Supernatural Southern Gothic Play FALSE STARS Premieres at Corkscrew Theater Festival

Corkscrew Theater Festival presents the world premiere of False Stars by Nora Sørena Casey, directed by Jenny Reed and with movement direction by Samantha Sheppard. Running August 18-27, False Stars is a Southern Gothic tale merging the real and the supernatural in its exploration of death and scientific legacy. Performed by Felipe Bonilla, Marissa Carpio, Jules Forsberg-Lary, Jonathan Iglesias, and Ashton Muñiz, False Stars continues the inaugural season of Corkscrew Theater Festival, a new summer theater festival that provides early-career artists with a high level of production support.

A renowned neuroscientist suffers a stroke.
An old house creaks in the wind.
Something in the universe answers faintly...

Following news of their brilliant but estranged father's stroke, Mychal reluctantly returns to their childhood home in Oxford, Mississippi. Upon arrival, they are confronted by a community grappling with death, love, scientific legacy, identity, and a few old ghosts. With its blend of realism and the supernatural, False Stars is a darkly humorous modern take on the Southern Gothic drama-in which strained relationships, covert queer love triangles, and notebooks of mysterious origin lurk around every corner.

False Stars is the result of an 18-month collaboration between The Pack, a theater collective founded by Jenny Reed and Samantha Sheppard, and playwright Nora Sørena Casey that uses a unique play development process that draws upon the methods of devised theater. Development of False Stars began by assembling a team of performers and designers, then gathering for a series of conversations and workshops that would inform the script. The Pack's creative process and development structure intentionally create opportunities for more diversity and innovation in storytelling.

Presented by The Brewing Dept. and Fortress Productions, Corkscrew Theater Festival features five world premieres and five readings performed in repertory over four weeks. Special attention has been given to theater makers who are developing work through innovative and unusual collaborative models. A majority of the participating artists identify as female.

The creative team for False Stars includes Elizabeth Mak (Lighting Design), Kate Marvin (Sound Design), and Chika Shimizu (Set, Props and Costume Design).

Performances of False Stars will take place August 18-27 (see schedule above) at Paradise Factory (64 E 4th St, Manhattan). Critics are welcome as of August 18, which serves as the official opening. Tickets are $24 and can be purchased at corkscrewfestival.org or by calling 347.954.9125.

About the artists

Nora Sørena Casey is a playwright and is currently pursuing her MFA at Columbia University. Her full-length plays include Take the Car (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Dreams of Malinche (Everyday Inferno), and Not Afraid (PowerOut). A frequent collaborator with The Motor Company, her free, site-specific plays include Derek and the Sheep, Intimate Bar Plays, and Absolutely Somewhere. Nora is the 2016 and 2017 Playwright-In-Residence with Athena Theatre Company and a member of Project Y's playwriting group.

Jenny Reed is a director and co-Artistic Director of The Pack. Recent projects include Trapper (4th Street Theater/The Shelter Theater), Future Honey (59E59, Edinburgh Fringe Festival/The Pack), Houseworld (New York Magazine Critics Pick), Broken Bone Bathtub (Best Solo Performance, NY Innovation Theater Awards), Death of A Salesman (RTA). As an assistant director she has worked for Aya Ogawa, Connie Grappo, and Lee Sunday Evans. She is an associate for Young Jean Lee.

Samantha Sheppard is a multidisciplinary theatre-maker and co-Artistic Director of The Pack. As an educator, she develops, coordinates and facilitates theater and nonviolence curriculum in NYC public schools. Projects include BABY FAT: Act 1 (La MaMa), Future Honey (The Pack-59E59, Edinburgh Fringe), Empire Travel Agency (Woodshed Collective), Uncle Vanya (Medicine Show Theatre), and Houseworld (NY Mag Critics' Pick), and To Protect, Serve, and Understand (Irondale Center), a project with NYPD officers and community members.

Felipe Bonilla is thrilled to have been part of this incredible process since its inception. Theater: Gutting (National Black Theater), What It Means to Disappear Here (UglyRhino), Elemeno Pea (Mastodon), Confidence Man (Woodshed). Much gratitude to Jenny, Sam, and Nora for their invaluable support and insight. www.felipebonilla.com

Marissa Carpio is a Meisner-trained actor based in NYC. Catch her in national commercials, independent theatre, and media of all sorts. Learn more at www.MarissaCarpio.com

Jules Forsberg-Lary is ecstatic to bring Peg to life again! Special thanks to the: cast, crew, designers, and entire team at The Pack and Corkscrew for the opportunity. Huge gratitude for her family, friends, roommates & cat for the encouragement and love. Look for her upcoming film: "Zombied."

Jonathan Iglesias is a professionally trained actor obsessed with the craft of acting. Iglesias has appeared in a variety of on-camera and staged works, though he is most interested in feature films. For a more extensive look into his craft, visit www.JonathanIglesias.virb.com or check him out on Instagram @Jonathaniglesias1

Ashton Muñiz is an actor based in NYC. Select recent credits include Esai's Table (Cherry Lane), Taylor Mac's 24-Decade... (St. Ann's), BitterSuite (BAM), On False Tears & Outsourcing (New Museum). Ashton has recently danced with Rihanna (MTV VMAs), Gypija Q & Miles Francis. Former resident actor at the Flea Theatre. Training: Ithaca College, Moscow Arts Theatre School. Check out @arshton on IG/Twitter.

The Pack is a Brooklyn-based and female-led collective of theater artists and designers, dedicated to developing highly collaborative and innovative new plays.

About Corkscrew Theater Festival

Corkscrew Theater Festival is a partnership between The Brewing Dept., a nonprofit theater collective that seeks to improve and remake the traditional model of theatrical production according to the principles of artistic collaboration, and producer Alexander Donnelly's Fortress Productions, whose work on Broadway includes Sunday in the Park with George, Waitress (co-producer) and Oh Hello. Donnelly's other credits include Dream Ticket (Fringe Festival, winner for best director) and Plath (Fringe Festival, sold out run and nationally reviewed), both of which made the Producer's Perspective list of "10 shows that stand out at Fringe." Most recently, Fortress co-produced Providence, RI in The Tank's Flint and Tinder series. www.corkscrewfestival.org.

Corkscrew Theater Festival presents
False Stars (world premiere)
Written by Nora Sørena Casey
Directed by Jenny Reed
Movement Direction by Samantha Sheppard

August 18, 21, 22, 24, 26 at 8pm; August 19, 27 at 1pm; August 20 at 4:30pm
Opening Night: August 18 at 8pm
Paradise Factory (64 East 4th St, Manhattan)
$24; corkscrewfestival.org; 347.954.9125
90 minutes with no intermission