MAD COOL to Debut at Frigid Festival During Black History Month
By: Julie Musbach Jan. 24, 2018
Mad Cool will debut at the Kraine Theatre on February 17, 2018, as part of Frigid's three-week limited engagement. Co-written by emerging playwrights Nick Parker (BMI Lehmen Engel Advanced Musical Theatre) and Ayo Edebiri (The Rundown on BET assistant writer and UCB alum), the production is directed by award-winning multidisciplinary filmmaker and theater artist, Diane Chen, and is presented in association with producers Charles Hayes IV and Scott Caudill.
Mad Cool, the two-character one-act, is a dark comedy about Tina and Daniel, an interracial couple moving into a gentrifying neighborhood in Brooklyn on the hottest day of the year. With no A/C as they set up their new apartment, tensions (both romantic and racial) bubble up, culminating in a grisly and tragic accident in this contemporary New York story.
Mad Cool is delighted to introduce our stars, Max Henry and Zahra Ruffin, as Daniel and Tina, respectively, while Gerrard James and Donnell Smith will add their comedic stylings to the four-person cast.
"Mad Cool made its debut at the 2017 Corkscrew Theater Festival to a sold-out house and we are thrilled to put it on its feet again!" Says producer, Charles Hayes IV. "In today's society, we need art that starts a dialogue about all those "uncomfortable" topics - privilege, social justice, guilt - to name a few. This dark comedy exposes the truth behind interracial dating and will leave you with a reinvigorated mindset. It's the play you didn't know you needed to see!"
The production will also spot-light set and costume designs by Madeline Wall while Sarah Brown will stage manage and guide the technical crew at Frigid. Show dates include:
Saturday, February 17th at 5:00pm
Tuesday, February 20th at 5:30pm
Monday, February 26th at 8:50pm
Wednesday, February 28th at 5:30pm
Saturday, March 3rd at 6:40pm
For more details visit https://www.madcoolonstage.com
Instagram & Twitter @MADCOOLONSTAGE
Director - DIANE CHEN
Diane Chen is an award-winning multidisciplinary filmmaker and theater artist based in NYC, and co-founder of Multihyphenate Productions (MHP). In all her work she strives for striking visuals and stylistic movement and framing, subverting the expected, and to share the stories of the othered and underrepresented, with an awareness of intersectionality of representation. Her award-winning series Here We Wait has been making its international festival circuit this year, garnering 31 nominations so far - including a win for Diane as Best Supporting Actress at Brooklyn Webfest and a Best Lead Actress: Drama nomination at the IAWTV Awards. As theater director and/or performer: Dixon Place, The Habitat, IRT Theatre, Exquisite Corpse Company, Corkscrew Theater Festival, JACK, Columbia, Exponential Theatre Festival, Frigid Festival. Education: Dartmouth College, LAMDA, BLCU. diane-chen.com, multihyphenate.net
Co-Author - NICK PARKER
Nick Parker is a playwright, lyricist, and songwriter based in Philly. Previous work: Mad Cool (Corkscrew Theater Festival 2017); Natalie (Midtown International Theater Festival 2016); Lydia & Tom (New York International Fringe Festival 2012). He is a member of the BMI Lehmen Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Writing Workshop.
Co-Author - AYO EDEBIRI
Ayo is a Boston born, Brooklyn based comedian and writer. She wasn't good enough for the Celtics, but is making this work. She's performed in readings, musicals, and improv shows at places like UCB, the PIT, and Dixon Place. She's also appeared in videos for Refinery29 and Funny Or Die. She's in the sketch group Lo-Fi and currently works on The Rundown on BET as the Writers' Assistant.
FRIGID FESTIVAL NYC
Founded in 2007, FRIGID is an open and uncensored theatre festival that gives artists an opportunity to let their ingenuity thrive in a venue that values freedom of expression and artistic determination. In true support of our Indie Theater Community, 100% of box office proceeds will go directly to the artists whose work is being presented. FRIGID is here to chill out the New York independent theatre scene ideas of what a theatre festival can be!
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