Clockwork Theater Announces Cast For McManus' CHERRY SMOKE

The Clockwork Theatre is pleased to announce the cast for their upcoming production of CHERRY SMOKE by JAMES McMANUS (winner of the 2006 Princess Grace Playwriting Award), directed by JADE KING CARROLL. The title role of Cherry will be portrayed by MARIANNA McCLELLAN, with JAY ROHLOFF playing opposite her in the role of Fish. Mr. Rohloff, who serves as Clockwork's Artistic Director, was most recently seen in the company's revival of Caryl Churchill's A Number at Theatre Row in September, 2008, for which he received praise for portraying a man and two very unique clones of that man.

Of his performance, Martin Denton of NYTheatre.com wrote "...those on the lookout for exceptional acting talent will want to take in Rohloff's fine performance in this commendable production." Ms. McClellan and Mr. Rohloff appeared together in Clockwork's production of Apartment 3A by Jeff Daniels, in January, 2008. Of their performances opposite one another in that production, Charles Isherwood of The New York Times wrote "The cast is friendly and attractive, with Ms. McClellan transmitting Annie's tense vulnerability effectively and Mr. Rohloff playing the good-hearted goof to perfection." DOUG NYMAN, who has been seen in Clockwork's productions of Don Juan in Chicago and Apartment 3A, will play Duffy in CHERRY SMOKE. All three are members of The Clockwork Workshop, a program designed to build a company of actors who work cohesively and efficiently. New to the stage for Clockwork is KATE ROGAL in the role of Bug. Ms. Rogal recently played a featured role in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and was seen in Boy Girl Boy Girl in the 2008 N.Y. Fringe Festival.

In the month of February, CHERRY SMOKE will premiere on two continents. In addition to Clockwork's U.S. Premiere production, the play will enjoy it's Australian premiere in Sydney at the Old Fitzroy Theatre. The Clockwork Theatre, in conjunction with Mr. McManus, has spent the last several months revising and refining the play in a workshop setting. The new rendition of the play as revised by McManus during his time with Clockwork will also be the rendition premiering in Sydney. This unique theatrical opening on two continents within a short span of time will help to launch playwright McManus' career globally.

In CHERRY SMOKE, Fish, a club fighter who has spent most of his life in and out of jail, is a ticking time bomb. Despite his constant struggle to change and lead a decent life, his violent outbursts and hair trigger temper result in countless confrontations with the law. His girlfriend, Cherry, a runaway who has been on her own since the age of ten, longs for a more simple life like the one Fish's brother, Duffy, and Duffy's wife, Bug, lead. The all consuming love Fish and Cherry have for each other is put to the test in this poetic and visceral drama, set on the outskirts of Pittsburgh. CHERRY SMOKE was the featured offering in Clockwork's 2008 Reading Series.

CHERRY SMOKE plays the following regular schedule from February 21 through March 14, 2009.
Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. - Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $25 (discounts available for students and seniors) and are now available online at www.TicketCentral.com or by calling 212-279-4200. Tickets may also be purchased in-person at the Theatre Row Box Office, 410 West 42nd Street from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

MARIANNA McCLELLAN (Cherry) is honored to be working with The Clockwork Theatre again after playing the role of Annie Wilson in their production of Apartment 3A, and being featured as Cherry in their reading of Cherry Smoke. She recently played Harriet Schrag in David Wiltse's Sedition. Marianna received her B.A. in Theatre Arts from S.U.N.Y New Paltz in 2007 where some of her favorite productions include King Lear (Goneril), Fefu and Her Friends (Fefu), The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Grusha) and Stop Kiss (Callie).

DOUG NYMAN (Duffy) is a proud founding member and the Director of Education for Clockwork. Appearances on stage for Clockwork include True West (Austin), Don Juan in Chicago (Leporello) and Apartment 3A (Donald). Some other roles include Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (Falstaff), Grapes of Wrath (Jim Casey), Biloxi Blues (Eugene), Broadway Bound (Eugene) and A Flea In Her Ear (Chandebise/Poche). In the 2008 Clockwork Reading Series, Doug was featured as Duffy. Doug is a graduate from S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, with a B.A in Theatre Arts.

KATE ROGAL(Bug) graduated in 2007 from the Carnegie Mellon school of drama. Since then her film and television credits have included, Guiding Light, All my Children, The Sopranos, The Kill Point, Cashmere Mafia, Law and Order: Criminal Intent", The Narrows, Six Degrees, Love and Bones. Theater credits include BoyGirlBoyGirl, The Lonesome West, Complete Female Stage Beauty, and As You Like It.

JAY ROHLOFF (Fish) is a graduate of the Theatre Arts Department at SUNY New Paltz and is a founding member and Artistic Director of The Clockwork Theatre. He was most recently featured in the Clockwork Theatre's 2008 productions of A Number by Caryl Churchill, and Apartment 3A by Jeff Daniels. Jay was also featured as Stetko in The Monument by award winning Canadian playwright, Colleen Wagner, and as Lee in Clockwork's premiere production of True West. In early 2007, Jay and Producing Director Owen M. Smith co-adapted existing versions of the play Don Juan in Chicago with playwright David Ives. This new version was performed for the first time by Clockwork in the Kirk Theatre at Theatre Row in May of 2007, and has since been republished and put into circulation. Other NYC credits include, Devil Tattoo (Chaz), American Auditions (Man #1), Nocturnal Queen (Ensemble.)

JAMES McMANUS (Playwright). Plays include Cement City, Underground, Sheena, Cherry Smoke, Bulldog Whiskey, Dorothy 6, The Night They Drugged the Orange and Pistachio. His plays have been read and performed at the Kennedy Center, New Dramatists, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Irish Repertory Theatre, Lark Play Development Center, The Inkwell and the August Wilson Center for African American Culture. James was the recipient of the 2006 Princess Grace Award in playwriting for Cherry Smoke, which was recently published by Samuel French. His short film, "Love and Bones," is currently in post-production. McManus received his M.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon University in 2006 where he was a two-time recipient of the Schubert Fellowship for Dramatic Writing.

JADE KING CARROLL (Director) recently worked as a directing fellow at Second Stage Theatre. A few of her directing credits include After Adam (Playpenn), Splittin' the Raft (People's Light and Theatre), Life As a Balloon (McCarter Youthink Festival), White Baby (Passage Theatre), Like Father (The Producer's Club), The Adoration (The Chocolate Factory Theatre), White Trash (The Players Theatre). She has directed workshops and readings at New Dramatists, Second Stage Theatre, McCarter Theater and New Jersey Rep. As an assistant director she has worked with Michael Greif, Les Waters, Rebecca Taichman (Second Stage Theatre), Michael Kahn (The Shakespeare Theatre) Gary Griffin, Lisa Peterson (McCarter Theatre), Lou Bellamy (Signature Theatre) and Ruben Santiago-Hudson (A.C.T, Signature Theatre and McCarter Theatre), among many others.

The Clockwork Theatre
info@theclockworktheatre.org

www.theclockworktheatre.org

 

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