BAIT N' SWISH to Play at Stage Left Studio, Opens 10/13

"BAIT n' SWISH" are two plays by award-winning playwright David Sisco that chronicle the story of Justin and Charlie who navigate their way through a series of hilarious situations that force them to realize what they really mean to each other.

"BAIT n' SWISH" will premiere THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13 at STAGE LEFT STUDIO (214 West 30 Street - between seventh & Eighth Avenues on the 6th Floor) where it will play through Friday, November 18.

Directed by Laura Josepher, both plays star Tom Gualtieri and Mr. Sisco who miraculously play 49 characters at a dazzling speed with a diamond-like precision enhanced only by four hardworking folding chairs and a profound sound design.

When "BAIT" premiered at the 2006 Columbus National Gay & Lesbian Theatre Festival it garnered an unprecedented six awards including BEST ACTOR (Tom Gualtieri), BEST DIRECTOR, BEST SCRIPT, BEST COMEDY, AUDIENCE FAVORITE and BEST OF FESTIVAL. The show then played at the inaugural 2008 Left Out Festival in New York at Stage Left Studio where its sold-out run was extended three times before being featured at the 2008 Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Theatre Festival.

"BAIT" takes place on a crisp mid-September evening in a mid-town Manhattan Howard Johnson's where Justin has dragged Charlie to an unfortunate mid-civilized event called Speed Dating. Entitled ‘Gay Bait' this final act of desperation is sponsored by something called Quick Fix Dating and Grey Goose.

Mr. Sisco and Mr. Gualtieri play all 32 men in this alarming parade of issue-ridden hopefuls at a pace choreographed for a speedway. It is a Herculean effort that will be rewarded one day by the gods of comedy.

Mr. Sisco wrote "BAIT'S" companion piece "SWISH" to further explore Justin and Charlie's impossibly loving and seemingly impossible friendship that has developed into a relationship in enough trouble to warrant Charlie's decision to work on his new novel at his Aunt Meredith's home in Boise, Idaho.

Boise, Idaho.

A colossally imbecilic decision underscored significantly when his next-door neighbor Delores coerces him into helping the locals create a gay club.

In Boise, Idaho.

Delores is the only woman in "BAIT n' SWISH". She is a force of nature.

A force of nature.

ABOUT
Tom Gualtieri AND David Sisco

Tom Gualtieri and David Sisco began their collaboration at the BMI Musical Theater Workshop in 2003. Their first musical Falling to Earth, has been developed through the Syracuse University New Play Workshop and The York Theatre Reading Series. They have provided material for We Are the Song, sponsored by the After The Storm Foundation, which offers assistance to the youth of post-Katrina New Orleans. Tom and David are the recipients of a grant from the Anna Sosenko Assist Trust and their songs have been featured in various cabarets and concerts. In addition to their writing partnership, they appear on stage together in David's multi-award-winning comedies BAIT n' SWISH. They have also led seminars and workshops on a variety of topics, and were featured lecturers and performers at the 2011 MTNA/NATS Conference.

ABOUT
LAURA JOSEPHER

New York based theatre director Laura Josepher has been directing professionally for the past twenty five years. Most recently she was Scott Schwartz's Associate Director for BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS a new musical about Ginger Rogers. Other recent credits include a workshop of Tom Gualtieri and David Sisco's new musical FALLING TO EARTH at Syracuse University, David Sisco's BAIT for the Left Out Festival, Garth Wingfield's DATING GAMES at the Theatre Row Studio Theatre, NY and The Elephant Theatre in L.A., DIRTY BLONDE, THE TURN OF THE SCREW and I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE at Stages Repertory Theatre in Houston, ANNA CHRISTIE at Gallery Players, HUGHIE at Provincetown Rep. For Rattlestick Productions: WINNING and the award winning CAR POOL; and the operas LA BOHEME, COSI FAN TUTTE, HANSEL AND GRETEL, DIE FLEDERMAUS,and GIANNI SCHICCHI at Quisisana Resort in Maine. Assistant Director for Laurie Anderson's SONGS AND STORIES FROM MOBY DICK (co-directed by MS. Anderson and Anne Bogart). She is an Equity stage manager, a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab, and a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. She lives in New York City with her husband, Juan, and two daughters, Chelsea & Sadie.

THE PLAYING SCHEDULE
Stage Left Studio
214 West 30th Street Sixth Floor
(between 7th & 8th Avenues)
Thursdays & Fridays

October 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
November 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18

TICKETS $18
www.StageLeftStudio.net
All shows at 7:30pm

 

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