DEAD SHOT MARY to Open Off-Broadway This Fall

The extraordinary true story of one of the first female detectives in the New York City Police Department comes to life in the NYC premiere of DEAD SHOT MARY, written by Robert K. Benson and directed by Stephen Kaliski. Produced by R&R Productions, DEAD SHOT MARY begins performances on Friday, September 9 for a limited engagement through Saturday, October 15. Press opening is Thursday, September 15 at 8 PM. The performance schedule is Monday, Wednesday - Saturday at 8 PM; Sunday at 3 PM. Please note, there is no performance on Saturday, September 10 or Saturday, September 17. There is an added performance on Tuesday, September 13. Performances are at Bridge Theatre at Shetler Studios (244 W 54th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue). Tickets, which are $20 during previews; $35 for regular performances, are available by calling SmartTix on 212-868-4444 or visiting www.smarttix.com. For more information, visit www.deadshotmary.com.

A pioneer for women in law enforcement, Mary Shanley joined the NYPD in 1931, quickly becoming a Gotham all-star and tabloid sensation. During her 30-year career, she worked undercover to achieve a staggering 1000 career arrests, became the fourth woman in history to make detective 1st grade, and then nearly lost it all. Capturing her at a major crossroads of career, identity, and love - her most elusive culprit of all - DEAD SHOT MARY grapples with the legend of this trail blazer, a maverick, and a true New York original.

DEAD SHOT MARY features Rachel McPhee as the inimitable Mary Shanley. The NYC-based actress, who was part of the Vieux Carre company at The Pearl (dir. Austin Pendleton) and in the groundbreaking Netflix series The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and HBO's Boardwalk Empire, is also a former Bat at the Flea Theater. She is a viral-video sensation for the internet comedy series The Key of Awesome, home to the most hilarious Adele parody videos on the internet.

The design team features scenic design by Kyu Shin (Comes a Faery at The New Ohio); lighting design by HaeJin Han (Mirror at PS122); costume design by Peri Grabin Leong (Obama 44 at LaMama; knitwear designer for Polo Ralph Lauren); and sound design by Adam Salberg (The Woodsman at 59E59 and New World Stages).

Robert K. Benson (playwright) is a New York based actor and playwright, originally hailing from Bristol in the U.K. His works include: Borderline his one man show that he performed at Edinburgh and NYC Fringe Festival (with London and U.K regional runs), Jollity Farm developed in conjunction with Myrtle Theatre Company and performed at The Tobacco Factory Bristol, In Your Image which won the Dialogue competition at Salisbury Playhouse and was developed at The Theatre Royal Bath, with a full production Off Broadway at 59E59 Theaters, The Snow Queen which was developed while in residency University Settlement with On the Square Productions, and Dead Shot Mary which was performed initially as a workshop at Under St. Marks as Undercover: The Mary Shanley Story.

Stephen Kaliski (director) is a director, playwright, and educator. Directing credits include Gluten! (59E59 Theaters), Pterodactyls (Teatro Circulo), A Midsummer Night's Dream and In the Next Room or the vibrator play (Yale Dramatic Association), Vinegar Tom (Manhattanville College), The Minervae (On the Square; Backstage "Critic's Pick"), This (Proprietors Theatre Company), Cardenio, The Violet Hour and The Dumb Waiter (Brooklyn College), West Lethargy (59E59, Edinburgh Fringe, New York Fringe), and His Minute Hand (Hollywood Fringe, 45 Bleecker). Playwriting credits include West Lethargy, which was published in Plays and Playwrights 2011 (ed. Martin Denton), His Minute Hand, Any May Now, Gluten!, and Memoriam. He has worked with such directors as Austin Pendleton (Three Sisters, Assistant Director) and Michael Grandage (Evita on Broadway, SDC Traube Fellow) as well as with The Royal Shakespeare Company, Classic Stage Company, and LAByrinth Theater Company. Stephen received his M.F.A. in directing from Brooklyn College and has taught theater, public speaking, and master classes on leadership and joy at Fordham, Brooklyn College, NYU, LIU Post, Yale, The Professional Performing Arts School, Talent Unlimited High School, and BMCC.

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