Stephen Kaliski's THE BRIEFLY DEAD to Rise at 59E59 Theaters

59E59 Theaters will welcome the world premiere of THE BRIEFLY DEAD, written by Stephen Kaliski and directed by Elizabeth Ostler. Produced by Adjusted Realists, THE BRIEFLY DEAD begins performances on Thursday, November 16 for a limited engagement through Sunday, December 10. Press Opening is Tuesday, November 21 at 7:30 PM.

Good news: you actually can bring the love of your life back from the dead! Bad news: breakfast the next morning is really awkward. When it comes to the unexpected resurrection of his beloved wife Alcestis, King Admetos learns the hard way that the aftermath of a miracle ain't as peachy as we might assume. A Doll's House, Part 2 for the Ancient Greek theater, THE BRIEFLY DEAD reinvents a classic play with a sharply contemporary celebration of its powerful heroine returning home to settle the score.

A quirky mix of shadow puppets and live actors, with the Adjusted Realists idiosyncratic style, brings THE BRIEFLY DEAD to (ahem) life.

The cast features Mia Isabella Aguirre, Sofiya Cheyenne, Kristin Fulton, Paul Hinkes, Ben Kaufman, Katie Proulx, Sarah Wadsley, and Jenna Zafiropoulos.

The design team includes Kyu Shin (set design); Jessica Greenberg (lighting and sound design); and Peri Grabin Leong (costume design). The original music is composed by Steve Smith. Katie Proulx is the choreographer.

The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM and 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Please note, there are no performances on Wednesday, November 22 and Thursday, November 23. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Single tickets are $25 ($20 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org.

Stephen Kaliski (playwright) is a director, playwright, and educator. He is currently the Resident Director of Broadway's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, directed by Jack O'Brien. Other directing credits include Gluten! (59E59), Pterodactyls (Teatro Circulo), A Midsummer Night's Dream and In the Next Room or the vibrator play (Yale Dramatic Association), Vinegar Tom (Manhattanville College), The Minervae (On the Square; Backstage "Critic's Pick"), This (Proprietors Theatre Company), Cardenio, The Violet Hour and The Dumb Waiter (Brooklyn College), West Lethargy (59E59, Edinburgh Fringe, FringeNYC), and His Minute Hand (Hollywood Fringe, 45 Bleecker). Playwriting credits include West Lethargy, which was published in Plays and Playwrights 2011 (ed. Martin Denton), His Minute Hand, Any May Now, and Gluten! He has worked with such directors as Austin Pendleton (Three Sisters, Assistant Director) and Michael Grandage (Evita on Broadway, SDC Traube Fellow) as well as with The Royal Shakespeare Company, Classic Stage Company, and LAByrinth Theater Company. Stephen received his BA in English from Davidson College and his MFA in directing from Brooklyn College. He's taught acting, directing, and public speaking at Fordham, Brooklyn College, NYU, LIU Post, Yale, The Professional Performing Arts School, and BMCC. He's also the co-founder of Upright // Outloud, a corporate training group that specializes in public speaking and storytelling.

Elizabeth Ostler (director) is a theater-maker specializing in directing and puppetry. She has worked with various theaters in New York and Utah: St. Ann's Warehouse, Theatre Barn, Life Jacket Theatre, Drama of Works, Estrogenius Festival, Prospect Theater Company and Pioneer Theater Company. Liz is the creator of Communal Theater, an approach to creating theater that cultivates a connection between the audience and performers. She is the co-founder of the NYC Artist Group which offers workshops and networking opportunities for NYC theater artists. Liz is also the founder and CEO of Life's Echoes - a business dedicated to helping individuals stand in their truth and tell their stories. She holds a MFA in theater directing from Brooklyn College and a BA in liberal arts from Sarah Lawrence College.

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