The Storm Theatre Company, under the Artistic Direction of Peter Dobbins, announces its first production of 2012- the New York and North American premiere of THE LONDON MERCHANT by George Lillo which will be presented in performance, January 6th through January 28th. Under the direction of Mr. Dobbins, the cast of THE LONDON MERCHANT features Spencer Aste, Joe Danbusky, Michelle Kafel, Jessica Myhr, Megan Stern, Patrick Woodall and Harlan Work. Set design is by Ken Larsen; lighting design by Michael Abrams; costume design by Maria Kousoulos and sound design by David Thomas. Stephen Logan Day serves as Assistant Director.
THE LONDON MERCHANT or THE HISTORY OF GEORGE BARNWELL, which was originally performed in 1731, is the story of a young apprentice led astray by a courtesan. The play was a groundbreaker-creating a new genre of theatre which concentrated on the struggles of the working class, which up to that time had not been featured on stage. Turning the page from stories relating to the upper classes, this new "middle class tragedy-bourgeois drama" became popular throughout Europe and gave the playwright, George Lillo a notable spot in dramatic history.
Performance schedule will be Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 pm with added performances on Monday, January 9th and Thursday, January 12th at 7:30 and matinees on Saturday, January 21st and 28th at 2:00 pm. NOTE THAT THE Storm Theatre NOW IS LOCATED IN A NEW HOME-THE THEATRE AT THE CHURCH OF NOTRE DAME, 405 West 114th Street (at Morningside Drive-two blocks from Columbia University). Tickets are priced at $25.00 and available through www.smarttix.com or call (212) 868-4444.
The Storm Theatre has been presenting productions since its creation in 1997 when a group of theatre professionals joined together with a desire to create a company that would create a meaningful impact on the lives of the people who came to its productions. Peter Dobbins, Artistic Director is a cofounder and Artistic Director of the Storm Theatre and has directed such Strom productions as T.S. Eliot’s "Murder in the Cathedral", Dion Boucicault’s "The Shaughraun," and "Arrah na Pogue" John Regis’s "Stavrogin’s Confessions", Stewart Parker’s "Spokesong", William Shakespeare’s "As You Like It", "The Tempest" , "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" and "Twelfth Night", Karol Wojtyla’s "The Jeweler’s Shop", "Jeremiah" and "Our God’s Brother" , the North American premiere of "House of Desires" by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz an the world premieres of "The Last Starfighter" by Skip Kennon and Fred Landau and "Linnea" by John Regis.
This production is a co-production with Blackfriars Repertory Theatre.
Blackfriars Repertory Theatre an apostolate of the Domincan Friars of the Province of Saint Joseph, was founded in 1998 by Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P., as a revival of Blackfriars Theatre (1940-1972)-the first professional religious theatre ever tried in New York City and the oldest continuous off-Broadway theatre in American stage history. Blackfriars provided the proverbial great first break to several acclaimed theatre artists including playwright Robert Anderson, and actors, Geraldine Page, Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Darren McGavin and Shelley Berman. Like the original Blackfriars, Blackfriars Rep carries on the mission of "producing plays of artistic merit that reflect the spiritual nature of man and his eternal destiny".
