Believe Theatrical to Host Public Reading of Rebecca Gilman's BLUE SURGE; Rachel Brosnahan to Star

On December 2nd, Believe Theatrical will host the first public reading of Rebecca Gilman's screenplay adaptation of Blue Surge at the Pater Jay Sharp Theater, 416 West 42nd Street. Michael Walker (Price Check) will direct the stellar NYC cast to be led by Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards) and to include Jayce Bartok (The Cake Eaters), Phil Burke (Hell on Wheels) and Kate White (Fall to Rise), Autumn Dornfeld (Law & Order), Katy Wright-Mead (The Knick) and Patrick James Lynch (Peter & The Star Catcher) among others.

Rebecca Gilman's plays include The Crowd You're In With, Dollhouse, Spinning Into Butter, Boy Gets Girl, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and The Glory of Living. Her new play Luna Gale will have its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in January 2014. Her plays have been produced at the Goodman Theatre, The Royal Court Theatre, Lincoln Center Theatre, The Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, and Manhattan Class Company. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, The Prince Prize for Commissioning New Work, The Roger L. Stevens Award from the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays, The Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright, and The George Devine Award. Ms. Gilman was named a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for her play, The Glory of Living. Ms. Gilman is an associate professor of playwriting and screenwriting in the MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage program at Northwestern University.

Blue Surge follows Curt, a small-town cop who is trying to make a life for himself and his stable and loving fiancee. However, his course in life changes when he finds himself compelled to help the nineteen-year-old prostitute, Sandy, he meets during a raid of the local 'massage' parlor. A relationship develops which neither could have anticipated. Lives are forever altered as the characters grapple with the demons of their pasts and the hopes for their futures. Michael Walker, whose debut film was 'Chasing Sleep' starring Jeff Daniels and whose latest film is Price Check starring, Parker Posey, will direct the ensemble of 12 actors in the 'Blue Surge' reading.

This reading marks the fourth reading for Believe Theatrical at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater. The company is comprised of five producers, all from theater and film backgrounds. They aim to cross the theater / film medium barrier with each piece they premiere. Plays that can easily be turned into films, screenplays that belong on the stage or in the case of Blue Surge a play that has been adapted into a screenplay. The producers include: Patrick Morris, founder of 57th & Irving Productions, Ryan Gielen founder of Believe Limited, and Patrick James Lynch founder of Stop The Bleeding Productions. Kate White and Katy Wright-Mead are actors and producers with Believe Theatrical.

The reading will begin at 7:00pm following a pre-reading open bar reception starting at 6:30pm. The reading will be followed by a Q/A with the playwright and director. There will also be an open-bar reception following the Q/A in the theater lobby. Tickets are free. For more information or to reserve a seat, e-mail tickets@believetheatrical.com.