A. Zell Williams' CARROLL GARDENS at 16th Street this Fall

16th Street Theater's ninth season 2016 continues with the world premiere of A. ZELL WILLIAMS' biting comedy CARROLL GARDENS directed by Artistic Director Ann Filmer and playing September 8 - October 15, 2016 at North Berwyn Park District's 16th Street Theater 6420 16th Street in Berwyn, with a press opening of Thursday, September 15 @ 7:30 PM.

Davis and Robby were BFFs in '93, but that last F is a long, long time. In 2013 Davis has traded his broke, small-town past for the hipster lifestyle of a Brooklyn artist. But when Robby crashes his childhood homie's 30th birthday, holding onto the past may cost Davis his future. Conflicts over race, class, culture and foodies ignite in A. Zell Williams' world premiere comedy.

"I'm thrilled to have the chance to bring my work back to Chicago," states author A. Zell Williams.

"I cut my artistic teeth here self-producing readings with my good friend, Brian Hurst. This city is the perfect place for CARROLL GARDENS to have its World Premier. Here, audiences have a wealth of personal insight into the issues of race, class, loyalty and gentrification that ignite conflict in this play."

"Zell certainly knows how to make an audience squirm," adds director Ann Filmer. "CARROLL GARDENS is so damn funny! His characters say all the wrong things. For all the right reasons."

Featuring Gregory Geffrard (Flip in Eclipse Theatre's Our Lady of 121st Street), Alex Fisher (Step Up Productions Barefoot in the Park), Andy Lutz (The House Theatre's The Revel), Minita Gandhi (Dr. Prospere on NBC's Chicago Fire), Brian J. Hurst (of Oracle Productions) with Mark West(performing Sep 24), Leena Kurishingal (performing Oct 6-8, Oct 15), Rebecca Griffin and Justin Walker as understudies. CARROLL GARDENS is the third offering in 16th Street's Season Nine 2016: LOYALTY, following the extended, sold-out hits of THE BOOK CLUB PLAY and YASMINA'S NECKLACE.

Moderated post-show dialogues follow Thursday and Friday performances.

A. Zell Williams is a Resident Playwright with New Dramatists and was a writer for NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He has served as a National New Play Network Playwright-in-Residence at Philadelphia's InterAct Theatre Company, the Tow Foundation's Emerging Playwright-in-Residence at The Public Theater, as a Featured Writer with the Lark Play Development Center, as a member of The Civilians' R&D Group, and Ars Nova's Play Group. Productions: In A Daughter's Eyes & Down Past Passyunk (InterAct Theatre, Philadelphia.) Awards: Marin Theatre Company Emerging American Playwright Prize, The Terrence McNally New Play Award, NYU's Goldberg Playwriting Award, National New Play Network's Smith Prize. Nominations: The Williamstown Theatre Festival's L. Arnold Weissberger Award, The Playwright of New York (PoNY) Fellowship. Finalist: Yale Drama Series for Emerging Playwrights and Kitchen Dog Theatre's New Works Festival. Carroll Gardens will have its world premiere at 16th Street Theater in Fall 2016. His other plays include The Biggest Valley and The Urban Retreat.

Ann Filmer is a director, adaptor and producer of new plays. She founded 16th Street Theater in 2007 where she has produced 44 new plays including directing The Ascension of Carlotta, The Scarlet Ibis, Kita y Fernanda, Mixin' It Up, Fires in the Mirror, Unveiled, The Last Barbecue, This Train, Menorca, The Beats, Our Dad is in Atlantis, Our Holiday Stories, Nickel History: The Nation of Heat, Love and Drowning, "8", Broken Fences (with Ilesa Duncan), Do-Gooder, Pinkolandia, The Art of Disappearing,Merchild and Yasmina's Necklace. Ms. Filmer has directed for Goodman (Chicago Boys; Almost Done, Reunion, and Dark Pony), Victory Gardens (Disconnect), Remy Bumppo (The Clean House), A Red Orchid (Eric LaRue), Shattered Globe (TheHouse of Blue Leaves), Stage Left (Spare Change, In Times of War), Live Bait (Us and Them), Chicago Dramatists, Collaboraction, Circle, Theatre on the Lake, Porchlight, The Aardvark and Estrogen Fest. While Producing Director of Chicago Dramatists, Ann co-produced the National Showcase of New Plays and won an After Dark Award for her direction of The Liquid Moon as well as editing the anthology New Plays from Chicago. She adapted and directed The Midnight City - her fourth collaboration with renowned visual artist Tony Fitzpatrick and Stan Klein at The Steppenwolf Garage. Next she will direct A Charlie Brown Christmas for Emerald City at Broadway Playhouse.

TO PURCHASE TICKETS:

Online - www.16thstreettheater.org

By Phone - (708) 795-6704

In Person - at North Berwyn Park District, 1619 Wesley Ave., Berwyn

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