The intricate and colorful culture of nannies in New York and the people who employ them is the subject of the new play EXIT CUCKOO, written and performed by Lisa Ramirez, receiving its Off-Broadway debut, began previews April 17 and opens tonight, April 23 in a production by the Working Theater at Theater Row's Clurman Theatre (410 West 42nd Street) in Manhattan.
The play is directed by
Colman Domingo, best-known for his performance in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical PASSING STRANGE. Mr. Domingo also helmed the Off-Broadway comedy SINGLE BLACK FEMALE and recently debuted his solo show A BOY AND HIS SOUL at Joe's Pub.
At once a comedy and commentary on a particular slice of city life, EXIT CUCKOO is based on Ms. Ramirez's own experiences as a nanny, and springs from her observations that, given the international backgrounds of many nannies in New York, "The park is like the United Nations, and the benches are spread out like countries. If you sit on a park bench long enough, a woman will talk."
As such, EXIT CUCKOO is an honest and humorous look at the uncommon lives of a seemingly invisible, voiceless class of workers most often distinguished in New York by the strollers they push. The play paints a portrait of the complex chemistry of nannies and the mothers who hire them-from the hours they work to what they wear, from racism, class-consciousness and feelings of second-class citizenship to, ultimately, how children are raised. Along the way, EXIT CUCKOO considers, too, how a nannies' work affects their own families' lives.
Lisa Ramirez came to New York eight years ago to pursue a career as an actress. By her own admission a failed waitress, she took work as a nanny and has gone from the feeling that the world had come to an end, to discovering that life as a nanny was "the best thing that ever happened to me."
Originally from San Francisco, actress and author Lisa Ramirez's New York credits include performances at Makor/92nd St. Y, HERE Arts Center, The Ontological-Hysteric Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop and Studio 111. She was a Playwright in Residence with The New York Theatre Workshop (where she is a usual suspect) at Dartmouth College in August, 2006. Ms. Ramirez most recently wrote and performed in Company So-No-Go's ART OF MEMORY which The Village Voice named "the highlight of the Incubator Series at the Ontological Theatre."
EXIT CUCKOO has been work-shopped regionally and abroad, with the support of playwright and performer
Eve Ensler (THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES). At the 2008 Midtown International Theatre Festival in New York, EXIT CUCKOO was awarded Best Overall Performance of a Solo Show, and Lisa received the award for Outstanding Actor (Female) from The Talkin' Broadway 2008 Summer Theatre Festival Citations.
The production has set design by Rachel Hauck; lighting design by Russel Phillip Drapkin; sound design by Matt O'Hare; and costume design by Raul Aktanov.
Director
Colman Domingo recently directed the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway, Los Angeles and San Francisco premieres of Lisa B. Thompson's SINGLE BLACK FEMALE. He has directed for Tony Award-winning regional theaters including Berkeley Rep (Sundiata), San Francisco Mime Troupe (Yo! Youth Speaks), as well as the Lincoln Center's Director's Lab, Magic Theater, African American Shakespeare Company, Theaterworks, Inquiline, Theater Rhinoceros, Campo Santo, Solo Mio Festival and Geva Theater/SUNY Brockport. As an actor, he recently starred on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical PASSING STRANGE, in the world premiere of
Athol Fugard's COMING HOME at the Long Wharf Theater, his solo show A BOY AND HIS SOUL at Joe's Pub, and is a regular on LOGO's "The Big Gay Sketch Show."
Since the company was founded in 1985, Working Theater's mission has been to produce new plays for and about working people. Working Theater began its current season with the world premiere of
Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's KING OF SHADOWS. Other plays the Working Theater has presented are TABLETOP by Rob Ackerman, ASCENSION DAY by Michael Henry Brown, I AM A MAN by OyamO, HOLD PLEASE by Annie Weisman, and last season's OUR DAD IS IN ATLANTIS by Javier Malpica. Noted actors who have appeared at the Working Theater include
Jeanine Serralles,
Ving Rhames, Andre de Shields,
Holly Hunter,
Jeremy Webb,
Laura Esterman and
Brennan Brown.
Connie Grappo is the company's Artistic Director; Mark Plesent is Producing Director.
EXIT CUCKOO runs thru May 17, 2009 at Theatre Row's Clurman Theatre (410 West 42nd Street); Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm and Sundays at 3pm. Tickets are $25. For reservations, contact www.ticketcentral.com or call 212-279-4200.
For more information about Working Theater and EXIT CUCKOO, visit
www.theworkingtheater.org.
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