PLAYING HOT Extends One Week

Pipeline Theatre Company announces a one-week extension of the world premiere production of jazz concert-party-play hybrid Playing Hot, created by Kevin Armento (Balls) and Jaki Bradley (1969: The Second Man). Playing Hot is written by Armento and C.A. Johnson (Thirst), directed by Bradley, and features musical supervision by Marcus Miller. Playing Hot began previews at Theater 511 (511 West 54th Street) on April 18, 2019 and will officially open on May 2. Playing Hot will now play through May 18, 2019.

The cast of Playing Hot includes Fernando Contreras (Ghost the Musical), Danté Jeanfelix (Balls), Roi King ("The Argument"), Emma Meltzer (Good Men Wanted), Cristina Pitter (Behind the Sheet), Linton Smith II (theatrical debut), Monique St. Cyr (Thunderbodies), and Eric R. Williams (Into the Woods).

Playing Hot features set design by Jason Sherwood (RENT Live!), lighting design by Stacey Derosier (Mies Julie), choreography by Shernita Anderson, costume design by Haydee Zelideth (This Is Modern Art), and sound design by Jim Petty of Five Ohm Productions (Folk Wandering). Casting is by Margaret Dunn of TBD Productions. Kristy Bodall (Folk Wandering) will serve as Stage Manager.

This explosive new show takes you inside a brassy New Orleans dance hall, where the incredible untold story of the birth of jazz is brought to life. Retracing the rise and fall of Buddy Bolden, the radical trumpeter who pioneered America's Art Form, Playing Hot is neither play nor musical, neither biography nor period piece -- but a singular theatrical event in the style of jazz. With the help of a live brass band, Buddy's legend and infectious sound echo through time, riffing on history and pop culture much like his music riffed on the notes on the page.

Pipeline Theatre Company, which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary season in 2019, began developing Playing Hot with Armento and Bradley in 2015 as part of their Big Mystery Show program. Playing Hot is the first time Pipeline Theatre Company is presenting a work they have overseen from commission to full mainstage production. After months of development and rehearsals, it was presented for one night only in June 2016 at the Gym at Judson as part of the Big Mystery Show program, and then received a workshop presentation in May 2017.

Playing Hot received developmental support as part of the 2016 Artist Residency Program of The Drama League of New York (Roger T. Danforth, Artistic Director, Gabriel Shanks, Executive Director, funded in part by the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust), from Pipeline Theatre Company, and through The Habitat Theater Company's Directors Playground. Playing Hot was the recipient of a 2015 Jerome Travel and Study Grant and has received support from the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).

Tickets to all performances are available now at?www.pipelinetheatre.org/tickets. Tickets range from $37 to $75 and vary by performance date.

The performance schedule for Playing Hot through May 12 is as follows: Wednesday-Friday at 7:30PM; Saturday at 4:30PM & 9PM; Sunday at 7:30PM.

The performance schedule for Playing Hot May 15-May 18 is as follows: Wednesday at 7:30PM; Thursday at 7:30PM; Friday at 6:30PM & 10:30PM; Saturday at 4:30PM & 9PM.

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