NHL's Sean Avery to Make New York Stage Debut in NEGATIVE IS POSITIVE

Theater For The New City will present the world premiere of Christy-Smith Sloman's provocative new play Negative is Positive. This contemporary dramedy center's on a newly married interacial, upwardly mobile couple who's seemingly idyllic life is shattered by a shocking incident. Along with another couple, the unexpected incident forces them to explore issues of trust, failed expectations, jealousy, race and the true nature of their love. This production is also the New York stage debut of Sean Avery, former NHL star, New York Ranger and LGBT advocate. The cast also features Karen Eilbacher, Joshua Zirger, Vivienne Jurado and Fulton Hodges. Opening night is November 6th at 8pm.

Negative Is Positive will be directed by Andreas Robertz, Assistant Director and Stage Manager Mary McGinley, Sets & Costumes by Jon Collins, Lighting by Alexander Bartenieff.

Negative Is Positive opens Thursday evening, November 6th and runs through Sunday, November 30th, 2014. Performances will be held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm and Sunday afternoons at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $15.00 and can be purchased at SmartTix, www.smarttix.com, or by phone at 212-868-4444. Reservations can also be accepted by calling Theater For The New City at 212-254-1109. Theater For The New City is located at 155 First Avenue in New York City.

Sean Avery is a former professional ice hockey player who grew up in Pickering, Ontario. During his career Avery was part of some of the NHL's most iconic teams. Playing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers, Avery gained recognition in the league for his agitating playing style on the ice and sometimes controversial behavior off the ice. At the time of retirement, Avery had scored a total of 90 goals and accrued over 1,500 penalty minutes in 580 career NHL games.

In 2008, he became Vogue magazine's most famous intern and a year later he opened his first of two restaurants, Warren 77. In 2011 he, and fellow New York Ranger, Henrik Lundqvist opened Tiny's and the Bar Upstairs.

He was the first pro athlete to endorse marriage equality in a PSA for NYC. Currently, he sits on the board of directors for Athlete Ally - a nonprofit organization focused on ending homophobia and trans phobia in sports by educating allies in the athletic community and empowering them to take a stand.

Christy Smith-Sloman is a playwright and journalist living in New York City. Her plays have been produced and developed in various New York venues such as The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, New Dramatists, T.Schreiber Studios, Musical Theater Works, Synchronicity Space and The Harlem YMCA Little Theater. In 2008 she was a finalist for Disney/ABC Television Group writing fellowship for her teleplay Heartburn. Her vignette City Hall will be featured at the ABC Studios 2014 Los Angeles Talent Showcase on October 28, 2014 at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood.

As a journalist her writing has appeared in Marie Claire, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Backstage, Essence, Life & Style, OK!, In Touch Weekly, The New York Post, The New York Daily News, am New York, Metro US, Yahoo!, Yahoo Movies, IMDB, The Latin Kitchen and CBSSports.com among other outlets. She was a recipient of a 2013 NYFA (New York Foundation for The Arts) grant for playwriting and has studied with playwright Horton Foote at the Sewanee Writers Conference in Tennessee. She is currently a member of the Professional Playwrights Unit at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City.

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