Ensemble Studio Theatre Presents YEAR OF THE ROOSTER; Opens 10/28

Ensemble Studio Theatre Artistic Director William Carden has chosen a comic, mythic elevation of the gritty subculture of American cockfighting by a 25-year-old playwright to open the Ensemble Studio Theatre's 46th season.

Year of the Rooster by Youngblood playwright Eric Dufault and directed by John Giampietro previews Thursday, October 24, at 7:00pm for an opening Monday, October 28, at 7:00pm at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, 549 West 52nd Street.

Playing characters both human and/or animal are Denny Dale Bess, Delphi Harrington, Thomas Lyons, Bobby Moreno, and Megan Tusing.

"Two years ago when we workshopped an early draft of Year of The Rooster, the energy from the play was like a small volcano erupting on our stage," said William Carden. "Eric Dufault is a daring, original voice writing in a comic, mythic and scintillating vein. He takes us into the peculiar sub-culture of c*ckfighting and finds in that fierce and funny world dark resonances of ambition, winning and losing that reach us all. We knew then this was a voice to be heard."

Year of the Rooster, is a combination of lowbrow, foul-mouthed humor and hyper-articulate references to Greek myths and legends. The play centers on the regularly ridiculed Gil (Thomas Lyons) who now, with his new rooster, a fearsome killing machine named Odysseus Rex (Bobby Moreno), is experiencing things he's never had in his life -- hope, victory, and revenge.

Year of the Rooster was presented at the Ensemble Studio Theatre as a part of Unfiltered 2012. The word-of-mouth buzz from this limited, minimally-staged workshop was staggering. Mounting a fully-staged production of Year of the Rooster is part of the Ensemble Studio Theatre's ongoing mission to develop and produce original, provocative, and authentic new plays that engage and challenge audiences. This year is particularly focused on fully realizing those collaborations on its main stage.

Eric Dufault is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College. His plays include The Tomb of King Tot, American Girls, and The Desert Play. His plays have been performed at the Ensemble Studio Theatre/Youngblood as part of their 34th Annual Marathon of One Act Plays and Unfiltered series. Additionally, his work has been performed at the Flea Theatre, the 52nd Street Project, the Magnet Theatre, the Lark Play Development Center, and the Great Plains Theatre Conference. He is the recipient of a 2013 Sloan Commission, the 2010 Lipkin Playwriting Award, and the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Harle Adair Damann Playwriting Award. His play Something Fine will be published in the Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2014 anthology. He is a member of the Obie award-winning Youngblood Playwriting Group at the Ensemble Studio Theatre.

Scenery is by Alexis Distler, lighting by Greg MacPherson, sound by Shane Rettig, and costumes by Sydney Maresca. Fight Director is Qui Nguyen and the production stage manager is Eileen Lalley

Year of the Rooster performs Thursday through Saturday evenings at 7:00pm and Sundays at 5:00pm except there is no performance Sunday, November 3, and an added performance Monday, October 28, at 7:00pm.

Seats during previews through October 27 are "pick your own price" and begin at $5. Regular tickets are $25, students and seniors $18. To order tickets call 866.811.4111 or www.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/134. The final performance is November 24.

Youngblood is Ensemble Studio Theatre's OBIE-winning collective of emerging professional playwrights under the age of 30. Founded in 1993, Youngblood serves as a creative home for the next generation of theater artists, providing artistic guidance, peer support, regular feedback and a fertile production environment which allows for the playwrights to hone their skills and explore their craft. We also provide exposure to the public and the press, professional outreach to the industry, and opportunities for production and publication.

Plays by current and former Youngblood playwrights have been performed at Lincoln Center, Playwrights Horizons, Soho Rep, Steppenwolf, Actors Theatre of Louisville, the Mark Taper Forum, the Vineyard Theater, the Atlantic Theater Company, Rattlestick, Ma-Yi, Second Stage, and many others.

The Ensemble Studio Theatre (EST) was founded in the belief that extraordinary support yields extraordinary work. We are a dynamic and expanding company of artists committed to the discovery and nurturing of new voices and the continued support and growth of artists throughout their creative lives. Through our unique collaborative process we develop and produce original, provocative, and authentic new plays that engage and challenge our audience and audiences across the country.

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