Roy Arias' Sex on the Beach, the new three character play that explore the sex tourist industry in the Spanish Caribbean (Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico), will conclude its acclaimed Off-Broadway premiere August 26th. Alfred Preisser directs. Scenic design is by Samantha Shoffner with lighting design by Tracy Wertheimer and costume design by Mia Stephenson.
A Spanish language version Sex on the Beach premiered in 2006 to great acclaim, going on to win the HOLA (Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors) Award and an ACE award nomination.
In the sea of contradictions that is the Spanish Caribbean, three characters of different genders and circumstances find the best way to a new life is through the oldest profession: The Transvestite: La Caramelo; The Hustler: Brazo E' Niño; and The Cuban Escort (Jinetera): Esperanza. They fight their demons in hilarious and dramatic ways by confronting the decisions that have brought them here and the dreams they are not ready to surrender.
Roy Arias has been working as an actor for more than 30 years, in which time has received the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) and the Association of Latino Critics (ACE) Award for Best Actor for his performance in Extremities and the OOBR Award for Excellence in a Theatre Production (King Lear). His most recent performance was his show Sex On The Beach (in Spanish) won him another HOLA Award and a ACE award nomination. His TV credits include recurring roles in "One Life To Live", "The Equalizer" and "100 Center Street." Among his film credits are School of Rock, Dinner With Gabriel and For Her. Theatre credits include work at some of the most important regional theatre including Shakespeare & Company, Denver Center Theatre, Spanish Repertory Theatre and The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, among others. In the NYC Latino theatre Roy has not only worked in the majority of the theatre companies but is also the founder and Artistic Director of the award- winning company International Studio Theatre.
Alfred Preisser is an award winning director, writer and producer. He has led over 40 professional productions in New York and regionally. For 10 years, Mr. Preisser was the Founding Artistic Director of The Classical Theatre of Harlem, where he created a wide and distinguished body of work noted for its physicality, originality, and use of music and dance. Award-winning highlights include his 2009 production of Archbishop Supreme Tartuffe starring André De Shields (four Audelco Awards); Melvin Van Peebles´ Ain´t Supposed To Die a Natural Death (seven Audelcos) and his 2006 production of King Lear with André De Shields which opened the 75th Anniversary season at The Folger Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC. He has created critically acclaimed original adaptations of Medea, The Trojan Women and Electra. Other productions include Macbeth (which toured Germany in 2004), Hamlet, Day of Absence, Dream on Monkey Mountain, Romeo and Juliet, and the recent (and unlikely) hit The Man Who Ate Michael Rockefeller by Jeff Cohen.
Remaining performances for Sex on the Beach will be Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm. Tickets are $25 - $47.50. All performances will take place on the Fifth Floor of 300 West 43rd Street. Tickets may be purchased at Smarttix.com or by calling (212) 868-4444.=
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