Prologue Theatre Presents The Regional Premiere Of MONSTERS OF THE AMERICAN CINEMA By Christian St. Croix

Prologue Theatre's next production, Monsters of the American Cinema by Christian St. Croix, explores the definition of family, coming-of-age challenges, and the fun of classic films in this regional premiere presented at the Atlas Performing Arts Center July 20 - August 6, 2023.

Prologue's Artistic Director, Jason Tamborini, selected the play to be a part of Prologue's initial FOREWORD new works series back in 2021. Even during that workshop process, Jason could see the potential in staging a full production of this play and he is thrilled that vision is becoming a reality. "I was taken in at first by the richness of the characters in this play - their stories and struggles are both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. I am thrilled we have the ability to fully stage this play, which is set at a drive-in movie lot, and thoughtfully incorporate all of the design elements to immerse the audience in the world Christian has created."

Monsters of the American Cinema looks at the lives of Remy & Pup. When his husband dies, Remy Washington, a Black man, finds himself both the owner of a drive-in movie theater and a caregiver to his late husband's straight, white teenage son, Pup. United by their love of classic American monster movies, the two have developed a warm and caring familial chemistry - but their relationship is tested when Remy discovers Pup and his friends have been bullying a teen at his school. Told through dueting monologue and playful dialogue, Monsters of the American Cinema is a haunting and humorous tale about fathers and sons, ghosts and monsters.

Gerrad Alex Taylor (Remy) and Fletcher Lowe (Pup) will work with Tamborini (Director) to bring this story of classic monster tales and modern human struggles to the stage. The design team on the project includes Nadir Bey (Scenic Designer), Katie Buchwell (Stage Manager), Dan Deiter (Sound Designer), Helen Garcia-Alton (Lighting Designer), Hailey LaRoe (Projections Designer), Johnna Presby (Costume Designer), and Sierra Young (Intimacy Director).

Prologue will also be presenting screenings of nine classic movies, produced between 1931 and 1954 during the three-week run of the play. "Pup has been watching these movies most of his life and it's something that he and Remy really bond over throughout the play," Tamborini explains. "I wanted to offer up the idea of a double feature - a movie screening plus the play to expand the type of community engagement that we are providing."

In addition to the films, Prologue will continue to host the post-show audience conversations they are known for, delving into the themes of the play and answering questions after each Saturday afternoon matinee, on July 22, July 29, and August 5.

Monsters of the American Cinema is being performed at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St NE, Washington, DC 20002 from July 20 to August 6, 2023. Evening performances begin at 7:30 pm and weekend matinees begin at 2:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased via www.prologuetheatre.org.

Please note, the play is recommended for ages 15+ and contains strong language regarding race and sexual identity, along with themes of grief, loss, and bullying.

The film rating system was not established until 1968. The classic movies being screened should be considered to range from TV-G to TV-PG. Movie details and links to parental guides can be found at https://www.prologuetheatre.org/movies.html

Christian St. Croix (he/him) is an award-winning playwright based in San Diego, CA. The San Diego Union-Tribune has called him "one of the nation's fastest-rising playwrights, thanks to his ability to write multidimensional characters with wry humor and truth, as well as unique stories told from his perspective as a queer Black writer." He was featured in American Theatre Magazine's Role Call: People to Watch installment. His plays include Monsters of the American Cinema, winner of the 2021 Carlo Annoni International Drama Award and the 2023 Young-Howze Theatre Journal award for Stage Writing of the Year; We Are the Forgotten Beasts, a 2022 Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference Finalist, and ZACH, winner of the 2021 Young-Howze Theatre Award for Best Comedic Writing.

His plays have been developed and produced by Blindspot Collective in association with the La Jolla Playhouse (San Diego, CA), ArtsWest Playhouse (Seattle, WA), Third Culture Theatre (Los Angeles, CA), Prologue Theatre (Washington, DC), Know Theatre of Cincinnati (OH), and HIT International Theatre Arts in Copenhagen, Denmark, amongst others.

Prologue Theatre is an Arlington, VA based non-profit, professional theatre company founded in 2018 and the recipient of the 2023 John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company. The vision for Prologue Theatre originated with Founding Artistic Director Jason Tamborini and centers around Prologue's commitment to producing works that can be the catalyst for deeper dialogue and conversation on topical issues - ones that are sometimes challenging to talk about. Prologue Theatre's Board of Directors fully supports this mission and is also pleased to offer opportunities for local theatre artists to share their talents with the community.

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