Athena Theatre Company Presents A Reading Of WAKING UP 11/8

The Athena Theatre Company proudly presents A Staged Reading of Waking Up "Love is not an inevitability."by Augusto Federico Amador

Member of the 2010 Emerging Writers Group at The Public Theater
Directed by Erma Duricko
Monday, November 8th at 8PM
Primary Stages, 307 West 38th Street
November 8th at 8PM, 2010...New York City...

Already despondent Jeremy attends the wake of his uncle. He meets a fellow mourner, Austin, a handsome, confident but mysterious addition to the collective mourners. Jeremy takes to Austin quickly, however, a while into their conversation Jeremy uncovers an uncomfortable truth: Not only did Austin never know Jeremy's deceased Uncle, he doesn't know anyone at the wake. Austin explains that he is a "wake-hopper", a person who crashes the wakes of strangers.

Their story develops into a deep-rooted connection. Both learning along their journey that, sometimes, what we expect to gain and what we are supposed to learn are very different and that we should "WAKE UP" to the world around us. This is a story that surpasses gender, sexuality, life, and death- but reaches into the intangible conscience of who we are and how we overcome. Four characters take us on a journey to realizing that love IS inevitable.

Featuring
Bobby Brower
Brionne Davis*
Veronique Ory*
Aldo Pisano*
and
Ryan Castro

This is a staged reading for the purposes of possible production in spring of 2011. THIS EVENT IS FREE.

ABOUT ATHENA THEATRE

Since its inception in 2003, Athena Theatre has been acclaimed by critics and audiences alike in Los Angeles. Now making a presence in New York with Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST at Theatre Row in February 2010. Athena's primary goal is to present theatrical experiences that "entertain, inform, enlighten, question and deepen audience awareness to vital modern issues."

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
In Los Angeles, Augusto Federico Amador studied acting under Diana Castle before moving to New York to independently pursue playwriting. Currently, he is a member of the 2010 Emerging Writers Group at The Public Theater in NYC. In the Spring his play, Solterona, will be part of the new play reading series at the Queens Theater in the Park. His plays have been presented at Repertorio Espanol, Terra Nova Collective, the Red Room, INTAR Theater, Audrey-Skirball Kenis Theater Projects, Ricardo Montalban Theater, [inside] the John Anson Ford Theater, and Playwright's Arena. Last summer, he received a playwright's residency from the Arkansas Repertory Theater, as part of their Voices at the River new play festival. He is in the process of finishing his latest play, Kissing Che, about Havana's last famous drag queen.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM
Erma Duricko (Director) is a member of the Society of Stage Directors/Choreographers, founder and Artistic Director of Blue Roses Productions, Inc., NYC, and Artistic Associate for Circle EastInc., NYC. Off-Broadway, she has directed at the Lion Theatre and The American Place; Off-Off at Neighborhood Playhouse, manhattan theatresource, LaMama, Goldberg Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Chasama, Polaris North, Laurie Beecham Theater; regionally, at Arkansas Rep, White Birch, Sag Harbor, Pocono Playhouse, Long Wharf, Hartford Stage, Scranton Public, Fernwood and others. She conceived and directed In Their Own Words, Flights of Fancy, Destination Valdez for the Last Frontier Theatre Conference, in Valdez. Her recent professional career is devoted to directing and producing New American Plays and the work of Tennessee Williams. She has conceived and directed Tennessee Williams Compilations: The Broken World of Tennessee Williams, Happy Birthday Mr. Williams; Truth in the Guise of Illusion; Derelicts and Dreamers; many of Williams full-lengths and one-acts; and curates the NYC Tennessee Williams Birthday celebration, produced by Blue Roses Productions annually in NYC. She also curates and directs the C. Douglas Stephens Infusion Series in NYC, developing new plays. Ms. Duricko has helped to develop, produce, and/or direct hundreds of new plays, including work by John Yearley, Lisa Humbertson, Tennessee Williams, Augusto Frederico Amador, Craig Lucas, Tom Matthew Wolfe, Timothy Patrick Brown, Alan Havis, Kara Corthron, Gary Giovannetti, Lanford Wilson, Y York, Guillermo Reyes, Richard Cottrell and many others. She has received drama critic awards for outstanding direction, a Cervantes Grant, a Meredith Harless Visiting Artist Endowment, and is the recipient of the Tennessee Williams Award, presented in Mississippi, for Outstanding Contributions Preserving, Promoting and Perpetuating the Work of Mr. Williams. Her current project for the stage, Tom's Children, is a group of short plays inspired by the poems of Tennessee Williams and written by different playwrights. Erma teaches Professional Scene Study classes for working actors; presents workshops for writers, directors and actors; and when time allows, has guest directed at major universities across the country. She is teaching this year at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Duricko is on the national advisory boards for the Last Frontier Playwrights' Conference, the Delta Tennessee Williams Festival in Mississippi, a member of the First Look Theatre Company at Tisch/NYU, and The Drama League. Erma is married to Dr. Allen Duricko and the blessed mother of Marissa and Jeff and deeply indebted and devoted to her collaborator of 20 years, Tim Brown.

THE CAST
Bobby Brower (Jeremy) Some of Bobby's theatre credits include, Walter the Usher in Toni Schlesinger's The Palace at St. Ann's Warehouse, Stanley in Celluloid, an original musical by Earl Lewen and jazz great Dick Durham, Marty in Nick Garr's Rooftop Rites, and Kitten in Rebecca Stokes' Very Very. A proud member of Pantomonium Productions, bringing theatre to underserved youth in the five boroughs, Bobby played Festoon in The Emperor's New Clothes and will be seen as Lustro, the Queen's Mirror in this year's production of Snow White and the Several Dwarfs, which Bobby co-wrote the script and lyrics for the production. Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BA) and Seton Hall University (MA).

Brionne Davis* (Austin) has starred in or had principle roles in over 25 independent films including the role of the serial hick killer in the Warner Brother's film REST STOP II, WITCHES OF OZ with Christopher Lloyd, Hallmark's PANDEMIC, the festival award winning SYSTOLIC and AGENT FIVE. Theatrically: he most recently starred in TRUE WEST at Theatre Row, and played Adolf Eichmann in WALLENBERG at SoHo Play house. Other theatrical credits include his very own A NOBLE EXILE a one man show produced in Los Angeles and New York inspired by the characters of Tennessee Williams. SHAME, another one man show, and many more original productions across the country. More familiar roles include; Happy in DEATH OF A SALESMAN, Edmond in LONG DAYS JOURNEY..., Harry in LUV, Constantine in BIG LOVE, and Action in WEST SIDE STORY . His education: Harding University, HB Actors Studio in NY, and the Aaron Speiser Master Student Program in Los Angeles. More information at www.brionnedavis.com

Veronique Ory* (Kathy) Some favorite roles include: METAMORPHOSES (Eurydice), PTERODACTYLS (Emma), SLOW DANCE ON THE KILLING GROUND (Rosie), WAIT UNTIL DARK (Susy), A LIE OF THE MIND (Beth), PROOF (Catherine), THE SHAPE OF THINGS (Evelyn), HOW I LEARNED TO DRIV E (Li'l Bit), WAITING FOR GODOT (Estragon), BEIRUT (Blue) and in CRIMES OF THE HEART (Babe), BIRDBATH (Velma). NY (Regional): AGNES OF GOD (Agnes) and PYGMALION (Higgins' Parlour Maid). Veronique received her BA in Theatre from Russell Sage College. www.VeroniqueOry.com
Aldo Pisano* (Lukas) has also performed in De Novo on tour and at New York's Rattlestick Theater. Other memorable productions include Much Ado About Nothing (dir. Peter DuBois), The Emigrants (dir. Alba Oms), and The Tempest (dir. Joe Morton). Aldo has worked regionally with The California Shakespeare Theater, Mixed Blood Theater, San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, Berkeley Rep, Magic Theatre, San Jose Rep, Theatre Works, Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, Teatro Vision, and others. Favorite roles include Carlino in Wait Until Dark, Manulo in The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, Ramon in Love! Valour! Compassion! (Dean Goodman Award), and Sir Toby in Twelfth Night. TV/Film credits include Nash Bridges, his lead role in the feature drama Get Money, and numerous indie films which have screened at Sundance & internationally. Aldo has trained at The Public Theater, A.C.T., Shakespeare & Co., The Actor's Center, and with Lloyd Richards, Patsy Rodenburg, and Kristin Linklater. As a writer, Aldo has penned TV pilots, spec scripts, and plays. His one man show JUDGEMENT returns to NYC's Theater ROW Nov. 15th. More info at www.aldopisano.com.

ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING Monday, November 8th at 8PM General Admission: FREE

A Staged Reading of
WAKING UP by Augusto Federico Amador
Member of the 2010 Emerging Writers Group at The Public Theater
Monday, November 8th at 8PM
Primary Stages 307 West 38th Street
RSVP: WakingUpThePlay@AthenaTheatre.com
FREE Admission

JUDGEMENT a soloplay written and performed by Aldo Pisano
a comedy with rap, dance and a homicidal robot
Monday, November 15th @ 7PM
Theatre Row 410 West 42nd Street
tickets at www.telecharge.com
212-239-6200