Strange Sun Theater to Present HOT SEASON at The Black Box, Begin. 6/13

Strange Sun Theater presents the world-premiere of Evan Mueller's new play HOT SEASONDirected by Kevin J. Kittle June 13 through June 28 at The Black Box at The Sheen Center (18 Bleecker Street) in Manhattan Strange Sun Theater presents the world-premiere new play HOT SEASON by Evan Mueller (Strange Sun Co-Founder and Artistic Director), directed by Kevin J. Kittle (IN GOD'S HAT) with preview performances beginning June 13th prior to an official press opening of June 16th at The Black Box at The Sheen Center (18 Bleecker Street) in Manhattan.

In the not too distant future, an uncontrolled epidemic is spreading through the city, and a small group of family and friends have sought safety in a remote cabin in the woods. Although they desperately try to forget the chaos they've left behind, they find they are forced to make choices which will change their relationships forever. Part Chekhov, part science fiction - and a dash of horror - HOT SEASON explores the lengths people will go to in order to protect the ones they love, and how the most loyal and loving of relationships can be torn apart by fear.

With the recent news of resurgence in the Polio virus (which the World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency), the first case of MERS in the United States, and the continued threat of devastating diseases such as Ebola, HIV, etc. - HOT SEASON is less "science fiction" and more "science present."

The cast of HOT SEASON features Kristen Harlow (BLINDNESS at 59E59), Michael Mihm (BLOOD POTATO, AJAX IN IRAQ), Kenzie Nothnagel (WOYZECK), Heather Rasche (Lee Blessing's ELEEMOSYNARY, and Michael Satow (FINAL ANALYSIS at Signature Center).

The design team for HOT SEASON is Ben Williams (set design), Mitch Ost (lighting design), Travis Alexandra Boatright (costume design), Ryder McNair (sound design).

Evan Mueller is Artistic Director and, along with Jessica Bashline, co-founder of Strange Sun Theater. He is an actor, director, playwright - who also teaches acting and voice & speech at NYU. Evan is a resident company member of New York's Artful Conspirators, the Sweet William Collective, and is also a company member of Amphibian Stage Productions, based in Fort Worth, Texas. As a playwright, Evan's play HOT SEASON has been developed by several New York independent theaters; it received a public reading in April of 2004 at the ArcLight Theater in New York City. As a director, Evan has worked with MISS WITHERSPOON, NOCTURNE, DOLORES, ROMEO & JULIE, TWELFTH NIGHT, AS YOU LIKE IT, THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, ANIMALS OUT OF PAPER, and a series of short films for the Arts Council of Forth Worth called "For the Love," about the financial struggles of a regional theater in difficult economic times.

Kevin J. Kittle has directed numerous productions and readings in such New York City theaters as The John Houseman, The Neighborhood Playhouse, The Harold Clurman, Ensemble Studio Theater, Arclight, Chashama, HERE, Sullivan Street Playhouse, The Zipper, The Gene Frankel, the 45th Street Theater, and The Irish Repertory Theatre, as well as regionally. His most recent productions include IN GOD'S HAT at Playwrights Horizons Peter Jay Sharp Theater for Apothecary Theatre Company, BEYOND THE PALE (nominated for Best Director and Best Production at the 1st Irish 2009 Theatre Festival), THE MEDICINE SHOW at CSV (Flamboyen), ANIMALS at The Connolly, and A NEW TELEVISION ARRIVES, FINALLY, at Theater 54. At The Greenwich Street Theatre, he directed the world premiere of Jamie Linley's DIRTY WORKS (critical acclaim in NYC and at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and Philip Ridley's THE PITCHFORK DISNEY, both as resident director of Stiff Upper Lip, as well as Joe Penhall's SOME VOICES with The Villar-Hauser Development Fund, to name a few.

Strange Sun Theater Company, under the direction of Jessica Bashline (co-founder & producing director) and Evan Mueller (co-founder & artistic director) is dedicated to telling stories that illuminate humanity through a shared experience of the magic of theater. Last season's inaugural production of THE DROWNING GIRLS, starring Kate Danson, received rave reviews: "Beautifully staged by Jessica Bashline," New York Post; "The Drowning Girls takes your breath away," Backstage; and nominated for Best Revival of a Play by the NY Innovative Theater Awards.

Scheduled June 13 through June 28 HOT SEASON will have a playing schedule of Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm at 8pm, and Sundays at 7pm (with the following exceptions: no performance on Sunday, June 15, added performance on Monday, June 16 at 7pm; no 3pm performance on Saturday June 21, added performance on Wednesday June 25 at 7pm and no performance on Thursday June 26). Tickets for HOT SEASON are $18 and available by calling 866-811-4111 or online at http://sheencenter.org/event/hot-season.

For more information about HOT SEASON or Strange Sun Theater Company, please visit www.StrangeSunTheater.com.

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