PANIC AT THE RIVERSIDE MOTEL to Play Stage IV Theatre, 1/15-2/8

Panic Productions presents Panic at the Riverside Motel, a riotous, fast-paced dark comedy written by John Pastore about a dead body and all the inconveniences it causes an engaged couple in a seedy motel. Maria Riboli directs a cast of five, including Olivia Rose Barresi, Tom Burka, Tom Cappadona, Thom Christensen, and Michael Orlandi. Performances will be staged at the newly remodeled Stage IV Theatre, 300 West 43rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036 from January 15-February 8, 2014.

Soon to-be newlyweds Jake and Kaitlin are in over their heads with their upcoming lavish wedding. At the end of their financial rope, and fresh out of options, this ordinary couple resorts to an unthinkable solution. With help from Kaitlin's gangster brother, Billy, the pair finds themselves at the seedy Riverside Motel, where they intend to sell $50,000 worth of cocaine to a potential buyer. But when this already uneasy plan unravels horrifically, their desperation for a payoff pales in comparison to what they now must deal with. This misfit pair copes with the unscrupulous Billy to clean up their mess, the possible ruination of their lavish wedding, and an idiotic detective. Can they survive the aftermath of a plan that has gone horribly awry? Or is the dead guy the lucky one?

Maria Riboli (director) was born and raised in Italy, has been an active performer since the age of six, and moved to New York City in 1998. She has hosted a TV show for the "Cult Network Italia" channel where she won the "Hot Bird Award." Performing credits include Miss Julie, Betrayal, Talk to me like the rain, Dolores, Antigone, The baby dance, and The white train, among others. Professional Voice Over work includes Barilla, Rosetta Stone and Verizon. She has directed numerous plays both in Europe and in the United States. In 2007 she co-directed (with Stefano Genovese), produced and performed in BAAAHHH!!!, which was accepted in FringeNYC and continued at the Payan Theater and in 2008. She also brought the play to London's historic Pleasance Theater. She produced, directed and starred in Want & Need (www.want-need.com) in November 2012, an acclaimed love story from a guy point of view, which enjoyed a sold out run in the heart of NYC (Stage II Theater). Maria followed that success with another sold out run, directing Family of Strangers by John Pastore, in March 2013. (www.family-of-strangers.com). Maria also directed (with Adam Pagdon) the webseries "Catch-30" premiering in Fall 2013. (www.catch30.com). She recently directed the video portion of the Off Broadway show Tesla directed by Sanja Bestic. You can catch Maria on TV (ShopHQ) as the spokesperson for Borghese. Maria is currently teaching at her own acting studio (www.mariariboliactingstudio.com). www.mariariboli.com

John Pastore (playwright) was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. While in college, he took on the daunting task of writing a sequel to Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, which was quickly published in the school's best literary magazine. At just 24 years old, He began teaching English on a college level at two different CUNY schools. In 2005, he had his first full-length production titled Death Party, a tragicomedy about the angst of a twenty five year-old who objects to the antics at his father's funeral, which to him seems more like a prom than an outlet for grief. His short comedy The Calendar was produced in 2007 about a UPS delivery gone wrong. He acted as dramaturg in a production of The Weeping Game, a classic Serbian comedy directed by Sanja Bestic. He wrote the highly successful dark comedy Sidetracked in Fall 2011, also directed by Sanja Bestic, which debuted to a sold out crowd at the Abingdon Theatre. He followed with the 2012 version of Panic at the Riverside Motel, and then the acclaimed drama, Family of Strangers, directed by Maria Riboli in March 2013. His plays are noted for their realistic dialogue and biting dark humor. Actors and directors are drawn to his off-beat style of writing.

Panic at the Riverside Motel is presented by Panic Productions. Production Stage Manager: Awilda Cantres; Graphic Design: Sara Foschi; Publicist: Paul Siebold/Off Off PR.

Performances are Tuesdays-Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays & Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3:30pm from January 15-February 8, 2014. Preview performancs are January 15, 16 and 17. Opening night is Saturday, January 18th at 8pm.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by visiting https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/929396 or www.panicattheriversidemotel.com.

The runtime is 80 minutes with no intermission.

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