Playwright Billie Aken-Tyers Leads Cast of Reading Of Her New Play NEXT ROUND

The Newest play from British playwright Billie Aken-Tyers is to be presented at Theatre Lab on March 2nd at 7pm by the Ophelia Theatre Group. The play, set in a small town in the North East of England, follows the story of a young millennial trying to find her place in the world without her Father. Steph's Dad has just died, and it's up to her best friends Ant and Harry to pull her through the worst year of her life. In a year of transition, three friends discover who they are, how to grieve and that growing up is realizing that no one knows how to be a grown up, all through the medium of a good old fashioned Pub Quiz.

This is Billie's second play following the huge success of her first play 'Your Alice' which premiered at BAM and The Edinburgh Fringe Festival to rave reviews last year, followed by a Industry reading at the Arcola Theatre in London. An Actor as well as a Playwright, Billie will star as Steph, alongside Your Alice star Luke Antony Neville as Harry and Tom Chandler as Ant. Rounding out the cast is Henry Jenkinson as Dean Miller, Jake Rose as Billy Storey and ZOE WATKINS as Helen. The Reading will be directed by Simone Daniel.

Tickets are $10 suggested donation online or Pay-what-You-can on the door. https://nextround.brownpapertickets.com/

Billie Aken-Tyers (Playwright) is a Made-in-Britian creative artist specializing in collaborative ensemble-based work. Acting: Regional: Hood (Dallas Theater Center) Off-Broadway: Ragtag Theatre's Cinderella (Theatre Row, Barrington Stage, Redhouse Arts Center), Ragtag Theatre's Rapunzel (SoHo Playhouse), Fairycakes by Douglas Carter Beane (World Premiere) and five seasons with the Scranton Shakespeare Festival. Directing: Your Alice (BAM, Edinburgh Fringe, Ophelia Theatre) Red Winter by Anthony Mercado (NY Premiere) and Lysistrata Jones, both at Ophelia Theatre. Her First full length play Your Alice just finished its run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to rave reviews and was listed as top Twenty shows to see at the Fringe. Billie is the Artistic Director at the Ophelia Theatre Group. Billie is currently developing an adaptation of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, slated for pre production in 2019. for more information visit www.billieakentyers.com

Simone Daniel (Director) Simone Daniel splits her time between TV sets and stage wings. She has a vast range of experience as a costume designer, writer, director, producer, and performer but if she could, she would give it all up to spend her days playing Barbies in peace.

Ophelia Theatre Group (Producer)The Ophelia Theatre Group was founded in 2003 by playwright/producer, Sarah Bennett, in her hometown of Lake Elsinore, California. Originally comprised of 15 members, the company has grown to an excess of 50 passionate artists after relocating to Astoria, NY to further pursue their professional and creative development. They are dedicated to providing quality theatre to Astoria and its surrounding neighborhoods, having successfully renovated a seldom-used dance studio at the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens into a 75-seat black box theater, which they utilize to rehearse and perform original works, published works, new play readings and variety events. They also volunteer to provide theatre classes and performance opportunities for the children at the Boys and Girls Club.

New York productions include: Your Alice, Some Night, Hedda Gabler, The Seagull,The Tempest, Almost Maine, Mary's Little Monster, Floyd Collins, The Fox and Boulder, As You Like It, Rockabye Hamlet (first New York revival), Fortinbras, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Hamlet, The Cast Party, God Chairs and the Infinite Burrito, and reasons to be pretty.