Actors Playhouse Presents THE GAYEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER!, Previews 11/13, Opens 11/29

AlterNative Theatre Company (Joe Marshall, Founder/Artistic Director; Adrian Maynard, Managing Director) and The Actors' Playhouse present the much anticipated THE GAYEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER! written and directed by Joe Marshall. Performances begin on Friday, November 13; opening Sunday, November 29, initially running through January 3, 2010 at The Actors' Playhouse (100 7th Ave South). Tickets are $45 ($35 during previews) and can be purchased by visiting TicketCentral.com or by calling (212) 279-4200.

Christopher Street will be a buzzin' as 24 actors play over 40 characters in a Christmas spectacular that will get you in the holiday mood. No one escapes unscathed as Joe Marshall's fast paced holiday comedy takes over The Actors' Playhouse this November. THE GAYEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER! follows a small gay community theatre as they struggle to pull together their annual holiday pageant. This is a holiday show with all the fixins': Santa, Jesus, a couple of wise men, an inn keeper, a militant black, a racist and its fair share of drama queens all gathering together to make this the best, gayest Christmas ever!

Writer/Director Marshall uses his trademark wit and natural dialogue in this fast-paced comedy. "I started working on this play over three years ago when I discovered that there weren't many GLBT-themed holiday plays," says Marshall. "While a couple of the characters are gay, this really is a play for everyone with straight, African American, gay, lesbian, Christian, Jewish, young and old characters. Just come prepared to laugh and not take yourself too seriously!"

The cast includes: Kershel Anthony, Elyse Beyer, Jonathan Chang, Crystal Cotton, Ree Davis, Alexandra Dickson, Christopher Diegnan, Chris von Hoffmann, Ben Jones, Kymberle Joseph, Dorian McGhee, Jamey Nicholas, Blaine Pennington, Alvaro Sena, Heather Shields, Jason Schmidt, Emily Schramel, Evan Schultz, James Stewart, John Paul Venuti, Adam Weinstock, Rachel Wright, Ryan Wright, Bryan Zoppi. Creative team includes: Duane Pagano (Lighting Designer), Rachel Dozier-Ezell (Costume Designer) Duane Pagano (Lighting and Set Designer), and Joe Marshall (Sound Designer).

AlterNative Theatre Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are renowned for producing award-winning LGBT plays that engage an audience in a conversation relating to specific feelings and messages reflecting the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender community. Founded in 1991 by Joe Marshall, the company relocated from Arizona to New York in 2009.

JOE MARSHALL (writer/director) after studying at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, Joe Marshall continued his education at Arizona Technical Institute, obtaining an F.C.C. License in broadcast communication. Joe has appeared as an actor in more than 40 shows and three films, including the movie Postcards From America and a national tour of the play The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Joe has directed and choreographed more than thirty award-winning productions. He also was the Director of Children's Programming at Theatre Works winning five People's Choice awards. He is the founder and artistic director for the AlterNative Theatre Company, where he also teaches acting classes. He has produced and written nine plays that premiered in Phoenix, Arizona. His play A Night in Vegas received two AriZoni awards: Best Original Script and Best Overall Production.

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