I Coulda Been a Kennedy Runs at FringeNYC, Aug. 11-26

Rude Mechanicals Theater Company (RMTC), in association with Artful Dodger Productions, will present I Coulda Been a Kennedy, a world premiere production of Dennis Trainor, Jr.'s politically charged drama.  It will run from August 11th through 26th at the Players Theatre (115 MacDougal Street).

The play will be directed by Ted Sluberski, who has helmed several plays at Williamstown Theatre Festival.  "Meet the O'Reilly family as they scheme to elevate their prodigal son to the highest office in the land. Vietnam, the Iran-Contra scandal, the war in Iraq, the Bush/Kerry election and cicadas conspire against them in this comic American epic. I Coulda Been a Kennedy centers on Devin O'Reilly, the 'beneficiary' of his comically inept family's grandiose scheme to forge him into a world leader. Weaving back and forth between 1970, 1987 and 2004, I Coulda Been a Kennedy charts three generations of the O'Reilly family on itscollision course with three generations of American history," state production notes.

The cast of eight includes RMTC members Julie Fitzpatrick (2006 EST Marathon), Matthew Lawler (Hurlyburly, Abigail's Party, Valparaiso) and Helen Piper Coxe (Side Man, Love, Janis), along with Stephen Bradbury (A Few Good Men on Broadway), Crystal Bock ("All My Children," Actors Theater of Louisville), Mimi Cozzens (I Oughta Be In Pictures & Children Of A Lesser God on Broadway), Denise Lute (Bug Off-Broadway, Williamstown) and Julliard student Kelsey Kurz.

Playwright Dennis Trainor, Jr., is a founding member of RMTC and served as Co-Artistic Director from 1998-2001. His first play, Plug, was the inaugural show of the RMTC.  I Coulda Been a Kennedy was developed in workshops with RMTC and received a staged reading with the company featuring TONY nominee Omar Metwally and Broadway stalwarts Blair Brown and Guy Boyd.

RMTC, a New York based company, is the producer of the critically acclaimed NYC productions of Will Eno's The Flu Season (Newsday OPPY Award Winner/OBIE nominated) and Don DeLillo's Valparaiso.  RMTC's Artistic Advisory Board is comprised of Paul Giamatti, Carey Perloff and David Strathairn, among others.

The Players Theatre is located at: 115 MacDougal Street between West 3rd St. and Minetta Lane in NYC. Performances run: Fri. 8/11 at 10pm, Thu. 8/17 at 3:45pm, Sun. 8/20 at noon, Wed. 8/23 at 7pm and Sat 8/26 at 3:45pm. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased by calling 212-279-4488 or 1-888-FringeNYC (outside NY) or visiting www.fringenyc.org.

For more information on the company, visit www.rudemechanicals.org.

Photo by Thomas Jackson--L to R: Julie Fitzpatrick, Matt Lawler, Kerry Lacy, Jason Kolotouros, Helen Coxe and Kelsey Kurz