'Central Park Five' Attend THE BULLPEN This Weekend for Post-Show Talk

The Central Park Five, the group of five young black and Latino youths falsely arrested and convicted in 1989 for the brutal beating and rape of a white woman in Central Park, will attend a performance of The Bullpen, the one-man - 18-character comedy written and performed by Joe Assadourian, (now playing through March 21) at The Playroom Theater (151 West 46th Street -- just east of Broadway) it was announced by producer Eric Krebs (in association with The Fortune Society). Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson and Yusef Salam, three of the five members, will attend the show today, February 7 at 4pm and following the performance join Mr. Assadourian in a candid discussion about their cases, re-entry and life inside the prison system.

In 1989, five black and Latino Harlem teens were arrested and convicted of brutally beating and raping a white woman in Central Park. Called the "crime of the century" by New York Mayor Ed Koch, it remains one of the most sensationalized news stories of our time. These men, now known as the Central Park Five, spent between 7 and 13 years in prison before DNA evidence and a confession from a serial rapist finally proved their innocence. In June 2014, 25 years following their case, a Federal Judge approved a $41 million civil rights settlement in what Mayor Bill DeBlasio has called "an act of justice for those five men that is long overdue."

"I am always excited by the role that theater can play in encouraging dialogue about social issues, especially issues of criminal justice," says Krebs. "Hosting members of the Central Park Five for a performance of The Bullpen and a talkback afterwards should be an unforgettable experience, theater at its most provocative."

In The Bullpen, a man is arrested, arraigned and put on trial for a crime he claims he did not commit. Consequently he is judged by two systems of jurisprudence -- one a jury of his peers in an actual courtroom and the other, the fascinating and hilarious denizens of The Bullpen in which he is being held. Mr. Assadourian mercurially transforms from character to character and court to court as the play steamrolls toward both verdicts that literally range from the sublime to the ridiculous.

After his release from Otisville Correctional Institution in October of 2013 after serving 12 of his 25 year sentence for attempted murder, actor/writer Joe Assadourian went from the cage to the stage after discovering his theatrical ability while reluctantly participating in a workshop behind bars led by Off-Broadway solo-show actor/director Richard Hoehler.

Developed by the duo over two years, both inside and outside the state prison system, The Bullpen premiered Off Broadway on June 22, 2014 for a strictly limited engagement, but due to popular demand, the show was extended several times and continues through March 21. The performance schedule for The Bullpen is: Tuesday & Wednesday @9pm & Saturday @4pm.

BIOGRAPHIES:

While in prison, Joe Assadourian (Writer/Performer), who had never before even seen a play, began creating an 8-minute scene that incorporated characters he had met during his incarceration. The Bullpen evolved from that short sketch into a full-length production, which premiered at Otisville Correction Facility. Upon his release from prison, Assadourian also performed at the Fortune Academy (The Castle) - a residence in NYC for formerly incarcerated men and women. Assadourian received the 1st Place PEN Prison Writing Award for his play, Heaven and a 2nd Place PEN Award for Joey Shakespeare, co-written with Brandon Cochrane, which was featured at the New Work Now reading series at The Public Theater and subsequently presented by The Collective Theatre in Miami. He is also the author of a full-length play, Deliberation, a modern recounting of the Armenian Holocaust. As an actor, Joe has appeared in Race by David Mamet,Tuff Love (including works by Sam Shepard and John Patrick Shanley) and Inside Out, an original theatre piece co-written with the inmates at Otisville Correctional Institution.

Richard Hoehler (Director) has premiered three original solo shows Off-Broadway, New Jersey-New York, Working Class (OOBR Best Solo Performance) and Human Resources (Best of the Fest, MITF). He was the founding Artistic Director of the American Line Theatre Company that premiered over forty new plays. His original play Fathers and Sons opened Off-Broadway in 2009. As an actor he has performed in New York, regionally and abroad. He's also been featured on "Law and Order," "NYPD Blue," "Third Watch," and "The Black Box." Richard is also the creator and director of Acting Out, a professional acting class and performance workshop for at-risk teens and adults in-residence at the Fortune Society and Otisville Correctional Facility.

Eric Krebs (Producer) has been a theatrical producer for over 40 years. On Broadway he produced Electra, It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, Bill Maher in his Victory Begins at Home, Avery Brooks in Paul Robeson and Neil Simon's The Dinner Party. His Broadway productions have received 10 Tony Award nominations. Off-Broadway, he produced over 40 productions, including Sam Shepard's Fool For Love, Neil LaBute's Bash, The Capitol Steps, and more.

The Fortune Society's vision is to create a world where all who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated can become positive, contributing members of society. We do this through a holistic, one-stop model of service provision. Our continuum of care, informed and implemented by professionals with cultural backgrounds and life experiences similar to those of our clients, helps ensure their success. Fortune serves approximately 4,500 men and women annually via three primary New York City-area locations: our service center in Long Island City, and both the Fortune Academy (a.k.a. "the Castle") and Castle Gardens in West Harlem. Our program models are frequently recognized, both nationally and internationally, for their quality and innovation.

Photo Credit: Bella Mucari

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