A series of Talk Backs following performances of the Vineyard Theatre and Naked Angels' co-production of Zayd Dohrn's new play OUTSIDE PEOPLE -- playing now through January 29 at The Vineyard (108 E. 15 St.) -- have been scheduled starting Sunday, January 15.
Directed by Evan Cabnet, the cast of OUTSIDE PEOPLE features Matt Dellapina, Nelson Lee, Li Jun Li and Sonequa Martin-Green.The schedule of Talk Backs and featured guests follows: --Sunday, January 15 -- A post-show discussion with the cast anddirector Evan Cabnet --Tuesday, January 17 -- A post-show discussion with the cast anddirector Evan Cabnet --Thursday, January 19 -- A conversation with playwright Zayd Dohrn --Friday, January 20 -- Grab drinks with the cast at the theatre afterthe show --Tuesday, January 24 -- A post-show discussion with the cast anddirector Evan Cabnet
Set in modern-day Beijing, OUTSIDE PEOPLE, Zayd Dohrn's darkly comic newplay is the story of a young American man, Malcolm (Dellapina) who falls inlove with a young Chinese woman, Xiao Mei (Li). But as his eyes open to thesubtle social, political and economic forces that inform their relationship,he must confront his complex place in this foreign culture, the friendshipthat brought him there, and his own deepest fears and desires.When OUTSIDE PEOPLE opened on January 10, The New York Times' CharlesIsherwood called the play "an engaging and smart comedy of manners, and achinglytrue." NY1's Roma Torre said, "OUTSIDE PEOPLE is excellent, funny andtightly written. The excellent co-production from the Vineyard Theatre and NakedAngels merits a visit." "AM New York's Matt Windman wrote, "It is anabsorbing and mysterious journey." The New York Post's Elisabeth Vincentelli saidthe play is "stylish and well-acted." And the New York Daily News' JoeDziemianowicz called OUTSIDE PEOPLE "seductively sleek in any language."
Matt Dellapina appeared Off-Broadway in DREAM OF THE BURNING BOY, IN THEFOOTPRINT, TELEPHONE and GONE MISSING. Nelson Lee appeared in the televisionseries "Blade: The Series" and "Oz." Li Jun Li appeared in the LincolnCenter Theatre revival of SOUTH PACIFIC, and Off-Broadway in ROMEO AND JULIETand I'M STILL ALIVE. Sonequa Martin-Green has appeared in the televisionseries "The Good Wife" and "Army Wives."Scenic design for OUTSIDE PEOPLE is by Takeshi Kata (HORSEDREAMS, GONEMISSING, ADDING MACHINE); costume design is by Jessica Wegener Shay (DREAM OFTHE BURNING BOY, NEXT FALL, THE MISTAKES MADELINE MADE); lighting design is byBen Stanton (SEMINAR, ASCUNSION, ANGELS IN AMERICA); sound design is byJill BC DuBoff (OTHER DESERT CITIES, CRADLE AND ALL).Zayd Dohrn is a playwright and screenwriter. His plays -- including SICK,MAGIC FOREST FARM and REBORNING -- have been produced and developed acrossthe country, including at Manhattan Theatre Club, Berkshire Theatre Festival,MCC, Marin Theatre Company, The Public (SPF), Naked Angels, South Coast Rep,The Vineyard, Southern Rep, Kitchen Dog, The Lark, New York TheatreWorkshop, and San Francisco Playhouse. He earned his MFA from NYU and was a LilaAcheson Wallace Fellow at Juilliard. He received Lincoln Center's Lecomte duNouy Prize, Theatre Masters' Visionary Playwrights Award, the KennedyCenter's Jean Kennedy Smith Award, and the Sky Cooper New American Play Prize, aswell as residencies and/or commissions from Ars Nova, Alchemy Theatre, DallasTheatre Center, The Stella Adler Studio, and The Royal Court Theatre ofLondon. He is currently writing screenplays for American Film Company and Vox3Films, a television series for HBO, and is a member of the WGA and theDramatists Guild.
Evan Cabnet recently directed ALL-AMERICAN by Julia Brownell and the worldpremiere of David West Read's THE DREAM OF THE BURNING BOY (NY TimesCritics' Pick; Drama League Nomination for Distinguished Production of a Play).Other NY credits include: Elizabeth Meriwether's THE MISTAKES MADELINE MADEand OLIVER PARKER!, Bekah Brunstetter's OOHRAH! and Mark Schultz's THEGINGERBREAD HOUSE. Regional credits include: Michele Lowe's MAP OF HEAVEN (DenverCenter Theatre, world premiere), Donald Margulies' SHIPWRECKED! ANENTERTAINMENT (Long Wharf Theater, East Coast premiere), and his own adaptations ofUBU ROI and Salman Rushdie's HAROUND AND THE SEA OF STORIES (WilliamstownTheatre Festival).One of the nation´s leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to newplays and musicals and bold programming, The Vineyard has consistentlypremiered provocative, groundbreaking works including the Pulitzer Prize-winningproductions of Edward Albee´s THREE TALL WOMEN and Paula Vogel´s HOW ILEARNED TO DRIVE, Tarell Alvin McCraney´s WIG OUT!, The Civilians´ THIS BEAUTIFULCITY, Nicky Silver´s PTERODACTYLS and RAISED IN CAPTIVITY, the Laura Nyromusical ELI´S COMIN´, A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by ColmanDomingo, Adam Rapp´s THE METAL CHILDREN, Will Eno´s MIDDLETOWN and ChristopherShinn's PICKED. OUTSIDE PEOPLE is the second production of The Vineyard's2011-2012 season, following Nicky Silver's sold-out, critically acclaimedplay THE LYONS starring Linda Lavin and Dick Latessa. On November 30, TheVineyard and The Actors Fund will co-produce a concert version of John Kanderand Fred Ebb's musical THE VISIT -- starring Chita Rivera and John Cullum --at the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway. The world-premiere ofNOW.HERE.THIS., from the creators of [title of show], and a developmental lab productionof John Kander and Greg Pierce's musical THE LANDING will round out the2011-2012 season at The Vineyard.
Vineyard Theatre is a recipient of the Tony Award for the musical AVENUE Qand continues as producer of the musical´s current production at New WorldStages in New York. The Vineyard produced the world-premiere of the musicalTHE SCOTTSBORO BOYS -- with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb,book by David Thompson, with direction and choreography Susan Stroman - inMarch 2010 and on Broadway. The Vineyard also produced the musical [title ofshow] both off and on Broadway.Since 1986, Naked Angels has been committed to strengthening a community ofartists through the development and production of provocative new work. Thecompany has played a role in developing critically acclaimed new playsincluding Jon Robin Baitz's THE SUBSTANCE OF FIRE and Warren Leight's SIDE MAN,and producing the world premieres of Stephen Belber's TAPE and FAULT LINES,Elizabeth Meriwether's THE MISTAKES MADELINE MADE, the U.S. premiere ofChloe Moss' THIS WIDE NIGHT and, most recently, Geoffrey Nauffts' TonyAward-nominated play NEXT FALL. From New York to LA, the company inspires artiststo generate fresh voices to generate new work through its popular Tuesdays@9(cold readings of plays, screenplays, stories and music in earlydevelopment), 1st Mondays (public readings of new full-length plays), and Angels inProgress (weeklong workshops). The company's newest venture, Naked Radio,brings the work of talented new writers from the stage to the digital airwavesthrough weekly blogs and podcasts.
Mr. Aibel is Artistic Director of Vineyard Theatre, JenniferGarvey-Blackwell is Executive Producer, Sarah Stern is Co-Artistic Director and RebeccaHabel is Managing Director. Andy Donald is Artistic Director of Naked Angelsand Renee Blinkwolt is Managing Director.Scheduled though January 29, OUTSIDE PEOPLE will perform Tuesdays at 7pm,Wednesdays through Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm and Sundays at3pm. Tickets for OUTSIDE PEOPLE from $20 (rush) to $70 - with premium ticketsavailable for $100 - and can be purchased online at www.VineyardTheatre.orgor by calling 212-353-0303.For more information about OUTSIDE PEOPLE, please visitwww.VineyardTheatre.org or www.nakedangels.com.