Photo Flash: SEARCH AND DESTROY To Be Revived At The Kraine Theater

The play was originally written in 1988. It was commissioned by The South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, CA, and debuted there in 1990. It was subsequently presented by Yale Rep in 1990 and by Circle in the Square in 1992. A film adaptation, directed by David Salle, was released in 1995. Other plays by Howard Korder include "Boy's Life," "The Facts" and "Imagining America."

In the play, Martin Mirkheim, small time chiseler and producer, perilously in debt, decides to finance a film of a book called "Daniel Strong," written by a pseudo-religious, late night self help guru. Mirkheim's efforts include drug dealing and deception to achieve what he feels is a "pure goal." The work is a disturbingly entertaining indictment of American values, filled with brilliant gutter language and tightly-wound characters whose eagerness to be "strong" made them the New American Monsters of their time.

Strudel Productions is launching with "Search and Destroy" and is preparing to present other such revivals later in 2010.

Director Nick Meo is a graduate of Rowan University. He produced and directed his own one-man musical, "Grape Hospital" which debuted as part of the Philadelphia Fringe [unfiltered] Festival at the Adrienne Theatre and a solo modern dance piece entitled "The Gift," which he created with Philadelphia dance artist Paule Turner in 2005. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist. He has studied at American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Circle In The Square Theatre School. He works prolifically as a stage manager in New York. This is his directing debut.

Set design is by Kathryn Kawecki. Lighting design is by Josh Starr. Music is composed by Michelangelo Sosnowitz. The cast includes Kelly Miller (as Martin Mirkheim), Errickson Wilcox, Tina Jensen, Geoff Lerer, Andrew Kaempfer, Bruce Barton , Stephanie Weyman, Logan Tracey, Ken Hailey, Gustavo Obregon, Kila Packett, Matt Swanston and John Reoli.

WHERE AND WHEN:
January 14 to 23, 2010
Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th Street
Presented by Strudel Productions (www.strudelproductions.com)
Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm
$10; $5 seniors and students with ID. Box office: SMARTTIX (212) 868-4444, www.smarttix.com
Running time: 1:50
Critics are invited on or after January 14.

Photo credit: Jonathan Slaff and Zita Bradley