Queens Theatre And Lincoln Center Present AN EVENING OF SHORT PLAYS

On Wednesday, August 25th, 2021, Queens Theatre's New American Voices and Theatre for All, in collaboration with Lincoln Center's RESTART STAGES, present An Evening of Short Plays, featuring three works by artists from the Disability community. The performances will take place at Lincoln Center's The Isabel and Peter Malkin Stage at Hearst Plaza at 7 PM ET.

Following an earlier collaboration between Queens Theater (QT) and Lincoln Center in 2020, An Evening of Short Plays features a team of disabled writers chosen from submissions to QT's new play development program, New American Voices, and artists from its Theatre for All training program.

Reflecting QT's commitment to working with artists, adults and children from the Disability community and doing more to fully reach audience members with disabilities, the evening of play readings centers on fresh perspectives for Disabled identity. Stage Directions will be revised as Audio Description for blind and low-vision audiences and American Sign Language captioning will be provided.

Tickets are free, but reservations are required. To register, click: https://tickets.lincolncenter.org/booking/production/bestavailable/22493 and use code: SHORTS21

To learn more about "An Evening of Short Plays" visit:

https://www.lincolncenter.org/lincoln-center-at-home/show/an-evening-of-short-plays-queens-theatre

Performances Include:

WHY I DANCE by Nayonni Watts

Cast:

Imani Russell as LOVELY

Alexandra Mazzucchelli as SALLY

Futaba Shioda as JESSIE

Stage Directions: Carey Cox

KABOOM! by Sarah Bowden

Cast:

Alexandra Mazzucchelli as TESS

Alida Rose Delaney as RACHEL

Jae Woo as HENRY

Stage Directions: Imani Russell

WE'D MAKE GREAT BABIES by Carey Cox

Cast:

Carey Cox as JEN

Jae Woo as MARK

Stage Directions: Futaba Shioda

DIRECTOR:

Evan T Cummings is a director and playwright based in NYC, specializing in new work and international collaboration. Evan recently directed his own short play, Emergency Planning, for Roundabout Theatre's Reverb Festival. He works regularly with Queens Theatre, where he recently directed an online reading of Emily Driver's Great Race Through Time and Space by Gregg Mozgala and A. A. Brenner in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2020. In addition, Evan has directed readings and productions with New York Theatre Workshop,The Private Theatre, The Lark, Fault Line Theater, Luna Stage, The Culture Project, Geva Theatre Center and The Walnut Street Theatre. He has assistant directed at Geva, LAByrinth Theater, Pittsburgh CLO and Dallas Theatre Center, where he assisted Davis McCallum on the world premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's Clarkston. He is a co-founder of the World Wide Lab, a company that has presented director-driven work in Rome, New York, Taipei, and Berlin. Evan is a graduate of the drama school at Carnegie Mellon University, an SDC Associate member, an Advisory Board member and teaching artist for Queens Theatre's "Theatre for All"' program, an SDCF Observership Fellow, and a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab.

CURATOR:

Rob Urbinati is a freelance director and writer, and Director of New Play Development at Queens Theatre, where he curates New American Voices, a play program that develops plays by writers who represent the diverse demographics of New York City. Rob's plays include Hazelwood Jr. High, Murder On West Moon Street, Death by Design, Mama's Boy and Jane Austen's Lady Susan, published by Samuel French. The Queen Bees, Cole Porter's Nymph Errant, and UMW:University of Mostly Whites are published by Stage Rights, and Miss Julie En

Hollywood (a bilingual adaptation of Strindberg's "Miss Julie") is published by New Stage Press. Other plays include Cruel & Barbarous Treatment, Karaoke Night at the Suicide Shack, Rebel Voices, and an adaptation of March and Anderson's Bad Seed. His book, "Play Readings: A Complete Guide for Theatre Practitioners" is published by Taylor and

Francis.

Rob has directed many world premieres including Staceyann Chin's Border/Clash, Al Letson's Summer in Sanctuary and The Centre Cannot Hold, Eric Bogosian's Griller, Kirk Bromley's Syndrome, Bromley and Jessica Grace Wing's Lost, and Anne DeSalvo's Mamma Roma. In New York City, he also directed Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays at The Public Theater, Villa Diodati for York Theatre, Maria Irene Fornes' Springtime at HERE, Angel Street at the Pearl Theatre and Pirandello's The Man With the Flower in His Mouth for Classic Stage Company.

Rob is certified by the Audio Description Institute, and has narrated theatre, dance and special events for Queens Theatre and Lincoln Center. He is a member of the Drama League Directors Council, a Nominator for the 2021/2022 Drama League Awards and a member of the Dramatists Guild.

CAST:

Carey Cox is a New York based disabled actor and playwright. She has an MFA in acting from UNC Chapel Hill and a BFA in musical theater. She was an understudy for The Glass Menagerie on Broadway and has worked regionally at the Guthrie Theater, Playmakers Repertory Company, Nashville Children's Theater, and Queens Theater. She is also a comedian, musician, and visual artist.

Alida Rose Delaney is an award-winning actor, producer, & artist. OFF-BROADWAY: Charles Mees' Soot and Spit *NYITA Outstanding Performance Art Production/NYT Critic's Pick* (New Ohio Theatre); The Fall (SoHo Playhouse). NY/REGIONAL: The Art of Sisters (American Irish Historical Society), The Red Shoes (NY Deaf Theatre), Michael Counts' Ouroboros Trilogy (Beth Morrison Projects). FILM: Fear of Flying (upcoming); The Mohawk Trail (upcoming); In A Sentimental Mood (*Best Actress, MassIFF*).

Imani Russell is a Black/biracial+Boricua queer+trans, and neurodivergent actor, singer-songwriter, poet, and playwright from Crown Heights (Lenapehoking). Trained in classical music, musical theatre, and acting, Imani has performed off-Broadway and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and is an emerging voice-over artist. As a writer, they think about the connections between time, space, family, queerness, and magic. In 2021, Imani was a member of The Lark's Beyond the Binary inaugural cohort. They also write music under the name NANí and released a two-song EP titled sweetbitter creature in December 2020. Imani believes in Black queer+trans power and safety, indigenous sovereignty, and art as an act of love.

Futaba Shioda (he, him) is an actor who believes in art's potential for organizing movements. A Paul Robeson Award Winner for his work bridging art and advocacy, he strives to make art an accessible tool used to challenge inequities, expose capitalism, and envision freer worlds. Selected works - Theater: RENT Tour, Kennedy Center, Barrington Stage Company, WP Theater, North Shore Music Theatre. TV: Sideways Smile. Advocacy: Anticapitalism 4 Artists, Gender & Family Project, Gender Conference NYC, The New York Times, Penguin Random House.

Jae Woo is NYC-based actor/dancer. Some of his recent theater credits include: "Twelfth Night" (Sebastian) with The Classical Theatre of Harlem, "Twelfth Night" (Antonio) and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Puck) with Shakespeare On the Sound, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Lysander) with Apocalyptic Artists Ensemble, "Where Do We Live" (Leo) at the Lenfest Center for the Arts. He is currently working on the web-series, "What's Missing" by BLSN TV as the role of Mr. Park and will appear as a co-star in HBO's "Love Life" Season 2. Jae is thrilled to be working again with Queens Theatre for the third time. Training: Boston University (BFA in Acting) and Columbia University (MFA in Acting).

Alexandra Mazzucchelli is happy & humbled to be back performing at Lincoln Center! NYU Tisch Grad and native New Yorker. Alexandra was a leading lady on screen in Hallmark Channel's, "Christmas Camp", and has been in several films and TV shows (Crypto, Shades of Blue...). Some of her favorite on stage roles include Stepchild (Gabriella), American Idiot (Extraordinary Girl), Some Girls (Bobbi). Performance highlights: Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, 54 Below. Alexandra recently wrapped production on her original TV Pilot, due out later this year.

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