Propinquity Productions presents the World Premiere of An Idiot, Jeff Tabnick's modern retelling of Dostoevsky's The Idiot, directed by Eric Nightengale, as part of The New York International Fringe Festival - Fringe NYC, a production of The Present Company, from August 14 - 28, 2010 at Venue #3, The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th Street (Second Avenue & Bowery), NYC. Performances: Saturday, August 14 at 7:45pm; Sunday, August 15 at 10:45pm; Friday, August 20 at 2pm; Sunday, August 22 at noon; and Saturday, August 28 at 4pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Tickets will be available beginning July 23 at www.fringenyc.org or 1-866-468-7619 and beginning July 31 at FringeCENTRAL, 1 E. 8th Street, NYC.
None of the other characters want to retell the story of The Idiot because it's too horrific, but Prince Myshkin insists this time will be different; this time he will deliver a speech that will save the world.
And so begins a darkly comic retelling of Dostoevsky's novel. Dropped into modern day America, a land ruled by Christian hypocrites, Prince Myshkin runs for U.S. Senate to promote true Christianity - compassion for all men. As his fame grows, he helps a recovering alcoholic win the love of a socialite/porn star. But when she falls in love with Myshkin instead, he must teach them to love with compassion before jealousy turns into murder. In the meantime, the prince has opened his apartment to cancer patients and the homeless, however it soon becomes clear that those Myshkin pities feel more spite than gratitude... Can Myshkin hold back the passions, intrigues and resentments brewing in his apartment long enough to give his speech and save the world?
Directed by
Eric Nightengale. Scenic Consultant:
Scott Aronow. Props: Amanda Stuart. Production Stage Manager:
Billie Davis*. Assistant Stage Manager: Simone Zwarenstein. Vocal Coach: Nancy Saklad.
Featuring Phil Douglas*, Philip Guerette, Emily Hagburg,
James Jenner*,
Jonathan Todd Ross*,
Toby Wherry, Hollis Witherspoon.
* member of
Actors' Equity Association
An Idiot was originally workshopped at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York in June-July 2010, directed by Joy Brooke Fairfield.
Playwright Jeff Tabnick's plays have been performed at Ensemble Studio Theater, LaMaMa ETC, Developing Artists, The Cherry Lane Studio, The Brick Theater, UNDER
St. Marks, Swathmore College, Galapagos Performance Space,
Atlantic Theater Company Acting School, Cornell University and The Hangar Theater among others. I Found Her Tied to My Bed, his play in one-act, has been produced three times in New York City and once in England. His short plays appear in "The Backstage Book of New American Short Plays 2005," edited by
Craig Lucas, "The Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2006 for Two Actors" and "The Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2006 for Three Actors."
Eric Nightengale (Director) served as artistic director of 78th Street Theatre Lab in New York City from 1995 thru 2008, directing over 50 productions and overseeing the development of countless others. Other New York directing credits include work with
Circle Repertory Theatre,
The Acting Company, Circle in the Square, The River Ensemble,
Ensemble Studio Theatre, HERE, and
Classic Stage Company. Eric has served as Artistic Director for Anchorage Theatre in Louisville, Zone 9 Productions in Indianapolis, and Actors Repertory Theatre in Chicago. Chicago directing credits also include work with
Victory Gardens Theatre,
Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf,
Chicago Dramatists Workshop, the Broadway Arts Center, and Second City. He has served as Associate Artistic Director for the Developing Artists Series at the Drama League of New York and developed work at the New Harmony Project and the Last Frontier Theatre Conference. He has guest directed at universities including Indiana University, Brooklyn College, Towsen University, Evansville University, and St. Johns University, among others. Radio drama credits include work broadcast nationally over NPR affiliate stations, and in the UK over BBC channel 4. He has worked as a teaching artist for the Lincoln Center Institute,
Theatre Development Fund, and as an adjunct professor at Brooklyn College and Towsen University. His work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe has resulted in three Fringe First awards, eight published scripts, four adaptations for BBC radio, a Best Ensemble award, and a London transfer. Recent work includes The Frog Singer, an electro-luminescent-wire puppet play, and The Natasha Plays, currently performing in Bratislava, Slovakia and Varna, Bulgaria.
ABOUT PROPINQUITY PRODUCTIONS
Founded in 2002, Propinquity Productions, LLC, stretches the boundaries of established theatrical forms to create propulsive dramas that entertain and provoke. The company produces character-driven theater that wrestles with and laughs at life's big questions. Propinquity has produced Tall Tales of True Stories; I Found Her Tied To My Bed at UNDER
St. Mark's, Galapagos (with Lightning Strikes), and The Moral Value Festival presented by The Brick Theater; Barrymore's Body at the 2004 New York International Fringe Festival; Two Rooms; and 68.
For more information, visit www.propinquityproductions.com.
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