Award-winning actor and writer, Dominique Salerno, premiered the solo-show at FringeNYC in 2016 where it played to packed houses and was awarded an Overall Excellence Award in Solo Performance. THE BOX SHOW also had a successful run at the Fringe Encore Series where it was selected (among nine other plays out of 200) to have an extended run at the Soho Playhouse. In September 2016, the comedic show played at the United Solo Festival on Theatre Row where it was awarded best comedic script.
The production is directed by Sash Bischoff who has worked with Ars Nova, Naked Angels, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the national tour of SHREK. Scenic design is by Ann Beyersdorfer whose design credits include The Dodgers (starring Corbin Bleu, Song for a Future Generation (Williamstown Theatre Festival), and the national tour of 50 Shades! A Musical Parody.
In this hilarious solo show, one woman plays over 25 different characters from inside a kitchen cupboard. (Yes, you read that correctly: the whole show takes place inside of a cupboard!) Each time the doors open the audience discovers an entirely new reality, ranging from a drunken couple in Las Vegas to the entire Greek Army inside the Trojan Horse, a lonely Giantess, a lost Pope, and so much more! With sketch-style characters and musical numbers, THE BOX SHOW is a fast-paced roller coaster ride that plunges its audience into vastly different worlds without ever leaving the physical space of The Box. The space is limited, but the comedic possibilities are endless. The New York Times hailed THE BOX SHOW as "The most purely delicious production... relentlessly inventive...a paragon of Fringe form."
Creator Dominique Salerno initially wrote the first draft of the play in 14 days by crawling inside of a cupboard and rehearsing with a mirror. A workshop performance was part of The American Conservatory Theatre's Sky Festival in January of 2015. After receiving much encouragement, Dominique worked with set designer Ann Beyersdorfer, to create a box for New York City. She then continued to work on the show and moved the set piece into her bedroom, and because the bed and box could not coexist in her Manhattan apartment, she slept on the floor for 10 months and rehearsed the show alone, into a mirror, and with her director Sash Bischoff.
Overall Excellence Award - Solo Performance, FringeNYC 2016
Best Comedic Script - United Solo Theatre Festival 2016
Best Set Design - United Solo Theatre Festival 2016
All performances take place at The Peoples Improv Theater - The Striker, 123 East 24th Street (Between Park Ave. & Lexington Ave.). Subways: 6/N/R/F/M to 23rd Street. Tickets are $18.00 and are available at www.thepit-nyc.-com/box-show- Running time 60 minutes.
Performance Dates
Monday, October 2 @ 7:30 pm
Thursday, October 12 @ 7:30 pm
Monday, October 16 @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, October 21 @ 3:00 pm (During SketchFest at The PIT)
Monday, October 23 @ 7:30 pm
Sunday, October 29 @ 5:00 pm
Monday, November 6 @ 7:30 pm
More info is available at www.theboxshow.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/boxshowtime
Instagram: @the_box_show
Twitter: @The_Box_Show
Dominique Salerno (Writer/Performer) is an NYC based actor, singer, director, improvisor, and playwright. She received her MFA in Acting from American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), and her B.A. from Princeton University. Recent acting credits include: Love and Information (A.C.T.), A Christmas Carol (A.C.T.), Mr. Burns (u/s A.C.T.), PUSSYSLUDGE (HERE Arts Center, NYC), and Lysistrata (Faux-Real Theatre, NYC). Currently, she performs in New York with her musical improv duo "The Moustache Apologies," writes sketch for her sketch duo "Feminarchy", and improvises with her longform team "Bad People." www.dominiquesalerno.com
Sash Bischoff (Director) Credits include Long Division (PCS), Flee (NYSAF/Naked Angels), Candyland, Life, and Taboo (Ars Nova), SHREK (National Tour), The White Party (Clubbed Thumb, NBT), Babs The Dodo and Swept (Williamstown), Mine (Chautauqua). Upcoming projects include: Hotel (The Civilians), How The Moon Would Talk (Keen Company), UN-UTERO (Columbia), Top Girls (NYU), Chary/Gwinn concert (54Below), I Should Save This (Dixon Place), Fuck Marry Kill (Lincoln Center, Less Than Rent). BA Princeton University. www.sashbischoff.com
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