Mile Square Theatre to Launch Fall Performance Fest 9/29

Mile Square Theatre, Hudson County's leading professional theatre, announces the MST Fall Performance Fest, a series that offers an exciting, eclectic blend of affordable entertainment, running select evenings at the Monroe Theaterspace from September 29 to October 14.

Matt Lawler, MST's Associate Artistic Director and the producer of the series along with company members Jen Ring and Anne Teutschel, says, "We've been able to attract some top-notch events for the festival. From Lizz Winstead, who co-created the Daily Show, to the Drama Desk Award-winning company Godlight Theatre-it's a thrill to see that these performers view Hoboken and the Monroe Theatrespace as a great place to present their work. Mixed in with all of this are emerging artists like Michael Walker, whose piece Bubba is already sold out at the upcoming NYC United Solo Festival. And MST company members will present readings of plays, including a reading of Joseph Gallo's (My Italy Story) newest work."

All events are affordably priced. Also offered is a Fest All Access Pass. For $35, patrons can have access to all Fest events!

Theatre nights:
· Godlight Theatre Company, a 2011 recipient of a Special Drama Desk Award for innovative theater, will bring their newest work, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to Hoboken for 2 nights;

· Michael Walker will perform his one-man show Bubba, a story about a son trying to uncover the truth about who is father was and how he died, before taking it to NYC's United Solo Festival.

· Henry's Law, an anti-bullying play developed at Fairleigh Dickinson University and featuring FDU students, this touring comedy will appeal to middle-schoolers on up.

Staged readings of plays by MST Company Members:
· Medal of Honor Rag by Tom Cole based on the true story of Dwight Johnson, a Medal of Honor recipient for valor in the Vietnam War who was killed in Detroit while holding up a convenient store. The evening will feature a talkback by MST actor, Vietnam Vet, and Hoboken resident Ralph deMatthews about post-traumatic stress disorder.

· Mama Drama by Leslie Ayvasian, Donna Daley, Christine Farrell, Rita Nachtmann, and Ann Sachs. A hilarious and touching play about Motherhood, follows five friends through their very distinct and profound experiences. The Cleveland Plain Dealer called Mama Drama "…startling, funny, frank, and absolutely true...full of laughter and tears."

· Dinner With Friends, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play about middle-age, infidelity, and friendship.

Comedy Nights:
· Lizz Free or Die-with Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead. Lizz Winstead, co-creator of The Daily Show, and friends present a hilarious and stimulating evening of readings, humor, and dialogue. Author and comedian Lizz Winstead will share excerpts from her acclaimed new book Lizz Free or Die, give her comic take on this crazy election, answer questions and make you laugh. In this brilliant collection of essays, Winstead vividly recounts how she fought to find her own voice, both as a comedian and as a woman, and how humor became her most powerful weapon in confronting life's challenges.

· Group Sets-Comedy with Benefits, a variety night of sketch, improv and stand-up from the funniest acts around with The Final Edition Live (Spinal Tap, National Lampoon), Team Submarine (Mr. Show reunion), Reformed Whores (TimeOut Chicago) and more. Group Sets will make you feel good…with laughter.

Festival Schedule:
Saturday, September 29, 8pm $5
Staged Reading: New York City 523 by Joseph Gallo. This is a reading of Joseph Gallo's (My Italy Story) newest play.
Synopsis: Joy, wants nothing more than to be a dancer, but she finds that in the Big Apple, dreams die hard...literally. An impressionistic whodunit that looks at events both real and imagined.

Sunday, September 30, 7pm $12
Lizz Free or Die-with Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead

Wednesday, October 3, 7:30pm $5
Staged Reading: Mama Drama by Leslie Ayvazian, Donna Daley, Christine Farrell, Rita Nachtmann, and Ann Sachs
Directed by MST company member Charlie Kevin (MST's God of Carnage) and featuring Mara DeMey Lawler, Patricia Buckley MST's (God of Carnage), and Wendy Eaton. Join us for a drink and a reading of a touching and hilarious play about Motherhood. Mama Drama follows five friends through their very distinct and profound experiences.

Thursday, October 4, 8:30pm $10
On-going Thursday Gonzo Stand-up Comedy Nights
Not an MST event, produced by The Monroe Center for the Arts

Friday, October 5, 8pm $10
Bubba, written and performed by Michael Walker
A one-man show with music written and performed by the dynamic Michael Walker, Bubba is the hilarious and moving true story of a son's quest to understand the complicated and tragic life of his father.

Saturday October 6, 8pm $15
Group Sets - Comedy with Benefits
MST brings you a variety night of sketch, improv and stand-up from the funniest acts around with The Final Edition Live (Spinal Tap, National Lampoon), Team Submarine (Mr. Show reunion), Reformed Whores (TimeOut Chicago) and more.

Sunday, October 7, 7pm $5
Staged Reading: Medal of Honor Rag by Tom Cole.
Directed by Matthew Lawler, and featuring Vietnam veteran and MST company member Ralph DeMatthews, Medal of Honor Rag is a two-character play based on the true story of Dwight Johnson, a black soldier who won the Medal of Honor for valor in combat and was shot and killed by police in 1971 while holding up a Detroit convenience store. Mr. DeMatthews will lead a discussion about post traumatic stress syndrome following the reading.

Monday, October 8, 7pm $12 General Admission/ $6 Student/Seniors
Henry's Law
University-sponsored reception to follow.
Fairleigh Dickinson University presents an original anti-bullying project. This touring comedy is performed by current FDU students and offers a great opportunity for high schoolers and their parents to engage in the ongoing conversation about this serious issue.

Wednesday, October 10, 7:30pm, $5
Staged Reading: Dinner With Friends by Donald Margulies
Directed by Matthew Lawler and starring Charlie Kevin.
Come hear a stirring reading of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play led by God of Carnage star Charlie Kevin and share your thoughts about it afterwards as MST contemplates adding it to an upcoming season.

Thursday, October 11, 8:30pm and 10:30pm $10
On-going Thursday Gonzo Stand-up Comedy Nights
Not an MST event, produced by The Monroe Center for the Arts

Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13, 8:00pm $20
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, performed by Godlight Theatre Company, recipient of a 2011 Drama Desk Award for Theater Innovation

Founded in 1994 in New Haven, CT by Joe Tantalo, Godlight Theatre Company has produced the World/New York Premieres that have included: Will Elliott's The Pilo Family Circus (adapted by Matt Pelfrey), Clifford Chase's Winkie (adapted by Matt Pelfrey), John Ball's In the Heat of the Night (adapted by Matt Pelfrey), George Orwell's 1984 (adapted by Alan Lyddiard), Jim Carroll's The Basketball Diaries (adapted by Matt Pelfrey), Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five (adapted by Eric Simonson), Jose Saramago's Blindness, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Graham Greene's The Third Man (adapted by James Brunt), Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange, Principia: or How I Found Goddess and What I Did to Her When I Found Her (a new musical by Michael Maiello with music and lyrics by Andrew Recinos), A Jimmy Stewart Kind of World by James Brunt, Soul in the Symphony of Confusion by Matthew Welton, Labor Day: A Community Struggle with AIDS by James Walsh, Poor Superman by Brad Fraser, and Pilgrims of the Night by Len Jenkin. Other GTC productions include: The Manchurian Candidate, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, All in the Timing, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The House of Yes, Escape from Happiness, Theatre of the Film Noir, Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Raised in Captivity, Wait Until Dark, subUrbia, among others.

Godlight Theatre Company is the recipient of 2009-2010 Special Drama Desk Award for consistent originality and excellence in dramatizing modern literature, and especially for the vibrant theatricality of Godlight Theatre Company's innovative productions. Godlight received two 2010 Drama Desk Nominations for Maruti Evans (Outstanding Lighting Design) and Elizabeth Rhodes (Outstanding Sound Design) for In the Heat of the Night, a 2008 Drama Desk Nomination for Maruti Evans (Outstanding Lighting Design) for Slaughterhouse-Five, a 2007 Drama Desk Nomination for Maruti Evans (Outstanding Lighting Design) for Blindness, the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Pick of the Fringe for Fahrenheit 451, 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Critic's Choice for A Clockwork Orange, 2003 OOBR Award for Best Production of the Year for A Clockwork Orange, the 2002 nytheatre.com Director of the Year Award for Joe Tantalo and the 2001 FringeNYC Best Actor Award for company member Rob Maitner for his work in Poor Superman. Godlight Theatre Company has produced work at the 2005 and 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the New Ohio Theatre, the Emelin Theatre, Kingsbourgh College Performing Arts Center, The Palace Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Robert E. Kendall Drama Lab, SoHo Playhouse, The Puppet House Theatre, Theatre Studio, The Red Room, Fringe NYC, Expanded Arts, Manhattan Theatre Source, and 59E59 Theaters.

Director Joe Tantalo and writer Matt Pelfrey are the recipients of the 2012 Drama League's Director's Project New Directors/New Writers Fellowship for the development of the adaptation of Will Elliott's novel, The Pilo Family Circus.

As co-creator and former head writer of The Daily Show and Air America Radio co-founder, Lizz Winstead is one of the top political satirists in America. As a performer, Lizz brought her political wit to The Daily Show as a Correspondent and later to the radio waves co-hosting Unfiltered, Air America Radio's mid morning show, where she brought on board Hip Hop legend Chuck D and political big brain Rachel Maddow.

Mile Square Theatre (MST) is the leading professional Equity theatre in Hudson County. Since 2003, MST has presented full-scale productions for adults and children, in addition to providing theatre education programs. Under the artistic direction of Chris O'Connor, MST receives support from The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the Hudson County Division of Cultural Affairs. For company information, please visit www.milesquaretheatre.org.

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