John McLaughlin and Jessie Shelton to Star in PETER/WENDY at the cell; Full Cast Announced!

the cell, A Twenty First Century Salon, Founding Artistic Director Nancy Manocherian, and Artistic Director Kira Simring, announce cast for the world premiere production of PETER/WENDY adapted and directed by Jeremy Bloom from J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan and Wendy" and "The Little White Bird" and scored by the indie band, The Books.

PETER/WENDY will play a limited engagement utilizing the unique multi-level, indoor and outdoor space of the cell (338 W. 23rd St NYC). Performances begin Thursday, May 30 and continue through Saturday, June 22. Opening Night is Saturday, June 1 (8 p.m.). Press are invited to all performances starting Thursday, May 30th. Tickets are available at www.thecelltheatre.org.

The production stars John McLaughlin (Hard Times at the cell) as Peter, Jessie Shelton (Lady Han) as Wendy, LaChrisha Brown (La Boheme (Spoken) at the cell) as Tinkerbell, Julia Steele Allen (My Gay Banjo) as Tiger Lilly, Evan Kuzma (Sisterhood of the Night) as A Lost Boy/Mermaid, Tim Eliot (Empirical Rouge) as Mr. Darling/Smee, and Brittany Bellizeare (Sunjata Kamalenya at The McCarter) as Mrs. Darling/Hook.

"Do you know why I come here, Wendy? I come here to hear stories," declares Peter Pan, the fearless boy who refuses to grow up and the protagonist of PETER/WENDY, a new adaptation of the fanciful childhood tale.

Conceived and directed by Jeremy Bloom (Leaves of Grass at the cell), a protégé of Tony Award winning Mary Zimmerman (Metamorphoses & The White Snake), the plight of Peter takes on new life in an anxiety-ridden, deadly adventurous world of love, fairy dust and twilight. The pajama-clad performers, an exuberant ensemble of lost boys, pirates, fairies, and mermaids, explore familiar text compiled from the J.M. Barrie novels, "Peter Pan and Wendy" and "The Little White Bird." Featuring Bloom's signature low-tech, inventive image staging, PETER/WENDY reveals the nuances of Neverland.

Custom Made, currently co-producing a reading series at the cell, is proud to bring Mr. Bloom to the Bay Area for the West Coast Premiere in November 2013. Custom Made is and will mount Mark Eisman's "Sightlines" at the cell in September, a project that was presented last summer in "Studio, CMTC."

The production features scenic design by Brian Rady, costume design by Erin Schultz, and lighting design by Gertjan Houben. Keri Taylor is the assistant producer, Josh Kelley is the assistant director, and Mackenzie Meeks is the stage manager.

PETER/WENDY plays the following regular schedule through Saturday, June 22: Thursdays at 8 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $15-18 and are now available online at www.thecelltheatre.org or by calling 1-800-838-3006. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the theater a ½ hour prior to performance. Running Time: 70 minutes. For more information, click HERE.

About director Jeremy Bloom: Jeremy is the artistic director of RADY&BLOOM Collective Playmaking, whose accolades include residencies at the Ice Factory Festival and the IRT Theater, and grants from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund (made possible by the New York State Department of Cultural Affairs). Favorite credits include LEAVES OF GRASS (NUDE) previously at the cell. Jeremy is a Drama League Directing Fellow, EST Resident Director, Soho Rep Lab Director, and participated in the TS Eliot US/UK Exchange at The Old Vic. Jeremy is Artistic Executive at Evenstar Films and an adjunct faculty member at Montclair State University Department of Theater. www.radyandbloom.com.

About the cell, A Twenty First Century Salon: Since its inception in 2006, the cell: A Twenty 1st Century Salon (Nancy Manocherian, Founding Director; Kira Simring, Artistic Director) has been, and continues to be, an incubator for creative projects. Through its strong commitment to cultivate undiscovered artists, the cell has created residencies for diverse music, literary, and theatre groups. the cell is located in the heart of Chelsea, New York City. For more information, visit www.thecelltheatre.org.

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