Blessed Unrest's BODY: ANATOMIES OF BEING Set for Spring at New Ohio Theatre

The Archive Residency, a collaboration between New Ohio Theatre and IRT Theater (likeminded neighbors in the historic Archive Building in the West Village), is a unique incubator for New York City's most promising emerging independent theater companies. Now in its third year, the two year residency offers each company that most elusive and invaluable resource, an artistic home, including space, artistic support, and institutional continuity for the development and presentation of a new work, culminating in an exciting world premiere.

The second company completing their residency is Blessed Unrest, presenting the world premiere of Body: Anatomies of Being, conceived and directed by Jessica Burr, written by Matt Opatrny, created and choreographed by the Blessed Unrest ensemble, running April 30 - May 21, 2016. Previews begin April 30 for a May 1 opening. Warning: Bodies will appear in their natural state.

Shows take place at New Ohio Theatre, located at 154 Christopher Street between Greenwich and Washington Streets in New York City. Performances are Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 5pm, and Mondays at 7pm. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at www.NewOhioTheatre.org or by calling 212-352-3101. For info visit www.NewOhioTheatre.org, Like them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NewOhioTheatre, follow on Instagram at NewOhioTheatre, and on Twitter at Twitter.com/NewOhioTheatre.

A trauma surgeon works to repair her patient's internal organs, a painter seeks to expose the raw humanity of his nude model, and a woman journeys back to Chernobyl as she strives to understand the body that is now only partially hers. Body digs into the flesh, organs, bones, systems, and movement of the human body as art and as machine.

The cast includes Natalia Escobar, Catherine Gowl (War Horse Broadway tour, Merchant of Venice Off-Broadway, Hagoromo at BAM), Tatyana Kot (Salome at The Flea), Poppy Liu (Drunk Shakespeare), Sevrin Anne Mason (Broadway's The Crucible with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney), Darrell Stokes, Sonia Villani (The Event of a Thread at Park Avenue Armory, Comedy Central's "Broad City") Nathan Richard Wagner (After Midnight with Target Margin) and Joshua Wynter.

The production team includes Jay Ryan (Lighting Design), Matt Opatrny (Set Design), Sydney Maresca (Costume Design), Beth Lake (Sound Design) and Darielle Shandler (Production Stage Manager).

Blessed Unrest is in its 15th season of generating original theatre in NYC and touring internationally. They create safe environments where dangerous things can happen, producing dynamic, disciplined, and exuberant new works for the stage with their diverse ensemble. They teach their approach to physical and devised theatre at universities across the country. Among their awards are four NY Innovative Theatre Awards including the Cino Fellowship for Sustained Excellence (twelve total nominations), and the LPTW Lucille Lortel Award. For more information, visit BlessedUnrest.org.

Jessica Burr (Director) is the founding Artistic Director of Blessed Unrest, for whom she has directed and choreographed numerous productions, and teaches and directs at universities across the country. She was honored with the 2011 Lucille Lortel Award from the League of Professional Theatre Women, and the 2013 NY Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Choreography/Movement (nominee for the same in 2015).

Matt Opatrny (Playwright) is a co-founder and managing director of Blessed Unrest. He has written or co-written ten plays including Burn, Crave, Hold (NY Innovative Theatre Award nominee for Outstanding Script, winner for Outstanding Production), The Sworn Virgin and Doruntine (with Lirak Çelaj of Teatri Oda, Kosovo), Eurydice's Dream, and Lying (adapted from Lauren Slater).

About the Archive Residency: The first year includes a one-month stay in IRT's 3B Development Series, and a one-week presentation in New Ohio's OBIE Award-winning Ice Factory summer festival. The second year includes additional time at IRT, and culminates with a fully realized, four-week run in the New Ohio's main season. Each fall, two more independent companies are invited into the Archive Residency, bringing the program to full strength with four companies in residence, each cycling through the two-year development process. Archive Residency alumni include Collaboration Town, The Mad Ones, Rady&Bloom and Vampire Cowboys. Membership into the Archive Residency is currently by invitation only.

New Ohio Theatre is a two-time OBIE Award-winning theatre under the leadership of Robert Lyons, Artistic Director, and Marc Stuart Weitz, Producing Director. The New Ohio serves New York's most adventurous theatre audiences by developing and presenting the boldest, most innovative work of today's vast independent theatre community. They believe the best of this community, the small artist-driven ensembles and the daring producing companies who operate without a permanent theatrical home, are actively expanding the boundaries of where American theatre is right now and where it's going. New Ohio Theatre nurtures, strengthens, and promotes this community; as they reestablish the West Village as a destination for mature, ridiculous, engaged, irreverent, gut-wrenching, frivolous, sophisticated, foolish and profound theatrical endeavors. The theatre is accessible from the #1 train to Christopher St. or A, B, C, D, E, F or M train to West 4th St. For info visit www.NewOhioTheatre.org.

IRT Theater is a grassroots laboratory for independent theater and performance in New York City, providing space and support to a new generation of artists. Tucked away in the old Archive Building in Greenwich Village, IRT's mission is to build a community of emerging and established artists by creating a home for the development and presentation of new work. Some of the artists they have supported include Young Jean Lee, Reggie Watts, Mike Daisey and many others. For info visit irttheater.org.

Photo by Jong Clemente

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