Junk at Burbage Theatre Co

After years of anticipation, Burbage Theatre Co closes their 10th season with the New England premiere Ayad Akhtars award-winning JUNK. Set amidst a financial civil war in the 1980s spanning the US from Los Angeles to Wall Street, this gripping, fast-paced thriller explores the dynamics of money, greed, and power from an ever-shifting assortment of perspectives. Based on true events, Junk is as ambitious as it is accessible. Junk runs from August 18 through September 11 at the Wendy Overly Studio Theatre, 59 Blackstone Avenue, Pawtucket, RI. After literal years of waiting for the right moment, it is finally happening. Based on a true story, Junk is The West Wing meets The Wolf of Wall Street fast-paced, gripping, and expansive. A sprawling epic about the J.P. Morgans and Rockefellers of the 1980s making and breaking rules in uncharted financial territory while creating vast sums of nigh incomprehensible wealth Junk examines the advent of debt as an asset through the lens of the first hostile takeover of a corporation on the Dow-Jones. This play is precisely balanced complex and nuanced, but straightforward and simple, electrifying in scope and pace, not without a deep sense of compassion, and certainly not without a touch of trademarked irreverence but of a different sort than youre used to at Burbage. In the face of the extraordinary Junk remains an unbiased take on the people who make the world and their dubious motivations is morality possible when money is the game? Audiences are left to examine shades of gray where maybe there was once only black and white. For this reason, among many, this play is art of the highest caliber. Were thrilled to bring Junk to our stage with such a massive ensemble of excellent actors, both seasoned Burbage veterans and new faces alike. Dont miss it. Jeff Church, Artistic Director Burbage Theatre Cos production of Ayad Akhtars Junk begins previews on August 18 and closes on September 11 after 13 performances.Critics and members of the Press are Invited to join us on our Pay-What-You-Will Performance (Saturday, August 20 at 8pm) or on our Preview Matinee (Sunday, August 21 at 2pm).Contact Jeff Church for more information (jeff.church.jr@gmail.com).New England PremiereWinner of Kennedy Prize for DramaJUNKby Ayad Akhtar(August 18 - September 11)Its 1985. Robert Merkin, the resident genius of the upstart investment firm Sacker-Lowell, has just landed on the cover of Time magazine. Hailed as Americas Alchemist, his proclamation that debt is an asset has propelled him to dizzying heights. Zealously promoting his belief in the near-sacred infallibility of markets, he is trying to reshape the world. What Merkin sets in motion is nothing less than a financial civil war, pitting magnates against workers, lawyers against journalists, and ultimately, pitting everyone against themselves.Dramatically enthralling A thrilling play Akhtar has written a modern-day morality tale that scrupulously questions the possibility of moral choice in a world where money, the new might, now makes right. Los Angeles TimesWhip-smart An intimate, accessible tale on an epic canvas Akhtar writes crackling, rapid-fire, overlapping dialogue like David Mamet, but its infused with Shakespearean scope and pop-culture references. San Diego Union-TribuneA massively ambitious play. It succeeds magnificently on many levels. ForbesJunk melds a breadth of genrescrime story, tragedy, issue play, cautionary taleinto a fast-moving, broad-ranging social thriller In Akhtars telling, this story is partly about male status and powerbut its also about race, privilege, competing ideals and, of course, greed. Time Out (New York). Akhtar once again proves his talent for illuminating the forces running our world, forces that would prefer to remain in the dark. TheaterMania.comABOUT THE PRODUCTIONJUNKby Ayad Akhtardirected by Jeff Church ENSEMBLEAaron Blanck, Max CizikMaria Cabral, CharleneJack Clarke, Corrigan Wiley, OthersAllison Crews, Amy MerkinZach Gibb, Boris PronskyAnthony Goes*, Robert MerkinBrian Kozak, Murray Lefkowitz, OthersOmar Laguerre-Lewis, Kevin WalshJames Lucey, Mark OHare, OthersNicholas Menna, Giuseppe Adesso Aaron Morris, Tom EversonVictor Machado, Ral RiveraCatia, Jacqueline BlountAndy Stigler, Leo TreslerMichael Thibeault, Izzy PetermanDarby Wilson, Judy ChenPRODUCTION CREWStage Manager, Kelli NoonanAssistant Director, Michael GreeneSet Design, Trevor Elliott Assistant Stage Manager, Devra LevyTechnical Director, Andrew IacovelliProduction Manager, Brittany CostelloJUNK CALENDAR OF PERFORMANCESThursday, August 18 at 7:30pm Preview Friday, August 19 at 7:30pm Preview Saturday, August 20 at 7:30pm PAY-WHAT-YOU-WILL Press PreviewSunday, August 21 at 2pm PRESS PreviewFriday, August 26 at 7:30pm OPENING NIGHTSaturday, August 27 at 7:30pm Sunday, August 28 at 2pmFriday, September 2 at 7:30pmSaturday, September 3 at 7:30pmSunday, September 4 at 2pmFriday, September 9 at 7:30pmSaturday, September 10 at 7:30pmSunday, September 11 at 2pmTICKET POLICY The best bang for your buck in the Ocean State. Warwick BeaconPreview Performances $15General Admission $30Students $15High School Students Any and all rush tickets are available to High School students for FREECOVID-19 POLICY In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Burbage has implemented a mandatory COVID policy for our patrons until further notice.To attend performances, you must:1) Wear a mask while in the theater at all times, regardless of vaccination status (unless actively eating or drinking)2) Show proof of vaccination OR show proof of a negative COVID-19 testTESTING AND VACCINATIONAll patrons attending in-person indoor events must either show proof vaccination against COVID-19 (at least 14 days have passed since the final dose), or proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken in the prior 72-hours, or proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen test taken in the prior 6-hours.Nothing is more important than your health and safety. We apologize for these inconvenient measures, but with your help, we can get back to making great theatre once again.

Authors

• Ayad Akhtar
• Edwin B. Self