Following the sold-out reading and discussion at 92YTribeca, comes the fully staged, Off-Broadway production and world premiere of Handbook for an American Revolutionary.
Form Theatricals (
Anthony Francavilla and
Zachary Laks) in association with Judson Arts presents the World-Premiere of
Handbook for an American Revolutionary- an explosive and hilarious study of America's modern-day Davids and Goliaths- written and performed by
Matthew-Lee Erlbach ("Eager to Lose") and directed by Drama Desk nominee
Tony Speciale ("Unnatural Acts"), with preview performances beginning tonight, July 19 prior to an official press opening of July 22 at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street, @ Washington Square South) in Manhattan.
"I'm thrilled to be working with
Matthew-Lee Erlbach, a young playwright whose work I've been following closely in recent years," stated director Speciale. "HANBOOK FOR AN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY is an inspiring, brutal and (often times) humorous look at the various ways Americans live, survive and collaborate together in the 21st Century. In addition to being a remarkable writer, Matthew is an extraordinary actor. His portrayal of the twelve, diverse characters that inhabitHANDBOOK is nothing short of virtuosic, and I am honored to be shepherding this important and timely project from page to stage."
Inspired by
Matthew-Lee Erlbach's travels around the United States, HANDBOOK is a raw, incendiary, and darkly comic play giving voice to a panorama of ordinary citizens in extraordinary circumstances whose battles are reshaping 21st-century America. As he blazes through a powerful spectrum of diverse Americans, Erlbach gives voice to the voiceless from coal power to white power, K Street to Bourbon St, and the prophets and profits of today's America. The twelve dynamic characters in Erlbach's play are the face of America's turbulent present and a hand to its hopeful future-the 99%.
Additional creative and design team for
Handbook for an American Revolutionary is Nicholas Houfek (lighting designer), Nina Segal (associate producer), David Bruin (dramaturg) and
Jerry Marsini and
Derek Rippe (graphic designers).
Matthew-Lee is an actor and writer from Chicago, currently living in New York. Upcoming work includes EAGER TO LOSE, A FARCE IN RHYMING VERSE, opening
Ars Nova's fall season (Oct 2013); KEVIN LAMB, currently in development with Tony-winner
Michael Berresse; and KING GEORGE, III, PARTS ONE AND TWO. His plays have been developed or produced with/at MCC, NYTW, Williamstown,
Primary Stages, SPACE on Ryder Farm,
Ars Nova, 92YTribeca, GYM at Judson, Ohio Theatre, The Zipper, and Tisch/NYU Grad, among others.
A contributor to the Huffington Post, he is currently in development with Locomotive Film and Cineflix for two different pilots, and has written for Nickelodeon and WWE. His Off Bway socio-political satire Happy Sunshine Kung Fu Flower, sponsored by The Onion, featured guests ranging from
Amy Goodman, Rachel Maddow, and
Paul Rieckhoff to
Mo Rocca, Lizz Winstead, and
Jamie Kilstein. He has also written for Huffington Post, Nickelodeon, and WWE.
As an actor, Matthew-Lee was the host of MTV's Epic Fail pilot before focus groups thought he was too "smart funny" (true story). He was nominated for Best Actor at Houston for his film Roger, the Chicken (also writer/director) which won Best Screenplay and has been an Official Selection at festivals across the U.S. and Canada, most recently at the
Friars Club Comedy Film Festival. Other recent credits include Another Earth (Official Sundance Selection 2011) released nationwide by Fox Searchlight in 2011, Comedy Central's Important Things with
Demetri Martin, and Law&Order: SVU, among others. Theatre credits: Off-Broadway: Goldor $ Mtyhyka; the world premiere of
Danny Hoch's Till the Break of Dawn; also, MCC,
Culture Project,
Ars Nova, A.R.T, Utah Shakespearean Festival, Barrington Stage. He is a proud cum laude graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign. Also, Boston Conservatory of Music and Second City, Chicago.
Tony Speciale (Director) is the founder of Plastic Theatre-conceiving, co-authoring and directing the world premiere of UNNATURAL ACTS (
Classic Stage Company, 2011-Drama Desk Nominee for Outstanding Play, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Featured Actor; GLAAD Media Award Nominee for Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway & Off-Broadway; Off Broadway Alliance Award Nominee for Best New Play). Other directing credits at
Classic Stage Company include A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM featuring
Bebe Neuwirth,
Christina Ricci and Taylor Mac, MACBETH, TWELFTH NIGHT, ROMEO AND JULIET and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. Tony's work has been seen at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Theatre Row, New York Musical Theatre Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, NY International Fringe Festival,
HERE Arts Center and La MaMa. Tony is the former Associate Artistic Director at
Classic Stage Company, studied musical theatre at The Boston Conservatory and holds an MFA in Directing from Columbia University. He is also the proud recipient of a 2009 Princess Grace Theatre Honorarium. Upcoming project - the new musical HARMONY by
Barry Manilow and
Bruce Sussman.
Scheduled July 19th through August 3rd,
Handbook for an American Revolutionary will have performances on:
Friday, July 19th at 11pm
Saturday, July 20th at 5pm
Sunday, July 21st at 2pm
Monday, July 22nd at 10pm (Opening Night)
Thursday, July 25th at 6pm
Friday, July 26th at 6pm
Friday, July 26 at 11pm
Sunday, July 28th at 1pm
Sunday, July 28th at 4pm
Monday, July 29th at 10pm
Thursday, August 1st at 6pm
Friday, August 2nd at 6pm
Saturday, August 3rd at 2pm
HANDBOOK FOR AN AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY will be performed at The Gym at Judson (243 Thompson Street). Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at www.HandbookNYC.com.
For more information about
Handbook for an American Revolutionary, please visit
www.HandbookNYC.com.
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