Twenty Somethings Productions to Present New York Premiere of THE KING'S MEN
The limited engagement runs July 18 - August 2 at The Waterfront Museum in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
By: A.A. Cristi Jun. 27, 2025
A gender bending troupe of nine electrifying women take over a barge, in the New York Premiere of The King's Men. The farcical comedy written by Javen Tanner who holds an MFA from The Old Globe was inspired by Shakespeare's plays. The King's Men is directed by Twenty Something's co-founder River Knight. The limited engagement runs July 18 - August 2 at The Waterfront Museum in Red Hook, Brooklyn (a floating barge).
Playwright Tanner shared how the play began and evolved, "The King's Men began as a simple experiment: What if women played the men who famously played women? How does a man inhabit a woman's body? And how does a woman inhabit the body of a man playing a woman? But what emerged was a play that is ultimately about touch, and specifically men touching women-- touches both damaging and healing."
The King's Men is a play for nine women about men. More specifically, about men playing women. When Queen Elizabeth dies and the theaters close, Shakespeare and his eccentric troupe of actors plot their next move.
The all female cast features Carolyn Best, Quinn DeVillers, Esther Kohl, Alana Markel, AJ Molder, Madeline Rostmeyer, June Schreiner, Natalia Shane, and Raina Soman.
The creative/Production Team includes Max Van (set), Jade Lo (costume), Josh Healing (lighting), Justin Ma (sound), Colin Gallaher (hair/makeup) and Lola Basiliere (dramaturg), and stage management by Kristiana Priscantelli. The Brooklyn based Twenty Somethings Productions LLC serves as producer.
The King's Men runs July 18 to August 2 with performances on Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm and 7pm, and Sunday at 5pm. Running time: 2 hours with intermission. Tickets range between $14.73 - $45.73. Performances take place at The Waterfront Museum, 290 Conover St, Brooklyn, NY 11231. F/G train to Smith-9th Street, transfer to the B61 bus (5 min. Walk to venue), B57 (10 min. walk).
BIOGRAPHIES
Javen Tanner (Playwright) holds an MFA from The Old Globe, where he was awarded the Craig Noel Fellowship. His plays include The King's Men: A Play for Nine Women, Kempe: A Clown's Show, Salomé, Sentinel, and The Lost Girl Trilogy: Snow White, Sleeping Beauty's Dream, Cinderella. His play This Bird of Dawning was recently adapted for the screen and went on to win eight Best Short Film awards at various festivals. As an actor, Javen has performed Off Broadway and regionally. He currently lives in Salt Lake City, where he is the Artistic Director of The Sting & Honey Company and the Theater Department Chair at The Waterford School. Javen's poems have appeared in journals and magazines throughout the country.
River Knight (Director) is an actor, writer, director, and Twenty Something's founding producer. Their recent directorial work includes Cowboy Mouth at Adult Film a Theater Company in Bushwick. Two of River's own plays have been featured at Twenty Something's: A Thousand Dreadful Things and Gray Whale (in which they played Chris). They have been professionally making theatre for the last two years following their graduation from NYU where they studied at Stella Adler.
About Twenty Somethings
With humble drunken beginnings in a backyard in Brooklyn, Twenty Somethings began with the simple, overwhelming desire to create. They are committed to producing content that gives young artists a space to perform and experiment. Tired of the barrier to entry that stymies so much creativity in this city, Twenty Somethings refuses to ask for permission. They believe in the tenacity of youth and seek to stir it up in our audiences and our artists. From DIY punk shows, to site-specific performance to music videos, we bring the energy of the next generation to a stifled artistic landscape. They want the rough cuts, the ink smudges, the voice cracks, the community-they want to find and foster greatness. They are jamming their foot in the door, holding it open for those ready to work.
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