Amas Musical Theatre Presents Joanna Rush's ASKING FOR IT at The Players Loft, 2/11-12

Amas Musical Theatre will present three performances of "Asking For It", an autobiographical play written and performed by Broadway veteran Joanna Rush, directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett. Three performances will take place tonight, February 11th at 4:00pm, and Tuesday, February 12th at 3:00pm and 6:00pm at The Players Loft, 115 MacDougal Street (Third Floor).

"Asking For It" tells the story, in words, music and dance, of one woman's journey from "Outstanding Catholic Youth of the Year" to the stage of Radio City Music Hall and the cast of "A Chorus Line," as she tap dances her way through rape, rehab, and wrecked relationships.

"Joanna Rush's bravura solo performance work is not only hilarious, it is life-affirming and transformative," says Amas Artistic Producer Donna Trinkoff. "This is great theatre with a huge, healing heart, and it deserves a big audience. These Amas Lab presentations are just the first step in bringing Joanna's unforgettable tale Off-Broadway".

"Asking For It" recently appeared in New York's All For One Theatre Festival, that features solo performance work. Amas expects to launch the show Off-Broadway later this year.

Joanna Rush (Writer and Performer) has recently performed "Asking For It" at the NY Society for Ethical Culture, The Kirk Theater on Theater Row, Stocker Arts Center in Ohio, Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwright's Horizons, and in the New York All For One Theater Festival at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Most recently, Joanna was chosen to perform sections of "Asking For It" on International Women's Day sponsored by the United Nations Counsel on the Empowerment of Women and the Hunger Project. Ms. Rush has appeared in numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway productions: "Pousse Café", "Daughters", "Inside Out", the original "Grandma Sylvia's Funeral", "Broadway Scandals of 1928", and "Options" at Circle Rep. Regional Theatre: "Beyond Therapy"", Fifth of July", "Freedomland", "Little Mahagonny", "Great White Hope", "Women Who Steal", concert versions of "Two by Two" and "Minnie's Boys" at Jewish Rep. Film: "The Luckiest Man in the World", "Sunburn" with Farrah Fawcett and Joan Collins, "On the Cliffs" (winner Best Short Comedy Ohio Ind. Film Festival 2004) and the soon to be released "Saying Goodbye". TV: "Shannon", "Archie Bunker's Place", "A Killing Affair", "Cagney & Lacey", pilot for "Straight no Chaser" as the inappropriate mother of Bronson Pinchot.

Lynne Taylor-Corbett (Director) is known for her work in theatre, dance and film. She was nominated for two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk, and two American Theatre Wing Star Awards for direction and choreography of "Swing!", Broadway and National Tour. Her show "My Vaudeville Man" was recently nominated for two Lucille Lortel Awards and a Drama Desk Award. Broadway (Choreographer): "Chess" and "Titanic". Off Broadway (Director): "Theda Bara and the Frontier Rabbi", Marie Jones's "Women on the Verge...", "Darlene Love: Portrait of a Singer" at the Bottom Line, "20th Century Pop" at the Rainbow and Stars, "Cookin'", "Your Simone", "Boxes" and "Asking For It" at the NY Fringe Festival. She received the Calloway Award for her choreography of Amas Musical Theatre's Off-Broadway production of "Wanda's World", also nominated for Outstanding Musical by the Lucille Lortel Awards. Regional: "Tintypes", "Opal", "Flight of the Lawnchair Man", "Hats in Chicago", and "Girl's Room".

The presentations are part of the ongoing Amas Musical Theatre Lab, a development series for writers, lyricists and composers to mount public readings of their new musicals. The Amas Musical Theatre Lab is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and by the Actors' Equity Association Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the BMI Foundation, the Barbara Bell Cummings Foundation, the Dramatists Guild, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, the Frederick S. Loewe Foundation, the Shubert Foundation, and through the generous support of many individuals.

ASKING FOR IT, written and performed by Joanna Rush and directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, will play TODAY, FEBRUARY 11 at 4:00pm FEBRUARY 12 @ 3:00PM & 6:00PM at The Players LOFT, 115 MacDougal Street (Third Floor) (betw. 3rd and Bleecker Streets). Tickets: FREE. RESERVATION REQUIRED (LIMITED SEATING). For reservations, visit www.amasmusical.org or email boxoffice@amasmusical.org, or call 212.563.2565.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Artistic Producer) -- New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968. Amas ("you love" in Latin) is devoted to the creation, development and professional production of new American musicals through the celebration of diversity and minority perspectives, the emergence of new artistic talent, and the training and encouragement of underserved young people in the New York area. In recent years, Amas has emerged as a leading not-for-profit laboratory for new musicals, including THE OTHER Josh Cohen; TRIASSIC PARQ; MARRY HARRY; ME AND Miss Monroe; AESOP & COMPANY; SIGNS OF LIFE; WANDA'S WORLD; SHOUT! THE MOD MUSICAL; Lone Star Love; FROM MY HOMETOWN; ZANNA, DON'T!; 4 GUYS NAMED JOSE; and STORMY WEATHER: IMAGINING Lena Horne. Amas education programs include the Rosetta LeNoire Musical Theatre Academy, Lens on Live Theatre and in-school theatre arts residencies designed in partnership with elementary, middle, and high schools. Visit www.amasmusical.org.

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