SCARLETT DREAMS, A New Play From S. Asher Gelman, Holds Industry Presentation in NYC

Production company Midnight Theatricals will present an industry reading of Scarlett Dreams, a new play by S. Asher Gelman (Afterglow, safeword), directed by JV Mercanti (World Famous) today, November 17 in New York City.  
 
In Scarlett Dreams, siblings Milo and Liza have created RealFit, a fitness and wellness app designed for the OmniVision Pro, a new Virtual Reality headset from OmniCorp. They bring in Milo’s husband, Kevin, to beta test the app prior to its launch. As Kevin engages with the app, he starts forming a connection with Scarlett, his virtual trainer. This development leads to an exploration of the intersections between technology and personal relationships, questioning how digital interactions impact human connections and shape our perception of reality.
 
Scarlett Dreams is produced by Stefano Milici and Evan Bernardin Productions. Rashad V. Chambers serves as general manager. 
 
S. Asher Gelman is a director, choreographer, actor, dancer, playwright, and producer. Through his production company, Midnight Theatricals, he produced and directed his first original play, Afterglow, which ran for 14 months Off-Broadway at the Davenport Theater.  In 2019, Gelman’s second play, safeword, opened Off-Broadway in April, and he also produced the Off-Broadway musical, We Are The Tigers by Preston Max Allen. Most recently, Gelman directed, choreographed, and produced the short dance for the film The Greatest City in the World. Originally from Chevy Chase, MD, Asher received his Bachelor's Degree in Dance and Theater from Bard College in New York in 2006 and his Masters in Fine Arts in Dance from George Washington University in Washington, DC in 2012. From 2006 to 2016, Asher lived in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he became one of the founders of The Stage, Tel Aviv’s premier English language performing arts organization, serving as its first Artistic Director from 2013 to 2016. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College.  Asher lives in New York City with his husband, Mati.
 
JV Mercanti is currently the Head of Acting for the Musical Theater program at Pace University's School of the Arts. He served as the Casting and Associate Director on the recent Broadway revival of Romeo & Juliet with Orlando Bloom. He also cast the Kevin Kline revival of Cyrano de Bergerac co-starring Jennifer Garner. Prior to that he spent many years as a casting associate for Roundabout Theatre Company working on numerous Broadway, Off-Broadway and West End productions. Most recently, he directed the premier of World Famous at Theater for a New City. Numerous regional and university credits include The Pajama Game, Floyd Collins, Odile's Ordeal, Icarus and The True History of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, the Ugliest Woman in the World, a play that took place almost entirely in the dark. His MFA is from Rutgers University, BA from NYU's Gallatin School of Individualized Studies. JV spent two years teaching Acting and Directing at the University of Miami. His monologue book series, In Performance, is published by Applause Books. www.jvmercanti.com
 
Rashad V. Chambers is a Tony Award-winning producer, talent manager and lawyer. Rashad recently produced the New York premiere of the award-winning musical Little Girl Blue: The Nina Simone Musical. His Broadway producing credits include American Son, Ain’t Too Proud, Betrayal, The Inheritance, Caroline, or Change, The Music Man and Topdog/Underdog. Rashad attended Morehouse College where he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration. He also earned his JD and MBA degrees from Ohio State University. Rashad is a founding member of The Industry Standard Group as well as a board member of On Broadway Performing Arts Training Program and Houses on the Moon Theater Company.