'Fabrik' to Add Weekend Matinees at Urban Stages

Wakka Wakka Productions (www.wakkawakka.org) has added weekend matinees (beginning Saturday, January 26): Saturdays and Sundays at 3PM for the New York premiere of its latest original theatre piece entitled Fabrik, due to ticket demand.

Fabrik, an original theatre piece featuring puppets, masks, sets and music, will begin performances on January 17 and will officially open on Wednesday, January 23 at 7PM at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street between 7th & 8th Aves). Performances will run through February 17. (Note: Though appropriate for anyone 10 years of age and higher this is not childrens' theater).

"Fabrik tells the exceptional story of Moritz Rabinowitz, the Norwegian Jew who "built a factory from a button." Originally from Poland, he immigrated to Norway in 1911 to escape pogroms and persecution and to build a future for himself. In Haugesund, a small fishing village, he discovered a land rich with opportunity. Beginning in 1918, in his time alone in the apartment above his store, Rabinowitz avidly wrote columns for local and national newspapers, expressing his views and ideas about problems and issues throughout Europe. In time, the primary focus of his columns became warnings to his countrymen about the rise of Hitler and the Nazis. He even published his own book on the danger he felt was to come, "The World Crisis and Us." His portentous denunciations were ignored by everyone except the Nazi's themselves, who considered him "the leader of the Jewish resistance in Norway" when they invaded in 1940," explain press notes.

Inspired by Nordic and Yiddish folktales, Fabrik has been written, directed, and designed by the Wakka Wakka ensemble (David Arkema, Gabrielle Brechner, Kirjan Waage, Gwendolyn Warnock), informed by research of the time period, the writings and life of Moritz Rabinowitz, his family, workers and countrymen. Original sound design and music composed by the ensemble has been combined with a score created by Lars Peter Hagen from a palette of industrial noise, period and folk music. Danny Goldstein (Walmartopia) serves as a directing consultant.

The updated and complete schedule for Fabrik (January 17 through February 17) will be: Tuesdays through Sundays at 8:00 pm. Beginning January 26 (through February 17) there will also be matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. The Opening Night Curtain on Wednesday, January 23 will be at 7:00 p.m. There will be one additional performance on Monday, January 21 at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $25.00. Students and seniors:  $17.50. TDF vouchers accepted. Tickets for all performances are available at 212-352-3101 (or online at www.theatermania.com).

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