Metropolitan Playhouse to Present 'Screened' Reading of Eugene O'Neill's THE ROPE

Metropolitan Playhouse will present a "screened" reading of Eugene O'Neill's 1918 one-act, THE ROPE, via live stream video on Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 8 PM, EST.

Available by Zoom, YouTube, and most web browsers, viewers will find instructions at:
www.metropolitanplayhouse.org/virtualplayhouse

THE ROPE is a delightfully twisted tale of spite and ironic justice from the future master, anticipating the family resentments, plain spoken language, and sinister wit that bloomed in Desire Under the Elms.

Abraham Bentley is a miserly farmer whose son-in-law and son are set on getting revenge for his ill treatment of them and getting his fortune...if he really has one. The only witness is a perfectly guileless 10 year old girl.
The play's tone will remind contemporary viewers of Tales of the Unexpected, or perhaps a much less dark Black Mirror, while it includes the inimitable stage directions of the mighty playwright, unrivaled for his colorful description.

The Rope is directed by the theater's artistic director, Alex Roe, and features Jamahl Garrison-Lowe (Indians, State of the Union, Thunder Rock), Marty McDonough (A Marriage Contract, The Henrietta, Deep Are the Roots), DAVID LOGAN RANKIN (Poor of New York, Indians, Within the Law).

The VIRTUAL PLAYHOUSE began on March 28, 2020, with a hugely successful reading of Alice Gerstenberg's "He Said and She Said." For this period of social distancing, with Metropolitan Playhouse's facility closed, actors read parts to the camera from their homes, using the Zoom platform, which enables all characters in a scene to be onscreen simultaneously. Weekly readings are in progress, with nightly shorter works planned, all drawn from the rich trove of lost American theater. The playhouse is honored and fortunate to be able to continue its mission of exploring America's diverse theatrical history during these trying times. The presentation of the forgotten plays of Alice Gerstenberg is an ideal way to pursue the theater's mission and extend its current season, devoted to plays and themes of DISSENT.