Tom Wopat Leads Industry Readings of Bob Stewart's AMERICAN INHERITANCE This Week

Tony Award nominated actor Tom Wopat (A Catered Affair, Annie Get Your Gun) will lead the cast for industry readings of AMERICAN INHERITANCE, a new play by Bob Stewart. Directed by Nathaniel Shaw, the readings will be held today, April 21st at 3pm and tomorrow, April 22nd at 11am at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue -between 35th & 36th Streets - Room 1294).

Tickets are free, but reservations are required. Please email: boxoffice@amasmusical.org or phone (212) 563-2565.

In AMERICAN INHERITANCE, in a private clinical study, a doctor interviews a retired Army Sergeant who is haunted by the memories of a secretive criminal act he committed years before. Interviewing the friends and family the doctor recreates 30 years of memories, lies, & cover-ups that reveal the military man's tragic motivations. Michael Rubenstein is Producer with Donna Trinkoff (Starry Night Productions) serving as General Manager. Casting is byCindi Rush.

In addition to Mr. Wopat, the cast includes: Angelica Page (Sideman, August: Osage County), Luke Robertson (Good Television, Neva), Amy Rutberg (The Divine Sister, Our Leading Lady), Kathy Searle ("The Residuals,"The Awesome 80's Prom,) and Joe Urla (Principia Scriptoriae, Boeing-Boeing).

AMERICAN INHERITANCE was a finalist for The Kennedy Center's Fund For New American Plays and a first runner up for the Vituum Writing Award.

Bob Stewart (Playwright) is the writer/performer in his one-man comedy, Jesus in a Beehive: The Last Temptation of Mitchell Pantene!, directed & dramaturged by Susan Izatt and produced at The Duplex in NYC, (PICK OF THE WEEK-NY Times) & Philly Gay & Lesbian Theater Festival. His A Memory Play (Part I of The Marriage Variations Trilogy) was first produced by MoonSoup Productions in NYC & chosen as "Best of the Festival" in the Mid-Town International Theater Festival. It also was performed in The Workshop Theater Company's Main Stage 2008/09 Season. His All You Can Eat, (Part II of The Marriage Variations Trilogy) is in workshop for 2016 & has been developed for film director Miles Maker in LA. His comedy Fabulous Darshan ran at The Workshop Theater Company in NYC to unanimous rave reviews & standing ovations & is currently being considered for a West Coast run. His scam artist comedy BONE TO PICK is presently being work-shopped & being developed into a screenplay. His new play Carol of Carol Gardens will be ready in 2016. His Chicken & Egg Soup has been performed in NY, RI, GA, KY, & in WA as a Radio Play for the Spokane Radio Hour. It's in pre-production as a Short Film with director Fredi Walker Browne. His Bethesda was seen in They That Have Bourne The Battle in NYC. His AMERICAN INHERITANCE (Part III of The Marriage Variations Trilogy)was a Finalist for The Kennedy Center's Fund for New American Plays.

Nathaniel Shaw (Director) is an Associate Choreographer for Once, supervising both the Broadway production and the First National Tour. He is also the development director for Glass Half Full Productions, Tony and Olivier Award Winning Producers of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, The Mark Rylance Shakespeare Revivals and Sunny Afternoon amongst many others. He was the founder and Artistic Director of The Active Theater (www.theactivetheater.com). For Active, he directed the first New York City revival of The Violet Hour (Innovative Theatre Award for Best Revival), the World Premiere of Bridgeboy, and the World Premiere of Body Language (4 Midtown International Theatre Festival nominations). He later remounted Body Language with Active, featuring Christian Campbell. Nathaniel's regional credits include the direction of Peter and the Starcatcher at Virginia Rep, the direction and choreography of, South Pacific at West Virginia Public Theatre (starring Jessica Lee Goldyn), Hair andHairpsray (a combined 20 New Hampshire Theatre Award nominations, including Best Production, Best Director, and Best Choreography for each), Legally Blonde, Damn Yankees (starring Jessica Lee Goldyn and Dirk Lumbard), Miracle on South Division Street, Grease, Stop the World I Want to Get Off, A Chorus Line and Spelling Bee. He has also choreographed The Wizard of Oz at Phoenix Theatre, Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie, Babes in Toyland,and The Tenement (Best World Premiere - azcentral.com), as well as the film Perception by Daedalus Productions. With Active, he oversaw the development of several plays, including In the Middle by Megan Sass, Timepiece by Ben Bartolone, River Ditty and Bridgeboy by Matthew Keuter, and Body Language by Jennie Contuzzi. Under his leadership the company collaborated with artists such as Tony Nominees Marcia Milgrom Dodge and Xanthe Elbrick, Jeremy Dobrish, Michael McGlone, Marc Robin, ACME Sound, Bobby Pearce, and Paul Miller. Estelle Parsons, David Hyde Pierce, Austin Pendleton, Dee Hoty, Chuck Cooper, and Bobby Steggert all raised their voices in support of Active and its mission. Active produced in collaboration with Greg Schaffert (Peter and the Starcatcher), Craig Haffner and Karl Held (Ragtime), and Bud Martin (Time Stands Still). Upcoming projects include Directing West Side Story and A Chorus Line at Cortland Rep, and Touch with Libra Theatre Company at 59e59.

Michael Rubenstein (Producer) is a TONY Award winning Producer of Pippin and Associate Producer and Director of Development for the 55th Drama Desk Awards. His other Broadway producing credits include On The Town, Rocky, Bullets Over Broadway, and Velocity of Autumn. Michael is currently involved with producing several theatrical productions. He is a Board Member and Treasurer of Amas Musical Theatre (Non-Profit Diversity Workshop Theatre Organization). Michael is a financial and business development executive with 20 plus years of experience.

Starry Night Productions (General Manager) was a producer on the Off-Broadway hit SILENCE! The Musical. Donna Trinkoff is the artistic producer of Amas Musical Theatre, a non-profit performing arts organization in NYC. Musicals:Broadway and the Bard, Red Eye of Love, The Other Josh Cohen (Lucille Lortel Nomination Best Musical), TRIASSIC PARQ: The Musical, Aesop & Co., Signs of Life, Wanda's World (Lucille Lortel Nomination Best Musical), Shout! The Mod Musical; Sheba; Lone Star Love, Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Story, Zanna, Dont!, Langston Hughes' Little Ham; 4 Guys Named José; and over 75 musicals for the Amas Musical Theatre Lab. Artistic Associate of the Cabaret and Performance Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in CT. Member: League for Professional Theatre Women. 1998 New York Municipal Art Society Award of Merit and 2003 Galaxy Award from the NY Women's Association.

For more information, visit www.amasmusical.org.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski

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