Showdown Theatre Arts & U.S. High School Partner to Present London Premiere of PROSPECT HIGH: BROOKLYN

Roundabout Theatre Company and Education at Roundabout have announced that Baltimore School for the Arts in the US and Showdown Theatre Arts in the UK will present the London premiere of PROSPECT HIGH: BROOKLYN. Written by Daniel Robert Sullivan and a team of New York City teenagers, Prospect High: Brooklyn was developed in partnership with Education at Roundabout and the Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships. The play is in the midst of a Rolling World Premiere in 23 high school productions across the US, September 2015 - September 2016, but this will be the very first international production. The schools will present the play on June 4th at 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Tickets may be reserved by writing BoxOffice@TristanBatesTheatre.co.uk. Call 020 3841 6611 for more information.

The joint production will be helmed by the heads of theatre training from both institutions, Donald Hicken of Baltimore School of the Arts and Carli Jones of Showdown Theatre Arts. In a unique partnership, students from the UK attend classes for one week in Baltimore each Fall, where they workshop a show of choice while sharing practices. Each Spring, Baltimore students visit the UK, where both groups rehearse and produce an entire show in just one week. This year's production is Prospect High: Brooklyn, the 11th of the exchange program.

Says Hicken, "The opportunity for our student actors to rehearse and perform with their British counterparts has been an invaluable experience over the years of our collaboration. Showdown Theatre Arts shares our aesthetic and our dedication to nurturing young talent and all the students who have participated treasure the lessons learned and the bonds made in the work."

Says Jones, "Both BSA and STA students are thrilled to have been given the opportunity, through Roundabout Theatre Company, to be involved in the UK premiere of such a relevant and relatable play; to launch this piece in London is extremely exciting for everyone involved."

Conceived by Daniel Robert Sullivan (Tommy DeVito in Jersey Boys, Author of Places Please!) and co-written by a team of New York City teenagers, the play focuses on four intelligent, highly charged students and one seriously apathetic teacher. Prospect High: Brooklyn was created with the intent of offering a new collection of serious, true-to-life material for teenage actors. The play addresses themes of apathy, revenge, deep friendship, trans acceptance, casual racism, self-harm, and the power of both good and bad advice from teachers, all against the backdrop of an enormous Brooklyn high school. Prospect High: Brooklyn can be performed by 5 - 18 actors.

"The National New Play Network introduced the concept of a rolling world premiere in 1998, and I've always thought it would be great to offer that kind of arrangement to high schools. There is so much energy and power in teenage theatre-makers, but that positive force is often felt only locally. By introducing this fierce new play to the nation's high schools in a coordinated way, Roundabout is not only promoting the play with positive publicity, but the schools themselves. After much research, we chose 23 of the boldest high school theatre departments from across the country and can use this first-ever high school rolling world premier to recognize them and expose their power at a national level," notes creator Daniel Robert Sullivan.

Prospect High: Brooklyn was recently awarded semi-finalist status for the 2015 National Playwrights Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Center and has been published by Smith & Kraus.

Sullivan adds, "I wanted to create an issue-driven, age-appropriate, ethnically-diverse, flexible-cast play that represents the extremes inherent in an urban high school environment. Through nine months of collaboration, these teenagers have introduced me to the issues and debates most important to them. We've structured these conversations into the play."

The following productions are currently scheduled for the 2015-16 academic year:

Indianapolis: Broad Ripple Magnet High School for the Arts and Humanities (September 2015)

Memphis: Ridgeway High School (November 2015)

Syracuse: Corcoran High School (November 2015)

Philadelphia: Academy at Palumbo (December 2015)

Providence: Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts (December 2015)

Boston: Boston Arts Academy (December 2015)

Bridgeport: Central High School (December 2015)

Harrisburg: Capital Area School for the Arts (December 2015)

Milwaukee: Milwaukee High School of the Arts (December 2015)

Ann Arbor: Pioneer High School (January 2016)

Louisville: Youth Performing Arts High School (January 2016)

Oklahoma City: Harding Fine Arts Academy (January 2016)

San Jose: Lincoln High School (January 2016)

Minneapolis: Southwest High School (February 2016)

Chicago: Niles West High School (February 2016)

Tallahassee: Leon High School (February 2016)

Dallas: Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy (February 2016)

Philadelphia: Philadelphia School for Creative and Performing Arts (February 2016)

Long Island: Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts (April 2016)

Austin: McCallum Fine Arts Academy (April 2016)

San Diego: San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts (May 2016)

Baltimore: Baltimore School for the Arts (June 2016)

In New York City, the Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts will perform the play in Roundabout's own Black Box Theatre in September 2016.

Co-writers of the play include Daniel Robert Sullivan, Paul Stoll, Aaliyah Stewart, Isaiah Latimer, Chanique Peart, Deshaye Tingling, Amanda Rodriguez, Jaylin Acosta, Brandy Brown, Azaria Guthrie, Rebecca Powell, Rachel Friedman, and Shannon Deep.

Prospect High: Brooklyn received a workshop presentation at Roundabout Theatre Company in April 2014 under the direction of Shelley Butler and was originally developed with dramaturg Shannon Deep. It is currently being further developed at the Nevada Conservatory Theatre, in association with the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, under the direction of Christopher V. Edwards. Visithttp://ProspectHighBrooklyn.com for reviews, images, or to request a perusal copy.

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