ANTON GOES TO HEAVEN (?) Comes to the Theater For The New City This September

"Anton Goes To Heaven (?)", the newest play from Swiss playwright Stefan Diethelm is coming to Theater for the New City's Cabaret Theater this September. The show is being directed by Andy Reiff, who is making their directing debut following an illustrious career as a costume designer and stylist. The cast includes both mainstays and new voices in the New York theater scene, featuring *Chris Cornwell as Anton, Amari Flynn as Id, Cynthia Levin as Meredith and *Kevin Duffy as Martin. The show will feature fight choreography by Abby Messina, Alma Del Campo serves as Stage Manager.

"Anton Goes to Heaven (?)" is an absurd, vulgar and violent romp through the afterlife. Anton is lonely and pissed off. Every day is the same. Right-wing news. Beer. Violence. Repeat. He decides the only way out is to kill himself, but, instead of fading into eternal nothingness, he wakes up in Purgatory. Confronted by the omniscient Id, his neglectful mother, and sundowning grandfather, Anton is forced to reckon with himself and the people who made him who he is. If he wants to escape this place and fade into sweet oblivion, he's going to have to face the purgatory he's created for himself.

"From the first time I read Anton Goes to Heaven (?) I was drawn to the soft underbellies of these hardened, violent characters. They're not damned, they're hurting. They're all stuck in Purgatory, just like we're all capable of trapping ourselves by making the same bad decisions again and again.", says director Andy Reiff. "Getting out is painful, nasty work, but you have to go through the pain to grow and move on. Everyone can relate to that in some way. I hope the audience comes with us on Anton's journey and sees something of themselves in him and his family."

Playwright Stefan Diethelm added: "I have recently been reinvigorated to try and tell stories that allow audiences to reckon with their fellow man, including our biggest flaws and most base instincts. Inspired by writers like Sarah Kane, I was thrilled to get to follow these characters who, despite, or perhaps because of, their flaws and lack of social vocabulary outside of violence, are so deeply, tragically human. It has been a joy to get to see our wonderful director, cast and creatives tell the stories of these characters with an open heart and an unflinching thirst for truth."

The show will play a three-week run at the historic Theater for the New City, with 8pm shows Thursday - Saturday, and a 3pm Matinee on Sunday. 

Come see it for yourself. The only way out is through.

CW: Staged Violence, Violent Language, Charged Language, Verbal Abuse, Mentions of Suicide, Mentions of Sexual Assault, Alcohol, Smoking.

*Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors' Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production. This is an Equity Approved Showcase.

To post a comment, you must register and login.