Tosos Presents The World Premiere Of Robert Macke's HOUSE OF CHAVIS: A Father. An Estranged Son. A Reality TV Show.

In Robert Macke's play House of Chavis, a father discovers his estranged son is competing on a reality television series ... as a drag queen. The play is a funny and moving exploration of the ties that bind families, both biological and chosen, as well as the forces that drive them apart. "This beautiful play celebrates the 'how our families relate to us' concept; something we all carry with us in our journeys as members of the LGBTQIA+ community," said TOSOS artistic director Mark Finley. "What I love about this play is its unique and contemporary view on something deeply personal to each of us and universal to all of us." Vernon hasn't seen or spoken to his son Vincent since the traumatic incident eight years prior that drove the boy away. The only news he gets of his son's whereabouts comes though Vernon's big-hearted sister-in-law Paulanne, so it comes as something of a shock when a film crew shows up on Vernon's doorstep asking for permission to film him for a segment on the reality television show.

Playwright Robert Macke writes "It is a searing portrayal of how toxic masculinity can forever damage the relationships between queer youth and their parents. I grew up Catholic, and it skewed my understanding of reconciliation -- wrong doings were to be stored up until you met up with a priest in an ornate closet. This play is about a man looking for absolution. Except there is no priest and there is no ornate closet. There is a camera crew and a reality TV producer. I wanted to explore what is owed to the victim and what the victim owes in return." House of Chavis is produced by TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence), directed by Mark Finley and begins previews July 13-15 with opening night on July 16th at The Flea Theater, where it runs through August 6th. Performances are at 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday (Tickets start at $35).

To purchase tickets or find out more information

www.tososnyc.org/houseofchavis

CREATIVE TEAM
Robert Macke (he/him) is a bisexual playwright based in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2019, he graduated with an MFA in Playwrighting from The University of Idaho where House of Chavis was originally workshopped. Robert's plays have been performed at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival and The Know Theatre of Cincinnati. His works include The Kingdom's at Hand but the Game's Afoot, Golconda, If A Tree Falls..., and Space Pornography 2000: A Crowdsourced Musical with music and lyrics by James Allen. He shares a writing credit with Alexx Rouse for their short play A Rolling Stone Gathers No Loss. If you would like to see what Robert is up to, you can find him on twitch.tv/angelamurkrow every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday morning.

Mark Finley Director (he/him) is the artistic director of TOSOS and has directed many of its acclaimed productions including Doric Wilson's "Street Theater" a 2016 IT Award Winner for Outstanding Revival. He made his Off-Broadway directorial debut with Chris Weikel's "Penny Penniworth," and most recently directed the TOSOS production of Byron Loyd's "Rebel Boy Fireworks" (which premiered at the United Solo Arts Festival) and Virginia Baeta's "Damaged Goods" (Emerging Artists). Mark is also an author, an actor and a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence) is New York City's oldest and longest producing professional LGBTQIA+ theater company. In 1974, Off-Off-Broadway veteran Doric Wilson, cabaret star Billy Blackwell and director Peter dell Valle, started the first professional gay theatre company in NYC. It was called The Other Side of Silence-TOSOS for short. In 2002, directors Mark Finley and Barry Childs and playwright Wilson resurrected TOSOS. The company has produced over 30 main stage shows and so many readings of new plays and works in progress we have trouble counting them all. www.tososnyc.org