Turn to Flesh Productions Presents MAY VIOLETS SPRING

TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS (TTF) is proud to present MAY VIOLETS SPRING, which is a new story for a new Ophelia, for a limited theatrical run, September 30 - October 22 at The WorkShop Theater, 312 West 36th Street, Fourth Floor East (between 8th and 9th Avenues). The production, written by James Parenti, and directed by Emily C. A. Snyder, will have its official opening on Wednesday, October 5th at 8:00PM.

MAY VIOLETS SPRING combines Shakespeare's original text with Parenti's new verse and examines the story of HAMLET from Ophelia's point of view. From a girl imprisoned by her society to a woman taking control of her own narrative, MAY VIOLETS SPRING examines traditional characters through a contemporary lens.

James Parenti is a playwright, actor, and musician. A regular fixture of TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS since the company's inception, he originated the role of Cupid in Cupid and Psyche ~ A New Play in Blank Verse by Emily C. A. Snyder, as well as receiving development on his new verse play, Our Hanging­Ropes, an examination of Antony and Cleopatra from the point of view of Antony's wife, Fulvia, as part of TTF's 2015 annual Reading Series. As an actor, notable appearances include Prior Walter in Angels in America at Playhouse on Park, for which he was nominated for Best Featured Actor in Broadway World? Hamlet in the inaugural production of May Violets Spring with Dare Lab? and James Pearce in Poptart! with Girl Just Died, for which he also wrote and performed a number of original songs. A rising musician, he has released two albums: Maybe That's Why We Lost and Don't Be Gone Long, Ellen. He is the founding member of the New York Theatre Company Girl Just Died.

Emily C. A. Snyder is the Co­Founder and Artistic Director of TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS. As a professional director for the past twenty years, she has directed the major works of Shakespeare's canon from Hamlet (Gaudete Academy) through to last season's Richard II (Hamlet Isn't Dead) and the upcoming King Lear (What Dreams May Co./Queens Shakespeare). She is the premiere international scholar on writing new verse plays, and has lectured at the University of Leeds, UK on the form. An internationally produced and published playwright, her Cupid and Psyche ~ A New Play in Blank Verse received its World Premiere through Turn to Flesh Productions, playing to sold­out audiences. She studied in London under the direction of members of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and performed Rosalind from As You Like It in Stratford­upon­Avon. Presently she can be heard as Olivia from Twelfth Night and Cordelia from King Lear on the podcast ChopBard. Learn more at http://www.emilycasnyder.info

MAY VIOLETS SPRING features Cristina Madero as Ophelia, Louis Sallan as Hamlet, Gabrielle Adkins as Horatio, Chris Rivera as Laertes, Al Choy as Polonius, Joe Conway as Claudius, and Sandra Williams as Gertrude.

Production design includes costume design by Emily Parman, set design by Sam Turlington, light design by Chelsie McPhilimy, and graphic design by Emily C. A. Snyder.

Performances of MAY VIOLETS SPRING are on Friday, 9/30 at 8PM Saturday, 10/1 at 8PM Sunday, 10/2 at 3PM Wednesday, 10/5 - Saturday, 10/8 at 8PM Sunday, 10/9 at 3PM Wednesday, 10/12 ­ Friday 10/14 at 8PM, Saturday, 10/15 at 2PM & 8PM Sunday, 10/16 at 3PM, Wednesday, 10/19 ­ Saturday, 10/22 at 8PM

Tickets are $20 and available at ttfviolets.bpt.me

Turn to Flesh Productions' MAY VIOLETS SPRING runs September 30th - October 22nd at The WorkShop Theater, 312 West 36th Street Fourth Floor East (between 8th and 9th Avenues). Friday, 9/30 at 8PM? Saturday, 10/1 at 8PM? Sunday, 10/2 at 3PM? Wednesday, 10/5 - Saturday, 10/8 at 8PM Sunday, 10/9 at 3PM? Wednesday, 10/12 ­ Friday 10/14 at 8PM, Saturday, 10/15 at 2PM & 8PM Sunday, 10/16 at 3PM, Wednesday, 10/19 ­ Saturday, 10/22 at 8PM. Tickets are $20 and available at ttfviolets.bpt.me

ABOUT TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS:

Turn to Flesh Productions (under the direction of Executive Director Sam Turlington, Artistic Director Emily C. A. Snyder, and Literary Manager Laura Pittenger) is a New Theatre Company based out of New York City that aims to bring new plays dealing with modern themes written in classical styles to the stage, in order to examine the issues facing our world today through the lens of what has come before. Through theatre, the company is capable of exploring otherwise divisive issues ­ such as love, marriage, sexuality, religion, politics, art, ethics, and morality ­ without also dividing. Theatre gives voice to a person's immediate desires and responses, creating a platform for competing points of view, and the capacity to understand one another. Theatre changes lives. Both the lives of those watching and the lives of those creating. In today's cultural climate, where parties have entrenched themselves against each other, Turn to Flesh proposes wading into "no man's land" in order to encourage dialogue between warring factions. Its hope ­ founded on 15+ years of experience ­ is to foster intellectually honest debate about issues, while encouraging heartfelt reconciliation between persons. Turn to Flesh is committed to creating true, good, beautiful, and vibrant roles for women on­stage and off.