Photo Flash: 'The Cartells' in Rehearsal

Drama Dept. will turn the talents of its acclaimed theatrical company to the world of prime time soaps with The Cartells, by Douglas Carter Beane (The Little Dog Laughed, As Bees in Honey Drown).  Directed by Carl Andress, The Cartells is a live, four-part, weekly stage series premiering Monday, October 16, 2006 at Comix (353 W. 14th St.) in New York's Meatpacking District. 

Starring Vanessa Aspillaga, Elizabeth Berkley, Keith Davis, Joanna Gleason, Jason Butler Harner, Peter Frechette, Peter Hermann, Cady Huffman, Brian D'Arcy James, Pedro Pascal, David Rakoff, Kristen Schaal, and Joey Slotnick, The Cartells is "about a wealthy oil family having too much fun in an Aaron Spelling kind of way," state press materials.

"What will happen when Craven Cartell's missing wife Titsiana reappears on the day he is to wed Karma Smugg? Will Craven go back to laying his pipeline with Titsiana or will he go all green with Karma? When Gamine says 'action' before sex with Dank, is it just foreplay? Why can't Sterling find the right girl? And why does he spend so much time with Samson? And how does Hubris the butler always know the perfect Bible verse? Find out answers to all these and more at The Cartells."

The performance schedule is as follows:

    Episode #1 – "The Eye of the Needle" – Monday, October 16 at 8 p.m.
    Episode #2 – "Far Above Rubies" – Monday, October 23 at 8 p.m.
    Episode #3 – "Perish the Sword" – Monday, October 30 at 8 p.m.
    Episode #4 – "Cast a Stone" – Monday, November 6 at 8 p.m.

Tickets for all performances are $35 each and can be purchased by calling 212-524-2500. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.ComixNY.com on in-person at Comix Box Office at 353 W. 14th St.). The box office opens at 10 a.m. daily. Dinner seating is also available.

Photos by Joan Marcus

Joanna Gleason

Joanna Gleason

Pedro Pascal

Peter Hermann

Pedro Pascal and director Carl Andress

The cast of The Cartells in rehearsal

Kristen Schaal (with Joey Slotnick, foreground)

Douglas Carter Beane, Cady Huffman, Carl Andress and Joanna Gleason