Cast & Design Team Set For World Premiere Of THE TROJANS At The Cell Theatre

Two-time Drama Desk Award-nominated Loading Dock Theatre and Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre will present the World Premiere of The Trojans, an 80s synthwave musical adaptation of The Iliad, with Book & Original Music by Leegrid Stevens (War Dreamer and Spaceman at wild project), directed by Eric Paul Vitale (The Sycamore Street Kite Flying Club at Lincoln Center) with Music and Vocal Direction by Deena Kaye (co-author of Sound and Music for the Theatre: The Art and Technique of Design; Winner of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology's Distinguished Achievement Award in Sound) at the cell theatre March 19-April 19.

The Trojans is an original synthwave musical in which warehouse workers re-enact the legendary tales of their home town's high school glory days, loosely following the mythic heroes and demi-gods of The Iliad. The Trojans uses cassette tape loops and vintage analog synths to create a weathered soundtrack of neon-drenched nostalgia.

Embracing a gender-fluid casting, The Trojans will feature Daphne Always ("The exceedingly charming star chanteuse and Club Cumming cult favorite" -Time Out NY), Roger D. Casey (Casablancabox at HERE), Bradley Cashman (Newsies at Little Theatre on the Square), Deshja Driggs (2019 Broadway World Best Actress Award for Appropriate), E. Jim Ford (The Dreary Coast dir. by Jeff Stark, NY Times Critics Pick), Arya Grace Gaston (Featured actor on The Deuce), Emma Imholz (Inventing Gay Pop Pride at Greenroom42), Emma Kelly, Alcorn Minor (National Lampoon's Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell), Max Raymond (The Wolves at SoHo Playhouse), Jen Rondeau (Radioplay with Reggie Watts at PS 122/Ars Nova), Katherine Taylor (Second City New York and Upright Citizens Brigade), Sam Tilles (The Rise of Mediocrity with Randomly Specific Theatre), and Erin B. Treadway (Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance as Molly in Spaceman).

The creative team includes Lighting Design by Christopher Annas-Lee (three time Helen Hayes Awards recipient), Scenic Design by Simon Cleveland (Drama Desk Award-nominee for Spaceman), Choreography by Mindy Rebman (B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Choreography for Leegrid Stevens' The Dudley's), Assistant Director Rabiah Rowther (AD on The Watcher in the Woods at Urban Stages), Costume Design by Ashley Soliman (Broadway Women's Fund 2023 "Women to Watch on Broadway"), and Sound Design by Will Watt (four time Earphones Award Winner).

Performances will take place on Wednesday, March 19 at 7pm, Thursday, March 20 at 7pm (press preview), Friday, March 21 at 7pm (press preview), Saturday, March 22 at 7pm (opening night), Wednesday, March 26 at 7pm, Thursday, March 27 at 7pm, Friday, March 28 at 7pm, Saturday, March 29 at 2pm & 7pm, Wednesday, April 2 at 7pm, Thursday, April 3 at 7pm, Friday, April 4 at 7pm, Saturday, April 5 at 2pm & 7pm, Wednesday April 9 at 7pm, Thursday, April 10 at 7pm, Friday, April 11 at 7pm, Saturday, April 12 at 2pm & 7pm, Wednesday, April 16 at 7pm, Thursday, April 17 at 7pm, Friday, April 18 at 7pm, and Saturday, April 19 at 2pm & 7pm. Tickets ($50) are available for advance purchase at www.tickettailor.com/events/thecelltheatre/1498953. The performance will run approximately 2 hour and 15 minutes, with an intermission

Loading Dock Theatre was founded by actor Erin Treadway and playwright / sound designer Leegrid Stevens. The company is based in Brooklyn where they rehearse and build shows. Loading Dock produces emotional, character-driven plays with an experimental edge. Loading Dock also provides space for emerging artists to present original and untested work in front of an audience in a warm and inviting atmosphere, including serving as a venue for the annual Exponential Festival.

Past productions include War Dreamer (Henry Hewes Design Award nomination), A Peregrine Falls, Spaceman (nominated for 2 Drama Desk Awards, 3 Henry Hewes Design Awards, 4 NYIT Awards), The Twelfth Labor (nominated for 4 NYIT Awards), Ms Julie: Asian Equities (named one of the Top 10 Theatrical Experiences of 2015 by Broadway World), and The Dudleys (NYIT) Award-winner for Outstanding innovative Design).

Nancy Manocherian's the cell theatre (Artistic Director Kira Simring) is a not-for-profit dedicated to the incubation and presentation of new work across all artistic disciplines that mine the mind, pierce the heart and awaken the soul. Founded in 2006 as a "21st century salon", the cell has provided a developmental home in the heart of Chelsea for the performing arts, food artists, cyborg theatre artists, musicians, installation artists, choreographers and more. Central to the organization is the Residency Program, which grants space and funds to artists on a project-by-project basis, allowing for tailored support and creative freedom. Past performances include, Where We Meet, Arctic Explorations, The Tiger's Bride, cryptochrome, I'm Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire, multiple productions with The Why Collective, The Final Veil, Elizabeth Swados' Nightclub Cantata, What Keeps You Going?, Fruma-Sarah (Waiting in the Wings) starring Jackie Hoffman (Time Out NY Critics' Pick), Persou, Found, The Evolution of Mann, Bastard Jones (Time Out NY Critics' Pick; Drama Desk Award Nominated), Crackskull Row (New York Times Critics' Pick), Hey Jude, Peter/Wendy, The McGowan Trilogy, Horse Girls, Hard Times: An American Musical (New York Times Critics' Pick; developed into the Tony Award Nominated Paradise Square) and Dinner and Delusion. Work developed at the cell has been seen on Broadway, Irish Repertory Theatre, Southwark Playhouse, MCC, Rattlestick Playwrights' Theatre, Joe's Pub, New World Stages, Cherry Lane Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Portland Stage, Toyohashi Arts Theatre, Kino Theater, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Tank, Carnegie Stage, Carnegie Museum of Art, and Art Basel Miami. www.thecelltheatre.org

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