Photo Coverage: Second Installment of 'The Cartells'

Drama Dept. is currently turning the talents of its acclaimed theatrical company to the world of prime time soaps with The Cartells, by Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed, As Bees in Honey Drown).  Directed by Carl Andress, The Cartells is a live, four-part, weekly stage series playing at Comix (353 W. 14th St.) in New York's Meatpacking District.  The second installment--"Far Above Rubies"--was performed on October 23rd.

Starring Vanessa Aspillaga, Elizabeth Berkley, Keith Davis, Joanna Gleason, Jason Butler Harner, Peter Frechette, Peter Hermann, Cady Huffman, Brian D'Arcy James, Pedro Pascal, David Rakoff, Kristen Schaal, and Joey Slotnick, The Cartells is "about a wealthy oil family having too much fun in an Aaron Spelling kind of way," state press materials.  Alana O'Brien played Berkley's role of Gamine Cartell in "Far Above Rubies," which featured a guest appearance by Julie Halston as Judy Chocolates.

"What will happen when Craven Cartell's missing wife Titsiana reappears on the day he is to wed Karma Smugg? Will Craven go back to laying his pipeline with Titsiana or will he go all green with Karma? When Gamine says 'action' before sex with Dank, is it just foreplay? Why can't Sterling find the right girl? And why does he spend so much time with Samson? And how does Hubris the butler always know the perfect Bible verse? Find out answers to all these and more at The Cartells."

The remaining performance schedule is as follows:

    Episode #3 – "Perish the Sword" – Monday, October 30 at 8 p.m.
    Episode #4 – "Cast a Stone" – Monday, November 6 at 8 p.m.

Tickets for all performances are $35 each and can be purchased by calling 212-524-2500. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ComixNY.com on in-person at Comix Box Office at 353 W. 14th St.). The box office opens at 10 a.m. daily. Dinner seating is also available.

Executive director Michael Rosenberg and writer Douglas Carter Beane greet the capacity crowd before the performance

Alana O'Brien as Gamine Cartell and Jason Butler Harner as Sterling Cartell

Peter Frechette as Craven Cartell and Joanna Gleason as Titsiana Cartell

Alana O'Brien and Peter Hermann as Dank Sellers

The Family Cartell: Brian D'Arcy James, Peter Frechette, Joanna Gleason, Alana O'Brien and Jason Butler Harner

Craven desperately tries to make his son Sterling stop being gay: Jason Butler Harner and Peter Frechette

Cady Huffman and Joanna Gleason

Curtain call

Julie Halston (Judy Chocolates) and Joanna Gleason

Joanna Gleason and husband Chris Sarandon

Joanna Gleason, Charles Busch and Julie Halston

Vanessa Aspillaga and Brian D'Arcy James

Peter Hermann and Brian D'Arcy James

Pedro Pascal, David Rakoff and Douglas Carter Beane

Joey Slotnick

Charles Busch and Julie Halston

Kristen Schaal and Pedro Pascal

Cady Huffman and Douglas Carter Beane

Peter Frechette

Douglas Carter Beane and Joey Slotnick

Alana O'Brien and Joey Slotnick