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

Michael Crane, Andrew Guilarte, Sanjiv Jhaveri, Rock Kohli, Ramiz Monsef, Gita Reddy, David Sajadi
The Leopard and The Fox, Alter Ego Productions

Danny Ashkenasi, Matt W. Cody, Paul Daily, Tatiana Gomberg, Emily Hartford, Ned Massey
The Night of Nosferatu, Rabbit Hole Ensemble

Joe Basile, Christopher Borg, Jeffrey Cranor, Kevin R. Free, Ryan Good, Eevin Hartsough, Jacquelyn Landgraf, Sarah Levy, Erica Livingston, Rob Neill, Joey Rizzolo, Justin Tolley, Jenny Williams
Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, New York Neo-Futurists

Outstanding Solo Performance
Dana Berger
Washing Machine, Fist In The Pocket Theater in association with The Chocolate Factory

Andrea Caban
You Got Questions? I Got Answers!, Coyote REP Theatre Company

Taylor Mac
The Young Ladies Of…, HERE Arts Center

Petronia Paley
On the Way to Timbuktu, Ensemble Studio Theatre

Jonathan Pereira
American Cake, Prickly Pear Productions in association with the FRIGID Festival

Melle Powers
Whence Came Ye Scarlett O’Hara O’Hanrahan?, 53 Hysterics in association with the FRIGID Festival

Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role
Tom Bain
The Pied Pipers of the Lower East Side, The Amoralists Theatre Company

Jason Griffin
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

Greg T. Parente
Night of Nigro, The Strain Theatre Company

Rob Sheridan
The Two Lives of Napoleon Beazley, Incumbo Theater Company

Matthew Sincell
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

Paco Tolson
Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role
Britney Burgess
Professional Skepticism, Zootopia Theatre Company

Megan Byrne
No End of Blame, Potomac Theatre Project

Kaylin Lee Clinton
The Round of Pleasure, New Stage Theatre Company

Catherine Correa
The Round of Pleasure, New Stage Theatre Company

Tatiana Gomberg
The Night of Nosferatu, Rabbit Hole Ensemble

Erica Terpening
Night of Nigro, The Strain Theatre Company

Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Michael DiGioia
Elizabeth Rex, Nicu’s Spoon
Alex Draper
No End of Blame, Potomac Theatre Project

Peter Judd
You Can’t Take It With You, T. Schreiber Studio

Cameron J. Oro
The Accidental Patriot: The Lamentable Tragedy of the Pirate Desmond Connelly, Irish by Birth, English by Blood, and American by Inclination The Stolen Chair Theatre Company

Maximilian Osinski
Cherry Docs, Theatre of the Expendable

Bobby Steggert
Yank! A New Musical, The Gallery Players

Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Abby Baum
Triumph of Love, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Stephanie Barton-Farcas
Elizabeth Rex, Nicu’s Spoon

Laura Heidinger
Six Degrees of Separation, The Gallery Players

Lauren Kelston
Mill Fire, Retro Productions

Kira Sternbach
Gerald’s Method, Gallant Arts

Kristen Vaughan
Mill Fire, Retro Productions

Outstanding Choreography/Movement
Julie Atlas Muz
The Round of Pleasure, New Stage Theatre Company

Barbara Charlene
The Accidental Patriot: The Lamentable Tragedy of the Pirate Desmond Connelly, Irish by Birth, English by Blood, and American by Inclination
The Stolen Chair Theatre Company

Kelly Hayes
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

Patrick Hogan & Robert O’Neill
Echo Lake, Embodiment Productions

Anabella Lenzu & Qui Nguyen
(RUS)H, HERE Arts Center

Qui Nguyen
Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

Outstanding Director
Edward Elefterion
The Night of Nosferatu, Rabbit Hole Ensemble

David Gow
Cherry Docs, Theatre of the Expendable

Emma Griffin
Removable Parts, HERE Arts Center

Richard Romagnoli
No End of Blame, Potomac Theatre Project

Robert Ross Parker
Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

Damen Scranton
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

Outstanding Lighting Design
Christopher Brown
(RUS)H, HERE Arts Center

Deborah Constantine
Same Train, Algonquin Theater Productions

Kevin Hardy
The Night of Nosferatu, Rabbit Hole Ensemble

Kerrie Lovercheck
Mill Fire, Retro Productions

Philip Sandstrom
Echo Lake, Embodiment Productions

Benjamin C. Tevelow
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

Outstanding Costume Design
Rebecca Cunningham
What I Did Last Summer, Retro Productions

Leon Dobkowski
The Leopard and The Fox, Alter Ego Productions

Jessica Sofia Mitrani & Ildiko Nemeth
The Round of Pleasure, New Stage Theatre Company

Mioko Mochizuki
Art of Memory, Company SoGoNo

Bobby Pearce
The Chaos Theories, Shotgun Productions in association with The Resistance Theatre Company and MILJam Productions

Jessica Wegener
Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

Outstanding Set Design
Sean Breault
Art of Memory, Company SoGoNo

Jack Cunningham & Rebecca Cunningham
Mill Fire, Retro Productions

Michael Kramer
Proof, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Michael Kramer
Triumph of Love, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Travis McHale
The People vs. Mona, Ground Up Productions

Tim McMath
Six Degrees of Separation, The Gallery Players

Matt Ward
Mary Trilogy, Mir Productions

Outstanding Sound Design
Amy Altadonna
Mill Fire, Retro Productions

Dan Bianchi
The Invisible Man, Radiotheatre

Dan Bianchi
The Island of Dr. Moreau, Radiotheatre

Miguel Frasconi
Art of Memory, Company SoGoNo

Damen Scranton
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

Patrick Shearer
Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

Outstanding Original Music
Dan Bianchi
The Invisible Man, Radiotheatre

Dan Bianchi
The Island of Dr. Moreau, Radiotheatre

Mark Bruckner
Same Train, Algonquin Theater Productions

Larry Lees
The Magic of Mrs. Crowling, Royal Circus in association with Horse Trade

Pete Mills
The Rockae, Prospect Theater Company

Mitun Sinha
The Leopard and The Fox, Alter Ego Productions

Min Xiao-Fen
On the Way to Timbuktu, Ensemble Studio Theatre

Outstanding Full-Length Script
Bekah Brunstetter
You May Go Now, Babel Theatre Project

Qui Nguyen
Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

Matthew Opatrny
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

David Pumo
Auntie Mayhem, Gato Flaco Productions and Wings Theatre Company

James Scruggs
(RUS)H, HERE Arts Center

Stanton Wood
The Night of Nosferatu, Rabbit Hole Ensemble

Outstanding Short Script
Andrea Caban
You Got Questions? I Got Answers!, Coyote REP Theatre Company

Bronwen Denton-Davis
Pealing Figs, Mind The Gap Theatre

Daniel Gallant
Gerald’s Method, Gallant Arts

Philip Gawthorne
Modern Life is Rubbish, Mind The Gap Theatre

Nancy Harris
Girl in a Bath, Mind The Gap Theatre

Aliza Shane
The Three Sillies, The Looking Glass Theatre

C. Denby Swanson

Potato Feast, The Drilling Company

Outstanding Performance Art Production
Art of Memory, Company SoGoNo

The Island of Dr. Moreau, Radiotheatre

Removable Parts, HERE Arts Center

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, New York Neo-Futurists

You Got Questions? I Got Answers!, Coyote REP Theatre Company

The Young Ladies Of…, HERE Arts Center

Outstanding Production of a Musical
Conjur Woman, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club

Honor, Prospect Theater Company

The People vs. Mona, Ground Up Productions

The Rockae, Prospect Theater Company

Triumph of Love, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Yank! A New Musical, The Gallery Players

Outstanding Production of a Play
Burn, Crave, Hold: The James Wilde Project, Blessed Unrest

The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Hipgnosis Theatre Company

Cherry Docs, Theatre of the Expendable

Fight Girl Battle World, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

No End of Blame, Potomac Theatre Project

The Night of Nosferatu, Rabbit Hole Ensemble

—

If you haven’t picked your show yet at FringeNYC, now is the time. Ticket sales started Friday, July 18th. This seems to be another promising year for this festival.

To peruse the show listings visit www.fringenyc.org

Check out today’s New York Times article by Campbell Robertson. We have to say, we agree with him on most of it.

Sunday in the Dark With Tony?

by Antonio Miniño.

The Trevor Project operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock suicide prevention helpline for gay and questioning youth. Every day, The Trevor Project saves lives through its free and confidential helpline, its website and its educational services. The Trevor Helpline has taken over 100,000 phone calls since its inception and provides various other services to youth.

All great organizations require funds, and performing artists depend on kind contributions to exist. That is why it is commendable that all proceeds from Julia Brownell’s Extraordinary Circumstances directed by Meg Sturiano, will benefit The Trevor Project.

Extraordinary Circumstances will play a 4-performance limited engagement at Studio 54 (Shetler Studio, 244 W 54th St, 12th Floor). Performances begin Wednesday, June 18th and continue through Saturday, June 21st at 8pm.

Garden gnomes, attempted murder, and two guys falling in love make this great new comedy starring Michael Baldwin, Steve Borowka, Joe Varca, Cal Shook & Misti Tindiglia.

Tickets are $15.00 (all proceeds go to The Trevor Project), for reservations email notonthemoonyet@gmail.com .

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For more information on The Trevor Project, visit www.thetrevorproject.org