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HELOISE Comes to the Annual Broadway Bound Theatre Festival
By: Stephi Wild Jul. 22, 2019
Heloise, a play written by Michael Shenefelt, an award-winning professor at NYU whose interests lie in political philosophy and in the history of philosophy and logic, will debut as part of the exciting line-up at this year's Annual Broadway Bound Theatre Festival (BBTF).
Now celebrating its third year, the Festival runs from July 30-August 25. Performances will be held at The Lion Theatre in the renowned Off-Broadway performance center, Theatre Row, located at 410 West 42ndStreet, in the heart of the theater district.
Heloise is the tragic love story of a young woman living in 12th-century France who is everything she is not supposed to be-curious, intellectually gifted, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. She is living with her uncle Fulbert, a canon of the Cathedral of Notre Dame when she meets Peter Abelard-the most famous philosopher in France at the time. He is shrewd, ambitious, and politically threatening to the Church. When Abelard becomes her teacher, it is hard for either to resist the fascination that draws them together intellectually, spiritually and physically-despite the strict moral code of the time-andher family exacts a terrible revenge. The tale of Heloise and Abelard is one of the world's great love stories, but it is also the philosophical story of two lovers who press a crucial question with great force against the Church-What is the proper relation of reason to faith?
This production is in the experienced hands of director Ezra Barnes-New York actor, Founder and Artistic Director of Shakespeare on the Sound for thirteen seasons, and 2018 winner of the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director (The Diary of Anne Frank).
Joining the cast in lead roles are Sophia Blum* (Heloise), a transplant from Rhode Island who now calls Brooklyn, home. Ms. Blum has a long list of regional credits (The Bungler, Henry IV, Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet), and New York-based actor, Sean Edward Evans* (Abelard), who is originally from Los Angeles. He was most recently seen in Aaron Posner's Stupid Fu**ing Bird as Conrad, Camillo in Shakespeare's The Winter's Taleand as Cohen in Steve Martin's The Underpants,for which he was nominated for a Broadway World Regional Award for Best Actor.
Additionally, a brilliant list of actors rounds out the cast and includes tv/film and stage actor Michael Sean McGuinness* (Fulbert); Anthony Michael Martinez* (Alberic); Jay William Thomas (Bernard); William Brenner* (William of Champeaux); Damani Varnado (Bishop of Paris); Marika Proctor* (Sister Gertrude); andLauren Pisano (Novitiate).
Heloise will debut on Wednesday, August 7that 5:00pm with an opening night talk back featuring director Ezra Barnes and the cast. Other performances will be on Friday, August 9that 8:00pm and on Saturday, August 10 at 2:00pm. All performances will be held at The Lion Theater, 410 West 42ndStreet, NYC.
Tickets are available at the box office or by calling Telecharge at (212) 239-6200. Tickets may also be purchased by visiting https://heloisetheplay.com. Ticket Price: $27.25.
*Actors Courtesy of Actors Equity Association/An Equity Approved Showcase
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