American Renaissance Theater Company Presents WinterWorks 2018: LOOK ME IN THE EYES

American Renaissance Theater Company presents WinterWorks 2018: Look Me In The Eyes, an engaging observation of couples and coupling taking place at the intimate Directors Studio of The Directors Company (311 West 43rd Street) starting January 24th and running through February 4th. Kathleen Swan produces along with co-producers Carla Brandberg and Mark Levine.

Whether it be old love, new love, borrowed love or blue love, Look Me In The Eyes offers a distinctive variety of couples. In an informal, "up close and personal" setting, nine actors, six playwrights and a poet explore the ways in which we stay together...or don't. Their portrayals range from long-time married partners to others on the brink of commitment, from cherished companions to strangers meeting in a park, from couples united by their fears to those whose insecurities make it difficult to trust.

All material was developed in the Workshop at ARTC - a professional, intergenerational company of talented newcomers working alongside veterans of stage, screen and television. Their plays include The Art of Escape written and directed by Bill Cosgriff (Eugene O' Neill Playwrights Conference finalist) featuring Megan Greener and Daniel Kirby; A New York Encounter by Fran Handman (ADDING MACHINE, the Musical) directed by Elowyn Castle featuring James Nugent* (The Nerd on Broadway) and Marie Wallace* (Hulu's Difficult People, star of TV's Dark Shadows); Stamina by Donna Kaz (UN/MASKED, Memoirs of A Guerilla Girl) directed by Kathleen Swan featuring Catharine Boyd* (The Room of My Life at Manhattan Theater Club) and Judy Frank* (Burn After Reading-The Coen Bros.); Triple Play by Marc Castle (Love, Incorporated), directed by Bill Cosgriff featuring Megan Greener, Daniel Kirby and Alexandra Curran (The Flea); Time with Harold and Hal by Stuart D'Ver (Kallie, winner of ARTC's Jerry Kaufman Award) directed by Elowyn Castle featuring James Nugent* and James Rutledge*;and Look Me In The Eyes (Kaufman Award) by Margo Hammond (Smith and Kraus Best Short Plays 2015) directed by Elowyn Castle featuring Kathleen Swan* (The Utter Glory of Morrissey Hall on Broadway) and James Rutledge*(TV's Gotham). The plays are interspersed with love poems by Linda Kampley (Beautiful In Hats) and the song "My Gift to You" with lyrics by Fran Handman and music by Larry Applewhite (BMI WorkShop Alumni). *(Member of Actors Equity)

Founded in 1976 by Robert Elston and Elizabeth Perry, American Renaissance Theater Company is dedicated to the development and production of new works by a multigenerational company whose members range from 23 to 93. Plays developed by ARTC's Workshop process have gone on to productions both on and Off Broadway and to regional theaters across the US.

WinterWorks 2018: Look Me In The Eyes begins Wednesday January 24th at Directors Studio of The Directors Company (311 West 43rd Street, 4th Floor between Eighth and Ninth Avenues) and runs through Sunday February 4th. The performance schedule is Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30PM with 2PM matinees on 1/27, 1/28, 2/3 and 2/4.

All tickets are $25 and include a complimentary glass of wine or sparkling water. For tickets go to:https://bpt.me/3222597 or call (800) 838 3006. For further information visit www.americanrenaissancetheater.com.