Monique Coleman to Star in Sonnet Repertory Theatre's THE MAIDS, 11/22-12/1

Sonnet Repertory Theatre celebrates eleven years of classic theatre for a modern planet with a production of Jean Genet's THE MAIDS, directed by Christopher Schilder (resident director, National Tour, Billy Elliot). THE MAIDS will play a limited engagement at the Ford Foundation Studio Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues). Performances begin Friday, November 22 and continue through Sunday, December 1. Opening Night is Saturday, November 23 (7:30 pm).

Set on a humid, late-summer night in the latter half of the 1940s, this rendition of Jean Genet's twisted tale of class rebellion evokes a context reminiscent of post-WWII New Orleans. THE MAIDS, like many of Genet's works, tells the story of individuals desperate to break out of the suffocating confines they were born into­-their only hope of escape being to take the imaginative leap into a part they were not born to play. As in life, happy endings are not guaranteed, but as many artists will attest, sometimes a daring act witnessed and applauded is just as satisfying.

The playwright, Jean Genet, was the son of a prostitute. As a boy, he was passed around foster families before serving several bouts in various penal institutions, and was dishonorably discharged from the service for homosexuality. He survived on petty theft and prostitution, eventually finding his way through art. Genet's life is an example of the abstruse outsider from which many of his characters are drawn.

The production stars Rosa Arrendonda* (Broadway's A Streetcar Named Desire) as Madame, Monique Coleman (Taylor McKessie in Disney's High School Musical) as Claire, and Chinasa Ogbuagu* (Lincoln Center and Roundabout Theatre) as Solange.

The production features scenic design by Keven Lock, costume design by M. Meriwether Snipes, and lighting design by David A. Sexton. Janie Bullard is the sound designer, Steven Kopp is the assistant director, Shana McKay Burns is the props designer, Sarah Testerman is the production stage manager and Trisha Henson is the stage manager.

Tickets are $18 and are now available online at www.TicketCentral.com or by calling 212-279-4200. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Ticket Central Box Office, 12 pm to 8 pm daily.

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