TOP CHEF and THE CHEW's Carla Hall to Serve Up Tasty Stagecraft in THE THEATRICAL CULINARY PROJECT

Theater has never tasted so good. THE THEATRICAL CULINARY PROJECT jumps into the immersive performance arena with a new project in development that fuses the in-the-moment magic of the theater with a sublime dining experience.

Emmy Winning Co-Host of THE CHEW and TOP CHEF finalist Carla Hall, serves as the Executive Chef, serving a four course tasting menu to an audience that is enveloped in a multi-layered play, written by award winning playwrights Courtney Baron (Humana's Eat Your Heart Out), Hilary Bettis (The Kilroy's Top 7% List, Ghosts of Lote Bravo), and Daniel Pearle (LCT3's A Kid Like Jake), and directed by Marlo Hunter (Prospect Theater Company's Unlock'd). Co-Created by actor & producer Sasha Eden (WET Productions'BFF) and director & choreographer Marlo Hunter.

Marlo Hunter and Sasha Eden met at a reading in 2011, produced by Sasha Eden's WET Productions. Driven by a mission that CELEBRATED equality and challenged gender stereotypes, WET was widely known for world premieres by emerging women playwrights including Julia Jordan, Lucy Thurber, Brooke Berman and Anna Ziegler.

As the Artistic Director of the site-specific theatrical event company, Eating Their Words, Marlo Hunter produced and directed one night only events in three star restaurants throughout New York City, merging sensational dining and theatrical experiences into one cohesive night. Beginning in 2008, Marlo commissioned acclaimed playwrights like Beau Willimon, Anne Baker, Amy Herzog, and Sarah Treem, with James Beard Award Winning Chefs from Bouley and Toqueville, garnering a loyal following of audience members who wanted more.

By 2013, Hunter and Eden merged their creative talents, expanding on Marlo's site-specific company, and laying the foundation for The Theatrical Culinary Project. The first step was finding the right Chef. "I loved watching TOP CHEF - and my favorite contestant was always Carla Hall" Says Eden. "The women Chefs were always foolishly underestimated -- much as they are in the entertainment industry-as team leaders, multi-taskers and innovative artists. Carla had a way of navigating the snubs and dismissals with grace, surprising the other contestants at every turn with her extraordinary talent and incredible technical skills. Her challenges felt similar to ones I experienced as an Actor &Producer. I respected the way she rose above the chatter, and made it to the finals - twice! When I began to think about the dream Chef for this project, I knew it was Carla. And then one day we met on the L train. To say we clicked is an understatement. We both recognized the serendipity." Eden ARRANGED a meeting for Hall and Hunter. Hall was everything Hunter hoped for in a collaborator, and a partnership was born.

In January 2015, Sasha and Marlo selected three playwrights after an extensive search, and this spring they came together with a team of 22 other participants - from Sous Chefs to Actors, to begin building this project. Ultimately, Hunter and Eden see the show occupying a space that functions simultaneously as a restaurant and a non-traditional theater, and each workshop brings them closer to a production.

"While the landscape is ripe right now with immersive events, this close artistic collaboration between chef and playwrights, where the thrill of the experience is how real it feels, as though we're overhearing conversations at neighboring tables -- that hasn't been explored before in full production form," explains Hunter. "TCP will bring foodies and theater lovers together for a transporting experience that's greater than the sum of its parts."

THE THEATRICAL CULINARY PROJECT is aiming to raise $45,000 in funding for a summer workshop that begins July 28 at SPACE on Ryder Farm and ends in NYC in August with a private presentation, and another $30,000 for continued development throughout 2015-2016.

Their campaign is live on indiegogo.com, with a minimal goal of reaching $30,000. Their campaign ends at 11:59pm EST on July 24th. The team raised $10,000 within the first week of their campaign, and aim to surpass their minimum to cover the lean costs required to develop this women driven project. Funding raised will cover artists' fees for 26 people, travel, insurance, venues, rehearsal spaces, food, supplies and administration costs.

To support The Theatrical Culinary Project, head to their Indiegogo campaign at http://igg.me/at/TCPindiegogo. Incentives include access to the private August 6th meal prepared by Carla Hall, tickets to Bravo's Watch What Happens Live, and gift certificates to Carla's new restaurant opening this fall Carla Hall's Southern Kitchen. TCP is a fiscally sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. All contributions to the campaign are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. For more information about the vision for the project, visit www.TheatricalCulinaryProject.com.