LEARNING TO DIE Selected For The New York Theater Festival's Summerfest

Playwright and Director Cayla Berejikian makes her New York Theater Festival debut with her play "Learning to Die" at Teatro Latea June 13, 17, and 19th.

"Learning to Die" is a play-within-a-play that follows the downfall of two parallel relationships; audience members follow protagonist Tom as he tries to understand what went wrong with someone he loves, once loved, and can no longer love.

The playwright highlights the grieving that comes with loss of love because without this pain, one can't move on. But how does one honor the truth when it is the source of her grief? Is it better to live with an unedited story, or not? Yet, the play helps audiences find an answer to these questions: After losing a loved one, people are left alone to write the story of what happened; they can color their memories however they choose - but often, the objective reality is much smaller and more elusive than that.

"Tom's story is one of grief and regret told through an existential lens. Life is short and the connections we make with one another are precious. However, people my age have begun to feel hopeless when it comes to love and dating. Even outside of dating, we are experiencing a disconnect from one another. Now more than ever, people feel safer living in their own heads and controlling a personal narrative rather than embracing reality. This can lead us to take one another for granted. Personally, I don't want to live with the regret of missing out on a meaningful life. That's what drove me to write this piece and why I feel it will resonate with audiences," Berejikian said.

Tickets for "Learning to Die" are available to purchase for $25 and $45. The show is 75 minutes with no intermission. To support the production's appearance at the festival, please visit their GoFundMe page. All donations are greatly appreciated.

The cast includes: Marissa Alaniz, Meghan Chou, Jack Farrell, Sarah McCluskey, Zachary Seekins, and Kristin Eli Smith.

At the New York Theater Festival, self-producing is the magic wand that feeds the core of an artist's creativity. Founded in 2004, the festival is a competition that features one-act plays, shorts, solos, and musicals. The New York Theater Festival has hosted over 1,000 plays and 250 musicals to date.

For more information, please contact learningtodieplay@gmail.com.

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