Swandive Studio Presents BLACKOUTS at Center Stage NY, Previews Begin 10/7

1977 and 2003. Two blackouts. Two generations of artists. One Hell's Kitchen apartment. Unwanted legacies from the past push the destiny of future generations. Where did it all go? And what will things look like when the lights come back on?

BLACKOUTS was developed through terraNOVA Collective's Groundbreakers Playwrights Group and received a workshop at Collective:Unconscious in 2008. Artistic Director Jennifer Conley Darling says, "I'm so proud to see Anthony's work being given a full production. His writing is gritty and poetic. And to do it at Center Stage, NY where great companies such as Labyrinth, Partial Comfort, Vampire Cowboys and Boomerang were born is a perfect setting."

BLACKOUTS features Zachary Fletcher, Jamie Klassel*, Lisa Snyder, and Max Woertendyke*.
*Appearing courtesy of The Actors' Equity Association

The design team for BLACKOUTS includes Costume Design by Hollie Nadel (Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom in SPF, Suburban Peepshow with Nosedive Productions) Sound Design by Shane Rettig (EST Marathon, Mourning Becomes Electra with The New Group, Eleven with Second Generation), Lighting Design by Joshua Rose (Broken Watch Theater, Stella Adler Studio), and Set Design by Jen Price Fick (Assistant Scenic Designer, Irena's Vow).

The production, produced by Swandive Studio at Center Stage, NY (48 West 21st Street, 4th Floor) will open to the press on October 9 at 8pm following preview performances on October 7 & 8 at 7pm. The show will run October 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22 at 7pm & October 16, 17, 23, 24 at 8pm. Tickets ($18) are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006.

Swandive Studio is dedicated to the production of art by emerging artists that strive to communicate ideas larger than the forms themselves. The work we support seeks to reveal the beauty inherent in all things honest, however ugly they may seem on the surface. We believe that by exposing the bare truth, we can generate compassion through awareness among our audience and the greater society.

"Swandive Studio's double bill does amount to an enjoyable and thoughtful evening of theatre" Stan Richardson, nytheatre.com (See Bob Run & Wild Abandon)

J. Anthony Roman (Playwright) is a fictionist and playwright. At age 18, he founded New Dimension Theater Company (1997-2002). His recent work has been produced at Rebel Verses Festival (2004-2009), NYCollective 10 Plus 2 Festival (2004, 2005), Rocketship Theater Company, Regroup Theater Collision Festival (2006, 2007), and the Ruskin Group Theater in L.A (2007). He won the Best Play award at the first 8 Minute Madness Festival for Turtle Shell Productions (2004). He won an audience award at the Writer's Unit for his full length play The Vacant Sky (2006), which was also presented as a staged reading at NYC Hip Hop Theater Festival. Blackouts was developed through terraNOVA Collective's Groundbreakers Writers Workshop. Anthony had a sold out run of his writer's showcase No Matinees, which featured a collection of his short plays, at Center Stage, NY in June of 2008. Anthony has written short stories, films, comic books, and a novel, Belated Apocalypse, which was presented chapter by chapter at Backyart, a monthly arts event, for all of 2009.

Jill DeArmon (Director) is the Artistic Director and Proprietor of Center Stage, NY. Over the past 15 years, she has directed staged readings, festivals, and full length plays with companies such as terraNOVA Collective, Vampire Cowboys, Impetuous Theater Group, and Developing Artists, among others. A member of LAByrinth Theater Company, she directed Fairytale Project at the Public Theater. Other directing credits include Runaways (Developing Artists), Billy Sleepyhead (Webb Wilcoxen), Cynthia and the Dreadful Kite (Vampire Cowboys Saloon). Choreography credits include A Winter's Party (John Patrick Shanley), Jungle Boogie (Girls and Horn Players), and Stopless (LAByrinth Theater Company).

www.swandivestudio.com