Oberon Theater Ensemble Announces AMERICAN RAPTURE Series

OBERON THEATRE ENSEMBLE is pleased to announce their series AMERICAN RAPTURE, which includes Hello Out There by William Saroyan and world premiere plays by Alex Dinelaris (nominated Lucile Lortel/Drama Desks), directed by Alex Dinelaris. AMERICAN RAPTURE plays a three-week limited engagement at the Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row (410 W 42nd St). Performances begin Saturday, February 14th and continue through Sunday, March, 1st.

An evening of short plays, some humorous, some tragic, explore the unique mixture of loneliness and hope, which make up the American Experience. Playwright/director Alex Dinelaris, who was nominated for a Lucille Lortel (Best Musical) and two Drama Desk Awards (Book & Lyrics) for his work on the off-Broadway hit, ZANNA DON’T!, weaves his way through modern relationships, religious hypocrisy, love, loss and the endless cycle of violence that threatens to swallow our society whole. The evening culminates with William Saroyan’s Hello Out There, the powerful tale of two outcasts who find love at the most unlikely of times, in the most unlikely of places.

AMERICAN RAPTURE will be presented in conjunction with William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, as part of Oberon Theatre Ensemble’s Winter Rep 09.

The production features scenic design by Kathryn Veillette and lighting design by Jessica Hinkle. Jenna Lazar is the stage manager.

Plays by William Saroyan & ALEX DINELARIS

Directed by ALEX DINELARIS

Starring
JANE CORTNEY* BRAD FRYMAN* Vince Gatton*
William LaneY* DIANNA MARTIN* Donovan Patton*
LAURA SINER* MAX DARWIN Christine Verleny
STEWART WALKER*
*Performing courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association.

THREE-WEEK LIMITED ENGAGEMENT
FEBRUARY 14TH – MARCH 1ST, 2009
THE BECKETT THEATER AT THEATRE ROW

WWW.TICKETCENTRAL.COM

AMERICAN RAPTURE plays the following schedule through Sunday, March 1st:
Saturday, Feb 14 at 8pm
Sunday, Feb 15 at 3pm
Wednesday, Feb 18 at 8pm
Thursday, Feb 19 at 8pm
Friday, Feb 20 at 8pm
Saturday, Feb 21 at 2pm
Monday, Feb 23 at 7pm
Tuesday, Feb 24 at 8pm
Wednesday, Feb 25 at 2pm
Saturday, Feb 28 at 8pm
Sunday, Mar 1 at 3pm

Tickets are $20.00 and $13.75 students/seniors. Advance tickets can be purchased online at www.TicketCentral.com, or by calling 212-279-4200. Tickets may also be purchased in person at Theater Row’s box office, open daily from 12pm-8pm.

For more information about American Rapture and Oberon Theatre Ensemble’s Winter Rep 09, visit www.OberonTheatre.org.

ALEX DINELARIS (Playwright/Director) Two time Drama Desk nominee, Alex Dinelaris, recently previewed his play RED DOG Howls in Los Angeles with Kathleen Chalfant, Matthew Rauch and Darcie Siciliano. Plans are in place to bring the play to the London stage in the spring of '10. Also in the works is a Broadway production of his play STILL LIFE with producer Jeffrey Richards (August: Osage County) and director Will Frears (Omnium Gatherum). Alex is proud to have recently worked with brilliant director Alejandro Gonzales-Innaritu (“BABEL”, “21 GRAMS”, “AMORES PERROS”) on his new film. Other Plays include: THE CHAOS THEORIES, BIG KIDS, ADAM & EVELYN and PATHETIQUE. He was nominated for two 2003 Drama Desk Awards for his additional work on the book and lyrics of Tim Acito's, ZANA DON'T.

William Saroyan (Playwright) Oscar winner and prestigious Pulitzer Prize recipient, William Saroyan, was born on August 31, 1908 in a Californian town of Fresno in an Armenian family of Armenak and Takoohi Saroyan. His first literary works were published between 1928 and 1936 and he then worked as a Hollywood writer for B. P. Schulberg and Columbia Pictures. In 1939 and 1940 William Saroyan's My Heart's in the Highlands and The Time of Your Life were staged for theater and Love's Old Sweet Song opened on Broadway and he received New York Critics Circle Award. In 1942 Saroyan made a short subject film "The Good Job" for Louis B. Mayer and in 1943 his MGM screenplay "The Human Comedy" was novelized and published and received great reviews. In 1944 he received the Academy Award for Best Writing Original Story for "The Human Comedy". He wrote the lyrics of Ross Bagdasarian's famous # 1 hit song "Come On-a My House", performed by Rosemary Clooney, which was featured in Madonna's 2002 "Swept Away". Saroyan is one of the most important American writers of the 20th century, perhaps the only writer to receive both the Pulitzer Prize and the Academy Award, and his work continues to appear on the theater stage and the silver screen worldwide.

OBERON ENSEMBLE THEATRE Founded in 1997, Oberon is an off-off Broadway ensemble theatre company. Now beginning our 12th season, we have produced 48 full-length productions and more than 50 staged readings of original plays. Oberon now has about 20 active members and many more regular collaborators, including award-winning actors, playwrights, directors and designers.
The Oberon Theatre Ensemble is an active player in New York’s independent theatre community. Each season we combine classic, contemporary, and new works in a format that allows each to highlight and enhance the other. We juxtapose new against old in a single evening or in a repertory schedule, with our ensemble of actors and directors nimbly jumping from one world to another to draw our audiences fully into the experience.
We believe in the joy of a well told story, the connection offered by a supportive community, and the magic of the Oberon actively works to share this magic with others by reaching out to the community. We offer discounted student and senior tickets to our performances, and create shows that we can bring to schools, senior centers, and hospitals. We have also presented shows free in Central Park and strive to keep all our offerings affordable.

In a time when Off-Broadway theatres are closing, ensemble theatre groups are all but unheard of, arts funding largely nonexistent, and theatres both large and small focused on finding the next big commercial hit, Oberon may be a bit old-fashioned in its approach. Nonetheless, our commitment to cultivating and invigorating a diverse theatre community remains steadfast. And it will remain so even amidst the rapid change that characterizes this unforgiving haven we call our home, New York City.