THE ELEPHANT MAN Opens this Month at Gallery Players

Following the sold-out run of Annie, Gallery Players continues their 51st season with the haunting and powerful play, The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance. The play recounts the story of John Merrick, a man so physically deformed, he is forced to display himself to the public in traveling sideshows. It is a parable about man trading his frail beauty and innocence for the protection and prison of society.

The Elephant Man premiered at The Hampstead Theatre in London in 1977. It later played at the National Theatre, and then opened on Broadway in 1979 where it took 4 Drama Desk Awards and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, winning for Best Play, Best Direction, and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. It was revived in 2002 and in 2015, winning six additional Tonys.

Set during the Victorian era, The Elephant Man follows John Merrick as he finds himself alone and destitute in London. Due to the kindness of Frederick Treves, a prominent physician of the time, Merrick is soon admitted into the London Hospital for care and observation. Treves becomes determined to help Merrick lead a normal life, and Merrick soon becomes the toast of society. In the end however, he finds that normality isn't something he can achieve, or that he even necessarily wants.

The Elephant Man opens Saturday, October 28th, and runs for 12 performances only through Sunday, November 12th, 2017. Performances will be held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm, Sundays at 3:00 PM, and the second and third Saturdays at 2:00 PM.

Tickets are $25 for Adults and $20 for senior citizens, students, and children 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased 24/7 online at www.galleryplayers.com or by calling OvationTix at 212-352-3101 (phone hours 9-9 weekdays, 10-6 weekends). The Elephant Man is an approved Actors Equity Association showcase.

Bringing The Elephant Man to the Gallery stage is Executive Producer, Mark Harborth; Company Manager, Nick Radu-Rayburn; Director of Production, Scott Cally; Director, Mark Gallagher; Lighting and Video Designer, Heather Crocker; Set Designer, Matthew S. Crane; Costume Designer, Joey Haws; Properties Designer, Roxanne Goodby; Composer, Jacob Subotnick; Production Stage Manager, Katelyn Kocher; Assistant Stage Managers, Michelle Danahy and Timothy Sheridan and an ensemble featuring Daniel Damiano, Alfred Gingold*, M. Rowan Meyer*, Jesi Mullins, Elisabeth Preston*, Brooke DeAnne Robinson*, Christopher Romero Wilson and Adam Unze*.

(*appearing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association).

ABOUT THE GALLERY PLAYERS

A New York institution for over 50 years-The Gallery Players' season comprises plays and musicals from both the classic and contemporary repertoire; the season finale is the annual Black Box New Play Festival, which workshops and presents world premiere productions of works by emerging playwrights. Gallery's OVERTURES program features staged readings of new musicals held throughout the regular season. Gallery has received the Off-Off Broadway Review's 2000 Award for Lifetime Achievement, as well as Innovative Theater (IT) awards for outstanding musical for Urinetown, Yank, and Like You Like It, and has earned the reputation of "New York's Best Kept Secret."

The Gallery Players is located at 199 14th Street, between 4th and 5th Avenues, in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Take the F Train to 4th Avenue or the R Train to 9th Street. By car: the BQE to Hamilton Avenue, to 14th Street. Website: http://galleryplayers.com.

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