Playwrights' Theatre Of East Hampton to Present Concert Staging Of A MILONGA FOR GABRIEL ISSACS

LTV Studios, Playwrights' Theatre of East Hampton and The Catskill Mountain Foundation will present a concert staging of the new comedy with music "A Milonga for Gabriel Issacs" on Saturday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. The piece is written by John McCaffrey and Mark Singer, directed by Paul Lincoln, produced by Josh Gladstone and features music by The Oscar Feldman Trio and live tango by Sandra Antognazzi. The concert staging features spicy, neurotic and zany new comedy by two sharp playwriters and is directed by Broadway's Paul Lincoln. An ensemble of five actors including Robert DiSario, Michelle Duffy, Jennifer Evans, Adam Huel Potter and Edward Kassar is joined by live Tango music that is performed by Oscar Feldman and his smoldering jazz trio as well as Tango dancing by Sandra Antognazzi and Company. General admission tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door and can be purchased online at https://bit.ly/3PouyKt or by texting LTVTANGO to 41444. Mingle with the cast and playwrights after the show for a FREE and lively Q&A and dessert reception!

ABOUT A MILONGA FOR GABRIEL ISSACS:

Gabriel is newly divorced and still in pain from the breakup. He wants to find new love but is fearful of getting hurt again. Could tango be the answer? Tango - a ballroom dance of Latin-American origin, danced by couples, erotically charged, and having many varied steps and poses including, for Gabriel, pretending that he is not falling in love with his new dance partner Lauren. And what of his married friend Terry and the mysterious woman who enthralls him? Can Gabriel save his friend from himself? He has only a few chances to get this right, and they are running out. Four, three, two one...

ABOUT OSCAR FELDMAN:

Known for his splendid tonalities and melodically outstanding charts, the Argentinian native demonstrates his superb skills on alto, tenor, and soprano saxes, while employing a wide range of Pan-American references, from straight ahead to tango to candombe to samba to mambo. Feldman created quite an uproar by the end of the 1990s with his impressive recording debut as a leader "El Angel" (Songosaurus, 1999). For his second album "Oscar e Familia," the great Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal was in charge of penning the title track (Sunnyside, 2009). For his third solo album "Gol" (ZOHO, 2017), Feldman hand-picked his bandmates with the precise intention of what he wanted to accomplish. The album features some of the hottest musicians on the jazz scene today. "Gol" received rave reviews from fans and music critics. With training from the best jazz teachers, he graduated cum laude in 1995 with a Major in Professional Music from Berklee College of Music. Oscar realized that he could be an artist bridging both worlds and soon after was part of the United Nations Orchestra conducted by Dizzy's successor, Paquito D' Rivera. Since moving to New York, Oscar quickly developed a well-deserved reputation as a versatile musician, as evidenced by his work with notable artists such as guitar legend Al Di Meola, Grammy winner and top producer/arranger Eumir Deodato, Jeff Tain Watts, Avantango, Paquito D'Rivera's United Nations Orchestra, Alex Acuna, Bebo Valdes and His All-Star Latin Jazz Band, touring and performing at prestigious venues such as the Opera Vienna House, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall in New York, Park La Villette in Paris, the Blue Note as well as many International Jazz Festivals in Europe, the Americas, and Africa. Among his numerous recordings as a sideman, Oscar recorded the album "Tropicana Nights" with a Big Band conducted by Paquito D'Rivera which received the Latin Grammy Award 2000 for "Best Latin Jazz Album." Feldman has led many touring projects enlisting the talents of notable musicians such as Horacio Negro Hernandez, Alex Acuna, Dave Samuels, Otmaro Ruiz, and Tom Kennedy. Oscar has been always passionate about teaching. Currently, he is on the faculty at the New York Jazz Academy, has taught workshops and clinics at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and leads his own weekly music jam classes in New York.

ABOUT SANDRA ANTOGNAZZI:

Sandra Antognazzi was born and raised in Argentina. Her professional career spans over two decades in performance, choreography, and teaching, in two different dance traditions: modern dance and Argentine tango. Mrs. Antognazzi has been praised by the specialized press for her "strikingly powerful presence" and "lyricism" (The New York Times), and for her 'memorable" performances (Attitude Dance Magazine). In Argentina, Sandra performed with celebrated choreographer Ana Maria Stekelman, (Director of Tangokinesis), and was awarded First Prize at "Concurso de Ballet y Danza" and received a Special Award from the Jury for Best Soloist. Upon arriving in New York Sandra had a scholarship to study with renowned Jennifer Muller/The Works. Sandra was a principal dancer with the Doris Humphrey Repertory Dance Company, Mary Anthony Dance Theater, and Errol Grimes Dance Group, touring nationally and internationally. A fascination with her native tango grew into a full-time passion. Sandra studied with young and old tango masters, all of whom inspired her in many different ways. Mrs. Antognazzi has partnered with some of Argentina's leading Tango dancers. Sandra's most recent tango credits include performing, touring, directing and/or choreographing for Pablo Aslan's Avantango, Todo Tango with the Arturo O'Farrill Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Tango & Tango with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Leonardo Suarez Paz' Cuartetango in venues such as Town Hall, Lincoln Center's Rose.

ABOUT Paul Lincoln:

Paul Lincoln is one of the busiest vocal coaches in New York City with clients in almost every show on Broadway. Most recently seen off-Broadway in Roundabout Theatre Company's premiere of Primary Trust this summer, Paul maintains an active acting career as well. Some of his other favorite credits have been Classic Stage Company's acclaimed revival of Allegrodirected by John Doyle and Tony Nominee Elizabeth A.Davis's premier of her musical My Name is not Indian Joe. As a director,Paul loves to help develop new pieces. He directed the world premiere of Nell Benjamin(Mean Girls, Legally Blonde) and Larry O'Keefe's (Heathers, Legally Blonde) Life of the Party and he is thrilled to be working on this production of AMilonga for GABRIEL ISAACS.

ABOUT JOHN MCCAFFREY:

John McCaffrey, a resident of Wainscott, is the published author of one novel and three short story collections. He also teaches creative writing at the Rochester Institute of Technology, pens a regular column for The Good Men Project, and is the editor for Vine Leaves Press's 50 Give and Take. Since meeting Mark Singer on the basketball court more than a decade ago the two have partnered on numerous stage and screen projects.

ABOUT Mark Singer:

Mark Singer is an actor, singer and writer who has been featured in operas, musicals, plays, and on the cabaret stage for over three decades. He has created and produced numerous musical revues and plays for the Catskill Mountain Foundation in Hunter, NY, where he and his wife Darcy will be performing on November 11. Mark is delighted to have this opportunity to showcase his original work with his talented friend John McCaffrey. Mark is currently Founding Managing Partner for Acquisitions and Strategy at Finn Partners PR. His financial career began at Sanford Bernstein and Co. where he was a Senior Portfolio Manager and Partner.

ABOUT ROBERT DISARIO

Rob's credits include Kenneth in The Night Alive produced at Guild Hall in East Hampton, Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman, Heck Tate in To Kill a Mockingbird, John Proctor in The Crucible, and William in Men's Lives all at the Bay Street Theater. He's studied with Scott Freeman at The Freeman Studio.

ABOUT Michelle Duffy

Throughout her celebrated three-decade career on stage and screen, Michelle Duffy has kept quite busy and on the move. In New York, Michelle has originated roles on Broadway (Leap of Faith), off-Broadway (Heathers: The Musical) and pre-Broadway (Gettin' the Band Back Together, First Wives Club, Unexpected Joy, to name a few..). She's worked extensively in regional theaters throughout the country and abroad, launching a host of world premieres (most recently Steven Dietz's How a Boy Falls, at Chicago's Northlight) and reimagining great classic and contemporary roles (most recently "Mrs. Dashwood/Anne Steele" in Kate Hamill's Sense and Sensibility at Northern Stage, "Alice" in Bright Star at Farmers Alley, "Jessie' in Sweat at Pittsburgh Public...) See resumé for full theater listings. Most recent TV/film credits include "Succession", "Chicago PD", "The Night Of", "Blue Bloods", "The Good Wife", "Elementary", "Pitching Tents", "Burning Man the Musical" "The Hudson Tribes". She is the grateful recipient of Los Angeles Ovation, Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle, Wilde, and Garland awards.

ABOUT ADAM HUEL POTTER

Adam Huel Potter is a New York City based character actor and an award-winning musician originally from Kentucky. An alumnus of Circle in the Square Theatre School and NYU Tisch, he is a proud member of Actor's Equity and SAG-AFTRA.

He has worked regionally at wonderful theaters such as Weston Playhouse, the Berkshire Theatre Festival, Northern Stage, Theatre Squared, and St. Michael's Playhouse as well as play to more than a hundred gorgeous houses across this country and Canada like the Hollywood Pantages, Kansas City's Starlight Amphitheater, The National Theatre in DC, New Haven's Shubert Theatre, The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, and the Fox Theaters in Atlanta, St. Louis, and Detroit, just to name a few.

Notable credits include; THEATRE: Once the Musical (National Tour), Floyd Collins, Uncle Remus, His Life & Times (ESPA at the Lucille Lortel), Misery, Twelfth Night, Murder, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. TELEVISION: "FBI: Most Wanted." FILM: Blood and Snow, Fortress: Sniper's Eye, Midnight in the Switchgrass, Hard Kill, Survive the Game, Deadlock, Gasoline Alley, Apex, The Wrong Place, Soul Assassin, Paradise City, and Wire Room.

ABOUT Edward Kassar

Theater Credits: "A Steady Rain", "Art", "Of Mice and Men", "The Zoo Story", "My Three Angels", "Other People's Money" (nominated for Best Actor Connecticut Critics Circle), "La Rhonde"; and many more. Film: "Mulligans Farm", "Scallop Pond", "Down Clown", "If I didn't Care", " Sushi Bar" and others. Thanks to family and friends for their support. Much love to "Mouj".

ABOUT PLAYWRIGHTS' THEATRE

The Playwrights' Theatre was founded in East Hampton in 1992 by producer and Springs resident Mitzi Pazer from The Roundabout Theatre Company along with her husband, attorney Perry Pazer. They started the series at LTV where it operated every summer for 10 years before shifting to the John Drew Theater at Guild Hall for another ten seasons. Incredible stars took part: Eli Wallach & Anne Jackson, Judd Hirsch, Estelle Parsons, Dianne Wiest, Peter Boyle, Jack Klugman, Mercedes Ruehl, Tovah Feldshuh and Charles Durning among countless others. Playwright's Theatre gave a chance for East Hampton audiences to meet and mingle with these luminaries in a relaxed setting where process and dialogue were encouraged with great talkbacks and informal garden receptions. The emphasis was on the written and spoken word, with playwrights being selected by Mitzi and afforded a remarkable, focused and hospitable workshop in which to hear and shape their developing plays. When Michael Clark invited the producer Josh Gladstone to join the team at LTV in early 2023, Gladstone reached out to the Pazers with an invitation and sure enough the Pazer's responded, excited to see their legacy of 30 years reignited and reimagined for a new generation of East Hampton theater lovers and artists. LTV is proud to welcome The Playwrights' Theatre back home to Studio 3 in Wainscott, where the work of the Pazers will continue, offering creative opportunities to theater-makers to develop their voices and imaginations throughout the year.

ABOUT LTV STUDIOS

LTV provides a free-speech television and media platform to share all manner of public discourse, education and creative expression within our community and the world at large. LTV broadcasts live government meetings on CHANNEL 22 on cable in the town of East Hampton and via the live-stream on their website.

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