THE LOOKING GLASS THEATRE PRESENTS
LESBIAN BATHHOUSE
By Helen Eisenbach
Directed by Rose Ginsberg
October 12 - November 17
Where can you go when you’re feeling a little dirty?
Lesbian Bathhouse, a new late-night play by
Helen Eisenbach and directed by Rose Ginsberg,
opens Friday, October 12 at 11 p.m. at The
Looking Glass Theatre.
About The Show…
The last thing actress Grace Cameron expects when she walks in to audition for a mysterious new show is that her “big break” will lead her down a wildly out-of-control path of sexual discovery.
Take one dazzling heartbreaker from the past who’s suddenly back for more. Add one voracious casting director who knows everything about sex and power except how to take "no" for an answer. Fold in a top Hollywood filmmaker playing out overheated fantasies in search of his own sexual identity. Toss in a bevy of beauties with trouble telling the difference between fantasy and reality. Turn up heat and uncover Lesbian Bathhouse: a spicy-hot comedy for every appetite.
CAST: Colleen Benedict, Daryl Ray Carliles, Elena Chang, Claudia Debs, Kate Murrin, Ashley Omadevuae, Ina Marie Smith and JessAnn Smith.
Naima Moffet-Warden (AD/SM), Ryan Metzler (Lighting Designer),
and Elizabeth Vastola (Costume Designer).
About the Playwright Helen Eisenbach…
Helen Eisenbach’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, New York magazine, Interview, Newsday, Time Out New York, and other publications. She is the author of two books, Loonglow (a Book-of-the-Month club and Quality Paperback selection) and Lesbianism Made Easy (a Lambda Award nominee). Currently at work producing several screenplays for Hobbyfilms’ Amy Hobby (“Secretary”), she is also a freelance book editor.
About the Director Rose Ginsberg…
Rose Ginsberg is happily continuing her feminist theater streak with Lesbian Bathhouse, following her own adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew (Looking Glass Spring 2007 Forum) and The Vagina Monologues, which performed at the Looking Glass as part of V-Day 2007 (Stiletto Project). At Looking Glass, Rose has also directed Muncie and Mayhem in “Rats” and “Tea” and Doing Shakespeare. Other favorite credits include A Rustle of Wings (Ensemble Studio Theatre Directing Lab), the NYC premiere of Michel Marc Bouchard’s The Coronation Voyage, and the new rock musical Wake Her Up, a retelling of the myth of Psyche and Eros.
About The Looking Glass Theatre…
The Looking Glass Theatre’s mission is to explore and expand the feminine aesthetic, producing women directors’ visions of the classics and new plays either directed or written by women. In June 2006, The Looking Glass Theatre and Artistic Director Justine Lambert received The Lucille Lortel Award from The League of Professional Theatre Women. Additionally, New York Resident named Ms. Lambert one of the Top 100 New Yorkers of 2003 for her work with the company.
------------------------------------
LESBIAN BATHHOUSE -- October 12 - November 17, 2007
SCHEDULE: Tuesday @ 8PM; Friday & Saturday @ 11PM;
Special Halloween performance October 31 @ 7PM
TICKET PRICE: $15 General Admission
ADDRESS: 422 West 57th Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues
PHONE: (212) 307-9467
TDF Vouchers Accepted!
CAST
COLLEEN BENEDICT (Grace) is a recent graduate of SUNY Fredonia where she received a BFA in Acting. She was last seen starring in Tune in Tomorrow, playing the role of Ruth. Other favorite credits include: Carny Girl in Carnival Girls, Amelia in The Creadeaux Canvas, and Anya in The Cherry Orchard. Colleen is a principal performer with the Venture Productions team and will soon be in an independent film with Chocolate Cake City. Colleen would like to thank Rose and Naima for the opportunity to “broaden” her acting horizons, as well as the cast, crew, and her loving, supporting family.
DARYL RAY CARLILES (Rod) is pleased to be doing his first New York Production with The Looking Glass Theatre!! As he is brand new to the city there is nothing like a lesbian show to say welcome to New York!! Daryl has performed all over the U.S. starting in his hometown in North Carolina then moving on to places such as Orlando Florida and Los Angele!! Such shows include Forever Plaid (Frankie), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander) and most recently Judas in the production of Godspell!! He also is a member of the Sketch Comedy group “I got your Monkey” and you can check him out darylraycarliles.com or Igotyourmonkey.com for upcoming shows!! I would like to give special thanks to Rose and Ina for this awesome opportunity and theatre experience!!!
ELENA CHANG (Caroline), a graduate of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, had the honor of performing at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre in London in productions of Troilus & Cressida and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Previous credits include Athena in Odyssey (Looking Glass) and Lady in Orange in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf (Wild Child). Most recently she was seen in Ma-Yi Theater’s presentation of 365 Days/ 365 Plays at the Public Theater. Special thanks to Rose Ginsberg and the cast and crew of Lesbian Bathhouse for this experience. Survival of the he(art)ist.
CLAUDIA DEBS (Cat) is Brooklyn-born and raised (sometimes sarcastic), a NYU Tisch Graduate Honors BFA Drama, and was most recently seen in the raucous interactive rock-and-roll show Stairway To Hell at Snitch, as well as the Ensemble Studio Theatre workshop performance of Once Upon A Time in Times Square. She loves it HOT! Teaches Bikram Yoga in Manhattan...come sweat with me! Art addict: writer, painter, ANYTHING, can I create something? I’m in....love all things music, totally inspired by life and world peace...love to laugh and hope I can with you!
KATE MURRIN (Renee), hailing from Houston Texas, made her way to New York as a theater concentration at New School University’s Eugene Lang College. During her tenure, Kate performed at La MaMa Nyc alongside New York theatrical legend Judith Malina in Witold Gombrovich’s Operetta, as well as playing the role of Solyony in Chekhov’s Three Sisters. No stranger to villainous gender-bending, Kate previously performed the role of Tybalt in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. She is thrilled and honored to be a part of The Looking Glass Theatre’s production of Lesbian Bathhouse, and would like to thank Rose for bringing her along.
ASHLEY ONOKUREFE OMADEVUAE (Buster) was born and raised in Houston, TX, where she studied at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as a dance major. She is now continuing her dance studies at New York's Broadway Dance Center. She has just finished her college career at Marymount Manhattan College, where she earned her BA Theater Performance Degree. She has participated in such college productions as, Richard Wright's Native Son as Clara, and Arthur Miller's The Crucible as Martha Corey. The Looking Glass Theatre's production of Lesbian Bathhouse is her first non-educational theater production.
INA MARIE SMITH (Missy) is a recent graduate of the Ithaca College acting program. Previous roles include Nancy in Voices in the Dark and Nikki in Seven Points for Love at the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Project Playwright III at the Access Theatre. She was also featured in the award-winning short film “Taps.” Upcoming shows include the world premiere of Toy Story on Disney Cruise Lines. Love and thanks to my wonderful friends and family who support my all of my crazy shenanigans. Enjoy the show!
JESSANN SMITH (Tatiana) grew up in the Seattle area and moved to NYC in 2004 after graduating with honors from the University of Montana as their youngest graduate in over 40 years! She has been performing since age seven and has most recently been seen in Hudson Warehouse’s Bacchae in Riverside Park, Michael Holland’s Hurricane the Musical, the U.S. workshop of Jihad: The Musical and Angry Young Women… at Theater for the New City. She has also done numerous film and commercial projects and just got back from a trip around the world! Performing is JessAnn's #1 passion, but she also loves traveling, rock-climbing, thrill seeking and books. LOTS of books. Be on the lookout for JessAnn’s website, www.jessannsmith.com, coming soon!
CREATIVE TEAM
HELEN EISENBACH (Playwright), whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, New York magazine, Interview, Newsday, Time Out New York, and other publications. She is the author of two books, Loonglow (a Book-of-the-Month club and Quality Paperback selection) and Lesbianism Made Easy (a Lambda Award nominee). Currently at work producing several screenplays for Hobbyfilms’ Amy Hobby (“Secretary”), she is also a freelance book editor.
ROSE GINSBERG (Director) is happily continuing her feminist theater streak with Lesbian Bathhouse, following her own adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew (Looking Glass Spring 2007 Forum) and The Vagina Monologues, which performed at the Looking Glass as part of V-Day 2007 (Stiletto Project). At Looking Glass, Rose has also directed Muncie and Mayhem in “Rats” and “Tea” and Doing Shakespeare. Other favorite credits include A Rustle of Wings (Ensemble Studio Theatre Directing Lab), the NYC premiere of Michel Marc Bouchard’s The Coronation Voyage, and the new rock musical Wake Her Up, a retelling of the myth of Psyche and Eros.
NAIMA MOFFET-WARDEN (Assistant Director/Stage Manager) is a true New Yorker, growing up in a mecca of the Fine Arts in Brooklyn. She graduated from Adelphi University and attended the Actors’ Studio at New School University, on scholarship, for Directing. Working at The Looking Glass Theatre has been a refreshing experience toward her directing work. She would like to thank her family and friends for giving all their support. She would also like to thank Rose for giving her the opportunity to be a part of a great process.
JANA MATTIOLI (Scenic Designer) has designed sets for both the theatre and the big screen. She recently finished up the design for the Off Broadway play Angry Young Women in Low-Rise Jeans with High-Class Issues. In the film world, Jana recently burnt down a bakery in “Dough Boys,” decorated lovely East Side apartments for “Between Love and Goodbye,” and built a CSI lab for a spoof titled “BSI.” Feel free to look her up on IMDB. onesourcejana@yahoo.com
RYAN METZLER (Lighting Designer) is the Lighting Designer in Residence at the Looking Glass Theatre, where he designs the semi-annual Writer/Director Forums. Productions in New York include: Copito, Sex and Sealing Wax, and The Quiet Model (Midtown Festival); Chess (NY Fringe); Spring’s Awakening, Odyssey, Baal, Helix 999, and Bug Boy Blues (Looking Glass Theatre); The End of Civilization (Locus Theatre Company); Eight Ways to Meet your Neighbor and Soccer Moms from Hell (The Theatre Studio, Inc.); Stone Cold Dead Serious (Small Pond Entertainment).
ELISABETH VASTOLA (Costume Designer) is making her Looking Glass Theatre debut, and couldn’t be more excited about this fabulous company. She most recently designed Champ: A Space Opera in the New York International Fringe Festival. Prior off-off-Broadway productions include Stephen Belber's Tape at the Michael Weller Theater. In addition to designing numerous shows at Columbia University, Elisabeth has been a Costume Apprentice for the Santa Fe Opera, as well as a long-time assistant to costume designer Elizabeth Caitlin Ward. Restating the immortal words of Edith Head: “You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.”
