Justin Bohon, Colleen Smith Wallnau & More to Lead MILK FOR MRS. STONE at FringeNYC; Full Cast Announced

The 17th Annual New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) presents Milk for Mrs. Stone, a new play by Charles Gershman about a family struggling to accept that life doesn't always go as planned. Eli Taylor directs a cast of four, including Sophia Bishop, Justin Bohon* (B'way: The Book of Mormon, Oklahoma, Producers, All Shook Up, 9 to 5), Katharine Heller* (FringeNYC: Naked in a Fishbowl, The Boy in the Basement), and Colleen Smith Wallnau* (B'way: Crazy for You). Performances will be staged at Venue #16: Robert Moss Theatre at 440 Studios,440 Lafayette Street in NYC for five performances from August 16-22, 2013. *Member AEA. Appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

A conservative Kansas matriarch is crippled by a severe stroke and can hardly speak. When her recently out-of-work journalist son, Daniel, asks her for money to pay for his Muslim boyfriend's cancer surgery, she tells Daniel she's not a bank. He can only hope to be able to change her mind. Will they able to overcome their differences and keep the family from falling apart? Part comedy, part drama, Milk for Mrs. Stone explores the issues of health care in the U.S., anti-Muslim bias, the death of print journalism, and the changing status of queer unions.

"Milk for Mrs. Stone is a director's dream," said Director Eli Taylor. "Seamlessly shifting from humor to harsh reality, 'Mrs. Stone' gives us a first-hand glimpse into the struggles of a modern American family and what it means to forgive."

Eli Taylor (Director) is a Theatre Director/Educator currently residing in Brooklyn. Directing projects include classical works, new works, children's theatre and radio plays. He has assisted directors at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and Profile Theatre (Portland, OR). In New York, he has worked with The Complete Theatre Company, The Bent Quill Players, Private Ear Radio Hour, and he is currently a member of The Gage Players (gageplayers.weebly.com).

Charles Gershman (Playwright)'s plays have been produced or developed in New York City, Orlando, FL, Cape Cod, MA, Spoleto, Italy, and elsewhere. Other plays include Unbirth (nominee, Outstanding Playwriting for a New Script, Planet Connections Theatre Festivity; finalist, Hudson Valley Writers' Center's New Play Reading Series), Jays, Shooting Abe (finalist, New York Avant-Garde Arts Festival), and The Prenup (semifinalist, Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Playwrights Conference). He's currently studying playwriting with Tina Howe and Mark Bly at Hunter College and is an alumnus of the La MaMa International Playwright Retreat. He received his B.A. from Columbia University.

Costume Designer: Candace Lawrence; Stage Manager: Sarah Sobler; ACR: Joyce Laoagan; Publicist: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR.

Performances for Milk for Mrs. Stone will be held on Friday, August 16 @ 4:15pm; Sunday, August 18 @ 9:15pm; Monday, August 19 @ 4:30pm; Wednesday, August 21 @ 9:15pm; Thursday, August 22 @ 5:00pm.

Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online beginning July 19th at http://www.fringenyc.org/basic_page.php?ltr=M#Milk, by phone at 866-468-7619 up to 24 hours before the show, or in person at FringeCENTRAL (1 East 8th Street at Fifth Avenue) from 12n-8pm beginning July 19th. Tickets are $18 at the door and can be purchased 15 minutes before each performance (cash only) at Venue #16: Robert Moss Theatre at 440 Studios, 440 Lafayette Street, NYC 10003.

Venue #16: Robert Moss Theatre at 440 Studios is located at 440 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003. Take the "R" train to 8th Street-NYU or the "6" train to Astor Place.

The New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC) is the largest multi-arts festival in North America, with more than 200 companies from all over the world performing for 16 days in more than 20 venues.

Photo by Walter McBride