Kitchen Table Works' BIRDBATH Opens Tonight

Kitchen Table Works announces the New York revival of Leonard Melfi's BIRDBATH. Set in 1960s Manhattan, the story centers around a young woman and man who are closing up a late night diner on Valentine's Eve.

Directed by Gisela Cardenas, BIRDBATH will open tonight tonight, March 12th, 2016.

On a late night on Valentine's Eve, Velma and Frankie are closing up a cafeteria in Manhattan. Their conversations spark self-discoveries and unexpected confessions that cement an indelible connection.

BIRDBATH premiered at Theatre Genesis on June 11, 1965 and ran for three weeks. Ellen Stewart, founder of La MaMa, E.T.C., saw the play and decided to send it to Europe on a La MaMa tour, with performances in Paris and Copenhagen. It was then produced here again in America, first at La MaMa and then as part of the bill, Six from La MaMa, Off-Broadway, at the Martinique Theatre, produced by Theodore Mann and Paul Libin, under the Circle-in-the-Square banner.

La MaMa, E.T.C. was a basement coffeehouse which was also a theatre doing one-act plays by new and untried playwrights. The coffeehouse theatre was a long narrow basement which seated about 25 people at the most.

Kitchen Table Works is re-creating this experimental experience at the Williamsburg Music Center, with limited seating to a maximum of 20 people per performance.BIRDBATH'S stars James H. Doan* and Kiyo Takami*. The production team features: Costumes by Brynn Almli, Sets by Kimie Nishikawa, and Lights by Chris Weston. Lexie Klasing is the production stage manager. *Performing courtesy of Actors' Equity Association.

LEONARD MELFI (playwright): "What is taking place now, and has been taking place for a number of years, in the cellars and the lofts of New York City, is the most important thing that has yet happened to the American Theatre. There are no pressures. One can explore with an audience...There is less need to worry and more need to perfect, to experiment."

Kitchen Table Works's BIRDBATH plays a limited run from March 11 - 20, 2016 at the Williamsburg Music Center (367 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211). Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 7:00pm. Tickets are $18. Visit birdbath.brownpapertickets.com or call 800-838-3006. Since seating is extremely limited, advance reservations are highly encouraged.

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