Edinburgh Phenomenon West Lethargy Returns to the Big Apple 8/14
By: Gabrielle Sierra Jul. 14, 2010
Once in a New York minute does a piece of work journey along that begs the question, "if we still haven't found what we're looking for, how long do we keep up the search?" Page 121 Productions' West Lethargy sheds light on the universal struggle between a person's desire to settle and his or her need to keep trudging through life in its "delightful[ly] absurdist" (The Stage), "energetic and excellent" (Three Weeks) original play performing this summer as part of the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival.
Premiering to sold out crowds as part of the 2009 New York City East to Edinburgh Festival and fresh on the heels of its critically-acclaimed run at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival - the world's largest arts festival - West Lethargy opens at the Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street; between 2nd and 3rd Avenues) on Saturday, August 14, 2010, at noon. Four additional performances are scheduled for Wednesday, August 18, 2010, at 11:00 a.m.; Thursday, August 19, 2010, at 3:00 p.m.; Sunday, August 22, 2010, at 8:45 p.m.; and Thursday, August 26, 2010, at 6:30 p.m.
"West Lethargy is my attempt to navigate the tension between feeling stuck and living in motion," said Stephen Kaliski, artistic director of Page 121 Productions and writer/director of West Lethargy. "What makes us decide that any particular point on the map is the point at which we're aiming? What happens when the map runs out? This play equates storytelling to a sort of fuel for this dilemma of momentum, a hope that some inside energy can combat our outward lethargy."West Lethargy follows the lives of an Old West pioneer couple - Turner and Ellie - as they hit a roadblock on their journey to California when they collide with two contemporary eccentrics - Nugget and Ringle - searching for a long lost brother. In an odd twist of fate, the iconic Empire State Building, standing tall and proud, just might hold the answers for this unlikely quartet.
"West Lethargy is raw, thought-provoking theater. No gimmicks. No strobe lights. No fog or rotating stage," said Jeffrey Feola, executive director of Page 121 Productions and producer of West Lethargy. "Some people see theater to escape the reality of life, but West Lethargy will force you to examine your life and the choices you've made thus far. My hope is that this incredible work will inspire audience members to grasp life by the horns and make it whatever they'd like it to be!"Tickets for West Lethargy are $15 in advance ($18 at the door) and are available online beginning Friday, July 23, 2010 at http://www.fringenyc.org, by calling (866) 468-7619 (credit card only; 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. every day) or in person at FringeCENTRAL beginning Friday, July 30, 2010. For more information on West Lethargy and Page 121 Productions, please visit http://www.page121productions.org.
Page 121 ProductionsFounded in 2007 by Jeffrey Feola and Stephen Kaliski, Page 121 Productions aims to provide a gateway for young, emerging theatre artists to write, design, perform in, and produce both new and established plays, utilizing their creative gifts and talents to the fullest. Previous productions include Home Free (Lanford Wilson), Heracles (Stephen Gaultney) and His Minute Hand (Stephen Kaliski), which made its West Coast premiere this summer as part of the inaugural Hollywood Fringe Festival. An educational resource center for actors, Page 121 Productions has and continues to offer specialized master classes taught by such award-winning talent as Alice Ripley (2009 Tony Award, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical), Craig Baldwin, and Tony Speciale. Page 121 Productions' West Lethargy opens at the Kraine Theater this summer as part of the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival. For more information about Page 121 Productions or West Lethargy, please visit http://www.page121productions.org.
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