LGBThursdays Initiative Announced for Leaving IKEA: A Play in Two Cantos

Brooklyn based theatre collective The Artful Conspirators present Leaving IKEA: a play in two cantos directed by David A. Miller. The play, written by Monica Flory and Dano Madden, will receive its World Premiere June 7 to 24, 2012 at the Brooklyn Lyceum.

In support of The Artful Conspirators LGBThursdays initiative and in honor of PRIDE MONTH, a portion of Thursday night ticket sales will be donated to The Brooklyn Community Pride Center. The mission of the Brooklyn Community Pride Center is to provide a safe, common space offering physical and mental health services, social support, recreational and cultural programming, as well as being a hub of information for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and families in Brooklyn.

Leaving IKEA is the story of two ordinary couples in extraordinary circumstances. While shopping at IKEA they reach the crossroads of their relationship and as a result are trapped in the blue and yellow purgatory of this Swedish Superstore. They are unable to escape until they solve the problems in their ailing relationships. Will they find the arrows that lead them from IKEA’s maze?

The cast features Jason Carden (Awesome 80’s Prom), Mark Hattan* (Our Town, Barrow Street Theatre), Caroline Ryburn* (Largely/NY with Bill Irwin) and Marshall York (Radioplay, PS 122) who will be joining Artful Conspirators John Gardner, Molly Lloyd, Miranda Shields, Lauren Singerman*, and Ryan Stinnett.

The cast also includes Shane Taylor*, Paul Kite*, Katie Koster, and Melanie Rose Wilson*.

Other members of the creative team include scenic designer Jen Varbalow, sound designer Alex Hawthorn, lighting designer Kate Ashton, costume designer Erin Murphy, puppetry design by Leontine Greenberg, and original music by Richard Aufrichtig of The Lost Shores. The production stage manager is Barbara Dente*.

“We are eager to share Leaving IKEA with an audience.” says David A. Miller, Artistic Director. “The play has grown from a one sentence idea during 30 ideas, 3 of them good into a fantastic journey filled with love triangles, gnomes and, of course, meatballs.”

Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00pm, Sundays at 7:00pm. Special Preview Performance Thursday, June 7. Opening Night is Friday, June 8. No performance on Saturday, June 16

Tickets for are $18/$15 Students and available at www.brooklynlyceum.wazala.com. The Brooklyn Lyceum is located at 227 4th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215. (Subway:R train to Union Street).

The Father’s Day (Sunday June 17th) performance will feature a children’s performance workshop. Inspired by IKEA’s Småland play area, Smårtland will be a theatre workshop for children ages 5 to 10. Parents can bring their children to the Lyceum to take part in the workshop upstairs while they attend Leaving IKEA downstairs. The Artful Conspirators Director of Education Aliza Greenberg will be leading Smårtland. Ms. Greenberg is also the Education Program Manager for Roundabout Theatre Company. The cost of the workshop is $10 per child and reservations are required and space is limited. Reservations are available by e-mailing artfulconspirators@gmail.com.

The Artful Conspirators are a Brooklyn-based collective of theater artists dedicated to creating new theatrical work that includes the audience as a participant in the theatre- making process. The Conspirators aim to nurture the work of both emerging and established artists through developmental workshops, full productions, and education programs.

For more information, visit www.artfulconspirators.org.