THE WITCH OF ELMORA STREET at Access Theater this Decmeber

Joey Merlo's The Witch of St. Elmora Street explores love, heartbreak, and witchcraft within an Italian-American family circa 1987. Weaving together tales of family lore and superstitious hearsay The Witch of St. Elmora Street is a grotesque comedy about what it means to live with a broken heart.

"I remember my family telling me this bizarre story about a woman who was involved with dark magic," says Merlo. "It was almost Shakespearian. She believed that if you put your period blood in someone's espresso you could get that person to fall in love with you."

From there Merlo crafted a story that blurs the lines between magical realism and larger-than-life portraits of people in search of love, in search of vengeance and in search of healing. "We are heightening everything with a very physical almost clownish performance style," says Merlo.

Ultimately The Witch of St. Elmora Street is the experience of a person with a broken heart splattered large across a theatrical canvass.

Running time is 90 minutes

The Witch of St. Elmora Street features (in order of appearance) Caitlin Zoz, Chris Dunlop*, Vanessa Koppel, Chinaza Uche*, Nicole Pursell, Nathaniel Peart, and Enzo Ferrante. The Witch of St. Elmora Street is written by Joey Merlo and directed by Emilyn Kowaleskiwith choreography by Katy Rose Trevor Salter, stage management by Caitlin Kellermeyer, assistant direction and stage management byBrian Pollock, production management and technical direction by Aaron Watson, lighting design by Mike Mcgee, scene design by Brooke Van Hensbergen, costume design by Lizzie Donelan, and hair and make up design by Ali Tritto and Lea Maurer. Produced by Jordan Bean and associate produced by PatRick Taylor. Graphics by Darb Designs.

*Actors appearing courtesy of Actors Equity Association.

Performance Schedule:
Fri Dec 2 at 8pm *preview
Sat Dec 3 at 8pm *preview
Sun Dec 4 at 3pm *matinee (press is invited)
Mon Dec 5 at 8pm *opening (press is invited)
Wed Dec 7 at 8pm
Thurs Dec 8 at 8pm
Fri Dec 9 at 8pm
Sat Dec 10 at 8pm
Sun Dec 11 at 3pm *matinee
Mon Dec 12 at 8pm
Wed Dec 14 at 8pm
Thurs Dec 15 at 8pm
Fri Dec 16 at 8pm
Sat Dec 17 at 8pm
Sun Dec 18 at 7pm

Location:
Access Theater is located at 380 Broadway (b/w White and Walker Streets) in Manhattan. N/Q/R/J/Z to Canal Street.

More info at:
http://elmorastreet.com/

Tickets: Tickets: $15 for students, $20 previews, $25 general admission

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
JOEY MERLO (playwright)
Joey Merlo is a poet, actor and playwright who has worked all over the world including Ghana, where he completed a documentary on the illegality of homosexuality called Voices and Greece, where he took part in a collaborative residency that focused on creating public art installations and theater with both Athenian activists and students. He has worked with the Westport Country Playhouse, the Lark, Dixon Place and contributes to Out.com. Joey lives in Washington Heights and is the host of Siren Den, a monthly showcase for artists at Smalls Jazz Club in the West Village.

EMILYN KOWALESKI (director)
Emilyn Kowaleski is a Brooklyn based writer and director. She has shown past work in venues and series such as Ars Nova's Ant Fest, Title:Point's SalON, Cloud City, The Kraine Theater, Dixon Place, The Bowery Poetry Club, and Play Date at Pete's. She was the Associate Director of Young Jean Lee's Theater Company from August 2013 to January 2016. Credits include: We're Gonna Die at Lincoln Center Theatre: LCT3 (August, 2013) and Straight White Men at The Public Theater and national and international tours. Her upcoming directing projects include: Developing Brett Evan Solomon's play, Delicious Filth; and a workshop production of her play WEATHER at The Performance Project at University Settlement in 2017. She is a member of The 2016/2017 Habitat's Director's Playground where she will be staging her poetry series, OUR HEROINE. B.F.A. in Drama from NYU: TSOA: Experimental Theater Wing, dual degree in Psychology. EmilynKowaleski.com

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