BWW Preview: Penguin Rep Presents SYNCOPATION

"Penguin Rep Theatre, the award-winning professional Equity theatre under the leadership of founding artistic director Joe Brancato and executive director Andrew M. Horn, presents Syncopation, a romantic comedy by Allan Knee, beginning Friday, August 11 in Stony Point, New York.

Winner of an American Critics Theater Award, Syncopation is by the author of the play The Man Who Was Peter Pan, which was commissioned and originally presented by Penguin before being released as the film, and adapted into the Broadway musical, Finding Neverland.

Thomas Caruso, associate director of the Broadway musical Groundhog Day, returns to Penguin, where he previously staged Don't Talk to the Actors, Greetings! and Over the Tavern, to direct. Ryan Kasprzak (a Chita Rivera Award nominee for Bandstand) choreographs.

Set in 1911, when New York's Lower East Side teemed with poverty and possibility, Syncopation tells the story of an unlikely couple -- a middle-aged Jewish butcher and a young Italian garment worker - who take dance lessons in a sixth-floor walkup and dream of a better life.

The limited engagement of Syncopation runs through Sunday, September 3 at Penguin Rep Theatre in historic Stony Point (Rockland County), New York. Official opening is Sunday, August 13 at 2:00 p.m.

The cast includes: Lauren Annunziata (whose credits include gigs at Williamstown Theatre Festival, Ensemble Studio Theater, Labyrinth Theater, and Joe's Pub) and Josh Powell (who recently starred in the new musical The Fourth Messenger, as El Gallo in The Fantasticks at Pittsburgh Public Theater, and spinning Sinatra tunes in My Way at the Ivoryton Playhouse).

The production has scenic design by Michael Carnahan, costume design by Lux Haac, lighting design by Martin Vreeland, sound design by William Neal, with casting by Cindi Rush.

Performance days and times are: Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. There is also a special weekday matinee on Friday, August 11 at 2:00 p.m.

Penguin's intimate, 108-seat theatre, which is located at 7 Crickettown Road, is converted from an 1880's hay barn, and offers air-conditioning, wheelchair accessible entrance, rest rooms and seating, and plenty of free parking.

Tickets to Syncopation are priced at $44 (including facility fee and service charge). There is an early ordering discount of $35 for tickets purchased prior to July 2. Discounts are also available for groups of 10 or more and young people (30 and under).

On Sunday, August 13, the audience is invited to join the cast and crew for cake and coffee after the performance.

On Friday, August 18, there will be a discussion among the actors and audience following the show.

Before the 4:00 p.m. show on Saturday, August 19, there will be a complimentary tasting.

Penguin's 40th anniversary season also includes Shistory Happens!, a new work written and performed by award-winning actor/comedian Robert Wuhl (Arli$$, Batman), which is described as a hysterical -- and historical -- follow-up to his HBO Comedy Specials Assume Position 101 and 201 (Saturday, September 23 at 8 p.m. at Rockland Community College's Cultural Arts Theatre in Suffern, NY), and the world premiere of Frederick Stroppel's Fall River, a new take on Lizzie Borden from the author of Small World (October 13 - November 5).

To order tickets or for further information, visit Penguin Rep's website at www.penguinrep.org or call 845-786-2873."

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