EXILE FROM MAIN STREET: A PORTRAIT OF SINCLAIR LEWIS Begins At Sparta Avenue Stage This Month

Exile from Main Street: A Portrait of Sinclair Lewis-a one-man play celebrating the influential author known for his satirical and humorous critiques of society and human nature-will be performed for two nights only: Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 22 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sparta Avenue Stage in Sparta.

Written by Lance S. Belville and directed by Rose Burnett Bonczek, this new production stars Jay Nickerson, a Denville resident with extensive experience off-Broadway and on stages across the country, appearing in dramas, comedies, and musicals. His work also includes film, television, commercials, and voiceover projects. Critics have praised Nickerson's acting as "first rate" (City Pages), "brilliantly performed" (San Diego Union), and "exceptionally good" (St. Pauli Pioneer Press). He holds an undergraduate degree in Theater from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in Acting from CUNY Brooklyn College.

Nickerson first fell in love with the script while it was still being developed by Belville. He describes Exile from Main Street as having a "dinner party" quality. "Lance's Sinclair Lewis is fascinating-brilliant, driven, mercurial, and often very funny. After a few drinks, his wit could land him in trouble," says Nickerson.

Although Sinclair Lewis wrote over 24 influential novels, no advance reading is required to enjoy the play. "This is a dramatic piece about the man and his work," says Nickerson, "meant for a general audience and anyone who enjoys an evening of good storytelling."

Sinclair Lewis was the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1930), and his novels once outsold those of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nickerson believes audiences will leave the theater surprised by Lewis's complexity, wit, and intellect. "People may find themselves pondering: What is a successful life? A happy life? How much fame, talent, or money is enough? What defines greatness?"

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