Phoenix Theatre Ensemble Announces 2009-10 Season; Adds Four New Artistic Directors

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble begins its 6th season with the addition of four new Artistic Directors: Brian Costello, Kelli Holsopple, Kathleen Ferman-Menino, and Joseph Menino, who join current Phoenix Ensemble Artistic Directors Elise Stone, Craig Smith, Michael Surabian and Amy Wagner. Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, a member of the Network of the Ensemble Theatres and ART/NY, is a collaborative ensemble that presents 3 to 6 productions annually and maintains a robust community outreach program.

Brian Costello is an actor who has appeared in three Phoenix Productions, "Complete Works of William Shakespeare," Anouilh's "Antigone," and Ibsen's "An Enemy of the People." Kelli Holsopple has performed in Phoenix Productions of Romulus Linney's "Can Can" and "Antigone," and she manages the company's Arts in Education program, InFlight, now in its 5th year of serving New York City Public Schools. Kathy Ferman-Menino has appeared in "Antigone" and is the Phoenix-for-the-Family Playwright in Residence having penned Phoenix Productions of "Little Red," "Aesop's Fables," "Puss and Boots," and the upcoming productions of "Goldilocks," and "The Three Little Pigs." Joseph Menino has been a mainstay of Phoenix Productions appearing in "The Trial," "Wolfpit," "The Lifeblood," "Antigone," and "An Enemy of the People."

Phoenix Ensemble spokesperson and founder Craig Smith states "When Phoenix was founded in 2004 we made accommodations for this type of lateral growth when our programming warranted this type of expansion. The incorporation of these talented and dedicated artists into our core ensemble is a major step forward as we move into our 6th season which will include a performance reading series of 3 Williams plays, 2 mainstage productions, our 2nd season of the Phoenix-for-the-Family program, and our expanding arts in education and community outreach projects."

STAGED READING SERIES OF WILLIAMS PLAYS

The season opens in September with a staged reading series of 3 performances each of Tennessee Williams' "Suddenly Last Summer" in September (Directed by Karen Lordi-Kirkham), "A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur" in October (director TBD), and "In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel" in December (directed by Amy Wagner).

MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS - "NO EXIT" and "CANDIDA"

In December Phoenix will open Jean Paul Sartre's existential exploration of life after death in "NO EXIT" directed by Elise Stone. The cast will include Kelli Holsopple, Laura Piquado, Joe Menino and Craig Smith. Sets and lights are designed by Tsubasa Kamei. Smith states "We read "NO EXIT" earlier this year for an invited audience of our subscribers and it proved to be a thoroughly gripping - and surprisingly humorous 90 minutes of theatre. After confirming that it had not been seen in New York for some time and based on audience response, we immediately scheduled a full production. It's overall theme of an individual's accountability for past actions is as relevant now as it was in postwar Europe in the 1940s." In May Phoenix will present its first Shaw production with "CANDIDA" directed by Amy Wagner. Casting and design team are TBD.

PHOENIX-FOR-THE-FAMILY SERIES

This will mark the second year of performances of the Phoenix's newest program: Phoenix-for-the-Family. Phoenix-for-the-Family will present two productions this season, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," a twisted meta-theatre tale of a young diva in training, Goldilocks, and her abuse of a perfectly nice family of bears opening in December and coming in May the musical of "The Three Little Pigs." Both productions have been written by Phoenix-for-the-Family playwright in residence, Kathy Ferman-Menino and music and lyrics for "The Three Little Pigs" are by Ellen Mandel.

NEW VENUE FOR 2009-10 SEASON
The upcoming season will also mark an exciting new venue for Phoenix. All performances will take place at The Wild Project in the heart of New York's East Village at 195 East 3rd Street, the newly renovated 99-seat "green" theatre includes eco-friendly features like recycled glass tiles, bamboo plywood, low flush toilets, rooftop solar panels and energy-efficient glass windows.

Staged Reading Series:
"Suddenly Last Summer" by Tennessee Williams
Tues. Sept 29 @ 7:30 pm; Sat Oct 3 & Sun Oct 4 at 3:00

"A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur" by Tennessee Williams
Tues Nov 17 at 7:30 pm; Sat Nov 21 at 1:00 pm; Sun Nov 22 at 3:00 pm

"In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel" by Tennessee Williams
Tues Dec 15 at 7:30 pm; Sat Dec 19 & Sun Dec 20 at 3:00 pm
Price: All tickets $25; Season discount passes available

Mainstage Productions:
"No Exit" by Jean Paul Sartre
Dec 3 through Dec 13 (Tues-Sat @ 8:00 pm; Sun @ 3:00 pm

"Candida" by George Bernard Shaw
May 6 through May 16 Tues-Sat @ 8:00 pm; Sun @ 3:00 pm
Price: All tickets $25; Season discount passes available

Phoenix-for-the-Family Productions:
"Goldilocks and the Three Bears" by Kathy Ferman Menino
Saturday Dec 5 and Saturday December 12 @ 11:00 am & 1:00 pm
"The Three Little Pigs" by Kathy Ferman Menino; music and lyrics by Ellen Mandel
Saturday May 8 and Saturday May 15 @ 11:00 am & 1:00 pm
Price: All tickets $7; Season discount passes available
Where: The Wild Project
195 East 3rd Street (between Avenues A & B)
Subway: F or V to 2nd Avenue or L to 14th Street.

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble (PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org)

Ticket orders: Tickets available by calling 212.352.3101 or visiting PhoenixTheatreEnsemble.org

 

 

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