** NOW PLAYING AT A NEW VENUE NOVEMBER 13-22 **
ARE YOU THERE, ZEUS?
IT'S ME, ELECTRA
A New Tragicomedy Based on Sophocles’ Electra
Written & Directed by Aliza Shane
November 13 - 22
Roy Arias Studios & Theatres
at The Times Square Arts Center
300 West 43rd Street, 5th Floor
Electra is angry, ruthless, and hell-bent on revenge. Too bad she’s only 16…
Looking Glass Theatre, in conjunction with Darrell Fontenot, Alan & Fran Hirschman, and Aliza Shane, presents ARE YOU THERE, ZEUS? IT’S ME, ELECTRA., written and directed by New York Innovative Theatre Award winner Aliza Shane. This new farce based on Sophocles’ Electra will play at ROY ARIAS STUDIOS & THEATRES at THE TIMES SQUARE ARTS CENTER, 300 West 43rd Street, 5th floor. Performances are scheduled from this Friday, November 13 through Sunday, November 22; running Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.
About the show…
Electra is determined to avenge her father Agamemnon’s death. Unfortunately, she’s powerless -
a teenager stuck at home with nothing but a Greek chorus that just won’t go away. She will need
to band together with her long-lost brother Orestes, their dim-witted sister Chrysothemis, their
trusted friend Pylades and a torrent of raging hormones to set her plot for revenge in motion.
But will vengeance lead to happiness? And why does puberty have to be so tragic?
This Greek play’s original title is somewhat deceiving. Electra appears to be
about a central female character affecting all action of the play. However,
she spends the entire time waiting for a man to show up on his proverbial
white horse and make things happen. This story has always been about the
one true heir Orestes; the conquering hero, returning home to save the day.
All Electra can do is wait and lament… and then lament some more.
But what if the story really belonged to Electra? What if she grew to believe in her own power and
gained the strength to fight back on her own terms? This over the top, hilarious production answers
those questions for you and throws in the grungy sounds of Nirvana, Bush and Greenday for good
measure. Come and see Electra exact her own revenge for yourself!
Irene Ryan Award nominee Dani Cervone (Electra) leads the standout ensemble, which also
features Elizabeth Bove, Carley Colbert, Jan Di Pietro (Far Out! at Minetta Lane Theatre),
Marci Koltonuk (Dance Dance Revolution at The Ohio Theatre), Meg Lanzarone, Kevin Mitchell,
Michael Alan Read, Matt Rini and Tom Slot (Jesus Freaks at Manhattan Repertory).
Creative team includes: Laura Hirschberg (Assistant Director/Stage Manager), Erin Winebark (Assistant Stage Manager), Zane Enloe (Scenic Designer), David Monroy (Lighting Designer) and David Moyer (Costume Designer). Click here for cast and creative team bios.
About Playwright/Director Aliza Shane…
The 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Award winner for her Outstanding Short Script The Three Sillies, which shealso directed, Ms. Shane most recently wrote and directed The Spanish Wives: A Groovy Tale of Peace, Love, and Restoration at the Looking Glass. She has directed four new works at Looking Glass as part of the Writer/Director Forum, including original adaptations of the works of Moliere, garnering multiple Forum Awards for her productions. Ms. Shane also currently serves as the Looking Glass Forum Producer. She has worked as a director, playwright, assistant director, stage manager and singer in many venues around NYC. In August 2009, she received the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Award for Outstanding Overall Production of a Revival/Adaptation for writing, directing and producing The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only. She was also nominated for Best Direction for the production. Ms. Shane also co-directed The Bacchae (Cypreco Theatre Co.), which was performed at the Cyprus Consulate and the HBO Summer Stage. She earned a BA in Theatre from Queens College. www.alizashane.com
About Looking Glass Theatre…
Looking Glass Theatre’s mission is to theatrically and truthfully reflect a female vision on the stage. We fulfill this by presenting female directors' visions of classics and by staging new plays either written or directed by women. The New York Times called our Fall 2008 production of Adventures of the Puppet Princess “charming” and “a substantial introduction to the culture of Bali.” In June 2006, Looking Glass Theatre and Artistic Director Justine Lambert received The Lucille Lortel Award from The League of Professional Theatre Women.
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ARE YOU THERE, ZEUS? IT'S ME, ELECTRA
November 13 - 22, 2009
SCHEDULE: Friday-Saturday @ 8 p.m., Sunday @ 7 p.m.
TICKET PRICE: $15 General Admission
ADDRESS: 300 West 43rd Street, 5th Floor
PHONE: (212) 307-9467
This show is now closed.
CAST
ELIZABETH BOVE (Clytemnestra), in her Looking Glass debut, is delighted to be working with Aliza. Favorite roles include: Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Lintott in The History Boys, and Romaine in Witness for the Prosecution. www.elizabethbove.com
DANI CERVONE (Electra) is very excited to be participating in her first production with The Looking Glass Theatre! She’s also pretty pumped about getting the opportunity to play such a well-known character in such a new and inventive way. Since moving to NYC from Colorado, Dani has performed in The Children's Hour, The Sons of Molly Maguire, and a one-act festival in the city. She has also toured nationally with The National Theatre for Children and Chamber Theatre Productions. Some of her favorite roles have been the title role in Educating Rita, Sally in ...Charlie Brown and Helen in The Cripple of Inishmaan. She holds a BA in Theatre from the University of Northern Colorado.
CARLEY COLBERT (Chorus) recently received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from SUNY-New Paltz. She has performed in numerous productions including As Bee’s in Honey Drown, Measure for Measure and This is Not Dada. She recently completed an internship at The Looking Glass Theatre and is very excited to be working with the company again!
JAN DI PIETRO (Aegisthus): Since graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Jan has performed in regional productions of The Producers and Sweet Charity and more recently performed the role of Taplow in The Browning Version, Vlad in Death In Mozambique at the Cherry Pit, and just finished a run at the Minetta Lane Theatre in the new musical, Far Out!, where he played the role of Gabe. A native Australian, Jan began his performing career at the age of 13 in Australia, performing in productions of Singin’ in the Rain, The Music Man, The Mikado and others. He also made appearances in commercials and award-winning TV series before coming to the USA. Jan is thrilled to be a member of this beautiful and fun cast and special thanks to Aliza, the beautiful ADs, the crew, Looking Glass Theatre, and also big love to his family for all their support from back home!!
MARCI KOLTONUK (Chorus) is excited to be returning to the Looking Glass Theatre after performing in Bug Boy Blues as Miss Fireant, as well as the Winter 2007 intern showcase. Recent credits: Dance Dance Revolution (Les Freres Corbusier), Far Away, The Way to Wealth, Hard-Boiled (Williamstown Theatre Festival), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Gaslight Theatre Company). Marci also assistant directed her first show this past spring, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, at the Public Theatre LAB. She is a graduate of DeSales University, where she earned her BA in Theatre. Thanks to Zeus, Aliza, cast and crew for such a fun experience!
MEG LANZARONE (Chrysothemis) feels right at home on the stages of New York and is so excited to be a part of this production! Recent NY credits: Sabina in The Skin of Our Teeth, Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island and playing multiple roles in The Best Party Ever and The Spoon River Anthology. Meg can also be seen in her original Cabaret shows soon to hit the stages of NYC! Much love and thanks to Aliza, the wacky cast and crew and members of The Looking Glass Theatre for such a great experience. Love to her family and friends for always supporting her unpredictable career.
KEVIN MITCHELL (Pylades) is a native of Massachusetts. He has come to New York by way of Chicago where he spent two and a half years working with small theatre and various improv troupes. He is a graduate of Adelphi University, but also attended Salem State and got his start at Bristol Community College. Recent Credits include: The Living, The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only and Henry IV/Henry V. “When you take life and place it under a microscope to examine life and the human condition you get theatre in its purest form.”
MICHAEL ALAN READ (Leader Of The Chorus) is proud to be making his debut at The Looking Glass Theatre with an amazing cast and crew. A native of East Stroudsburg, PA and graduate of Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL some of his past credits include: The Comedy of Errors with Boomerang Theatre Co., touring the nation with Chamber Theatre Productions, and acting as the resident children’s theatre director for The Shawnee Playhouse. Many thanks to Aliza, for this wonderful opportunity, and to my Mom, Nana, Gus, and Kelley for their support.
MATT RINI (Chorus & Fight Choreographer) is thrilled to be back once again at the Looking Glass as part of Are You There, Zeus... Previously, he appeared in The Taming of the Shrew, as well as the NYIT-award winning The Three Sillies, also under the direction of Aliza Shane. Non-Looking Glass credits include premieres of the new plays Horatio and Sex and Hunger and productions of Rumors; Cosi; Dancing at Lughnasa and many, many Shakespearean pieces. Matthew is also an active fight director and member of the Society of American Fight Directors, and has taught stage combat in schools in New York and Connecticut.
TOM SLOT (Orestes) has an MFA in Acting from Columbia University. His recent stage credits include: Lucas, Tell It To Me Slowly (Robert Moss Theater); Blaine, The Father Of Songs (Schiparo Theatre); David, Jesus Freaks (Manhattan Repertory);The Summoner, The Canterbury Tales (Riverside Theater); Laertes, Hamlet (Arena Players Repertory); Tybalt, Romeo and Juliet (Arena Players Repertory); Hayden, Caught In The Act (Manhattan Repertory); Sebestian, The Tempest (Folkwant Academy International Shakespeare Festival, Essen Germany); Nikos, Big Love (Setkani Encounter Festival, Brno, Czech Republic); Bottom, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Looking Glass); Yearling, Water The Musical (The Collective Unconscious); and Church (Public Theater). Film credits: Gregory, Suicide Kids; Ethan, Love Another Lisa; Tom, Keep The Mojo Rising; Jammer, 7/11 The Musical; and Matthew Wojiac, Gray Matters. Tom is also a musician, composer, and teacher and recently finished his second musical, The Father of Songs. Visit www.tomslot.com for more information. For Jess with love.
CREATIVE TEAM
ALIZA SHANE (Playwright/Director), the 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Award winner for her Outstanding Short Script The Three Sillies, which she also directed, most recently wrote and directed The Spanish Wives: A Groovy Tale of Peace, Love, and Restoration at the Looking Glass. She has directed four new works at Looking Glass as part of the Writer/Director Forum, including original adaptations of the works of Moliere, garnering multiple Forum Awards for her productions. Aliza also currently serves as the Looking Glass Forum Producer. She has worked as a director, playwright, assistant director, stage manager and singer in many venues around NYC. In August 2009, she received the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Award for Outstanding Overall Production of a Revival/Adaptation for writing, directing and producing The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only. She was also nominated for Best Direction for the production. Aliza also co-directed The Bacchae (Cypreco Theatre Co.), which was performed at the Cyprus Consulate and the HBO Summer Stage. She earned a BA in Theatre from Queens College. www.alizashane.com
LAURA HIRSCHBERG (Assistant Director/Stage Manager) is delighted to be making her Looking Glass Theatre debut! A recent graduate of Harvard College, Laura is a proud member of the WorkShop Theater Company, where she recently assistant produced their main stage production of Next Year in Jerusalem. Laura’s directing credits include The Fantasticks, Arcadia, and Angels in America: Perestroika (Harvard). Stage management credits include An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein, Henry V (Harvard) and Magic and Mayhem (The WorkShop). Thanks to Aliza, Rachel, the cast, family and friends!
ERIN WINEBARK (Assistant Stage Manager).
ZANE ENLOE (Scenic Design) hails from South West Wisconsin where he studied technical theater at UW-Madison. Since then Zane has interned at MASS MoCA, toured with The Wedding Singer First National, and is now the Production Coordinator at New World Stages. Recent designs include: America a Problem Play, Ghosts of Provincetown, and The Hole. He currently resides in Brooklyn with the lovely Miss Emily Tucker, and can often be found in Redhook with his skateboard and a bucket of PBR.
DAVID MONROY (Light Design): If Gandhi met, fell in love with and married Ralph Nader their offspring would be David Monroy - a talented musician, caring activist, audio engineer and lighting designer.
DAVID MOYER (Costume Design) Off Broadway: Forbidden Broadway: Goes to Rehab, Forbidden Broadway: Roast of Utopia, Forbidden Broadway: Rude Awakening (Associate Designer), Flamingo Court with Jamie Farr and Anita Gillette (Associate Designer). Off Off Broadway: Stephen King's Carrie (PS122), The Living (Stone Soup), The Ghost Dancers (Stone Soup). Film: The Louisiana Conversation (Associate Designer). David has toured the country with Forbidden Broadway performing everywhere from the Bellagio to someone's basketball court. David has also free lanced for fashion houses like Heatherette and some of New York City's finest Drag Super Stars. Upcoming Projects include Forbidden Christmas in Vegas! and Cabaret at his alma mater Sarah Lawrence College.
