NEW NORMAL Opens at Coyote Rep Theatre Company, 10/16

Coyote REP Theatre Company presents the world premiere of The New Normal by Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Playwright. Actor: Broadway's Well and In the Next Room or The Vibrator Play) and directed by Isaac Byrne (NYIT Award Winning Director), and staring Nell Mooney* (As The World Turns), Andrea Caban* (NYIT Award Winning Solo Artist), Emily Rossell* (The Civilians - Let Me Ascertain You) and Michael Mason Working Man's Clothes - New York is Dead).  The New Normal is a groundbreaking original full-length play inspired by the life of 2009 Puget Sound Survivor of the Year, Anna Warren Schumacher. It is a hard hitting play that tells the unique story of how a young woman finds humor and grace in the unexpected challenges of survival.

The New Normal, developed by Coyote REP and penned by Ms. Grays, is about a 30-something funny and Frank Southern warrior, Anna (played by Mooney) living and thriving in Seattle with her rocker husband and 3 year old kid. As a mom, a wife and a survivor she's handled more than her fair share of drama, but nothing could have prepared her for this. The New Normal: Sometimes survivors need a survival guide.

The New Normal was featured as part of this years CBS 2 News Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wvrg0N5r5U
More detailed information on the history of The New Normal  project: http://coyotereptheatrecompany.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-normal.html

The New Normal Company:
Donnetta Lavinia Grays (Playwright) Artistic Director and Founding Member of Coyote REP Theatre Company. Donnetta has written the cowboy is dying, her first solo play effort, which she performed with Coyote REP in 2008. Her play THE B FACTOR received a reading at Henry Street Settlement's Abrons Arts Center as a part of the 2002 Women of Color Arts and Film Festival and a reading with TOSOS Theater Company in 2009 as part of their Robert Chesley / Jane Chambers Playwrights Project. She has also presented her written work at Pride Goes East and with Kathleen Warnock's Drunken Careening Writers series at KGB Bar. Other works-in-progress include ABSENCE OF FAITH, and THE REVIEW (Working Title). Poetry featured on shortpoem.org.. Acting Credits: BROADWAY: In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play (Cover), Well (Cover). REGIONAL:  NY Stage and Film, Hartford Theaterworks (2 Connecticut Critic Circle Awards- No Child...) Baltimore Centerstage, Huntington Theatre, Arena Stage, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, LA Women's Shakespeare Co. FILM: The Wrestler, Shook, Where do We Go From Here? TELEVISION: Rubicon, Mercy, Law and Order (all), The Sopranos. www.donnettagrays.com
 
Isaac Byrne (Director) has directed over a dozen premieres in NYC, including: GREEN, TO NINEVEH (2006 NYIT Award Outstanding Direction), and co-directed I USED WRITE ON WALLS, all by Bekah Brunstetter, ARMS AND THE OCTOPUS by Casey Wimpee, FRESH KILLS by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, 52 MAN PICKUP by Desiree Birch, THE COWBOY IS DYING...by Donnetta Lavinia Grays, and A GRIMM REALITY. Isaac is the Artistic Director of THEATRE 4the PEOPLE.
 
Nell Mooney* (Anna) This is Nell's very proud debut with Coyote Rep. Theater: Diary of a Teenage Girl (New Georges), Hairspray, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Gateway Playhouse), Black Comedy (Barrington Stage),   Orange Lemon Egg Canary (Actors Theater of Louisville), No 11 Blue and White (McGinn/Cazale), Gorilla Man (PS 122), HAIR (Studio Theater, D.C), My Children! My Africa! (Luna Stage). Movies: Enchanted, 9'11'01 (dir Mira Nair). TV: "Law and Order (CI)," "My Girlfriend is a Porn Star" (Comedy Central), "As the World Turns" (Spencer McKay), "One Life to Live." Much love to husband Iain and also much love and admiration to Anna Warren Schumacher.
 
Emily Rossell* (Kristine) Emily is thrilled to be making her Coyote Rep debut!  She's had the pleasure of performing with The Civilians in "Let me Ascertain You" at Joe's Pub and "Michael Friedman: Adventures in Reality" at the Allen Room.  She did an episode of Hannah Montana and performed with Upright Cabaret while in Los Angeles.  Emily received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon in Musical Theatre.
 
Andrea Caban*: (Carol) Her solo shows for Coyote REP: Questions My Mother Can't Answer (FringeNYC 2010, Rachel Eckerling, dir.), You Got Questions? I Got Answers! (NYIT Award Outstanding Solo Performance, Outstanding Short Script & Outstanding Performance Art Production nominations, Caitlin Moon, dir). Other New York & regional credits include The Three Birds (Sam Gold, dir), Box & Cox and Lynette at 3 AM (May Adrales, dir), Nights & Fights (The Public Theater, Barry Edelstein, dir.), The King Stag (Williamstown Theater Festival, Carolyn Cantor, dir.), God's Ear (Patrick McNulty, dir) & The Pavilion. MFA: UC Irvine. Public Theater Shakespeare Lab. www.andreacaban.com www.questionsmymothercantanswer.com 
 
Michael Mason (Kevin) is a real person living in Brooklyn.  He has done, and continues to do many things.  Feel free to ask him about these things.  He is friendly.  He is a founding member, and works with the theatre art group Aztec Economy.  He is also very happy to be apart of telling this story The New Normal with so many kind and talented people.  NewYorkisDead.netCOYOTE REP is a not-for-profit theater company launched in 2006, dedicated to the collaborative development of original work which investigates what is mystical and extraordinary in the everyday.  They are committed to supporting members' work through innovative means; Recording Sound Plays, Embracing New Media and Producing plays for the stage.  A unique theater company that reaches beyond the boards, COYOTE REP strives to become a group focused on process as well as product.  They seek new and exciting ways to engage in all aspects of theater and digital media and entertain their audience by channeling the history of the radio into a new existence with their innovative sound plays. They have received rave reviews for both their sound and stage performances and have been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and New York Cool, among others.
 
Show Information:
Location: Wings Theatre  154 Christopher Street (1 Train to Christopher Street. A, C, E, B, D, F to West 4th Street)
 
Dates:
Oct 13th- 15th   8pm     (Previews)
Oct 16th           8pm     (Opening Night)
Oct 17th           2pm and 8pm
Oct 18th           8pm*   (*Special Monday Night Performance)
Oct 20th-23rd    8pm
Tickets are available online at Brown Paper Tickets and are $18
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/129326

 

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