FINISHING THE SUIT to Make U.S. Premiere at Theater for the New City

Crystal Field and Ego Actus founders and co-creative directors, Joan Kane and Bruce A! Kramer, this week debut the critically acclaimed, Actor's Equity Association-approved showcase, "Finishing The Suit."

The play will run for a total of five performances, September 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th, 2017, and is looking to continue its run later this year.

The new production is directed by Joan Kane (SDC) and features Daniel Lugo*, Ryan Clardy*, and Jason Asher* (*all courtesy of AEA).

"Finishing The Suit" was first produced by Bear & Company, premiering at The Gladstone Theatre in Ottawa, Canada in March of 2017, and received rave reviews in Canada.

Ottawa Life Magazine described it as "A Beautifully woven piece of theatre." "A piece both psychologically and culturally observant...a sensitive, shimmering production," wrote Maja Stefanovska of Capital Critics Circle. Sine Robinson (The Fulcrum) called it "A sweet tale of nostalgia and romance."

"Finishing the Suit" is described as a memory play. The central character, The Tailor (played by Daniel Lugo), mourns the loss of the two most important people in his life, his lover Jimmy, and his most famous client, The Duke of Windsor. Both return to visit his shop as ghostly reminders of the happiest moments of his life.

Thematically, this is play about people bravely breaking free of the lives their families expected them to lead, and instead choosing to be true to themselves by following their heart. It is a theatrical work about love, yet remains far from being a traditional love story. One of the three characters is the Duke of Windsor (formerly Edward VIII), who in 1936 abdicated the throne of England to marry Wallis Simpson, an American woman with whom he fell in love, but was seen as politically and socially unacceptable as a prospective queen consort. Another character is Jimmy, who was raised Catholic in Northern Ireland at a time where both being gay and a Broadway dancer was out of the question, yet he became both.

The Tailor himself is from a conservative Jewish home where he was taught to follow the doctrine of orthodox Jewish law and was expected to marry a strictly Jewish woman and raise a traditional family. That life did not include becoming personal tailor for a world famous man, The Duke, and Jimmy's lover. Or eventually becoming a Broadway costume designer.

This production marks Ego Actus' 16th festival play. They have also produced plays in such festivals as the Edinburgh, Prague and NY Fringe Festivals, as well as numerous independent productions.

Performances are Tuesday, September 5 - 6:30pm; Wednesday, September 6 - 6:30pm; Thursday, September 7 - 9pm; Saturday, September 9 - 2pm; Sunday, September 10 - 8pm. All shows will take place at The Community Theater, located at Theater For The New City, 155 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003, between 9th and 10th Streets. Running time is 75 Minutes.

Tickets ($20) can be purchased online at tix.smarttix.com/Modules/Sales/SalesMainTabsPage.aspx?ControlState=1&SalesEventId=6801&DC= or by calling the SmartTix at 212-868-4444.

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