Mount Tremper Arts to Present 600 Highwaymen's EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, 8/1-2

A teenager's house burns down, leaving everyone and everything she has behind. From this moment, a singular journey begins...

Mount Tremper Arts presents the Obie award-winning 600 HIGHWAYMEN's Employee of the Year. Five young girls in the twilight of their childhood share in the telling of one woman's journey from aged three to 80; the complexities and nuances of aging are juxtaposed against the fragile innocence and spontaneity of these five young performers. Combining 600 HIGHWAYMEN's arresting theatrical style with original songs by Obie-winner David Cale this world premiere intimately investigates the process of transformation over a lifetime.

Featuring performances by Candela Cubria (age 10), Rachel Dostal (age 10), Stella Lapidus (age 10), Alice Chastain Levy (age 9) and Violet Newman (age 9).

600 Highwaymen's Employee of the Year is co-commissioned by Mount Tremper Arts with support by The National Endowment of the Arts, Arts Works grant, and a commissioning grant by The New York State Council on the Arts Theater program with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. It is co-commissioned by the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) as part of FIAF's Crossing the Line Festival 2014.

Employee of the Year (World Premiere)
600 Highwaymen
Featuring original songs by David Cale
Mount Tremper Arts (647 South Plank Rd in Mount Tremper, NY)
$20; mounttremperarts.org; 845-688-9893
August 1 & 2 at 8pm

About the Artists

Under the name 600 HIGHWAYMEN (600HWM), Abigail Browde and Michael Silverstone construct expansive performances that illuminate the inherent poignancy and theatricality of people together. They are exploring a radical approach to making live art, constructing events that create intimacy among a group of strangers Developed using creative methods ranging from the mainstream to the peculiar, their Obie-award winning work is a rigorously tuned investigation of presence and humanity, not only in performance, but also in process and aftermath. Formed in 2009, past productions include: This Time Tomorrow, Empire City, This Great Country, The Record, and Everyone Was Chanting Your Name. 600highwaymen.org

Michael Silverstone has co-directed all 600 HWM productions with Abigail Browde, as well as new and established works at Williamstown, HERE, St. Marks Theater, Hangar Theater, Theater Row, and in maximum security prisons (Sing Sing and Fishkill Correctional Facilities, New York). Alumnus of Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Drama League Directing Fellow, SSDC Fellowship Recipient.

Abigail Browde, in addition to co-directing all 600 HWM works, was an artist-in-residence at BAX and University Settlement. She has worked with John Jesurun, Jennie Marytai Liu, Supergroup, Nellie Tinder, Andrew Dinwiddie, and Witness Relocation. Additionally, her work has been presented at CATCH, Dixon Place, Minnesota Fringe (Encore Winner), Chicago's Single File Festival, and the Revolutions Festival. She has taught at NYU, University Settlement, Perpich Center for the Arts, and University of New Mexico.

David Cale is the writer and performer of ten solo works including A Likely Story (The New Group), Lillian (Playwrights Horizons, OBIE Award), Deep in a Dream of You (Public Theater, Museum of Modern Art, Bessie Award), Smooch Music (The Kitchen) andThe Redthroats (Second Stage, P.S. 122, Bessie). He wrote the book, lyrics, co-composed the music for, and appeared as Floyd in the musical Floyd and Clea Under the Western Sky (Playwrights Horizons, Outer Critics Circle Nomination). He has written lyrics for songs sung by artists including Elvis Costello, Deborah Harry and Jimmy Scott. Most recently he composed the sea shanties for his new solo, The History of Kisses, currently being developed into a feature film by Wrapt Films.

About Mount Tremper Arts

Since its founding in 2008, Mount Tremper Arts has quickly become recognized nationally for being an exciting and innovative new cultural arts center. Nestled in the Catskill Mountains, Mount Tremper Arts supports contemporary artists in the creation and presentation of new works of art. The Mount Tremper Arts Summer Festival celebrates the contemporary arts through an integration of performances, exhibitions, artist residencies, and hybrid programming. In addition to creating a laboratory for contemporary artists, it is an increasingly popular destination venue for cultural tourism.

Hosting the Summer Festival is only part of Mount Tremper Arts' mission; for the rest of the year, the studio hosts performing art companies in Creative Development Residencies. These residencies include 24/7 dedicated studio space and housing for periods ranging from three days to one month. Mount Tremper Arts also operates a subsidized residency program that is open to all performing art companies making contemporary work and offers affordable, dedicated workspace for intensive residency experiences. More information about residencies can be found at mounttremperarts.org/residencies.

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