GLOUCESTER BLUE, RAFT OF THE MEDUSA Set For Cherry Lane This Fall

Israel Horovitz's new play GLOUCESTER BLUE, the premiere of revised RAFT OF THE MEDUSA by Joe Pintauro and NY premiere of Randall Colburn's VERSE CHORUS VERSE are all set for Cherry Lane Theatre this fall.

Trio of plays presented by Off-Broadway's BAREFOOT THEATRE COMPANY in collaboration with East 3rd Productions comprise 9-week STRIPPED festival of works about "sex, murder, revenge...and sex" October 6-December 3

Three plays -- including Israel Horovitz's new GLOUCESTER BLUE, the premiere of a revised version of Joe Pintauro's acclaimed 1991 play RAFT OF THE MEDUSA, and the N.Y. premiere of Randall Colburn's VERSE CHORUS VERSE -- will be presented this fall when the Off-Broadway BAREFOOT THEATRE COMPANY, in collaboration with EAST 3RD PRODUCTIONS presents the 9-week STRIPPED festival from October 6 to December 3 at the Cherry Lane Studio Theatre (38 Commerce
St.) in Manhattan.

"Stripped" is billed as a festival of plays about "sex, murder, revenge...and sex."

Now in its 13th season, BAREFOOT THEATRE COMPANY's recent productions Off-Broadway include the premieres of EMERGENCY USED CANDLES, TEETH OF THE SONS, a stage adaptation of the film DOG DAY AFTERNOON, the 35th anniversary of Israel Horovitz's THE INDIAN WANTS THE BRONX, as well as the 70/70 HOROVITZ PROJECT, a yearlong worldwide festival that feature 70 of Horovitz's plays on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

East 3rd Productions' theatrical works include Zack Calhoon's THE WEIRD SISTERS, Nilo Cruz's A BICYCLE COUNTRY, STRANGE SNOW by Stephen Metcalfe, 70/70 HOROVITZ PROJECT, and the ENTER PLAYWRIGHT THEATER FESTIVAL. The company has also produced the short film "Tapeworm," recipient of the best short film award at Gotham Screen International Film Festival.

RAFT OF THE MEDUSA Oct. 6-22

Joe Pintauro's RAFT OF THE MEDUSA will kick off "Stripped," with previews starting October 6 prior to a press opening October 8 and running through October 22.

First presented in 1991 to considerable acclaim, RAFT OF THE MEDUSA has been revised by Mr. Pintauro for this production. Drawing on the Theodore Gericault 19th century painting of people clinging to a raft following a shipwreck, Pintauro's play takes place 10 years into the AIDS epidemic, centering on a weekly gathering of people living with AIDS.

Directed by Francisco Solorzano, the cast of RAFT OF THE MEDUSA features Jeremy Brena, John Gazzale, Charles Everett, Samantha Fontana, Mark G. Cisneros, Gil Ron, Maia Sage, Christopher Whalen, along with Michael Pierre Louis, Gillian Rougier and Andrew MacLarty. Production design is by East 3rd Productions and Barefoot Theatre Company.

Mr. Pintauro's numerous plays include SNOW ORCHID, MOVING TARGETS presented at Vineyard Theatre, BESIDE HERSELF, MEN'S LIVES, THE DEAD BOY and DODE JONGEN starring Roy Scheider and Mercedes Ruehl. He collaborated with Terrence McNally and Lanford Wilson on the trilogy BY THE SEA, BY THE SEA, BY THE BEAUTIFUL SEA produced at Bay Street Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club. His HEAVEN AND EARTH about American farm life was directed by Jack Hofsiss at
Bay Street.

Francisco Solorzano has directed SAVAGE/LOVE for Looking Glass Theater, the world premiere of the stage adaptation of DOG DAY AFTERNOON, Israel Horovitz's BEIRUT ROCKS as well as Horovitz's 6 HOTELS.

RAFT OF THE MEDUSA will perform Tuesdays through Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 3 and 7 p.m.

VERSE CHORUS VERSE October 28-Nov. 12

Written by Randal Colburn and directed by Ricardo Riethmuller, VERSE CHORUS VERSE receives its NY premiere this fall, having debuted this spring in Chicago at Tympanic Theater. VERSE CHORUS VERSE will preview October 28 prior to its official opening night October 29 and running through November 12.

Set 20 years after the death of Kurt Cobain -- the rock musician who wrote the song of the same name for the popular band Nirvana -- VERSE CHORUS VERSE follows Polly, the haunted subject of the Nirvana song, as she seeks out the young rock star who wants to prove Cobain's death was a murder.

Casting for VERSE CHORUS VERSE is TBA.

Mr. Colburn's plays have been produced or developed at such theatres as Alliance, Public Theater, Victory Gardens, Stage Left and The Right Brain Project, which dedicated its 2010 season to his work. His plays include LAMP & MOTH, RAVISHMENT and BLESSED ASSURANCE. His HESPERIA is slated for production at Writers' Theatre next winter. He is a resident playwright at Chicago
Dramatists and was named by Chicago Reader as "One to Watch."

VERSE CHORUS VERSE will perform Wednesdays through Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 3 and 7 p.m.

GLOUCESTER BLUE Nov. 17-Dec. 3

A new play by the celebrated writer Israel Horovitz, who will also direct, GLOUCESTER BLUE will be given a workshop production (open for review as a workshop only), with previews starting November 17 prior to press opening Nov. 19 and running through Dec. 3.

GLOUCESTER BLUE is a black comedy about a man who returns home after a long absence and encounters all manner of infidelities and murders.

Featured in the cast of GLOUCESTER BLUE are Francisco Solorzano, Therese Plaehn and Christopher Whalen. Production design is by East 3rd Productions.

Israel Horovitz's best-known plays include LINE (now in its 39th year Off-Broadway), THE INDIAN WANTS THE BRONX, THE PRIMARY ENGLISH CLASS, THE WIDOW'S BLIND DATE, TODAY I AM A FOUNTAIN PEN, PARK YOUR CAR IN HARVARD YARD, NORTH SHORE FISH, MY OLD LADY, FREE GIFT, STATIONS OF THE CROSS, SPEAKING WELL OF THE DEAD, THE FAT GUY GETS THE GIRL, HOTEL PLAY and BEIRUT ROCKS. He wrote, directed and performed the award-winning documentary "3 Weeks After Paradise." He is the recipient of two Obie Awards, the Drama Desk Award and numerous other prestigious prizes.

GLOUCESTER BLUE will perform Wednesdays through Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 3 and 7 p.m. (no performance Thanksgiving Day)

TICKETING INFO

Tickets to all 3 plays in STRIPPED are $18; $15 for students/seniors. Pay-what-you-can nights have been set for Oct. 11, Nov. 2 and Nov. 23

Tickets can be purchased by calling 212 352 3101 or online at www.ovationtix.com

Also during the run of STRIPPED, a workshop production of F**KING VIGWAN by Kristoffer Diaz (THE ELABORATE ENTRANCE OF CHAD DIETY) will be presented, along with Talk-Backs with playwrights, directors and cast, all dates, times, participants TBA.

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