ANNABEL'S SISTER by George Kolber to Have Industry Reading

Annabel’s Sister, a new play by George Kolber, will present two industry readings in New York on Thursday November 13th  and Friday November 14th.

Matt Okin directs this new play that reveals the untold story behind the landmark Miranda rights case, recentering the narrative on the courage of a young woman survivor and the failures of America’s justice system. Annabel’s Sister challenges the audience to consider whose rights matter more, as justice for her teenage sister’s harrowing sexual assault is weighed against the rights of her confessed attacker.

Its real-life characters vividly reveal the profound moral and emotional dilemmas each must confront in their respective roles.

Casting will be announced.

The author has reimagined his award-winning film Miranda’s Victim (IMDB) (trailer) for the stage.

Casting is by Duncan Stewart, CSA / ARC. General Management is Grant A. Rice & Megan Dettmer for DR Theatrical Management.

Industry professionals may contact Grant A. Rice and Megan Dettmer at DR Theatrical Management.

George Kolber (Playwright)  After discovering this tragic story during the pandemic, George wrote and produced the feature film Miranda's Victim, the true story of the 18-year-old rape victim whose case resulted in the Miranda Rights. Now, George has reimagined this historical story for the stage in the new play which questions the very term "Miranda rights.” Additionally, George wrote the limited TV series “Thrown Upon The World,” based on the true story of his Austrian family's perilous escape from the Nazis - this while his wealthy Chinese family watches their estate burn to the ground at the hands of the Japanese. Both families find refuge in the Shanghai ghettos, where classical musicians Walter Kolber and Chao Chen meet and fall in love while performing in concert.  This saga exposes the ongoing generational traumas of war; post-war survival, and the challenges of settling into life in the United States.  This series is based on the award-winning book of the same name.  Kolber also wrote the movie, Mooney, which recounts the events surrounding the assassination of JFK from the point of view of Sam Giancana, America's most notorious gangster. Kolber is engaged in many philanthropic endeavors including Holocaust/genocide awareness; victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; and provides education for the economically disadvantaged.

Matt Okin

(Director) Recent theatrical directing credits include: Sam Shepard's Action, the U.S. Premiere of Little Ocean, and The Unseen Hand; each monthly installment of From A To Zoo: An Exclusive Staged Reading Series of Edward Albee's Plays; the initial workshop of The Lost Years by John Patrick Shanley; 1+1 by Eric Bogosian; Imaginary Comforts by Daniel Handler, a.k.a. Lemony Snicket; The Cleopatra Club by Paul Schrader;  Exposed by Beth Henley; and Edward Albee's The Play About The Baby. His original plays showcased in NYC, NJ, and on tours include Cherry Hill; Beltsville/Rockville, Part One: Rise of the Goatman; #OneInnocentWoman; Twist Of Faith; and Walter Liked To Sit In His Big Backyard. Original musicals include Soul Searching (currently being developed in NYC) and A Match Made In Manhattan: The Interactive Jewish Wedding Experience. Matt received a BFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University's Tisch School of The Arts, where he studied with Maria Irene Fornes, Len Jenkin, Martin Epstein, Jan Hartman, Leslie Lee, Charlie Purpura, and Gary Garrison. He is a long-time Teaching Artist for select theatre programs for teens and adults in Bergen County, NJ.  Matt's new comedy screenplay, Issues, is in active development.

Duncan Stewart

(Casting) Born and raised in Canada, Duncan Stewart moved to New York in 2004, becoming a respected leader within the Broadway community. He began his career in the casting department at Playwrights Horizons before moving on to serve as Director of Casting for Barry & Fran Weissler’s National Artists Management Company (NAMCO). Duncan later co-founded and led the acclaimed Manhattan casting office of Stewart/Whitley for over 13 years before taking on his current role as Vice President and Casting Director at ARC, RWS Global’s independent New York-based casting arm. A two-time Artios Award winner and member of the Casting Society of America (CSA), Duncan’s credits include Othello, Real Women Have Curves, Chicago, A Wonderful World, Hadestown, Gatsby (A.R.T.), Life of Pi, The Great Comet of 1812, La Cage Aux Folles, Pippin, On The Town and Romeo & Juliet (A.R.T.).