Barrow Street Theatre Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Opening of HIT THE WALL Tonight

Producers Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian and Tom Wirtshafter present the New York premiere of the new play, Hit The Wall by Ike Holter, a theatrical exploration of the first night of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, at the Barrow Street Theatre. Directed by Eric Hoff, with original music & music supervision by Dan Lipton. The show began previews at the Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street) on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 and opening night set for this evening at 7:30 PM.

To honor the occasion of Barrow Street Theatre's 10th Anniversary, New York City Council Speaker, Christine Quinn will present the esteemed company with a New York City Proclamation, that reads in part:

"The Council of the City of New York is proud to honor Barrow Street Theatre, on the occasion of the opening night of "Hit the Wall," in celebration of its 10th Anniversary season and its great impact both on and off-stage. That the Council of the City of New York honors Barrow Street Theatre in celebration of its 10TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON for its outstanding contributions to the American theatre. Signed this 10th day of March in the year Twenty Thirteen."

The esteemed company has presented the hit Off-Broadway plays, BUG, No Child..., Orson's Shadow, Gone Missing, Our Town, Mistakes Were Made, Cymbeline, and the recent Tribes. One of the most decorated Off Broadway theatres in New York, honors have been bestowed to Barrow Street Theatre productions by the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, OBIE, Drama League and Lucille Lortel awards committees. The roster of notable actors has included Helen Hunt, Michael Shannon, Jason Butler Harner, Michael McKean, Mare Winningham, Nilaja Sun, Steven Kunken, Scott Parkinson, and director/actors David Cromer and Austin Pendleton, among many others.

In Hit The Wall, it's the early hours of June 28, 1969 when a routine police raid on The Stonewall Inn, a popular underground gay bar in Greenwich Village, sparks a full-scale riot. Violent protests and street demonstrations continued for the next several days in what became known as The Stonewall Riots, thrusting a group of unlikely revolutionaries onto the frontlines of history and igniting one of the most influential social and political movements of the 20th Century. Hit The Wall focuses on that wild and enigmatic first night of the riots, placing the audience just on the periphery of the conflict. With an imaginative and theatrical blend of history and mythology, Hit The Wall shines a contemporary light on the legacy of Stonewall.

The Barrow Street Theatre is located in the heart of the Greenwich Village and mere steps away from the site of the riots. For over 40 years, millions have gathered annually in that iconic New York neighborhood on the last Sunday in June to honor The Stonewall Riots. In June 2011, thousands gathered at The Stonewall Inn, still in operation, to celebrate the passage of the right to Same-Sex Marriage in the State of New York under the Marriage Equality Act.

The ensemble of Hit The Wall will feature Nick Bailey, Jessica Dickey, Ben Diskant, Nathan Lee Graham, Matthew Greer, Gregory Haney, Sean Allan Krill, Rania Salem Manganaro, Jonathan Mastro, Ray Rizzo, Carolyn Michelle Smith, Arturo Soria and Indigo Street. Ms. Manganaro and Mr. Soria reprise their roles from the critically acclaimed World Premiere of Hit The Wall, developed and produced in 2012 by The Inconvenience as part of Steppenwolf's Garage Rep. series in Chicago.

The creative team also includes Lauren Helpern (Set), David Hyman (Costumes), Keith Parham (Lighting), Daniel Kluger and Brandon Wolcott (Sound), J. David Brimmer (Fight Director), and Pat McCorkle (Casting). The Production Stage Manager is Bethany Russell.

Hit the Wall is presented Off-Broadway by Scott Morfee, Jean Doumanian, Tom Wirtshafter, Patrick Daly, Burnt Umber, Roger E. Kass, Starry Night Entertainment, BarLor Productions, Christian Chadd Taylor, Marc and Lisa Biales.

Tickets for Hit The Wall are $35 - $75 and can be purchased online at www.smarttix.com, on the phone at 212-868-4444, or in person at the Barrow Street Theatre box office, open at 1:00 PM daily. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM. Student Rush tickets are priced at $20 (with valid student I.D.) and available on the day of performance.

The Barrow Street Theatre is located at 27 Barrow Street at 7th Avenue South in the heart of Greenwich Village. Nearby subway stops are the 1 at Christopher Street (walk 1 block South on 7th Avenue to Barrow) and the A, C, E, B, D, F and M at West 4th (walk West on 4th Street, left on Barrow).

For more information, visit www.barrowstreettheatre.com.

Pictured: A scene from "Hit the Wall" at the Barrow Street Theatre. Photo credit: Matthew Murphy.