Andrea Maulella & Andy Prosky to Lead Penguin Rep's HOW THE WORLD BEGAN, Begin. 6/28

Penguin Rep Theatre will present How the World Began, Catherine Trieschmann's thought-provoking new play examining contemporary America where religion, science and irreconcilable beliefs collide, beginning Friday, June 28 in Stony Point (Rockland County), New York.

Penguin Rep founder and Artistic Director Joe Brancato will direct.

"One hundred years ago, people were talking about the conflict between science and religion," says executive director Andrew M. Horn, who is celebrating his 30th year as Penguin Rep's Executive Director, "and we're still talking about it today".

"How the World Began is a gripping examination of the way in which we navigate interpersonal relationships involving seemingly irreconcilable beliefs," says Mr. Brancato, "and just how hard it is to truly listen to one another in an increasingly polarized world".

In How the World Began, Susan, a high school teacher from New York City, relocates to a small Kansas town reeling from a tornado and unexpectedly sets off a firestorm of her own when she makes an off-hand comment about the origin of the universe.

The second of the four mainstage productions selected for the Stony Point (Rockland County), New York-based nonprofit professional theatre's 36th season, How the World Began will be presented through Sunday, July 21.

How the World Began marks the return of Andrea Maulella, who previously appeared at Penguin Rep in the world premieres of Tom Dudzick's Miracle on South Division Street and Gino DiIorio and Nancy Bleemer's Centennial Casting, as well as in The Adjustment and The Vows of Penelope Corelli, and Andy Prosky, who recently starred in Around the World in 80 Days and as Dr. Watson in Hound of the Baskervilles. The cast also includes Drigan Lee making his Penguin debut.

Ms. Maulella has been seen Off Broadway in Tryst (Irish Repertory Theater), One Shot, One Kill (Primary Stages), and Miracle On South Division Street (St. Luke's Theatre), all directed by Joe Brancato. Regionally, she starred in To Kill a Mockingbird (Alley Theatre) and garnered the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for her performance as Adelaide in Tryst at the Westport Country Playhouse, a part which she all portrayed in productions at the Alley Theatre, Merrimack Repertory, and Hartford Theatre Works.

Mr. Prosky's stage credits include King Lear at Lincoln Center starring Christopher Plummer and The Price at the Walnut Street Theatre. He has been seen in the films Men In Black, Mrs Doubtfire, The Great Outdoors, Taking Woodstock (directed by Ang Lee) and A Birders Guide To Everything starring Sir Ben Kingsley.

Drigan Lee's credits include Six Degrees of Separation at Williamstown Theatre Festival. He is a graduate of Northwestern University and the School at Steppenwolf.

Playwright Catherine Trieschmann's work include The Bridegroom of Blowing Rock (Weissberger Award), crooked, The World of Others, Hot Georgia Sunday, and Small and Selfish Creatures. Her plays has been produced Off Broadway at Women's Project, South Coast Repertory, the Bush Theatre (London), Out of Joint (London), the New Theatre (Sydney), American Theatre Company (Chicago), Florida Stage, the Summer Play Festival, Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Theatre in the Square, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and the New York International Fringe Festival. She has received commissions from South Coast Repertory Theatre and Manhattan Theatre Club. Her work is published by Samuel French, Methuen, and Smith & Kraus, as well as featured in The Best New Playwrights of 2009. She also wrote the screenplay for the film Angel's Crest, which premiered at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival and will be released by Magnolia Pictures. Originally from Athens, Georgia, she currently resides in a small town in western Kansas.

Director Joe Brancato's Off Broadway credits include The Devil's Music: The Life & Blues of Bessie Smith (Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Off Bway Alliance & Audelco Award nominee), which he also staged at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Cleveland Play House and Hartford Stage; Tom Dudzick's Miracle on South Division Street (St. Luke's Theatre); Fall to Earth and Freed (Audelco Award nominee) at 59E59; Tryst (Outer Critics nomination for Best Play) at the Promenade Theatre and Irish Repertory Theatre; Cobb (Drama Desk winner) produced by Kevin Spacey in NYC and LA; From Door To Door at The Westside Theatre; and One Shot, One Kill at Primary Stages.

As founding artistic director of Penguin Rep he has directed nearly 150 productions here including premieres by Arthur Laurents, Lanie Robertson, William Mastrosimone, James Sherman, Steven Dietz, Richard Vetere, Allan Knee and Tom Dudzick.

The production team for How the World Began includes designers James J. Fenton (scenic), Elisheba Ittoop (sound), Kalere A. Payton (costumes), and Todd O. Wren (lighting); properties/technical director Kyle Bridwell; and production stage manager Michael Palmer.

Performance days and times for How the World Began are: Thursdays and Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. A special reduced-priced weekday matinee performance is slated for Friday, June 28 at 2:00 p.m. There is no performance Thursday, July 4.

Performances are slated at Penguin Rep Theatre's intimate, 108-seat theatre located at 7 Crickettown Road. The facility, a converted 1880s hay barn which was upgraded in 1986 and 2007, features air conditioning, wheelchair accessible rest rooms and entrance, upholstered theatre seats, and plenty of free parking.

"We are also pleased to announce an exciting new collaboration with Rose Memorial Library in Stony Point", says Mr. Brancato, "designed to give patrons more information about the subject matter of a play". Called "Page and Stage", the inaugural event consists of a book discussion of Monkey Girl by Edward Humes at the library on Tuesday, July 9 at 6 p.m., a ticket to see How the World Began on Friday, July 19 at 7:30 p.m., and a talkback after the show with the actors and members of the production teaM. Rose Memorial Library Director Benjamin Reid will moderate both discussions.

Subtitled "Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America's Soul", Monkey Girl is the non-fiction account of Kitzmiller v. Dover, a court case pitting the science of evolution against the rising forces behind the "intelligent design" movement. "With excellent journalism and superb storytelling," says Mr. Reid, "Mr. Humes crafts the dramatic tale of what happens to a small town when faith, science, and culture collide."

There is no charge for the book discussion and copies of the book can be picked up at the Rose Memorial Library, located at 79 East Main Street in Stony Point. An RCLS library card is required.

Participants are advised to register in advance for the July 9 book discussion by calling the library at (845) 786-2100 at which time they will receive a promotional code that enables them to purchase discount tickets ($31) for the July 19 performance.

Following How the World Began in Penguin Rep's 2013 season is the world premiere of Drop Dead Perfect, a comedy by Erasmus Fenn, from August 9 through September 1. Staged by Mr. Brancato and starring Drama Desk Award winner Everett Quinton from the legendary Ridiculous Theatrical Company, Drop Dead Perfect is the story of Idris Seabright, the heartbroken, half-mad mistress of a Key West cottage where mayhem and wackiness rule. When she and her ward are visited by a mysterious stranger, "fasten your seatbelts for an outrageous and bawdy ride", says Mr. Brancato. Drop Dead Perfect is suggested for adults.

Closing the season will be the world premiere of The Farm, an explosive modern-day spy story by Walt McGough, from September 27 through October 20. Something went wrong, but Finn's not talking. Instead, he's retiring, and Parker needs to know why. But trust doesn't come easy at the CIA, and as the operatives match wits, it becomes clear that they may not even be on the same side.

Tickets to How the World Began are priced at $39 each. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more and young people (30 and under). "If you're 30 or younger," says Mr. Horn, "call the box office and get tickets for $19.50 now."

To order tickets or for further information, visit Penguin Rep's website at www.penguinrep.org or call 845-786-2873.

Under the dynamic leadership of Mr. Brancato and Mr. Horn, Penguin Rep Theatre has grown in 35 years from a summer theatre in a converted 1880's hay barn to become one of the Hudson Valley's most influential nonprofit cultural institutions.

Founded in 1977 by Mr. Brancato and trustee Francine Newman-McCarthy, Penguin now reaches tens of thousands of theatergoers, students and artists each year at its home theatre in Stony Point, in New York City and beyond - with plays and productions premiered by Penguin moving to Off Broadway and to stages across the country and around the world.

Hailed by The New York Times as "the gutsiest little theatre" and by The Journal News for its "wondrous productions", Penguin Rep is Rockland's only professional theatre employing members of Actors' Equity Association.

Penguin Rep Theatre gratefully acknowledges general operating support from the New York State Council on the Arts, a public agency celebrating 60 years of building strong, creative communities in New York State's 62 counties, The Shubert Foundation, and the Cory and Bob Donnalley Charitable Foundation.

Pictured: Andy Prosky (Gene Dinkel), Drigan Lee (Micah Staub), Andrea Maulella (Susan Pierce). Photo Credit: Aaron Pepis.

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