Oberon Theatre Ensemble's ORDER Extends On Theatre Row Thru 7/3

Oberon Theatre Ensemble is pleased to announce that its world premiere production of ORDER by Christopher Stetson Boal (23 Knives, Crazy for the Dog) has been extended one-week, after receiving fantastic audience response. Directed by Tony Award nominee Austin Pendleton, ORDER is currently playing at Off-Broadway?s Kirk Theatre at Theatre Row (410 W 42nd St). With the extension, performances continue through Saturday, July 3rd.

?I think the play is about the fact that any one of us, if the proper buttons were pushed, could go irreversibly nuts at any moment? ?shares Mr. Pendleton of Boal?s new play ??his play is funny and disturbing all at once, and thus full of very many and different possibilities in performance.?

ORDER is the darkly hysterical and ultimately tragic story of Thomas Blander, a former philosophy teacher determined to be mild and polite in a violent and greedy world, whose plan is upended when he's possessed by a creature claiming to be an ancient entity of power and hunger. The creature (real? imagined?) brings an entirely new philosophy to Blander - undeniable lust for power and insatiable appetite - that ultimately includes dining on his enemies - and his friends.

The production features James Edward Becton*, Gabe Bettio*, Mac Brydon*, Brad Fryman*, William Laney*, Amanda Plant*, Ryan Tramont and James Washington*.

ORDER remaining performances through July 3rd:

Friday, June 11th, at 8 pm
Saturday, June 12th, at 2 pm & 8 pm

Wednesday, June 16th, at 2 pm & 8 pm
Thursday, June 17th, at 8 pm

Monday, June 21st, at 7 pm
Tuesday, June 22nd, at 7 pm
Friday, June 25th, at 8 pm
Saturday, June 26th, at 2 pm & 8 pm

Tuesday, June 29th at 7pm
Wednesday, June 30th at 8pm
Thursday, July 1st at 8pm
Friday, July 2nd at 8pm
Saturday, July 3rd at 8pm

Tickets are $25.00 and $12.50 students/seniors. For reservations, please call 212-279-4200 or visit www.ticketcentral.com to purchase online.
Tickets are also available at Theatre Row?s box office open from 12pm ? 8pm.

For more information visit: www.OberonTheatre.org

ORDER is being presented in conjunction with, OTHELLO by William Shakespeare, directed by Lucille Lortel Award recipient, Cara Reichel, as part of Oberon?s Rep 2010.

*Appearing Courtesy of Actors? Equity Association.

BIOGRAPHIES

CHRISTOPHER STETSON BOAL (Playwright) his play 23 Knives was recently produced Off-Broadway at the Harold Clurman Theatre in January 2009 (?An imaginative and... diverting twist on History? - NY Times), Crazy for the Dog was produced Off-Broadway in New York, and recently in Atlanta. (?Mr. Boal demonstrates a deft dramatic hand at this uniquely American genre of tortured family truth-telling? - NY Times) Other plays include: A Hope for This World, winner of a Fringe Audience Award at the Edinburgh Festival; His late-night comedy show ?The Continuing Adventures of Dick Danger? was a cult hit in New York City, and ran for three years and fifty original episodes. Boal wrote and directed the award winning short film ?Walking Charley." Recent projects include the screenplay "Driver" for Ridley Scott Associates.

Austin Pendleton (Director) has been seen on Broadway in The Diary of Anne Frank and Grand Hotel. He has appeared in the first New York productions of Oh Dad, Poor Dad..., Fiddler on the Roof, Hail Scrawdyke (Derwent Award), The Last Sweet Days of Isaac (Obie Award), The Sorrows of Frederick, Doubles, The Imposter, The Loop and Sophistry, and in the title roles of Off-Broadway productions of Hamlet, Richard III, Uncle Vanya, Keats and Jeremy Rudge. He is a playwright (Orson's Shadow, Booth and Uncle Bob), director (Spoils of War, The Runner Stumbles and ElizaBeth Taylor in The Little Foxes), teacher (HB Studio), and member of Chicago's Steppenwolf Ensemble. His film credits include What's Up Doc?, Trial and Error, The Associate, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, The Proprietor, Guarding Tess, The Fifteen Minute Hamlet, Catch-22 and Amistad. TV includes Fired Up, Frasier and Tracey Takes On. He began his career, and has acted and directed many times, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.

OBERON ENSEMBLE THEATRE Founded in 1997, Oberon is an off-off Broadway ensemble theatre company. Now beginning our 14th season, we have produced 50 full-length productions and more than 50 staged readings of original plays. Oberon now has about 20 active members and many more regular collaborators, including award-winning actors, playwrights, directors and designers. The Oberon Theatre Ensemble is an active player in New York?s independent theatre community. Each season we combine classic, contemporary, and new works in a format that allows each to highlight and enhance the other. We juxtapose new against old in a single evening or in a repertory schedule, with our ensemble of actors and directors nimbly jumping from one world to another to draw our audiences fully into the experience. We believe in the joy of a well told story, the connection offered by a supportive community, and the magic of the Oberon actively works to share with others by reaching out to the community. We offer discounted student and senior tickets to our performances, and create shows that we can bring to schools, senior centers, and hospitals. We have also presented shows free in Central Park and strive to keep all our offerings affordable. In a time when Off-Broadway theatres are closing, ensemble theatre groups are all but unheard of, arts funding largely nonexistent, and theatres both large and small focused on finding the next big commercial hit, Oberon may be a bit old-fashioned in its approach. Nonetheless, our commitment to cultivating and invigorating a diverse theatre community remains steadfast. And it will remain so even amidst the rapid change that characterizes this unforgiving haven we call our home, New York City.

Photo by Ann Bartek

To post a comment, you must register and login.