UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE Begins Performances at The Flea Tonight

Phillstock Entertainment presents the World-Premiere of the new musical UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE - a 90-minute re-imagining of Shakespeare's classic "As You Like It" using original Shakespearean text, an indie-Americana score and a multi-talented cast of actor/singer/musicians to create a melodic journey through the Forest of Arden Workshopped this past march in a Brooklyn warehouse, UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE is now stretching it's boughs and limbs across the East River. Performances of UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE begin August 8th prior to an official press opening of August 11th at The Flea Theater (41 White Street) in Manhattan.

Adapted and with original music by Tyler Phillips, UNDER THE GREEWOOD TREE follows Rosalind, Orlando, and the rest of the Bard's timeless cast of characters from "As You Like It" as they wander throughout the Forest of Arden with instruments in tow.

Under the direction of Tyler Phillips and Carly Howard, the UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE cast of actor/singer/musicians includes Brett Benowitz, Kevy Bergman, Kendra Jo Brook, John Gardner, Sean Griffin, Carly Howard, K.C. Leiber, Trevor McGinnis, Jennifer Oman, Kyle Sallee, Andy DeRado, Josh Bowen, Michelle Siracusa, Bethany Taylor, Elle Tieszen, Kim Vogels and Dan Wilson.

The UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE production team includes Jennifer Oman (choreographer), Christine Samar (costume designer) and Allie Wagner (stage manager).

Tyler Phillips had his first musical produced at the Magik Theatre in San Antonio, TX in 2004. His most recent credits include "American English" (17 Frost), "Things That Go Together" (17 Frost), and "Portrait of the Artist As A Huge D-Bag" (Triskelion Arts' Zoo Theater). Tyler is also an Award-Winning Film Composer and fronts the Brooklyn based bands, "The Inns" and "The Winchester Local."

Carly Howard is a Brooklyn-based artist, currently recording her second album. She is a founder of Sparrowtree Theatre Company. She most recently wrote and directed, "Overgrown," a fairy tale about a vegan plant eating a guy, which was produced last year at 17 Frost Theatre of the Arts in Williamsburg.

Jennifer Oman received her BA in Theatre Studies from Emerson College. Hailing from Minneapolis, her onstage dance experience began with Minnesota Dance Theatre and the world-renowned Children's Theatre Company. Her choreography credits include regional: Nunsense, Hansel and Gretel, Metropolis, Five Variations of Romeo and Juliet, Overgrown and several individual modern pieces in Boston and Minneapolis. She also performs regularly in New York City as a dancer and singer.

Phillstock Entertainment LLC is a New York State based company in its second season of original theatre productions and live music events. Prior toworkshopping and producing "Under The Greenwood Tree", PS presented the world premieres of "American English", "Portrait of the Artist as a Huge D-Bag", and co-produced "Five Variations of Romeo and Juliet" with Sparrowtree Theatre Company.

The Flea Theater, under Artistic Director Jim Simpson and Producing Director Carol Ostrow, is one of New York's leading off-off-Broadway companies. Winner of a Special Drama Desk Award for outstanding achievement and an Otto for political theater, The Flea has presented over 100 plays and numerous dance and live music performances since its inception in 1996. Past productions include the premieres by Steven Banks, Thomas Bradshaw, Bathsheba Doran, Will Eno, Karen Finley, Amy Freed, Sean Graney, A.R. Gurney, Hamish Linklater, Enrique Gutiérrez Ortiz Monasterio, Itamar Moses, Anne Nelson, Qui Nguyen, Adam Rapp, Jonathan Reynolds, Roger Rosenblatt, Tommy Smith, Elizabeth Swados, and Mac Wellman. Recent successes include Drama Desk nominated Restoration Comedy, She Kills Monsters and These Seven Sicknesses.

Scheduled August 8 through August 18 UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE has a performance schedule of Tuesdays through Fridays at 7pm; Saturdays at 3pm and 7pm and Sundays at 3pm at The Flea Theater (41 White Street, between Church and Broadway - three blocks south of Canal, close to the A/C/E, N/R/Q, 6, J/M/Z and 1 Subway lines). Tickets are $15 online and $20 at the door. Purchase online at www.TheFlea.org.

For more information about UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE, visit www.greenwoodtree.net.

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