New Dystopian Drama ONE EMPIRE, UNDER GOD Begins Fundraising Campaign

July 4 marked the formal launch of an ongoing fundraising effort to bring One Empire, Under God, the new full-length drama by writer/producer Anthony J. Piccione - to the stage in 2021, with an announcement forthcoming for a staged reading this Fall, in advance of a full production. Monthly donations are now being accepted at www.patreon.com/oneempireundergod

Set in the far-distant future, One Empire, Under God tells the story of how an emotionally disturbed young man - with the help of virtual media technology - is able to rise to political power by inciting an uprising against America's openly atheist president, and subverting democratic and military rule throughout Western civilization, paving the way for him and his descendants to rule for generations to come. Every step toward a more perfect union is followed by an enormous reactionary backlash. That historical trend remains very much alive in the future, as seen in this provocative critique of nationalism, imperialism, and religious extremism.

Independent stage and film producer, Jay Michaels, will producer alongside Mr. Piccione. Michaels' firm has created visibility for independent theatre and film for over 20 years. Michaels, himself, is a producer since the days of the original off-off Broadway movement, and has lent his name to countless Off and Off-Off Broadway plays as well as - commercially - working on the Broadway productions of Guys & Dolls (1992); Damn Yankees (1994) and two productions at Broadway's Town Hall: The Vagina Monologues featuring Eve Ensler in 2005 and Beginnings - a jukebox style musical about the rock band, Chicago (2018). He was part of the 1986 Drama Desk Award-winning "American Theatre Exchange" at The Joyce Theater and also served as a national tour manager for Cats, Les Miserables, and Edwin Drood; an associate media buyer in NY and California, and a senior marketing executive for an international philanthropy working with the Nederlander, Shubert, and Jujamcyn organizations. He is co-founder and chair-emeritus of Genesis Repertory Ensemble, Inc. a company that fosters emerging artists in theatre & film.

The production will be directed by Andrés Gallardo Bustillo, Associate Artistic Director of The Phoenix Theatre in Philadelphia, where he was the associate director and choreographer on their productions of The Tempest and The Glass Menagerie. He also has directing credits that include productions at the Davenport Theatre and the American Theatre of Actors. He met Piccione when he served as assistant director of Piccione's full-length drama A Therapy Session with Myself as well as an actor in his short drama, What I Left Behind. Bustillo's acting credits include West Side Story, (Indio) Peter/Wendy, (Peter Pan) & My Magical Chivita, (The Man) and he is the founder of Cumbres Musical, a pre-professional theatre program in Colombia.

Previously, Piccione wrote and produced his debut full-length drama A Therapy Session with Myself at the Kraine Theater from May 2019 until it was ultimately forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now published with Smith Scripts (www.smithscripts.co.uk) and is being adapted into a screenplay. Additionally, his eclectic canon of one-acts has been produced at The Tank, the Hudson Guild Theater, and various other NYC and regional venues, and are published at Smith Scripts, Heuer Publishing & Off the Wall Plays. His short drama, What I Left Behind, was named the NYWinterfest's Best Short Play of 2018, and he was also nominated for Planet Connections Theatre Festivity's Outstanding Playwright Award for his avant-garde performance piece, 4 $tages. He also works as a scriptwriter-for-hire, and his work has been commissioned by Sesame Workshop, Speaks Volumes Productions, and various other clients.

To learn more about One Empire, Under God, visit www.anthonyjpiccione.com/oneempireundergod, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram @oneempireundergod and Twitter @OneEmpirePlay.

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