Performances Begin Tonight For New Play DRESS OF FIRE Starring Austin Pendleton

DRESS OF FIRE, a new play by Nina Kethevan, starring Austin Pendleton, will begin performances tonight (Thursday), with the Opening Night set for this Sunday, April 22nd at 7 pm at the 13th Street Theatre, 50 West 13 Street (just east of Sixth Ave.) As the conflict rages around the walls of the city of Troy (whose dilemma startlingly resembles that of our world today), the passionate characters in DRESS OF FIRE are as much preoccupied by their own personal dramas as by the impending disaster that will sweep it all away.

Austin Pendleton starred on Broadway in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, GRAND HOTEL, DOUBLES, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, and the upcoming CHOIR BOY, and Off-Broadway in OH DAD, POOR DAD..., THE EXONERATED, THE LAST SWEET DAYS OF ISAAC, and EDUCATING RITA. His extensive film & TV credits include WHAT'S UP DOC?, FINDING NEMO, "Oz," MY COUSIN VINNY, "Billions," and A BEAUTIFUL MIND.

Under the direction of Ioan Ardelean, DRESS OF FIRE also features Timothy Doyle (Broadway's FORTUNE'S FOOL and SALOME, "Orange is the New Black"), James Edward Becton (DOUBLE CROSS, PROMETHEUS TRAP), Chris Brandt (Medicine Show Theatre), Caleb Carlson ("Last Days of the Nazis," "Amish Witches"), Paul Carrazzone (DEADLY SINS), Lindsay Gitter (CRASHLIGHT), Alexandra Laliberte (THE CELLAR), Bryan Marshall (ORPHEUS DESCENDING), Elena Rusconi ("The Catch"), Tara Steinberg (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS), and Daniel Yaiullo (THE SANTALAND DIARIES).

Playwright Nina Kethevan played Gregor's violin-playing sister in Kafka's METAMORPHOSIS and Anna in Chekhov's IVANOV in Paris. Her adaptation of Nijinsky's journal (and performance in the title role) won unanimous praise. After that triumph in Paris, she was subsequently invited to London's National Theatre to perform two guest performances in English.

The playing schedule for DRESS OF FIRE is Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm, with matinees Saturday & Sunday at 3 pm through April 29th. Tickets are $30 and are available through www.dressoffire.com or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Student & senior tickets are $20 (with valid I.D.)