BUYER AND CELLAR, FINDING DR. RUTH & More Set for Penguin Rep's 2016 Season

Penguin Rep Theatre, under the leadership of founding artistic director Joe Brancato and executive director Andrew M. Horn, announces its 2016 season, the professional Equity company's 39th at its home in Stony Point (Rockland County), New York, a season filled with current and controversial subject matter.

"The upcoming season is a wonderful opportunity to meet unforgettable characters," said Brancato, "and to experience really great stories about some hot-button topics, including immigration, same sex marriage and disability."

The season opens May 20, 2016 with "The Immigrant," a heartfelt play by Mark Harelik about his Jewish grandfather's emigration from Russia to Texas in 1909.

Next up is Jonathan Tolin's Off Broadway comedy success "Buyer and Cellar." Imagine working for Barbra Streisand herself, imagine being in charge of the private mall located in the basement of her Malibu estate, and imagine a young man who finds his true self thanks to the diva.

Following last season's presentation of Mark St. Germain's "Finding Dr. Ruth" comes the award-winning playwright's "Dancing Lessons." This romantic comedy about a young man with autism and an injured dancer will inspire and lift your spirits.

By arrangement with Ted Snowdon we present the area premiere of Florida playwright Michael McKeever's "Daniel's Husband." When a gay couple's life together takes a shocking turn, we experience the power and pain of love in this breathtaking new play.

As a pre-season teaser, Penguin puts a dynamic Irish lass front and center with a special three-performance offering of "Great White American Teeth." Written and performed by Fiona Walsh, this hilarious one-act show follows the comedian's efforts to come to America from Ireland to dance and date a movie star.

This season, Penguin's popular "Just Desserts" readings will take place on summer Mondays: June 13, July 11, July 25, August 15 and August 29.

"Get up close and personal", said Brancato, "enjoy desserts, ranging from healthy to heavenly, before the reading of a new play and a lively discussion among the audience, author and actors."

Performances and readings are scheduled at Penguin's intimate, 108-seat theatre, located at 7 Crickettown Road in Stony Point. "It's theatre so close you can feel it", said Horn, "with comfy upholstered seats and no seat more than 30 feet from the stage." The theatre, which is converted from an 1880's hay barn, is air conditioned, accessible to all, and offers plenty of free parking.

Come fall, SUNY Rockland Community College's 500-seat Cultural Arts Theatre in Suffern, New York will be the venue for a special presentation of "Wiesenthal," written and performed by Tom Dugan, on Saturday, October 8.

The true story of Simon Wiesenthal, an ordinary man who brought Nazi war criminals to justice, this award-winning play is filled with hope, humanity and humor.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND TICKETS:

The very best seats in the house go to subscribers before single tickets go on sale. Bringing friends or family just got easier, with subscribers receiving $8 off the purchase of additional tickets. Lose or forget your tickets? Don't worry. Need to exchange your tickets for a different date? It's not a problem. Subscribers may exchange their tickets.

For no additional charge, patrons can select a value-added subscription series that includes post-performance discussions among the artists and audience, and pre-show tastings supplied by local restaurants. An additional incentive, said Horn, "is to dine out at a discount, with select restaurants offering special benefits to Penguin subscribers".

Subscriptions to the 2016 season go on sale online and by mail on Tuesday, March 15. (Telephone orders will be taken starting April 5). Prices start as low as $115 for the four plays, a savings of 25 to 33% off the cost of individual tickets. That's less than $29 per ticket.

Individual tickets for mainstage productions are priced at $43 (including facility fee and service charge. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more and young people (30 and under).

Tickets are $16 for "Just Desserts" readings, or available by subscription to all five readings at $60.

Tickets for "Great White American Teeth" are $25 each ($20 for Penguin subscriber).

Tickets for "Wiesenthal" are $45 each ($40 each for Penguin subscribers).

To order tickets or for further information, visit Penguin Rep's website at www.penguinrep.org or call 845-786-2873. Performance days and times for mainstage productions are: Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

PENGUIN REP 2016 SEASON

Pre-Season:

April 30-May 1 - Great White American Teeth, written and performed by Fiona Walsh

What's a young girl to do when she lives in a tiny town in Ireland far from her heartthrob Warren Beatty? Comedian Fiona Walsh will have you in stitches with her hilarious stories about trying to get to America from Ireland to disco and date a movie star.

This event is part of The Robert Flynn Irish Heritage Festival, which is funded by a generous gift from The Kurz Family Foundation & RCC Student Activities Fees.

Season:

May 20 - June 12 - The Immigrant, by Mark Harelik

In 1909, Haskell Harelik emigrated from Russia. Instead of going to New York, he ended up in Hamilton, Texas (population: 1203; no Jews). This is the heartfelt true story of the playwright's grandfather, a stranger in a strange land, who spoke no English, but with a wheelbarrow, a bunch of bananas and the loving support of a Texan couple pursued the American Dream.

July 1 - July 24 - Buyer & Cellar, by Jonathan Tolins

"The most talked-about comedy of the year" (The New York Times) about the price of fame, the cost of things and the oddest of odd jobs. The fun ensues when an unemployed actor goes to work in a shopping mall built in Barbra Streisand's Malibu basement where Babs herself is the only buyer!

August 12 - September 4 - Dancing Lessons, by Mark St. Germain

This romantic comedy from the author of "Becoming Dr. Ruth" centers on a young man with Asperger's syndrome who seeks instruction from a Broadway dancer, who is recovering from an injury. As their relationship unfolds, they're caught off-guard by the discoveries - hilarious and heartwarming - that they make about each other and themselves.

September 23 - October 16 - Daniel's Husband, by Michael McKeever

Michael and Daniel are the ideal couple, everything but married. Michael does not believe in marriage; Daniel does. When their life together takes a shocking and unexpected turn, we learn about the power and pain of love in this breathtaking new play. Produced by arrangement with Ted Snowdon.

Special Event:

October 8 - Wiesenthal, written and performed by Tom Dugan

Filled with hope, humanity and humor, this award-winning play tells the true story of Simon Wiesenthal, an ordinary man who did extraordinary things. Nicknamed "the Jewish James Bond," he devoted his life to bringing more than a thousand Nazi war criminals to justice.

At SUNY Rockland Community College, Suffern, New York

ABOUT PENGUIN REP THEATRE

Penguin Rep Theatre is a not-for-profit professional Equity theatre in its 39th year of operation. Its home is a century-old barn in Stony Point (Rockland County), New York, which has been converted into a fully equipped, handicapped accessible 108-seat theatre.

Under the leadership of founding artistic director Joe Brancato and executive director Andrew M. Horn, Penguin has grown from a summer theatre to become one of the Hudson Valley's most influential nonprofit cultural institutions.

Since its founding in 1977, Penguin has produced over 150 celebrated shows for more than 400,000 people from the lower Hudson Valley and beyond, including new works by Lee Blessing, Steven Dietz, Tom Dudzick, Ronald Harwood, Arthur Laurents, Warren Leight, Jon Marans, William Mastrosimone, James Sherman, Elizabeth Swados, Staci Swedeen and Richard Vetere. Many new plays have moved from Stony Point to New York City, across the country and around the world, and from the stage to TV and film.

As The Journal News wrote in 1982: "Somebody forgot to tell artistic director Joe Brancato that he's crazy to use a little barn plunked down in the Rockland County suburbs to experiment with unusual and challenging plays... I hope everybody keeps forgetting to tell him. The region is more the richer for it."

And Mr. Brancato has brought together accomplished professional actors - David Canary, Michael Cullen, Gregg Edelman, Michael Esper, Barbara Feldon, Tovah Feldshuh, Beth Fowler, Deborah Hedwall, Celeste Holm, Richard Kline, Andrew McCarthy, Lizbeth Mackay, Michele Pawk, and Karen Ziemba, among others - to star in new and noteworthy plays.

"Guided by the skilled hand of Penguin's artistic director, Joe Brancato, the splendid performers get first-rate support, as always at Penguin, by an excellent design team" (The New York Times).

"Penguin Rep is a place where theatergoers can experience magic time after time" (Lohud.com).

As it launches its 2016 season, Penguin Rep Theatre, dubbed "the gutsiest little theatre" by The New York Times, continues to present a cultural experience that is unique in the region: professional productions of new plays at affordable prices.

Penguin Rep Theatre's 2016 season is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Penguin Rep also gratefully acknowledges the support of the County of Rockland, the Town of Stony Point, The Shubert Foundation and Cory and Bob Donnalley Charitable Foundation and generous donations from Joseph Grosso, Barry and Helene Lewis, Chase Mishkin and Morton Wolkowitz.

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