Infinite Variety Productions to Premiere Sean Michael Welch's INSIGNIFICANT at The Kraine in December

FRIGID New York @ Horse Trade will present Infinite Variety Productions' World Premiere of Sean Michael Welch's historical drama Insignificant, directed by Colleen Britt. The production will run December 3-19 at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery) with performances Thursday through Saturday at 7pm. Tickets ($18; $15 students & seniors) may be purchased in advance at www.horseTRADE.info. The show runs approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, with intermission.

It is 1925, and young yet ingenious Cecilia Payne seeks guidance from veteran astronomer Annie Jump Cannon on her doctoral thesis. Sensing Cecilia's doubts about her unbelievable findings, Annie leads Cecilia through her own struggle as a brilliant female scientist in a male world. Fiercely sarcastic and bittersweet, Insignificanttells the true stories of the women behind the stars and their astounding but uncelebrated triumphs in the field of astronomy. Defiantly unconventional, the play reminds us that women have to break all the rules to make history.

Talkbacks will follow select performances where IVP and special guest astronomers and astrophysicists will discuss gender politics in the sciences. Visit www.infinitevarietynyc.org for the full schedule.

The cast will feature Ashley Adelman, Andrew Dunn (Waiting for Lefty with Barrow Group/TBG Theatre), Jordan Gwiazdowski, Kaitlyn Huczko (Dismissing Robert Fink with Manhattan Rep), Alla Illyasova (Untouched with Infinite Variety), Deanna McGovern (By the Water with Premiere Stages), Kathleen O'Neill* (Sweet, Sweet Spirit with JMTWorks), Laura King Otazo (The Capitalist Ventriloquist at Theater for the New City), and Timothy Ellis Riley* (Spamalot on Broadway) with Costume Design by Caitlyn Cisek, Set Design by Terry Gsell, and Lighting Design by Michael Megliola. *Appearing courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association

SEAN MICHAEL WELCH (Playwright) ?is an award winning playwright and novelist from Michigan. His work has been published in Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope: All Story, Samuel French, and Playscripts, and he has been awarded the Kennedy Center/America College Theatre Festival John Cauble Short Play Award among others. His plays have been produced in the United States and abroad, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He earned his B.A. from the University of Michigan-Flint and his M.F.A. from the Actors Studio Drama School. His first novel will be released in October of this year.

COLLEEN BRITT (Director) is Infinite Variety's Resident Director. She had the pleasure of going to Sheridan, Wyoming last year with IVP's production of A? Piece of my Heart.? Colleen recently finished directing C?ensored on Final Approach with Infinite Variety Productions at the Airpower Museum in Long Island, in Virginia, and at The Gym at Judson in NYC. Colleen was the associate director of a devised ensemble piece called D?ust, ?performed at 133st Arts Theatre. She has directed many new works in NYC, including D?ead Bullies (NYU), S?lipping on Black Ice (The Hudson Guild Theatre), I?f Stars are Lit (Actors Studio Play Festival), C?laire's Room (?NYC Fringe Festival and Abingdon Theatre Company), and A?utobahn (Williamstown Theatre Festival Apprentice Program). She also assisted Brian Roff (Berkshire Theatre Festival) on the World Premiere of D?utch Masters by Greg Keller. Colleen received her BFA in Musical Theatre from University of Florida and received her MFA from The Actors Studio Drama School. Colleen is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. www.colleenrbritt.com

INFINITE VARIETY PRODUCTIONS i?s a registered NYS 501c3 w?hose mission is to spark public inquiry and social change by illuminating unknown stories from women's history. IVP's first NYC production, A? Piece of My Heart by Shirley Lauro, celebrated women who served in the Vietnam War. The piece was invited to Washington, DC for the Vietnam Women's Memorial 20th Anniversary, and to Sheridan, Wyoming for performances at schools and VA centers. While in Wyoming, IVP also held educational workshops with several high schools and colleges. IVP's C?ensored on Final Approach had sold out performances at The Gym at Judson off of Washington Square Park and an acclaimed run at the Woman in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. The company just returned from producing two new shows for the Wyoming Theatre Festival. IVP's next project will spotlight Margaret Bourke-White, a famous war correspondent and photographer.

FRIGID NEW YORK @ HORSE TRADE is a theater development group with a focus on new work that produces a massive quantity of stimulating downtown theater every season. FRIGID's Resident Artist Program offers a home to a select group of Independent theater artists, pooling together a great deal of talent and energy. FRIGID New York grew out of the annual FRIGID Festival, the first and only festival of its kind in New York City to offer artists 100% of their box office proceeds, and Horse Trade Theater Group, a self-sustaining theater development and management group.