EPIC Players Inclusion Company Presents A Neuro-Inclusive Adaptation Of THE TEMPEST

The third production of EPIC Players Inclusion Company's 2017-18 season is the neuro-inclusive adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. The play will run for 8 performances between May 31st and June 10th at The Flea Theater, The Siggy (named after founder Sigourney Weaver), where EPIC is proud to be Anchor Partners.

Artistic Director Aubrie Therrien, and company members Travis Burbee and Meggan Dodd lead the directing team of The Tempest. Talia Eapen serves as Production Manager.

This past March, during Autism Awareness Month, EPIC Players rang the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange and presented at the United Nations on the topic of Empowering Women and Girls with Autism specifically through the lens of the arts. Their Spring Cabaret Benefit at HBO Head Quarters in mid-town Manhattan, played to a sold-out crowd and featured Lord Graham Russel (co-founder of Air Supply) and Jay Klaitz (The Get Down & Vinyl/HBO). In 2017, EPIC's production of, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, was named a Top 10 Theatre Pick by YesBroadway.com (EPIC was #3)

Shakespeare's final play, The Tempest, explores themes of revenge, social hierarchy, inclusion and exclusion. EPIC's cast, consisting of actors living with and without developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder, immerses its audience, literally and figuratively in the story of Prospero, the Duke of Milan usurped of his position and power and exiled, along with his young daughter Miranda, to a magical island full of mysterious creatures.

The creative team includes lighting design by Zach Weeks and associate Derek Keifer, scenic design by Michael Lewis, costume design by Cat Fisher, properties design by Talia Eapen, sound design by Megan Culley, and original music by Ray Dodd. Kyle Hogrefe provides stage management with assistant stage manager Carol Hoverman.

The Tempest cast features Anton Spivack (Prospero), Nick Amodio (Trinculo), Max Baudisch (Stephano), Whitney Blythe (Ariel), Yotam Braunshtein (Ariel), Miles Butler (Ariel), Kim Carter (Ceres), Gianluca Cirafici (Alonso), Samantha Elisofon (Hera), Melissa Jennifer Gonzalez (Sebastian), Carly Hayes (Miranda), Ben Rosloff (Ferdinand), Yasha Kaminer (Gonzalo), Dante Jayce (Antonio), Andrew Kader (Caliban), Zach Lichterman (Francisco), Nick Moscato (Iris), Jason Moy (Boatswain), Gideon Pianko (Adrian), and Ari Sloan (Ship Master).

The Tempest runs May 31st to June 10th with shows scheduled for 7:00 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and matinees schedule for 2:00 pm on Sundays. Tickets are on now at www.epicplayersnyc.org - Performances take place at The Flea Theater - The Siggy, 20 Thomas Street (between Broadway & Church Streets), New York, NY 10007. Subways: A/C/E/1/2/3/J/M/Z to Chambers Street, N/Q to Canal Street, and the R/W/4/5/6 to City Hall.

About EPIC Players
The EPIC Players--which stands for empower, perform, include and create--is a theatre company in New York City founded in 2016 to provide opportunities for performers with developmental disabilities to represent themselves on stage and screen. EPIC seeks to use the performing arts as a vehicle to empower artists with developmental disabilities and pioneer increased inclusion in the arts.

Partial funding for this project has been made possible through the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York Creative Space Grant and The Blank Family Foundation. EPIC is proud to be an Anchor Partner of The Flea.

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