Tutti Stronzi Productions presents the premiere of Rat Bastards (Tutti Stronzi), a commedia dell'arte style farce about the persecution of Jews and Muslims in Venice during the great plague of 1630, which begins performances tonight as part of the Festival of Jewish Theater and Ideas at Dixon Place (running through June 7).
Rat Bastards is written by Julia Pearlstein, an alumna of Charles Ludlam's
Ridiculous Theatrical Company, and will feature original scenery designed and painted by her father, the painter Philip Pearlstein. The play, which was inspired by American human rights violations at Abu Ghraib, was first developed during a 2007-2008 Mabou Mines/Suite Residency under the guidance of Ruth Maleczech.
The production is being directed by Eureka (another "Ridiculous" alum). Other Ridiculous veterans participating in the production include costume designer Ramona Ponce, and actor Grant Neale. The cast also includes
Jenny Lee Mitchell. David Berent, Gregory Couba,
Carol Lee Sirugo,
Charles Geyer, Brian Mott, Cory Antiel, Kennedy Wiltshire. Music and sound design is by Aldo Perez, and lighting design is by Meagan Miller-McKeever.
Julia Pearlstein began acting with Charles Ludlam when she was 17, in The Enchanted Pig, which starred
Everett Quinton-who decades later starred in her play PLINKO, or, The Goddess of Static Cling with
John Fleck. Ms. Pearlstein has received fellowships from MacDowell and Yaddo, graduated from Yale and the ART Institute at Harvard (under
Robert Brustein), and trained in commedia dell'arte with
Dario Fo.
Philip Pearlstein is one America's foremost realist painters. His work is represented in the
Permanent Collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMa, and the National Gallery. He is president emeritus of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is celebrating his 85th birthday by designing and painting scenery for the first time since he was in high school.
Rat Bastards (Tutti Stronzi) runs at Dixon Place (161 Chrystie Street) from June 3-7. Performances June 3-5 are at 8pm; June 6 at 2pm & 8pm; and June 7 at 5pm. The June 5th performance will be followed by a reception with the artists. Tickets are $15 ($12 students and seniors). Ticket info and reservations: 212-219-0736 or
www.dixonplace.org
