'Fake News' Takes the Stage in THE BIG BROADCAST ON EAST 53RD, Opening Tonight Off-Broadway

Dick Brukenfeld's antic new comedy THE BIG BROADCAST ON EAST 53rd opens tonight, February 9th, at The TBG Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, NYC, under Charles Maryan's direction. The Equity production continues through February 25th.

The off-the-wall comedy explores how 'fake news' impacts a marriage. Fed up with her husband's unconventional ways, a sophisticated New Yorker 'finds' his obituary in the Times and plans his funeral. This challenges our hero to prove he is alive and kicking. This highly-theatrical and timely romp explores what happens when we are ruled by our need for love and approval.

Playwright Dick Brukenfeld also wrote Blind Angels, about a news reporter who finds that his Yale room-mate is planning a terrorist attack in N.Y.C., which Theater for the New City premiered in 2014. His Extenuating Circumstances, America-China, the first incident was done at Perry Street Theatre. WHDH-TV Boston premiered his one-act farce Big Game and his screenplay "Domino" was optioned by David Dretzin. A former theatre critic for the Village Voice, he has directed several comedies including The Underpants at Perry Street and The Snob at Circle Rep.

Director Charles Maryan's off-Broadway credits include the premiere of Ira Levin's Cantorial, New York 1937, Mercy Street, First Week in Bogota, The Last Girl Singer, The Aunts, The World of Wallowich, Algonquin Sampler, a Literary Revue and the 50th Anniversary production of In White America at the New Federal Theater which won the Audelco Award for Best Revival. He directed Murray Schisgal's The Typist and the Tiger on London's West End, plus plays and contemporary operas across America.

The cast includes Alexis Bronkovic, John Patrick Hayden, Kate Loprest, Joanna Rhinehart, Bill Tatum and Chris Thorn. (More on the actors can be found at thebigbroadcasttheplay.com.)

Music Supervisor Charles Gross has written music for films, television and theatre. He created the music for Richard III (with Al Pacino) , King Lear (New York Shakespeare Festival), The Blacks, The Great White Hope and various scores for Arena Stage in Washington. Among his film scores are Robert Frost, A Lover's Quarrel With The World (which won an Academy Award for the Best Feature Documentary), The Group, Country, Air America, The Great White Hope and Burt Lancaster's Valdez is Coming.

The set has been designed by Atkin Pace (Asst. Set designer for Leap of Faith, Young Frankenstein, The Producers, The Lion King), with lighting by Jamie Roderick (The Woodsman/New World Stages, PBS's Theater Close Up, A Dog Story, That Bachelorette Show, My Big Gay Italian MidLife Crisis) and costume design by Maria Ozmen.

The performance schedule for THE BIG BROADCAST ON EAST 53RD is Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 PM with Saturday matinees at 3 PM on Feb 4 and 25 and Sunday matinees at 3 PM on February 5, 12 and 19. The TBG Theatre is located at 312 West 36th Street, west of 8th Avenue, 3rd floor, NYC.

Regular seats are $18 with Student/Senior tix at $15 available via Smarttix.com or (212) 868-4444. (Previews on Friday, Feb 3 and Sat mat, Feb 4 are $10.) The Box Office opens 30 minutes prior to curtain for cash sales only. For more info visit www.thebigbroadcasttheplay.com. Follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheBigBroadcastonEast53rd.

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