The audaciously funny comic writer Dean Imperial is getting the royal treatment as CORE Artist Ensemble lavishes its attentions on him by producing an evening of his one-acts. "Adults Only" -- seven one-act comedies by Imperial -- will have its world premiere at TBG Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, in a three-week engagement from Saturday February 6 at 8pm to Sunday February 21 at 3pm.
Directed by Alex Correia, "Adults Only" allows CORE (a youthful theatre collective 30 members strong) to get to the bottom of sex and relationships in today's post-metrosexual New York.
Set in restaurants, at parties, in bedrooms, a rehearsal studio, and an emergency room, Imperial's intelligent, incisive and often-touching comedies are packed with truly normal-seeming, functional and relatable characters. Their obsessions and proclivities could easily be claimed by countless New York strivers, neurotics, and connivers, just like you and me!
"Adults Only" is comprised of these one-acts: "Prix-Fixe;" "She's Got It;" "Socks;" "The Heart Attack;" "The Needle Through the Arm Trick;" "The Polish Starlet," and "The Sleepover."
The cast of 19 - CORE to its core -- includes: Shane Allen; Tessa Borbridge;
Tiffan Borelli; Rachel Casparian; Libby Collins; Farrah Crane; Kara Dudley;
John Egan; Jane Elias; Nathalie Frederick; Sam Gilroy; Asa James; Katie Lawson; Rachael Lee;
Matt Mundy, Matt Reeves;
Eric S. Robertson; Theresa Rose; Nate Rollins, and Quinn Vogt-Welch. The production stage manager is
Kacey Gritters.
The production design team consists of Edward T. Morris (scenic design);
Miriam Crowe (lighting design); Adam Platt (sound design), and Kayla Reed (costume design).
Dean Imperial is a playwright and screenwriter, whose plays and teleplays regularly workshop at
Naked Angels. His play "The Needle Through the Arm Trick" (included in "Adults Only") was a NY Innovative Theatre Awards finalist, and his one-act "Naked Eyes" was a Samuel French Off-Off-Broadway Festival finalist, that was published in 2012. He is developing the television project Hammerhead with fellow CORE Ensemble member Sam Gilroy.
Alex Correia has been a resident director at INTAR where he has directed the premieres of "Leak," and "Three to a Session," among others. His NY directing credits also include
John Patrick Shanley's "Where's My Money" at the Cherry Lane. A graduate of Juilliard School's Directing Program he has assistant-directed for
Andrei Serban, Joel Sass,
Andrei Belgrader, Chris Bayes and
Gregory Boyd.
Both Imperial and Correia are card-carrying members of CORE, the six-year-old company that has been producing since 2011 and is based at the
Barrow Group. With 30 members - actors, directors, playwrights and designers - the group functions as an arts collective, with two Rachels - Rachel Casparian, and Rachael Lee - serving as artistic directors.
Tickets go on sale Monday January 11. "Adults Only" plays a total of 16 performances from Saturday February 6 at 8pm to Sunday February 21 at 3pm. Performances are Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Friday at 8pm; Saturdays at 3pm & 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm. For tickets, which are $18, visit
www.coreartistensemble.org or the TBG Theatre box office, 312 West 36th Street, one hour before showtime.
