The Kitchen Theatre's 22nd Season Continues With CROOKED, Beginning 2/27

The Kitchen Theatre's 22nd Season continues with Catherine Trieschmann's poignant and true-to-life coming of age story Crooked, in its Central New York premiere. Crooked runs from February 27 through March 17, with preview performances February 27 and 28 and March 1. Opening Night is March 2, and the closing performance is on March 17.

Fourteen-year-old Laney arrives in Oxford, Mississippi with a disabling, twisted back, a mother in crisis, and a burning desire to be writer. When Laney is befriended by Maribel Purdy, a fervent believer in the power of Jesus and his ability to save Laney from the humiliations of high school, a story of opposites attracting begins. Laney embarks on a complex, angst-ridden teenage spiritual journey that challenges her mother's secular worldview and threatens to tear their fragile relationship apart.

Directing Crooked is Kitchen Theatre Artistic Director Rachel Lampert. "Crooked is a wonderfully written slice-of-life story," says Lampert. "Trieschmann writes sensitively and insightfully about teen years, parental helplessness, loss, faith, and hope. It's a touching portrait of a mother and daughter struggling to make a new start, full of humor and full of heart. It's a pleasure to work on this play with these three excellent actresses and my wonderful associate director, Emily Jackson."

All of the cast members are making their Kitchen Theatre debuts with this production. NYC actresses Erin Jerozal* (as mother Elise) and Molly Stoller (as Laney) are joined by Kitchen Theatre Professional Intern Ally Poole as Maribel. The creative team also includes Scenic and Lighting Designer Tyler M. Perry, Costume Designer Lisa Boquist, Sound Designer Lesley Greene, Properties Designer Megan Christine, Associate Director Emily Jackson, and Stage Manager Jennifer Schilansky*. Performances take place in the Kitchen Theatre, located at 417 W. State / Martin Luther King, Jr. Street in Ithaca's West End neighborhood, just three blocks from The Commons.

In conjunction with the Ithaca premiere of Crooked, the Kitchen Theatre Company will present a number of ancillary events: free pre-show discussions with local experts on mental health and issues facing today's teenagers and post-show talk backs with the cast and director. The first event will be Thursday, March 7th, a talk by Boynton Middle School health teacher Susan Eschbach. Talkbacks with the cast and director are scheduled for Friday, March 8th and Friday, March 15th. Please check our website for more events: www.kitchentheatre.org.

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