Horse Trade to Present Less Than Rent's 'LITTLE MAC,' 4/3-27

Horse Trade Theater Group will present Less Than Rent Theatre's (2013 Indie Theatre Now People of the Year) World Premiere of LITTLE MAC, LITTLE MAC, YOU'RE THE VERY MAN! written by Sean Patrick Monahan (Diva at the 2013 United Solo Festival) and James Presson (Words, Razors, and the Wounded Heart), April 3-27 at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery). The production will be directed by Charlie Polinger (Independents; 'Best Musical' 2013 FringeNYC) and feature Tom Sanchez (Independents, "effortlessly hilarious"--The New York Times) in the title role with Sarah Daniels (Legally Blonde), Rachel B. Joyce (Desire! A Varsouviana), Cory Asinofsky (Puppet Hamlet), Ben Diserens, Jillian Rorrer, Joseph Flynn, and Alex Kramer among others. Arrangements and original music by Mark Levy of The Academy Blues Project. This production will mark Less Than Rent's tenth full production since its inception in 2010.

LITTLE MAC, LITTLE MAC, YOU'RE THE VERY MAN! is based on Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera, resetting it's antihero, the renowned outlaw Macheath, in the Wild West on the run from the local oil tycoon, Mr. Peachum, and his henchman, Sheriff Lockit. The long arm of the law pursues Little Mac across the country, and through a hodgepodge of American history and culture. Along the way, he encounters familiar faces including Al Gore and Al Capone, Ronald Reagan and Ronald McDonald, and Lucille Ball and her buddy Ethel (Rosenberg). Rounding out the story of the outlaw- and the eighty-five memorable characters he meets- is a musical score that pays homage to the classic American songbook. Part spaghetti Western, part political satire, and part film-noir, Little Mac is a heart-warming tale about money, capitalism, and money.

The production will run April 3-27 at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery), 4/3, 4/4, 4/10, 4/11, 4/14, 4/17, 4/18, 4/19, 4/24, 4/25 & 4/26 at 7pm and 4/6, 4/13, & 4/17 at 2pm. Tickets ($18, $15 students & seniors) are available online at www.horseTRADE.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444.

JAMES PRESSON (Writer) is the Co-Artistic Director of Less Than Rent. Writing credits include WORDS, RAZORS, AND THE WOUNDED HEART (Less Than Rent/Horse Trade), MONEY$HOT (premiering at Orlando Rep in May), LITTLE TOWN BLUES (The Wild Project), VOICES IN CONFLICT (Vineyard Theatre, collaboration with Bonnie Dickinson), and FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS (Walkerspace). In 2010, he was awarded the FringeNYC Outstanding Director award for his musical adaptation of Richard III at the age of 19. He is the recipient of the 2013/14 Dramatists Guild Fellowship (with partner Alexander Sage Oyen) for Musical Theatre writing for their musical OUTLAWS, which will continue its development at the 2014 ASCAP workshop.

SEAN PATRICK MONAHAN (Writer) Sean's solo-show DIVA completed a sold-out run at the United Solo Festival in 2013 where it was awarded "Best Musical" and "Audience Favorite." Past writing credits include HIGH UPON THE GALLOWS TREE (Winner of Best Play-Manhattan Rep Theatre Festival), THOUGH SOFT YOU TREAD ABOVE ME (Gene Frankel Theater, Less Than Rent), and THE MORALITY PLAY (workshop with Wide Eyed Productions), as well as full productions of A SEMI STAGED READING OF A PLAY CALLED 6B, THE VERSE PLAY, THE FRONT PORCH PLAY, and THANK YOU, FIFTEEN.

CHARLIE POLINGER (Director) is the resident director at Less Than Rent Theatre. Recent NYC credits include INDEPENDENTS (winner 'Best Musical' at FringeNYC, SoHo Playhouse) and COW PLAY (a new play premiering at FringeNYC) for which he was described as a "wunderkind" by The New York Times, as well as ANIMALS (Ars Nova ANTFest) and THE PRIVATE SECTOR (Theater for the New City). In addition, he has directed a variety of music videos, short films, and web series; his first feature, MUCKLAND, featuring Alice Ripley and Will Brill is scheduled for release later this year.

Digging up the old stuff and dreaming up the new stuff since 2010, LESS THAN RENT THEATRE is known for giving caffeinated remixes to classic plays. From Tennessee William's A Streetcar Named Desire (2012's Desire! A Varsouviana) to Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabbler (2011's Friends Don't Let Friends) their unique and fast-paced adaptations have been critically lauded and placed them as a staple of the indie theatre scene. Telling timeless stories with modern themes, pop music soundtracks, and spontaneous dance breaks, Less Than Rent is theatre for the new generation.