Premiere Stages at Kean University to Present BY THE WATER, 7/16-8/2

Premiere Stages at Kean University will present the New Jersey Premiere of Sharyn Rothstein's Off-Broadway hit By the Water from July 16th through August 2nd in the Zella Fry Theatre. In this moving new play directed by Adam Immerwahr, Hurricane Sandy wields its force upon the home of Marty and Mary Murphy, threatening to destroy not only the life they have built together but the neighborhood they grew up in. Will Marty manage to save his neighborhood and his home, or are the secrets unearthed by the storm too powerful to overcome? Described by The New York Times as "drawn with acute sympathy and in gritty detail," this gripping and affecting play will feature actors Damian Buzzerio, Mike DiSalvo, Billy Finn, Deanna McGovern, Brian O'Neill, Sheila Stasack and Jo Twiss.

"The play is a testament to those local residents who were knocked down by the storm but refused to be beaten by it," stated John J. Wooten, the producing artistic director of Premiere Stages. "With thousands still displaced, it also provides a powerful reminder that work remains to be done to ensure that our neighbors are not forgotten and continue to get the support they need."

Playwright Sharyn Rothstein is a writer for theater and television. Her plays have been commissioned, developed and produced in New York and around the country by institutions including Manhattan Theatre Club, Ars Nova, McCarter Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Bay Area Playwright's Festival, and New Georges. Sharyn holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, a Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Urban and Community Health (Hunter College), and a BA in Sociology from Vassar.

Director Adam Immerwahr returns to Premiere Stages, where he previously directed Hannah by John J. Wooten. He currently serves as the Associate Artistic Director of the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, where he has worked since 2005. Mr. Immerwahr's directing credits at the McCarter include The Understudy and the upcoming production of The Mousetrap.

The stellar cast includes Damian Buzzerio, whose distinguished regional credits include the Shakespeare Theatre of NJ and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival; Mike DiSalvo, who appeared in the acclaimed National Tour of 12 Angry Men with Richard Thomas; Billy Finn, whose work includes the Shakespeare Theatre Company and the Folger Theatre; Deanna McGovern, winner of a Broadway World Award for Best Actress in a Play for her work in Vermont Stage's Venus In Fur; Brian O'Neill, recently seen on television in "American Odyssey," "Gotham," and "The Following"; Sheila Stasack, returning to Premiere Stages after her unforgettable turn as Nat in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Rabbit Hole; and Jo Twiss, who has appeared on Broadway in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and in over 70 shows with the world-famous Circle Rep Theatre Company.

In conjunction with By the Water, Premiere Stages has partnered with Kean University Galleries to present Asbury Park artist Laura Petrovich-Cheney's By the Block, an exhibition of salvaged wood quilts constructed from wooden debris collected after Hurricane Sandy, July 16 - September 14 in the James Howe Gallery, located in Vaughn Eames Hall. The exhibition, which is free, will be open to By the Water patrons two hours prior to every performance, and Ms. Petrovich-Cheney will appear as the first guest speaker for Premiere's 2015 Talk-Back Series, which offers free post-show discussions after select matinee performances, on Sunday, July 19. Additional speakers include Dr. Paul J. Croft, Executive Director of Kean's School of Environmental & Sustainability Sciences (Sunday, July 26 at 3:00 pm), and Sue Pniewski, who served as New Jersey Coordinator for Portlight Strategies, Inc. in the aftermath of the hurricane (Saturday, August 1).

By the Water runs Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00 pm, Saturdays at 3:00 and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $30 standard, $20 for senior citizens and Kean alumni, and $15 for students and patrons with disabilities. Significant discounts for groups of 10 or more apply. To make reservations or to order a season brochure, please call the Kean Stage Box Office at 908-737-SHOW (7469) or visit Premiere Stages online at www.kean.edu/premierestages.

Tickets are also available for Premiere Stages' exclusive By the Water Opening Night Party on Friday, July 17th. This event features a pre-show party with wine and hors d' oeuvres at the four-star farm-to-table restaurant Ursino, admission to the performance, and a post-show champagne toast and dessert reception with the cast. Tickets for this exclusive event are just $55.00, and may be purchased by calling 908-737-7469.

Premiere Stages offers affordable prices, air-conditioned facilities, and free parking close to the theatre. All Premiere Stages facilities are fully accessible spaces, and companion seating is available for patrons with disabilities. Assistive listening devices and large print programs are available at all times; publications in alternate formats are available with advanced notice. Please call 908-737-4092 for a list of sign-interpreted, audio-described or open-captioned performances. For more information, please visit Premiere Stages online at www.kean.edu/premierestages.

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