BAD JEWS to Launch 2016-17 at BBPAC

Black Box Studios presents the first fully­produced show of the 2016-­17 season, Black Box Studios' inaugural season of professional theatre: a new production of Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon (B'way 2016-­17 season: Significant Other), directed by Black Box Performing Arts Center's Artistic Director, Matt Okin.

Bad Jews will play for three weeks from September 7th (preview) through September 24th, 2016 at Black Box Studios' new home, Teaneck's Black Box Performing Arts Center (200 Walraven Drive., just off Palisade Ave.), Teaneck, NJ 07666. Tickets are $20 ($18 students/seniors) and are available at www.blackboxpac.com. Group rates for 5 or more are available by calling (201) 357­2221.

In Bad Jews, three cousins engage in a verbal (and sometimes physical) battle on the night after their grandfather's funeral. In one corner is Daphna Feigenbaum, a "real Jew" who is volatile, self­assured, and unbending. In the other is her equally stubborn cousin Liam, a secular and entitled young man, who has his "shiksah" girlfriend, Melody, in tow. Stuck in the middle is Liam's brother, Jonah, who tries to stay out of the fray. When Liam stakes claim to their grandfather's precious chai necklace, a vicious and hilarious brawl over family, faith, and legacy ensues.

Featuring Michael Gardiner, Molly Rose Heller, Emily Loewus, and David Meyers.

Audience talk­backs with the cast, creative team, and special guests will take place after most performances: exact details forthcoming at www.blackboxpac.com.

Bad Jews plays the following performance schedule through Saturday, September 24th: Wednesday, September 7th at 8pm (Preview, open to all) Thursday, September 8th at 8pm and Friday, September 9th at 8pm; Saturday, September 10th at 8pm Thursday, September 15th at 8pm Friday, September 16th at 8pm Saturday, September 16th at 8pm Thursday, September 22nd at 8pm Friday, September 23rd at 8pm Saturday, September 24th at 8pm.

Tickets are $20 ($18 for students/seniors), and are now available at www.blackboxpac.com. Group rates for 5 or more are available by calling (201) 357­2221. Tickets can also be purchased at the venue; call (201) 357­2221 for hours.

Black Box Performing Arts Center is located at 200 Walraven Drive, just off Palisade Ave., Teaneck, NJ 07666.

Advisory: Bad Jews contains mature language not suitable for children under the age of 14.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

(Playwright) Joshua Harmon's plays include Bad Jews (Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel nominations, Best Play) and Significant Other, both of which had their world premieres at the Roundabout Theatre. Bad Jews was the third most produced play around the country last season, ran for five months on the West End in London after sold­out productions at Theatre Royal Bath and the St. James, and has been produced in Australia, Canada, Israel and South Africa. His plays have also been produced and developed by Manhattan Theatre Club, The O'Neill, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Hangar Theatre, and Actor's Express, where he was the 2010­2011 National New Play Network Playwright­in­Residence. Fellowships include MacDowell, Atlantic Center for the Arts, SPACE at Ryder Farm, and the Eudora Welty Foundation. A graduate of Juilliard, he is under commission from Roundabout and Lincoln Center.

MATT OKIN (Director) founded Black Box Studios in 2007 and opened The Black Box Performing Arts Center in November 2015. Recent directing credits include: RMTI's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, True Groove Productions' Diana & Navy & The Golden Tooth, The Pillowman, and Passing Strange (all at BBPAC); the Off­Broadway premiere of Huey Esquire's This Time, A New Musical Romance (at Theater For The New City as well as BBPAC); and the BBS Ensemble's Falsettos "In Concert", House Of Blue Leaves, and Next To Normal (bergenPAC); among many others. As a playwright, director, and composer, Matt's original musicals include: Out Of Whack: The All­Kids Rock Musical (devised, at Theater For The New City), Soul Searching (45th Street Theater, DR2 Theater, D­Lounge, and the NY Musical Theater Festival), Generations (various NYC venues and the NY Musical Theater Festival), and A Match Made In Manhattan: The Interactive Jewish Wedding Experience (NYC and national tours). Other original plays, produced both in New York and on national tours include: Second Chances, Twist Of Faith, Walter Liked To Sit In His Big Backyard, Cherry Hill, The Ugly Wife, and Pigs. Matt received a BFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University's Tisch School Of The Arts. He has two college­age daughters, Rachel and Arielle.

Huey Esquire (nee Randy Houston) (Producer) is a multi­instrumentalist, composer, playwright, filmmaker, improviser, and veteran of the early days of Black Box Studios. "Recovering" from a 20 year career as an entertainment and intellectual property lawyer, Huey co­founded The Black Box Performing Arts Center, where he is Improv Headmaster and resident Musical Director, among other things. In late Summer 2015, Huey began a developmental workshop of his original musical This Time - for which he has written book, music, and lyrics - that continues development after an Off­Off Broadway run, a collaboration among NYC's famed Theater for the New City, Black Box Studios, and Huey's own Generrus Theatreworks.

MOLLY ROSE HELLER (Daphna) is an actress, director, playwright and lyricist based in New York City. Molly's most recent theatre credits include acting in Imaging the Imaginary Invalid with Marylouise Burke (La MaMa ETC), writing book and lyrics for Plath. (FringeNYC), directing Missing Gemini (St.Clements Theatre ­ Winner Best Director), and acting the role of Miss Hodge in Design for Living (Berkshire Theatre Group). She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Theatre and Drama Arts from Columbia University and a B.A. in Modern Jewish Studies from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.

MICHAEL GARDINER (Jonah) is thrilled to be a part of the Bad Jews cast. Having recently graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a BA in Theatre Arts, he is excited to appear in his first professional production at BBPAC. Some credits from the Fairleigh Dickinson University stage include The Crucible (John Proctor), Merrily We Roll Along (Joe Josephson), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Oberon/Theseus), and Little Shop of Horrors (Mushnik). Michael would like to thank the entire production team at the Black Box Performing Arts center for this amazing opportunity, as well as his former professors, friends, family, and Larissa for their unyielding support and encouragement.

EMILY LOEWUS (Melody) is thrilled to be a part of this production! A recent graduate of Ithaca College BFA acting, her favorite roles include Viola (Twelfth Night), Joan la Pucelle (Henry VI Part 1) and Hermia (Midsummer Night's Dream) with the Ithaca Shakespeare Company, Sarah (The Lover) and Kristine (A Chorus Line) at Ithaca College. Love to Alex, Mom, and her favorite Bad Jew, Dad. This one's for you.

David MeyerS (Liam): Recent theatre credits include The Barrow Group, Urban Stages, Nylon Fusion Theatre, Abingdon Theatre Co., Project Y, The Actors Studio, New Georges, Red at Payomet PAC on Cape Cod, and more. David is also a playwright. Broken ­ his play about mass shootings ­ was published by Indie Theater Now in their Best of the Year anthology. You can read his writing, and see him act with James Franco, at www.DavidActs.com @DaveActs

BLACK BOX STUDIOS (Producer) is based in Teaneck, NJ at The Black Box Performing Arts Center and offers both high end professional theatre and musical theatre productions and collaborative theater workshops and performances for adults, teens, and children. Cutting­edge productions and innovative programs for students of all ages, experience levels, and backgrounds run year­round. BBS teaches using an improv­based method that its founders developed during their years working in theater in New York City. BBS also teaches acting classes and runs drama club in select private and day schools in Bergen County. BBS offers private coaching in acting and voice, and has a popular summer intensive program for older kids and teens. The experience of Black Box Studios' professional teaching artists cover all disciplines ­ acting, singing, dancing, musical performance and composition, directing, production, writing, managing, and lighting and comes from Broadway, off­Broadway, film, concerts, television, and new media.

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