NJ Rep Presents World Premiere of Lee Blessing's A VIEW OF THE MOUNTAINS, Now thru 5/25

New Jersey Repertory Company's season of premieres continues with Pulitzer Prize and Tony-nominated playwright Lee Blessing's sequel to his Cold War play, "A Walk in the Woods".

The world premiere of Blessing's "A View of the Mountains", directed by Evan Bergman, begins tonight, April 24 and will run through May 25 at the New Jersey Repertory Company, 179 Broadway in Long Branch. The play explores how the current extreme political polarization in our society has come home to roost and threatens not only our nation, but the intimate ties that bind families.

John Honeyman is a former arms negotiator who represented the U.S. in the early 1980's and held secret meetings with his Russian counterpart to defuse the explosive tensions that divided the two nuclear super-powers. The fate of the entire world hung in the balance as the men sought to build a bridge based on mutual trust over the turbulent waters of suspicion and paranoia that separated the two nations.

It is now thirty years later and John is retired, remarried, and living an idyllic life in his country home along the Hudson when his estranged son Will Branch, the junior Senator from Tennessee, arrives for a visit. Will detests his father and his legacy, and feels that he was soft with the pragmatic and ruthless Russians and that his efforts on behalf of his country irreparably hurt the U.S. in the long-run. In turn, John loathes Will's radical right-wing politics and fears his ascendancy that makes him a promising candidate for the Vice-Presidency. Their coerced meeting is not a joyful reunion, rather one filled with threats, animosity, ultimatums and long-buried family secrets.

The play stars John Little as John Honeyman, Katrina Ferguson as his wife Isla, Michael Zlabinger as Will Branch, Eva Kaminsky as his wife Gywnn. Local actors Jared Rush and Jon Erik Nielson alternate playing young Andrey, the Honeyman's 14-year-old son.

Opening night is Saturday, April 26 at 8:00 pm, followed by a reception. Previews are Thursday, April 24 at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, Friday, April 25 at 8:00 pm and Saturday, April 26 at 3:00 pm. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays at 8:00 pm; Saturdays at 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm; and Sundays at 2:00 pm with selected Sundays at 7:00 pm.

Tickets are $42; Previews are $35; Opening night with reception $60. Discounts are available for seniors (65+), students (full-time 13-25), and groups of 10 or more. Contact the NJ Rep Box Office at 732-229-3166 or visit www.njrep.org to reserve your seats online.

NJ Rep is a year-round, professional, non-profit theater located at 179 Broadway in Long Branch only minutes from the Jersey Shore. Free on-site parking is available and there is easy access from NJ Transit (North Jersey Coast Line) and Academy Buses. Follow NJ Rep on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Tumblr.

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