BELLA'S DREAM Begins 6/16 in NYC

By: Kelsey Denette May. 15, 2013

BELLA'S DREAM, a new play with dance written and choreographed by Dana Boll, follows the true life story of Bella and Raymond Boll (the playwright's paternal grandparents), who heeding the advice of a dream, left their home in Poland, weeks before the Nazis invasion. Directed by Jessica Ammirati BELLA'S DREAM begins performances June 16 prior to an official press opening of June 18 at the Flamboyan Theater located at the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Educational Center (107 Suffolk Street) in Manhattan.

Inspired by the author's grandparents' real-life story, BELLA'S DREAM tells the tale of a newlywed couple in 1939 Poland, Bella and Raymond, who are warned in the wife's dream to leave the only home they have ever known. While on the run, they find themselves traveling thousands of miles, through the wilds of Siberia to the deserts of Uzbekistan, meeting Eskimos, Gypsies, prisoners and refugees along the way. BELLA'S DREAM interweaves scenes from Bella and Raymond's journey with present day experiences of their son, Ronny, who, in the parking lot of a Florida supermarket, confronts the anti-Semitism his parents tried to escape so many years ago.

The play's supermarket setting highlights the importance of food in wartime, the commodification of people then and now, and parallels the chance encounters of strangers in town market squares and the modern marketplace.

A series of post-show talk backs with the cast and creators of BELLA'S DREAM will be held following the 2pm matinees.

The cast of BELLA'S DREAM features: Lisa K. Hokans, Jon-Michael Miller*, Bob Angelini*, Kristin Parker*, Suzanne DuCharme*, Jerry Goralnick*, Alex Teicheira, Kathryn Wilkening, Renee Dumouchel, Nancy Smith and Eva Amessé. *denotes members of Actors' Equity Association appearing in an AEA-approved Showcase.

Dana Boll has worked as a choreographer for Village Light Opera Group (The Merry Widow, Oklahoma!, The Mikado) and Opening Doors Theatre Company (Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public), and has performed at LaMama and Theatre for the New City. Bella's Dream is her stage debut as a playwright. Jessica Ammirati has directed productions at Expanded Arts, Pulse Ensemble Theater, The John Houseman Theater and the American Theater of Actors.

Jessica Ammirati has directed and produced productions at Expanded Arts, Pulse Ensemble Theater, The John Houseman Theater and the American Theater of Actors. Her most recent show, "In the Ebb," was part of 2012's NY International Fringe Festival.

Artistic collaborators for BELLA'S DREAM include Molly Ballerstein (Stage Manager), Barb Cool (ASM/Production Assistant), Ien DeNio (Sound Designer), Andre Zachary (Interactive Media/Projections Designer) , Scott Frost (Costume Designer) and Daniel Jagendorf (Technical Director).

Going to Tahiti Productions was founded in 2008 by Jessica Ammirati with the mission of giving more opportunities to women in theatre. Past productions include Jane Austen's "Persuasion" adapted by Laura Bultman, "In the Ebb" and "Skin Flesh Bone," original plays by Camilla Ammirati, a GTTP adaptation of the Mary Doria Russell novel "Dreamers of the Day," the New York debut of Ruth McKee's one woman play "Full Disclosure," and a development production of Carrie Keskinen's solo show, "Cat Lady Without a Cat."

Scheduled June 18 through June 30, BELLA'S DREAM will have 15 performances: Tuesday through Saturday at 8pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm. The preview on Sunday, June 16 will be at 5pm. Tickets are $18 (during preview performances tickets are $12) and can be purchased online at http://goingtotahitiproductions.com/.

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BELLA'S DREAM Begins 6/16 in NYC

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