SKINTIGHT Comes to Island City Stage In May

Beauty isn't everything. Why is it the only thing? Delve into the neurotic New York family dynamic of Island City Stage's newest comedy, Skintight by Joshua Harmon, running May 30 through June 23.

Initially premiering Off-Broadway in 2018 at the Roundabout Theater in New York City, Skintight examines the nature of love, the power of attraction, and the ways in which a superficial culture persists in teaching its children that all that matters is what's on the inside.

“I love this play because it isn't afraid to explode the cliche that what's on the inside of a person is more important that what's on the outside. Maybe, we CAN love someone for their beauty or their money,” said Andy Rogow, artistic director of Island City Stage. “It's also an engrossing story about how parents and children navigate their relationship when previous generations haven't taught them how to love unconditionally. The neediness of all the characters in this play create fireworks that are both outrageously funny and searingly caustic.”

Reeling from her ex-husband's engagement to a much younger woman, Jodi Isaac turns to her famous fashion-designer dad for support. Instead, she finds him wrapped-up in his West Village townhouse with Trey. Who's 20. And not necessarily gay. But probably an adult film star. At least, according to Jodi's son. Who's also 20. And definitely gay.

Playwright Joshua Harmon brings neurotic family drama and comedy to the forefront as father and daughter contend with the age-old questions of how to age gracefully in a world obsessed with youth and where love fits into it all.

Harmon's other plays include Bad Jews, Significant Other, Admissions, and Prayer for the French Republic. He and Sarah Silverman co-wrote the libretto for The Bedwetter based on her memoir. His plays have been produced on Broadway and the West End; off-Broadway at Roundabout Theatre Company, Lincoln Center Theater, Manhattan Theater Club and Atlantic Theater Company; across the country at Geffen Playhouse, Speakeasy, Studio Theatre, Theater Wit, About Face, Actor's Express, and The Magic, among others; and internationally in a dozen countries. He is a two-time MacDowell fellow and an associate artist at Roundabout. He is a Juilliard graduate.

Skintight is directed by Rogow and stars Suzanne Ankrum, Laura Argo, Jeff Brackett, Daniel Barrett, Louis Pedraza and Steve Schroko.

Daniel Barrett (Benjamin) is a New York-based actor whose recent credits include Disney's The Little Mermaid, Imported Bridegroom directed by Avi Hoffman, A Wonderful World (a Miami New Drama *Carbonell Winner), Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, and Something Rotten (a BroadwayWorld Winner). He has also appeared in The Golden Girls Live, Shakespeare Over My Shoulder, George Washington's Boy written and directed by Ted Lange, Joey & Ron Off-Broadway, Lucky Stiff, and Aunt Jack (Empire Stage).

Suzanne Ankrum (Jodi) appeared in Island City Stage's last season's production of Rotterdam. She has performed regionally in Murder on the Orient Express (Maltz Jupiter Theatre),  A Streetcar Named Desire (Palm Beach Dramaworks) and in readings at Theatre Lab, PB Dramaworks and City Theatre. Other credits include Emilie: La Marquise du Chatelet... (WAM Theatre), Crimes of the Heart (The Majestic), The How and the Why (New Century) and Woyzeck, Merry Wives, Tartuffe and A Christmas Carol (Clarence Brown). Her TV credits include Orange is the New Black. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity and was recently selected as a one of the 2024 Artist Innovation Fellows by the Palm Beach Cultural Council.

Laura Argo (Orsolya) will be making her debut with Island City Stage. Originally from Toronto and graduate of the Claude Watson Performing Arts program, her credits include A Christmas Carol (New City Players), Rapture, Blister Burn and Sweat (Main Street Players), and City Shorts 2022 (City Theatre Miami).

Prior to moving to New York City, Jeff Brackett (Trey) spent seven years acting in Hawaii where he won performance awards for his portrayal of Nugget in Equus and for the leading role in The Legend of Georgia McBride. Other Hawaii highlights include Eurydice, The Zoo Story, and Mamma Mia! His New York theatre credits include A Skate Play, Rama'avan, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He guest-starred on the TV show Hawaii Five-0 and recently filmed the lead role in They Shoot Horses and Exit 15. Here, in Florida, he portrayed the title role in the American premiere of the farce Tommy on Top, and Michael McKeever's Clark Gable Slept Here both with POW. This past winter, he was at Zoetic Stage for the world premiere of Wicked Child.

Steve Schroko (Elliot) has starred regionally in Orpheus Descending (Theatre on Main Street), Other Desert Cities (Sherman Playhouse) and Twelfth Night (Shakesperience). He also appeared in Newsies (White Plains Performing Arts Center) and numerous TV series including Law and Order SVU, The Rise of Hollywood, Evil Lives Here, Diabolical, On the Case with Paula Zahn, The Food That Built America; The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Deuce. His film credits include Not Walter Jenkins! and Backroad Diner.

A stage manager and senior video producer, Louis Pedraza (Jeff), has also performed in stage roles including Solyony in Chekhov's Three Sisters, Autolycus in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale and the Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along.

Tickets

Island City Stage's 12th Season closing production will be Die! Mommie Die! by Charles Busch (Aug. 29 – Sept. 22).

Tickets for Skintight start at $40. A Mimosa Sunday performance sponsored by Deborah Floyd will take place on June 9 with tickets at $55. The show runs for 2 hours 15 minutes including intermission.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.islandcitystage.org, call (954) 928-9800 or email boxoffice@islandcitystage.org.

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