Aldin's Comedy 'The Program' to Be Presented at FringeNYC

The New York International Fringe Festival is presenting The Program, written by Michèle Aldin and directed by Elysa Marden (Esoterica, I Hear [Oigo]). 

The limited performance schedule runs Saturday, August 11th at 3:45 pm, Thursday, August 16th at 9:45 pm, Friday August 17th at 9:30 pm, Saturday, August 18th at 11:15 pm, Monday, August 20th at 3:00 pm. The Program is being presented at The New School for Drama Theater, 151 Bank Street, 3rd Floor (Between West & Washington Streets).  .

"What if the Sopranos moved to Wisteria Lane?  The Program is a comedy about the Bianchino family from Brooklyn who are put under the Federal Witness Protection Program and relocated to suburbia. All they have to do is stay under the radar and follow the rules. But that's not easy for this family. Can they survive Minimal Integration and the mean streets of 'Everytown' USA? Who knows - it may be safer in Brooklyn. The show runs 1 hour and 35 minutes," as press notes state.

Playwright Aldin was named one of 'three Fringe Festival playwrights to watch' by Backstage in 2006 for her production of Dear America.  Her play, Back Burner Murder, took part in Six Figures Theatre Company's Artists of Tomorrow Festival.   31 Bond, was commissioned by and produced at the Brooklyn Lyceum and subsequently read at the North American Actors Association Playreading Festival at the Soho Theatre, London, England.  She co-authored the original musical Journey to Friday with The Woodstock Youth Theatre which premiered at The New York International Fringe Festival in 1999.   She wrote the book for an original musical, Little Mary with composer/lyricist, Keith Gordon, which was presented in Dixon Place's Warning: Not for Broadway Reading Series in November 2006.   Her screenplay "11 Months" won the Alfred P. Sloan award and her screenplay, "This Sweet Earth," was a finalist in the Moondance International Film Festival.  Her plays have premiered in New York and Los Angeles at The Triad, The Riant Theatre, The Looking Glass Theatre, American Theatre of Actors, First Stage Theatre, Emerging Artists Theatre, The Brooklyn Lyceum, Women's Project & Production, The American Globe Theater, and the Titan Theatre Company at Westbeth.

Featured in the cast are Bruce Barton, Kurt Elftmann, Wende O'Reilly, Cara Samantha Scherker and Ben Sumrall.

The production runs Saturday, August 11th at 3:45 pm, Thursday, August 16th at 9:45 pm, Friday August 17th at 9:30 pm, Saturday, August 18th at 11:15 pm, Monday, August 20th at 3:00 pm.  Tickets are $15.00 Festival passes also available.  For reservations please call (212) 279-4488 or visit www.fringenyc.org to purchase tickets online.  The Program is being presented at The New School for Drama Theater, 151 Bank Street, 3rd Floor (Between West & Washington Streets).  By Subway: A, C, E to 14th Street or L to 8th Avenue.  Walk south on 8th Avenue to Hudson Street. Walk south on Hudson Street to Bank Street, then walk west to the theatre.

Photo courtesy of Sun Productions - Bruce Barton and Cara Samantha