Oracle Theatre Presents Limited Engagement of THE MARCH OF THE BONUS ARMY, 9/4-14

Oracle Theatre Inc. is proud to present Isaac Rathbone's historical drama THE MARCH OF THE BONUS ARMY. Director Cindy Rosenthal guides the production's cast through a two-weekend run beginning September 4th.

THE MARCH OF THE BONUS ARMY tells the true story of a group of 20,000 World War One Veterans who marched on Washington, DC in 1932. They were promised compensation payments for their wartime service wages and protested to acclerate these payments while suffering through the poverty of the Great Depression. Their grassroots lobbying efforts fell on deaf ears, as the legislation to pay them their "bonus" was defeated in the Senate. The US Army, under direction of General MacArthur, forcefully evicted the Bonus Army and burned their tent city to ground. The tragedy of the Bonus March was a major event in American History and helped create future veterans benefits, such as those found in the GI Bill. The play originally premiered at Hofstra University's Day of Dialogue event, held in conjunction with the university's hosting of the 2012 US Presidential Debate. The production features live music of the time period as well as historical texts and events as the foundation for the script.

Under the direction of Cindy Rosenthal, the cast includes: Jude Sandy*, Tom Frank*, Ian Patrick Poake, Rita McCann, Christian Thiel Titus and Samantha Cunha [*appearing courtesy AEA / Equity approved showcase]. The creative team features Costume Designer Samantha Newby and Lighting and Production Designer Jennifer Rathbone.

Oracle Theatre Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit New York City theatre company that provides an artistic platform for new voices and old stories. Our goal is to preserve the experience of storytelling through the cultural traditions of myths and histories. Founded in 2003, Oracle Theatre has had performances in the NYC Fringe Festival, the Vaclav Havel festival, the Sam French One-Act Festival, 59E59 Theaters, and most recently at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Website: [oracletheatreinc.com].

Isaac Rathbone (Playwright) is the author of Captain Ferguson's School For Balloon Warfare (59E59 Theaters, UK Premiere at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Breakfast For Dinner (NYC Fringe Festival), The System (Kraine Theatre), There's Always A Band (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater Lab), Jon Katsberg (Sam French Festival), Nice Paper (Teatro Iati), Finnegan's Wake (Triskelion Arts Center), Welcome Back, Lloyd (Harvest Festival), The Gnome (Barter Theater festival of Appalacian Plays and Playwrights). Historical plays include: Undeclared History (commissioned by Hofstra University), Little Eva (Greater Milford Historical Association) and Violet to Ruth Ann (National Baseball Hall Of Fame). His two ten-minute plays The Guests At Table 11 & Prodigal Father were selected as finalists for the Actor Theater of Louisville's Heideman Award. He is a co-founder of Oracle Theatre Inc. and a member of the playwriting collective Lather, Rinse, Repeat. He is a graduate of Hofstra University. For more information, visit www.isaacrathbone.com.

Cindy Rosenthal (Director)- Cindy Rosenthal recently directed Cynthia Sophiea's EVERYONE HAS TEARS at the TBG Theatre in NY. She is a Professor of Drama and Dance at Hofstra, where she directed the world premiere of Isaac Rathbone's UNDECLARED HISTORY and the first performance of THE MARCH OF THE BONUS ARMY, which was commissioned in honor of the 2012 Presidential Debate. Cindy is also an actor and a dramaturge and the author of Ellen Stewart Presents: Fifty Years of La Mama Experimental Theatre (forthcoming, U. Michigan Press). She received her doctorate from NYU/Tisch.

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Show times are: Thursday September 4 @ 7:30pm, Friday September 5 @ 7:30pm, Saturday September 6 @ 7:30 pm, Sunday September 7 @ 2pm, Thursday September 11 @ 7:30pm, Friday September 12 @ 7:30pm, Saturday September 13 @ 7:30pm, and Sunday September 14 @ 2pm.

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