PHOENIX Replaces 26 MILES 5/4-5/28 at Flashpoint Theatre Company

Flashpoint Theatre Company will present Phoenix, written by Scott Organ on May 4-28. This thoughtful romantic comedy about an unconventional romance will replace the previously scheduled production of 26 Miles by Quiara Alegria Hudes.

Directed by Candace O'Neill Cihocki in her Philadelphia debut, previews begin Wednesday, May 4 with opening night on Friday, May 6, running through May 28. Performances are Thursdays, Friday, and Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 2:30 PM, and Monday, May 23 at 8:00 PM. Tickets are available by visiting flashpointtheatre.org or calling the FPT Box Office at 215-665-9720. Flashpoint Theatre Company performs at Second Stage at the Adrienne (2030 Sansom Street) in Philadelphia, PA.

"While we were saddened by the loss of Quiara Hudes' beautiful play 26 Miles to our season, we are equally excited about producing Phoenix. Scott Organ's playful language and powerful characters are a wonderful fit to our theme of being alone, and to our aesthetic as a company," said Thom Weaver, Flashpoint Theatre Company's Artistic Director. "We are thrilled to give this Humana hit its Philadelphia premiere, and also to introduce Philadelphia audiences to the talents of director Candace O'Neill Cihocki."

"Flashpoint was incredibly gracious and understanding as my agent and I faced some last-minute scheduling conflicts," said Hudes. "I'm very sorry the production did not work out, but I'm excited about the possibility of working with Flashpoint in the future."

In Phoenix, it only takes one night for lives to change, and Bruce and Sue, initially strangers, have one such night. When they re-unite, they find they must make choices that could change their lives forever. Scott Organ's smart and touching comedy explores just how frightening and difficult it is to connect in the world.

Phoenix had its world premiere at the 34th Annual Humana Festival and was work shopped at The Barrow Group and The New Group in New York. A screenplay adaptation is currently in pre-production and will be filmed in the spring, directed by Amy Redford. In addition to Phoenix, Scott Organ is also the author of several other full-length and short plays that have been produced in New York and around the country. His play City was produced at the Circle X Theater in Los Angeles where it won the LA Dramalogue Award for best play and was subsequently produced at the first New York International Fringe Festival directed by Tony Award winner Michael Rupert. Organ is also the founding member of Atlantic Theater Company's 453 New Works Series where several of his short plays have been performed.

Director Candace O'Neil Cihocki is a recent graduate from Florida State University with an MFA in Directing. Recent directing credits include Shakespeare's Hamlet and Euripides The Bacchae at Florida State University and An Drochshaol for the Ringling International Arts Festival. O'Neil Cihocki also recently served as the Assistant Director for Jeffery Hatcher's Murderers at the Asolo Repertory Theatre and LaBute's Fat Pig at the Banyan Theatre in Sarasota, Florida. Previously, she has taught character creation workshops and choreography workshops to actors and dancers in both New York and Florida.

Since 2003, Flashpoint Theatre Company has produced socially provocative and emotionally resonant works of new and Contemporary Theatre in the greater Philadelphia area, while giving voice to a diverse group of emerging artists. The company has produced 16 Philadelphia premieres and one world premiere, worked with over 100 new and emerging theatre artists in Philadelphia, and brought in almost 5000 audience members. Flashpoint made Second Stage at the Adrienne its permanent home during its 5th season and is currently committing itself to the development and production of new works through Flashpoint DNA: Dynamic New Art. Under the director of Artistic Director Thom Weaver and Managing Director, Gigi Naglak, Flashpoint is now in its 7th season, having earlier this season completed successful runs of Run, Mourner, Run and Nocturne. For information, visit www.flashpointheatre.org.

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