Maieutic Theatre Works Presents The Family Shakespeare

By: Mar. 09, 2011
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MTWorks continues its acclaimed fifth season with the magical world premiere of THE FAMILY SHAKESPEARE, written by award-winning playwright and Artistic Director David Stallings and directed by founding member Antonio Miniño. THE FAMILY SHAKESPEARE will play a 3-week limited engagement at the June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10001; South side of street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Performances begin Wednesday, April 13th through Saturday, April 30th .

"I acknowledge Shakespeare to be the world's greatest dramatic poet, but regret that no parent could place the uncorrected book in the hands of his daughter, and therefore I have prepared the Family Shakespeare"
--Thomas Bowdler

Henrietta has always been enraptured by the works of William Shakespeare. When she dangerously invites an innocent boy into her magical world, she discovers her family has not only censored the Bard, but also kept her from one of his most scandalous tales. Will their actions crush her imagination, make it spin out of control, or will they join her in a land of Ophelias, Calibans and Kings? Welcome to the Imaginarium of Henrietta Bowdler in 18th Century Bath.

Inspired by the complete censored works of William Shakespeare by Thomas, Jane & Harriet (Henrietta) Bowdler. Written and directed by award-winner David Stallings.

Featuring Eric C. Bailey*, Sarah Chaney* (MTWorks' The Oath), Jason Emanuel, Diánna Martin (MTWorks' The Oath), Frankie Seratch (MTWorks' Barrier Island), Peter B. Schmitz*, Corey Tazmania* (NJ Rep's The Housewives of Mannheim) and Cotton Wright* (Flux Theatre Ensemble's Pretty Theft & Angel Eaters).

Produced by Martha Goode (Circle in the Square's The Miracle Worker). Set design by Blair Mielnik (NY IT Award nominee Outstanding Set Design for To Barcelona!); costume design by Rachel Dozier-Ezell; lighting design by Dan Gallagher; original music composed by Jessie Montgomery. Carolynn Richer is the production stage manager and Jean Marie Hufford is the assistant stage manager. Press representation by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR and Michael Roderick/Small Pond Entertainment is the producing consultant.

THE FAMILY SHAKESPEARE plays the following schedule through Saturday, April 30th:

Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7pm
Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm

Tuesday performances are followed by a talk-back.

Tickets are $18 and are now available online at www.MTWorks.org or by calling 212-352-3101. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theatre's Box Office 30min prior to the show.

Running time: 2 hours including intermission

For more information visit www.mtworks.org

*Appearing Courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

BIOGRAPHIES


David Stallings (Director / Playwright) Directing credits include: Louise Flory's Look After You, Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer, Edward Albee's The American Dream, Harold Pinter's Betrayal, and Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters. He has worked with several theatre companies including The Culture Project, Manhattan Theatre Source, Prospect Theater Company, Early Stages and Oberon Theatre Ensemble. He is a founding member of MTWorks, and serves as their Artistic Director. David has written several full-length plays and short pieces. Maieutic Theatre Works produced Folie a Deux: Insanity in Pairs in the fall of 2006 in New York City. Brandon Voss of HX Magazine called the play, "Riveting" and named Stallings as the "playwright to watch". Other plays include The ReEducation of Arizona, The Kindness Project (Break in the Day and The Stranger to Kindness), The Galveston Cycle (Barrier Island, A Song for St. Michael's and The Seawall), Deceiving Chance, Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell (1st Prize Winner Boston Theatre Works--Unbound Festival 2007--Semi Finalist for the Princess Grace Award 2008), Arpeggio (produced Fall '07 at the 45th Street Theater), A Daughter of Israel (produced Fall '10 at the Looking Glass Theatre), and The Family Shakespeare. On MTWorks' 2008 NYC Fringe production of Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell, the Village Voice said, "Thank the gods for David Stallings' Anais Nin Goes to Hell... a uniquely polished presence at the Fringe", and The New York Press said, "For a play about women but written by a man, it captured the greater female psyche." Most recently David's play Barrier Island received its world premiere at Center Stage NY, and is slated for a second production in Louisiana. His play The Stranger to Kindness will premiere June 2011 at The Robert Moss Theater as part of The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, directed by Heather Cohn. David has a BFA in Theater from the College of Santa Fe, NM. He is also a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. www.StallingsWrites.com.

ANTONIO MINIÑO (Director) Directing credits include The Shadow Project, Edward Albee's The Zoo Story, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Rafael Morla's Joan, Pedro Calderon de la Barca's Life is a Dream, Lope De Vega's Fuente Ovejuna, Federico Garcia Lorca's Blood Wedding & The House of Bernarda Alba. As a performer he was seen recently singing at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe accompanied by Andrew Sotomayor, and in the Audience Favorite winning play The Empress of Sex by Duncan Pflaster as part of the 2011 National NewBorn Festival. He recently performed at The Town Hall of New York with Voices in Unity at Peter Mayer's Stars and Promises concert. Favorite NYC acting credits include: Arpeggio (45th St Theatre), Intermission (HERE), Trojan Women (MHS), Elevation (Payan Theatre), OOPS! (Manhattan Theatre Source), 4 Variations of Mee (Manhattan Children's Theatre), Ilka's Dream (Payan Theatre). Antonio is a native of the Dominican Republic, where he studied theatre at the School of Dramatic Arts, co-hosted/produced and directed for the award-winning television show FashionTV, was a contributing writer for M.S. Magazine, an art director for various fashion campaigns, and a director/performer for various national productions. Antonio is a founding member and marketing director for MTWorks. He is a contributing writer for The Happiest Medium, and his photography has been featured in the NY Times, the NY Post, Backstage, Show Business Weekly, among others. He is a member of Voices In Unity performing at Symphony Space NY. Currently he studies voice with Susan Baum and continues his performance studies at The Juilliard School. He is slated to play the role of "Greco" in The Stranger to Kindness at the Robert Moss Theater, June 1-26, 2011 (Planet Connections Theatre Festivity). www.AntonioMinino.com

MAIEUTIC THEATRE WORKS (MTWorks) is an award-winning not-for-profit theatre company based in NYC that premieres distinctive new plays, bringing Broadway caliber to Off-Off Broadway audiences since 2006. Now home to both emerging and established theater professionals, MTWorks' mission is to birth new plays inspired by playwrights and regions outside of New York.

Past productions include The 2011 National NewBorn Festival sponsored by The City College of New York's Psychology Club and Department; Cody Daigle's A Home Across The Ocean at Theatre Row, directed by Dev Bondarin; Carol Carpenter's Good Lonely People at The Robert Moss Theatre (Winner of 3 Planet Connections Theatre Awards; Best Supporting Actress, Best New Playwright, Activist Award), directed by Diánna Martin; David Stallings' Barrier Island (Center Stage), directed by Cristina Alicea; The 2010 National NewBorn Festival at Asya Geisberg Studio, various directors; Underworld: Duets at The Triad NYC (Benefit); 4 Variations of Mee at Manhattan Children's Theatre, various directors; Louise Flory's Look After You at The SoHo Playhouse (FringeNYC 09), directed by David Stallings; Jacqueline Goldfinger's The Oath at The Arclight Theater, directed by Cristina Alicea; The 2009 National NewBorn Festival at The ArcLight Theater, various directors; Into the Underworld: A Broadway Understudy Tell All...With Music at The Triad NYC (Benefit); David Stallings' Anaïs Nin Goes to Hell at The Connelly Theater, directed by Cristina Alicea (FringeNYC 08); Cody Daigle's Providence at The Rock Theatre, directed by Ian Crawford; Underworld: A Night With Broadway's Understudies at The D-Lounge (Benefit); The 2008 National NewBorn Festival at The Payan Theatre, various directors; David Stallings's Arpeggio at The 45th Street Theatre, directed by Cristina Alicea; The 2007 National NewBorn Festival at The Payan Theatre, various directors; and David Stallings' Folie a Deux: Insanity in Pairs at The Rock Theatre, directed by Cristina Alicea. www.mtworks.org

 



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