Geva's Fielding Studio Series Begins With FORTUNE By Deborah Zoe Laufer

Geva Theatre Center's 2018-2019 Fielding Studio Series begins with Fortune, written and directed by Deborah Zoe Laufer. This production comes to Geva from the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY. The production begins performances on October 4 and runs in the Fielding Stage through October 21.

A romantic comedy about finding love: whether it's in the cards (or not!). Maude is a 30-something storefront psychic who has given up on love. When Jeremy, a downhearted, love-hungry accountant, stumbles into her shop, she wrestles with fate and destiny.

Deborah Zoe Laufer's plays have been produced at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cleveland Play House, Geva Theatre Center, Portland Stage, The Humana Festival, and in theatres all over the United States, Australia, Germany, Russia, and Canada. Informed Consent, an Alfred P. Sloan/EST commission, began its journey at Geva in 2014, and went on to appear at The Duke Theatre in NYC in 2015, a co-production of Primary Stages and EST. It was a NY Times Critic's Pick. End Days won The ATCA Steinberg citation and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant, and was an NNPN rolling world premiere, with over 60 productions worldwide. Other plays include Leveling Up, Out of Sterno, The Last Schwartz, Sirens, Meta, The Gulf of Westchester, Miniatures, Fortune, and, most recently, Be Here Now. Deb is a recipient of the Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, the Lilly Award, and grants and commissions from The Edgerton Foundation, The National New Play Network, the NEA, and the LeCompte du Nouy grant from the Lincoln Center Foundation. Her plays are published by Samuel French, Smith and Kraus, and Playscripts. She is a graduate of Juilliard, an alumna of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and a member of The Actor's Studio PDU and The Dramatists Guild. Deb is deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to direct four of her plays - Fortune Informed Consent, Be Here Now, and The Three Sisters of Weehawken. Fortune premiered at the Marin Theatre Company in 2005. The production which will be presented at Geva was originally staged at Ithaca's Hangar Theatre from June 14 - June 23, 2018.

The cast of Fortune make their Geva Theatre Center debuts in the Hangar Theatre's production. Lena Kaminsky (Maude) most recently appeared in the world premiere of Kodachrome by Adam Szymkowicz at Portland Center Stage. Other theatre credits include My Name is Asher Lev at George Street Playhouse; Birds of East Africa and Swimming in the Shallows for the Kitchen Theatre Company; Outside Mullingar at Saint Michael's Playhouse; In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play at Syracuse Stage; Black Pearl Sings! at Portland Center Stage; Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune for Virginia Stage Company; Love, Janis at Kansas City Repertory Theatre; Trying at Hartford TheaterWorks; as well as work with Passage Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Northern Stage, Cleveland Play House and others. TV/Film credits include "Law & Order," Reunion (also co-producer) and the upcoming feature film, Three Seconds. Upcoming: Lisa Kron's 2.5 Minute Ride at The Kitchen Theatre Company. Lena sings and tours with Americana band Kate Vargas & The Reckless Daughters and is a member of The Actors Center. Ian Lowe's (Jeremy) New York credits include Nikolai and the Others (Lincoln Center Theatre), Murder for Two (New World Stages), and UnCivil War (NY Musical Theatre Festival, Best of Fest). He appeared in the National Tour of Murder for Two and at Regional theatres such as Capital Rep, Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, Cape Playhouse, Weston Playhouse, Houston TUTS, Adirondack Theatre Festival, Dorset Theatre Festival, Saint Michael's Playhouse, Charleston Stage, and Riverside Theatre. TV/Film credits include "Pose" (FX Networks), Love is a Broadway Hit (upcoming feature), and many commercials and voice-overs.

Fortune is directed by Deborah Zoe Laufer. The creative team includes Kent Goetz (Scenic Design), Mira Veikley (Costume Design), Deborah Constantine (Lighting Designer), and Don Tindall (Sound Design).

Fortune by Deborah Zoe Laufer marks the first production originating at the Hangar Theatre Company to be seen by Geva Theatre Center audiences.

Fortune begins performances on October 4 and runs in the Fielding Stage

through October 21.

The 2018-2019 Season is sponsored by ESL Federal Credit Union and Rochester Regional Health. The Honorary Season Producer is Dr. Dawn Lipson. The Fielding Studio Series is supported in part by the Gouvernet Arts Fund at The Community Foundation. The Associate Producer for Fortune is St John's Rochester.

THE HANGAR THEATRE, ITHACA, NY

Michael Balakiva, Artistic Director

Mary Beth Bunge, Managing Director

The Hangar Theatre is a renovated municipal airport hangar on the shores of Cayuga Lake that opened to the public as a regional theatre in 1975. Now in its 44th season, the Hangar produces quality theatrical and education programs for the region. The Hangar Theatre Company produces plays and musicals throughout the summer, one holiday winter production, and a variety of innovative theatre-based offerings throughout the year along with a renowned education program. As a nonprofit theatre, the Hangar proudly serves its mission of providing exceptional theatre experiences of high professional quality to enrich, enlighten, educate, and entertain the diverse audience in the Finger Lakes region.

Geva Theatre Center

Founded in 1972, Geva Theatre Center is a not-for-profit, professional theatre company dedicated to creating and producing professional theatre productions, programs and services of a national standard. As Rochester's leading professional theatre, Geva Theatre Center is the most attended regional theatre in New York State, and one of the 25 most subscribed in the country, serving up to 160,000 patrons annually, including more than 16,000 students.

The 516-seat Elaine P. Wilson Stage is home to a wide variety of performances, from musicals to American and world classics. The 180-seat Ron & Donna Fielding Stage is home to Geva's own series of contemporary drama, comedy and musical theatre; Geva's New Play Reading Series and the Hornets' Nest - an innovative play-reading series facilitating community-wide discussion on controversial topics. In addition, the Fielding Stage hosts visiting companies of both local and international renown.

Geva Theatre Center offers a wide variety of educational, outreach and literary programs, nurturing audiences and artists alike. Since 1995, the organization has been under the artistic direction of Mark Cuddy.

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