Rising Sun Performance Company To Present The New York Premiere Of FRIENDLY'S FIRE

Award-winning Rising Sun Performance Company (RSPC), under the direction of Founding Artistic Director Akia Squitieri, presents the New York Premiere John Patrick Bray's critically acclaimed new play, Friendly's Fire. The limited run plays May 3 - 19 at the Theater at the 14th Street Y. Associate Artistic Director Anna Hogan directs.

In a cabin in Alaska, Guy Friendly, a Gulf War veteran and bee-herder, has just had a tooth stolen during casual sex. His best friend Todd, a pawn-shop owner dressed as an astronaut, finds Friendly in a fevered state. Trapped by the snow, Todd has little choice but enter Friendly's fevered dream, to unravel the events of the night before - and the events of the Gulf War that led Friendly to becoming a shut-in. An homage to Western movies, He-Man action figures, and the playwright's belief as a child that the Sesame Street Muppet Guy Smiley was in fact God, Friendly's Fire shows us to what lengths one man will go to preserve the sanity of his friend - a veteran who lost his brother in service to our country.

Friendly's Fire had its World Premiere at Barter Theatre's Barter II in 2017 and was directed by Producing Artistic Director Richard Rose. The play has been nominated and won numerous awards including the 2015 Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (Barter Theatre), Semifinalist for nuVoices (The Actors Theatre of Charlotte), Semifinalist for Generations (Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company), Semifinalist for the Princess Grace Foundation Playwriting Award, and a Finalist for the Kernodle Playwriting Award at the University of Arkansas. A monologue from the play is published in The Best Men's Stage Monologues 2018 with Smith and Kraus (ed. Lawrence Harbison).

Rising Sun Performance Company has produced a number of John Patrick Bray's works over the past fifteen year, starting with a night of his one acts at the 78th St. Theatre Lab in 2004. Bray's play Goodnight Lovin' Trail has been produced numerous times with RSPC, including productions with FRIGID NY, Fringe Wilmington, 2005 Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Festival, among others. Additional plays with RSPC include Donkey (2014 Planet Connections Theatre Festivity), and Erik: A Play About a Puppet (2015 FRIGID NY).

The cast features Adeyinka Adebola (Our Father/Secret Theater's Unfringed Festival), Johnny Blaze Leavitt (Love Is A Bad Neighborhood/Theater 54), Ita Korenzecher (Éléphant/Planet Connections), Desiree Pinol (Wolf at the Door/New Jersey Rep), Kyle Porter (Crested Butte/NYC Winterfest), William Serri (Èlèphant/Planet Connections Best Actor Nominee), Hannah Taylor (Playwright's Horizon), and Matthew Weitz (88 Cents/Independent Short).

The creative team includes scenic design Daniel Hogan, costume design Janet Mervin, sound design by Janet Bentley, projection design by Taylor Edelle Stuart, lighting design & technical director Zac Goin, stage management by Callie Stribling, dialect coach & fight director Monica Blaze Leavitt. Assistant director & associate producer Chris Goodrich, production Interns Xiaoyu Meng and Sarah Manzo.

Performances take place at The Theater at the 14th Street Y, 344 East 14th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues), New York, NY 10003. Subway: L train to 1st Avenue. Tickets are $15 (students/seniors/veterans/active military), general admission $25 (online in advance), $30 (at door) and are available at www.14StreetY.org/friendlysfire. Running time: 95 minutes.

Performance dates:

• Friday, May 3 at 8:00 pm
• Saturday, May 4 at 8:00 pm
• Sunday, May 5 at 5:00 pm
• Monday, May 6 at 7:00 pm
• Wednesday, May 8 at 3:00 pm
• Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00 pm
• Thursday, May 9 at 8:00 pm
• Friday, May 10 at 8:00 pm
• Saturday, May 11 at 8:00 pm
• Sunday, May 12 at 5:00 pm
• Monday, May 13 at 7:00 pm
• Wednesday, May 15 at 3:00 pm & 8:00 pm
• Thursday, May 16 at 8:00 pm
• Friday, May 17 at 8:00 pm
• Saturday, May 18 at 8:00 pm
• Sunday, May 19 at 5:00 pm

More info available at www.risingsunnyc.com/friendlys-fire.html

Rising Sun Performance Company

Founded in September of 2001, Rising Sun Performance Company is dedicated to producing ensemble-based work. It is run by artists for artists to allow them to create their own opportunities. RSP is the full-time artistic home for a wide range of theatrical artists including performers, designers, directors, playwrights and arts administrators.

Since its inception, RSPC has produced over 200 productions, readings & theatrical events including their mainstage productions, the development of countless new full length & one act plays- from both NYC & Nationally based playwrights, a musical cabaret series, variety shows, free outdoor performances, theatre for young audiences program, and immersive themed theatrical experiences.

RSPC is well known for their sold-out critically acclaimed productions of The Glory of Living, Goodnight Lovin' Trail, The Shape of Things, An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein, Hellcab The Last Supper, Fool for Love, Bug, Brilliant Traces, and last year's production of ÉLÉPHANT. RSP has been Artist in Residence at Horse TRADE Theater Group, The Field's Far Space, Hosteling International and Space on White. The company has received 7 New York Innovative Theatre Award Nominations, 30 PCTF nominations, 9 awards from Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, and is a 5-time FRIGID NY Festival award winner.

Additional info can be found at www.risingsunnyc.com

About the Theater at the 14th Street Y

The Theater at the 14th Street Y focuses on social awareness and change through big picture narrative. Inspired by works that welcome artists of all backgrounds, we place artists at the heart of our community and seek to create an inclusive and open cultural experience for all. Art is incubated here. www.14streety.org

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