The world premiere of Desi Moreno-Penson's play Devil Land will begin previews at Urban Stages (259 West 30th Street) on April 14th and close on May 7th.
The show, which will be presented by the Immediate Theatre Company, was previously known as
Grinch, but its titled was changed due to legal issues brought up by the Seuss estate.
"Based on a true kidnapping that took place in the Bronx in the late 1990's,
Devil Land is a gothic tale about a Super and his wife in the Bronx who kidnap a twelve year old girl who live in their building and keep her in their basement in a misguided attempt at creating a family. The little girl however has other ideas. Protected by her terrifying and perhaps not-so-imaginary friend – a green monster that might remind one of a Dr. Seuss character, a battle of wills ensue pitting faith, family and politic against each other," state press notes. The show will be directed by José Zayas, who has staged numerous plays for Immediate.
Moreno-Penson won the 2005 Downtown Urban Theatre Festival Best Play Award with
3 To a Session: A Monster's Tale (Cherry Lane). She is a member of the Professional Playwrights Unit at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, The Dramatists Guild, as well as INTAR'S Hispanic Playwrights Residence Lab (HPRL).
The cast will include Moreno-Penson, Paula Ehrenberg and Miguel Sierra.
The creative team will feature Ryan Elliot Kravetz (sets), Mel Haley (costumes), David Lawson (sound) and Jorge Arroyo (lighting).
The Immediate Theatre Company is a not-for-profit arts organization based in New York City. The goal of the company is to create imaginative and topical theater by presenting both original works and new adaptations of older classics. Immediate has mounted productions across Manhattan in venues including Lincoln Center, 59e59, The Flea Theater, NYU Tisch Studio Theater, Galapagos, 29th Street Rep, INTAR, and the HERE Arts Center.
Performances run Thursday – Mondays at 8 PM, Saturdays also at 2 PM,
and the final performance on Sunday May 7th at 2 PM only (there will be
no performances on Sat. April 15th and April 27th with an added
performance April 23rd at 2 PM). Tickets are $25 and can be purchased
by calling Smarrttix at 212.868.4444 or by going to
www.smarttix.com.
For more information, please visit
www.theimmediatetheater.org.
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