Troika: God, Tolstoy and Sophia Premieres 4/27 at 13th St.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater is proud to present the world premiere of TROIKA: God, Tolstoy and Sophia, written by Peter Levy and directed by Karen Raphaeli. Performances will run from April 27th, 2006 to June 17th, 2006 at The 13th Street Repertory Theater (50 West 13th St.) in NYC. Previews begin April 27th for a May 6th opening.

Winner of The 13th Street Repertory National Playwriting Contest, TROIKA: God, Tolstoy and Sophia, tells the story of the final days of Leo Tolstoy, one of the world's great novelists, best known for his literary masterpieces War and Peace and Anna Karenina. TROIKA uncovers the personal and private side of the venerable Russian author, giving us a glimpse into the troubled life of one of the 19th century's major literary figures. Socialist ideals and family loyalty clash as an ill and aging Tolstoy renounces his possessions while Sophia, his desperate and angry wife, tries to prevent the loss of her inheritance. Peter Levy's well-researched account of Tolstoy's life, work, and death creates a complex and revealing portrait of a man who Virginia Wolfe once dubbed, "The greatest of all novelists."

Playwright Peter Levy's plays Oscar (about the family life of Oscar Wilde), The Jerusalem Syndrome, The Lady from London, Friends and The Cure, have been performed throughout the country. He is a published author, playwright and poet. His plays and poetry have earned him numerous awards and his short stories have been published in several literary magazines. Mr. Levy lives in San Francisco and studied creative writing at the University of California at Berkeley.

Director Karen Raphaeli is a recent graduate of Binghamton University, where she directed Edward Albee's The Zoo Story and was presented with Binghamton University's Creative Work in Fine Arts Award. She has directed one-act plays in the Samuel French Festival, The American Globe's Fifteen-Minute Play Festival and The 13th Street Repertory's Short Play Festival.

The 13th Street Repertory Theater, founded in 1972 by Artistic Director by Edith O'Hara, provides a nurturing, professional environment for theater artists. It is home to the longest running Off-Off-Broadway play, Line, by Israel Horovitz, now in its 32nd year, and is a proud member of The Heart of Off-Broadway.

PERFORMANCE INFO: 13th Street Repertory Theater – 50 West 13th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues in NYC. Limited Engagement: April 27th, 2006 – June 17th, 2006. Previews begin April 27th for a May 6th opening. Performances run Thursdays-Saturdays at 7pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students with valid ID and can be purchased by calling 212-352-3101 or visiting http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/120169. Appropriate for ages 16 and up. Trains: 1, 2, 3, 9, F, V to 14 St.; 4, 5, 6, N, Q, R, W to Union Sq.; L to 6 Ave.