THE IMAGINARY INVALID: BY PRESCRIPTION ONLY Plays Planet Connections 6/9-28

THE IMAGINARY INVALID: BY PRESCRIPTION ONLY, based on LE MALADE IMAGINAIRE by Molière and written and directed by NYIT award winner ALIZA SHANE, will be presented as part of the world premiere of the PLANET CONNECTIONS THEATRE FESTIVITY. The Festivity will take place June 9th through the 28th at the newly renovated 440 Theatres at Astor Place and Lafayette in New York City. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at www.planetconnectionsFestivity.com. The production will benefit Hospice of New York.

The performance schedule is as follows:

Friday, June 12th @ 4 pm
Saturday, June 13th @ 1:30 pm
Sunday, June 14th @ 5:30 pm
Thursday, June 18th @ 9:30 pm
Saturday, June 20th @ 9 pm
Saturday, June 27th @ 12:30 pm

She's got the symptoms... But her doctors are the real disease. Arganne is a woman past her prime; a wealthy, aging hypochondriac preyed upon by a gold-digging husband and a rebellious daughter who copes by downing pills prescribed by a sexy, writhing chorus of drug-peddling incompetent doctors. Together, her maligned assistant and exasperated sister must figure how to get rid of the doctors and save Arganne's life before it's too late. This exciting new show combines the current issue of prescription medication abuse with Molière's classic hypochondriac story, using sexy rock music and vivid movement and dance to create a hilarious and dark comedic tale. (A previous version of this show premiered as part of the Looking Glass Theatre's Writer/Director Forum.)

Born and raised in New York, Playwright and Director ALIZA SHANE most recently wrote and directed THE SPANISH WIVES, A GROOVY TALE OF PEACE, LOVE & RESTORATION at The Looking Glass Theatre. Before that, she wrote and directed the Looking Glass's popular children's show THE THREE SILLIES, which won Ms. Shane a New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Short Script. An artistic associate of The Looking Glass, she has also directed four new works as part of the theatre's Writer/Director Forum, garnering multiple artistic awards from the theatre. Ms. Shane also serves as the Producer of the Looking Glass Theatre Writer/Director Forum. Other directing experience includes: THE ACOUSTIC NERVE (Groove Mama Ink) at the Gene Frankel Theatre, HAMLET, THE FIRST QUARTO at Genesis Repertory, and CABARET: A NEW WORLD (Towards Truth Prod.). Ms. Shane also co-directed THE BACCHAE (Cypreco Theatre Co.), which was performed at the Cyprus Consulate and the HBO Summer Stage. She ! earned a BA in Theatre from Queens College.

Featured in the cast are STASI SCHAEFFER, AYELET BLUMBERG, CHRIS CORNWELL, MICHELLE FOYTEK, KEVIN MITCHELL and KYMBERLY TUTTLE.

The production's crew includes CHANDA CALENTINE (Choreographer), KENZIE WEST (Assistant Director), FRAN ACUNA (Stage Manager/Assistant Director) and JAKI SILVER (Associate Producer).

PLANET CONNECTIONS THEATRE FESTIVITY is committed to producing high-quality theatre, with non-traditional casting, unique perspectives, political theatre and more! All of the productions are curated and created with the hope of inspiring cultural education and human understanding.