News: Set in the Far Future, Epic Political Drama "One Empire, Under God" Continues at The Tank

One Empire, Under God: A Cautionary Tale in Two Acts, the new full-length drama by award-winning playwright Anthony J. Piccione (A Therapy Session with Myself, The Kraine Theater; Unaffordably Unhealthy, The Tank), continues its live debut at the Obie-award-winning performing arts venue The Tank this week.

Set in the far distant future, One Empire, Under God is an epic political drama that tells the story of how an emotionally disturbed young man - with the help of virtual media technology - is able to rise to political power by inciting an uprising against America's openly atheist president, and subverting democratic and military rule throughout Western civilization, paving the way for him and his descendants to rule for generations to come. Every step toward a more perfect union is followed by an enormous reactionary backlash. That historical trend remains very much alive in the future, as seen in this provocative critique of nationalism, imperialism, and religious extremism.

Directed by Andrés Gallardo Bustillo (SDC Member; Artistic Director of the Phoenix Theatre), the play was presented earlier this year as an online virtual production via Zoom. The cast includes Trey Shields (Romeo & Juliet, London Academy for Music and Dramatic Arts; DEAD HOUSE, Boston Playwrights Theatre), Marc Verzatt, (Lilies, Off-Broadway at The Theater Center), Sarah Spagnuolo (Straight, Queer Arts Theatrical; Man Versus Woman, The Players Theatre), Gian Caro (Cyrano de Bergerac, American Musical and Dramatic Academy), J.J. Miller (Lilies, Off-Broadway at The Theater Center), Marcus L. Smith (Hugs and Kisses; Episcopal Actors Guild; Johnny, Hudson Guild Theatre), Mary Miles (Sweat, Stella Adler Studio; Sylvia, The Workshop Theatre), Clara Tan (Spoon River Anthology, AlphaNYC; Threshold, Sean Surla Productions in Maryland), Sabrina Lopez (Heathers; Selma Arts Center), Sarah Nowik (The Wizard of Oz; Rockaway Theatre Company), Michael Paone (Den of Thieves, Deena Levy Theater Studio), and Demonte Thompson (Sisters on the Ground, American Academy of Dramatic Arts).

Performances: November 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 & 20 at 7pm and November 13, 14, 20 & 21 at 2pm
Location: The Tank, 312 W 36th Street, New York, NY
Run Time: 2 hours & 30 minutes + 15 minute intermission
General Admission: $25
Premium Admission: $40
Live-streaming Admission: $20
Tickets Available for Purchase at www.thetanknyc.org

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Immersive "American Blues: 5 Short Plays by Tennessee Williams" Takes Audiences on a Marvelously Crafted Journey

Image
American Blues: 5 Short Plays by Tennessee Williams Written by Tennessee Williams Directed by Jim Niesen Presented by the Irondale Ensemble Project at The Space at Irondale 85 South Oxford St., Brooklyn, NYC October 27-November 26, 2023 Shadenia Savid in Moony's Kids Don't Cry . Photo by Natasha Rotondaro In 1948, Tennessee Williams published American Blues , a collection of five one-act plays, and a remarkable new production of this collection by Brooklyn's Irondale shows that these works have lost none of their power to both entertain and challenge audiences in the intervening three-quarters of a century. Comprising plays written in the decade between 1936 and 1946 - Moony's Kids Don't Cry (1936); The Dark Room (1939); The Case of the Crushed Petunias (1941); The Long Stay Cut Short, or, the Unsatisfactory Supper (1946); and Ten Blocks on the Camino Real (1946) - American Blues represents the second part of Irondale's American Century, the first install
Read more

Review: Nancy Redman’s "A Séance with Mom" Conjures Mother-Daughter Hilarity and Love

Image
A Séance with Mom Written by Nancy Redman Directed by Austin Pendleton Presented at Chain Studio Theatre 312 W. 36th St., Manhattan, NYC April 20-23, 2023 [Update 5/1/23: shows added May 24-June 4, 2023 (no performance May 29)] Nancy Redman Nancy Redman appears onstage, a simple table in front of her, a walker off to the side. Within seconds, we are immersed in a séance involving two then three then four characters—all emerging from only Redman. Redman plays Nadine, a woman who has something urgent to address with her dead mother, Gussy. Redman manages multi-faceted character work, each character in conversation with the other, complete with different gestures, accents, and mannerisms. The effect is riveting and, ultimately, deeply cathartic. The heart of the show comprises Nadine’s mission to reach her mother through a séance in order to talk. An unwitting rabbi plays the bumbling gatekeeper to the spirits in the séance, while Nadine’s something—actually several somethings—to tell her
Read more

Review: From Child Pose to Stand(ing) Up: "Yoga with Jillian" and "Penguin in Your Ear" at the Women in Theatre Festival

Image
Yoga with Jillian Written by Lia Romeo Directed by Andrew W. Smith Presented by Project Y Theatre and Richard Jordan Productions in association with The Pleasance June 2-17, 2023 Penguin in Your Ear Written and performed by Eliza Bent Directed by Jess Barbagallo June 10, 2023 Part of the Women in Theatre Festival , presented by Project Y Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres Michole Biancosino. Photo courtesy of Project Y Theatre This June, Project Y Theatre Company presents the eighth annual installment of its Women in Theatre Festival (WIT), which showcases new work by women and maintains "more than 50% female representation of all artists involved." This year, the festival includes a lobby installation project, titled In the Betweens , from scenic designer Chen-Wei Liao, through which audience members pass on their way into the theater proper. One first chooses first between "light" and "dark" rooms and then moves into "the gardens" before re
Read more