First Revival of Jordan Harrison's MAPLE AND VINE Begins Today At The Flea

New York Deaf Theatre (NYDT) celebrates their 38th season with an accessible production of MAPLE AND VINE by Pulitzer Prize finalist Jordan Harrison. The production marks the New York Theater directing debut of award-winning Deaf film director Jules Dameron. Previews begin May 11 at the Flea Theater with a gala performance on May 12 and an official opening on Thursday, May 17 at 7:00pm.

In MAPLE AND VINE, a Manhattan couple has become allergic to their 21st-century lives. After they meet a charismatic man from a community of 1950s re-enactors, they forsake cell phones and sushi for cigarettes and Tupperware parties. In this compulsively authentic world, they are surprised by what their new neighbors, and they themselves, are willing to sacrifice for happiness. The production will be presented in a combination of American Sign Language, Spoken English, and English captions, and is recommended for ages 16 and up.

MAPLE AND VINE will be presented as part of the Anchor Partner program at The Flea. Their three new theaters in Tribeca were built to be shared, and The Flea seeks to anchor companies stretching to the next level, without a home of their own. NYDT is thrilled to be making their Flea debut as an Anchor Partner this season and are ecstatic to finally have a "home" at The Flea.

The cast of MAPLE AND VINE features Christina Cogswell, Christopher Corrigan, Dickie Hearts, C.J. Malloy and Liarra Michelle. The creative team includes Director: Jules Dameron, Assistant Director: Joshua Castille, Lighting Designer: Annie Wiegand, Projections Designer: Gregory Casparian, Assistant Lighting Designer: Tamara Harris, Scenic Designer: Jennifer Varbalow, Costume Designer: Lisa Renee Jordan, Props Designer: Kate Testa, Sound Designer: Adam Salberg, Production Manager: Will Jennings, Production Stage Manager: Miriam Rochford*, Assistant Stage Manager: Vianna Joan, Assistant Stage Manager: Millie Wells, Production Assistants: Karly Im & Em Hausmann, Artistic Director: JW Guido, and Producing Director: Annie Wiegand.

Jules Dameron is an award-winning film director based in Los Angeles who has directed the TV series "Møkkakaffe" in Norway as well as creating numerous ASL music videos including "Different Colors," "Rolling in the Deep," "Lazy Song," and "Somebody I Used to Know." Jules has worked with well-known talents such as Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God), Sean Young (Blade Runner), Sean Berdy (Switched at Birth). As a creator and director, Jules has recently released a new series, "Reverse Polarity" starring Josh Castille & Amelia Hensley on DPAN.TV.

Jordan Harrison was a 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Marjorie Prime, which premiered at the Mark Taper Forum and had its New York premiere at Playwrights Horizons. A film adaptation, directed by Michael Almereyda, premiered in the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. His newest play, Log Cabin, will premiere in June at Playwrights Horizons. Other plays include The Amateurs (Vineyard Theatre), Maple and Vine (Humana Festival, American Conservatory Theatre and Playwrights Horizons), The Grown-Up (Humana Festival), Doris to Darlene, a cautionary valentine (Playwrights Horizons), Amazons and their Men (Clubbed Thumb), Act A Lady (Humana Festival), Finn in the Underworld (Berkeley Rep), Futura (Portland Center Stage/NAATCO), Kid-Simple (Humana Festival), The Museum Play (WET), and a musical, Suprema (O'Neill Music Theatre Conference). Jordan is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Hodder Fellowship, the Horton Foote Prize, the Kesselring Prize, the Roe Green Award from Cleveland Play House, the Heideman Award, and a Theater Masters Innovative Playwright Award, among others. His children's musical, The Flea and the Professor, won the Barrymore Award for Best Production after premiering at the Arden Theatre. For three seasons, he was a writer and producer for the Netflix original series "Orange is the New Black."

New York Deaf Theatre (NYDT) is the premiere nonprofit Deaf theatre organization for the New York City metropolitan area, supporting, developing, and presenting Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing artists since 1979. NYDT produces theatre that is accessible to Deaf and hearing audiences using combinations of American Sign Language (ASL), spoken English, projected subtitles, and nonverbal theatrical elements. In commitment to honoring Deaf Culture, NYDT fosters the talents of local artists who use ASL and creates opportunities for differently-abled theatre professionals to work and collaborate through inclusive productions and programming. For more information, visit www.newyorktheatre.org.

The Flea Theater, under Artistic Director Niegel Smith and Producing Director Carol Ostrow, is one of New York's leading Off-Off-Broadway companies. Winner of several Obie Awards, a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement and an Otto Award for political theater, The Flea has presented over 100 theatrical, musical and dance performances since its inception in 1996. Past productions include premieres by Steven Banks, Thomas Bradshaw, Erin Courtney, Bathsheba Doran, Will Eno, Karen Finley, Amy Freed, Sarah Gancher, Sean Graney, A.R. Gurney, Jennifer Haley, Hamish Linklater, Enrique Gutiérrez Ortiz Monasterio, Itamar Moses, Anne Nelson, Qui Nguyen, Adam Rapp, Jonathan Reynolds, Kate Robbins, Roger Rosenblatt, Elizabeth Swados, and Mac Wellman. Successes include Drama Desk nominated She Kills Monsters, These Seven Sicknesses, Restoration Comedy, The Mysteries and ten World Premiere productions by A.R. Gurney, including the SJ Best New Play of 2013, Family Furniture.

MAPLE AND VINE runs May 11 - 27 with performances Monday & Wednesday - Saturday at 7PM; and Saturday & Sunday at 2PM. The Flea is located at 20 Thomas Street between Church and Broadway, three blocks north of Chambers, close to the A/C/E, N/Q/R/W, 4/5/6, J/M/Z and 1/2/3 subway lines. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Flea Box Office (212-226-0051), online at www.theflea.org or www.newyorkdeaftheatre.org.

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