22nd Annual Black Box New Play Festival Announced At The Gallery Players

The Black Box New Play Festival is the Gallery Players' signature festival of new works by both new and established playwrights. Now in its 22nd year, the festival will premiere 11 new plays over the course of three weekends. The festival opens Thursday, January 10 and runs through January 27, with a new collection of plays presented each week. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30PM, and Sundays at 3PM. There will be a talk back with the playwrights directly after the Sunday matinees.

First Week, January 10 - 13, 2019:
• IN THE GARDENS OF EDEN by Vicki Riba Koestler, directed by Nate Sayatovich
Attempting to drive to summer camp, a family is led astray by their GPS and into a challenging situation.
• PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE by Bara Swain, directed by Valerie Adami
While Matilda is sitting Shiva for her beloved nine year old companion, an unexpected visitor gives her the courage to make a life-altering decision.
• THE BLACK BOX (OR, HOW TO DIE HAPPY) by David Harms, directed by Sam French
Without insurance, after suffering a nervous breakdown, John James is forced to take a leave of absence from the church where he's been rector for 25 years and convalesce in an unusual place. After reviewing his life and having several visitors, he decides there's a sure-fire way to go out on a high note and puts his idea to the test.
• THE ROOFTOP PLAYS by Marlene Shyer, directed by Max Friedman ("Rooftop Buddha", "Rooftop Thanksgiving", "Rooftop Murder")
A series of three ten minute plays set on a rooftop in a city. From murder for real estate, to memorials, to divvying up holiday attendance, you never know what is going on over your head.

Second Week, January 17 - 20, 2019:
• THE WOMAN AT HIS SIDE by Donald Steele, directed by Becky Abramowitz
What happens to a relationship when a long married couple competes in the same field?
• HORNY by Rich Rubin, directed by Kevin Bain
Mickey and Frankie are two small-time con artists who've just come up with a new scheme involving, among other things, the large mammal exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History. Dmitri is a love-sick Russian mobster with an entrepreneurial spirit, a satchel full of cash and a bad temper. What could possibly go wrong?
• ONE NIGHT by A. Dean Bell, directed by Hilary Goldman
Two college roommate unravel what happened one night that could change lives forever.
• THE PRISONERS OF DRISCOLL STREET by Bradley Nies, directed by Dominic Cuskern
One Father's Day, Fred and Edwina Rogers, an elderly couple from Houston, Texas were murdered. This play depicts a possible altercation between a mother and her son, a son who may have murdered both of his parents.

Third Week, January 24 - 27, 2019:
• UPFRONTS & PERSONAL by Ken Levine, directed by Scotty Watson
The process of getting a TV show on a network schedule is examined as one studio attempts to place two sitcoms on the fall line-up. How far will everybody have to go, what compromises must they make, which ethics will they have to abandon? And yes, it's a comedy!

Bringing the Black Box New Play Festival to the Gallery stage are Co-Producers, Sue Glausen and Dominic Cuskern; Production Stage Manager, Timothy Sheridan; Lighting Designer, Tianshu Zhao; Sound Designer: Charlie Hill.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors over 65 and children under 12. Tickets can be purchased online at www.galleryplayers.com or by calling Ovationtix at 212-352-3101.

The upcoming Gallery season includes:
ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, music by Mary Rodgers; lyrics by Marshall Barer; book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller & Marshall Barer: Feb. 22 - Mar. 17
STEEL MAGNOLIAS by Robert Harling: Apr. 13 - 28
SPRING AWAKENING, music by Duncan Sheik; book & lyrics by Steven Sater: May 18 - June 9

The Gallery Players is located at 199 14th Street (between 4th and 5th Avenues), in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Take the F, G, or R train to 4th Avenue / 9th Street. Website: http://galleryplayers.com

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