Philadelphia Theatre Workshop opens its sixth season with a classic example of its new mission. After last season, the professional company decided to dedicate itself to producing premieres of work by local playwrights. They kick off this new mission with the World Premiere of Alex Dremann's The :nv:s:ble Play. A resident of Chestnut Hill, Dremann's new work will premiere November 21 and close December 13. The play will at the Studio 5 at Walnut Street Theatre. Tickets cost $18 in advance and $20 at the door. They are available online at www.philadelphiatheatreworkshop.org
In 2007, The :nv:s:ble Play was the hit of Philadelphia Theatre Workshop's first PlayShop Festival. "It is so wonderful to return to the comic wit of Alex Dremann. His play Postcoital Variations was the inaugural production for Philadelphia Theatre Workshop back in 2004," said Philadelphia Theatre Workshop Artistic Director Bill Felty. "As we have transformed our mission into developing all new plays by all Philadelphia-area playwrights, we want to use our PlayShop Festival to nurture the plays we will produce for our mainstage season. The :nv:s:ble Play is the first play to do this and we couldn't be more excited!"
Dremann grew up in Phoenixville. He recently had three productions of the same play Four Dry Tongues running simultaneously in three cities: Philly Fringe, Los Angeles Theatre Neo, and Thespian Productions, NYC. His play On the Porch One Crisp Spring Morning debuted at the 2009 Humana Festival at The Actors Theatre of Louisville.
In The :nv:s:ble Play, a mirror is taken to life at the Existential Publishing Company. Some people are laid off--given a box to pack up their things and get out. Others are simply vanishing--literally. Colin can't decide which is worse. He's fighting to stay visible to win the heart of lovely Fran in the next cubicle. Tim, a handsome assistant editor, is busy sucking up as a means of survival. Nancy, the boss, is oblivious to everything. The rest of the office includes Ramona, the mysterious plant waterer; Carmen, a sassy, sexy and very pregnant assistant editor; Cass, who's "too old to deal with everything"; and Lawrence, the I.T. guy whom no one's really ever seen.
James Stover plays Colin. Stover recently assistant directed the Off-Broadway play The Temperamentals. Megan Slater appears as Ramona. Slater recently appeared in Hysteria at the Wilma Theater. She is the only cast member who was in the original PlayShop production of The :nv:s:ble Play in 2007. Victoria Frings appears as Fran. Frings appeared in Dremann's play Four Dry Tongue in the Fringe, also in the Wilma's production of Rock n Roll. Jesse McInvaine plays Tim. Aime Kelly plays Carmen. She recently appeared in The Little Dog Laughed at Flashpoint. Amy Acchione appears as Nancy. Acchione recently appeared Nice People Theatre Company's Edinburgh run of Have A Nice Life. Howie Brown appears as Lawrence. He recently appeared in Montgomery Theater's Bus Stop. Nancy Segal appears as Kitty/Cass.
Felty directs this world premiere. Stephen Hungerford is creating the scenery with Shelly Hicklin designing the lights. Vandy Scoates is designing the costumes and Daniel Perlestein is composing original music and designing sound.
About Philadelphia Theatre Workshop
Philadelphia Theatre Workshop strives to nurture bright and emerging artists at various stages of their careers. They will ignite Philadelphia by spotlighting communities of varying orientations, ethnicities, and age often underrepresented in the broader theatrical world. The company is dedicated to reflecting diverse audiences through original, evocative programming. Philadelphia Theatre Workshop educates, invigorates, and entertains!
