On The Fritz Announces Cast Change For ARE YOU THERE ZEUS? IT'S ME, ELECTRA

On The Fritz Productions is pleased to present Are You There Zeus? It's Me, Electra, a new tragicomedy written by NYIT award recipient Aliza Shane, as part of the 2nd Annual Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. The production will be held at The Bleecker Street Theatre, 45 Bleecker Street, in New York City for six performances from June 6-27, 2010. Ms. Shane will direct a cast of 10, including Sierra Marcks (Sonnets For An Old Century), Cas Marino (Torch Song Trilogy), James David Larson, David Michael Brown (Brink!), Tim Mele, Kerri Ford (Psych), Carley Colbert, Felicia Blum, Ashley Lovell, and Kate Dickinson.

About the show
Electra is angry, ruthless, and hell-bent on revenge. Too bad she's only 16...

Electra is determined to avenge her father Agamemnon's death. Unfortunately, she's powerless - a teenager stuck at home with nothing but a Greek chorus that just won't go away. She will need to band together with her long-lost brother, their dim-witted sister, their trusted friend, and a torrent of raging hormones to set her plot for revenge in motion. But will vengeance lead to happiness? And why does puberty have to be so tragic?

This new tragicomedy based on the classic Greek tragedy of Electra. Electra is an odd Greek tragedy, in that it appears to be about a central female character, but Electra spends the entire time waiting for a man to show up on his proverbial white horse and make things happen. The story has always been about the one true heir Orestes; he is the conquering hero, returning home to save the day and all Electra can do is wait and lament... and then lament some more. But what if the story really was Electra's? What if she grew to believe in her own power and gained the strength to fight back on her own terms? This new show examines the story from Electra's perspective and mixes it with 90's grunge rock for an authentic, angst-ridden, teenage experience.

Are You There Zeus? It's Me, Electra benefits the Children's Cancer and Blood Foundation (CCBF), which, since 1952, has supported the incredible work of the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology of New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. www.childrenscbf.org

On The Fritz Productions is the producer of Are You There Zeus? It's Me Electra. Associate Producer: Erin Winebark; Assistant Director/Stage Manager: Laura Hirschberg; Costume Designer: David Moyers; Lighting Designer: David Monroy; and Publicist: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR.

Are You There Zeus? It's Me, Electra plays for six performances on the following schedule:

Sunday June 6th at 9:30pm
Tuesday June 8th at 4:30 pm
Sunday, June 13th at 9:30 pm
Wednesday, June 16th at 10:30pm
Sunday, June 20th at 9:30pm
Sunday, June 27th at 9:30pm
Playwright/Director Aliza Shane is the 2008 New York Innovative Theatre Award recipient for Outstanding Short Script for her play The Three Sillies, which she also directed. Aliza Shane wrote and directed Are You There Zeus? It's Me, Electra in its premiere at Looking Glass Theatre. Most recently, she received the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Award for Outstanding Overall Production of a Revival/Adaptation for writing/directing/producing The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only (which also earned a nomination for Best Direction). She also wrote and directed The Spanish Wives, A Groovy Tale of Peace, Love, and Restoration at Looking Glass Theatre. An artistic associate of Looking Glass, as well as the producer of the Looking Glass Writer/Director Forum, she also directed four new works as part of the Forum, garnering multiple artistic awards. Other directing experience includes: The Acoustic Nerve (Groove Mama Ink) at the Gene Frankel Theatre, Hamlet, The First Quarto at Genesis Repertory, and Cabaret: A New World (Towards Truth Prod.). Ms. Shane also co-directed The Bacchae (Cypreco Theatre Co.), which was performed at the Cyprus Consulate and the HBO Summer Stage in Bryant Park. Born and raised in New York, she earned a BA in Theatre from Queens College.

On the Fritz Productions is a company for artists by artists. Formerly known as Aliza Shane Productions, On The Fritz most recently produced The Imaginary Invalid: By Prescription Only, which received the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Award for Outstanding Overall Production of a Revival/Adaptation. On The Fritz is proud to feature work that's quirky, on the edge and always wickedly entertaining.

The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York's premiere eco-friendly/socially-conscious theatre festival. Fostering a diverse cross-section of performances, the festival seeks to inspire artists and audiences both creatively and fundamentally, in a festive atmosphere. At the heart of the festivity are like-minded individuals striving to create professional, meaningful theatre, while supporting organizations, which give back to the community at large. The Festivity will take place June 3rd through the 27th at Gene Frankel Theatre (24 Bond Street), The Robert Moss Theater at 440 Studios (440 Lafayette Street) and The Bleecker Street Theatre and Green Room at 45 Bleecker (45 Bleecker Street) in New York City. www.planetconnectionsfestivity.com.

Tickets are $18 and can be purchased by visiting www.planetconnectionsfestivity.com.

The run time is 90 minutes with no intermission.

Photo: Michael-Alan Read, 2009

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