cloud:burst Runs as Part of Brits Off Bway Fest, 5/23-6/11

59E59 Theaters will welcome the critically acclaimed theater company Theatre Absolute to the Brits Off Broadway festival with the premiere of cloud:burst, written and directed by Chris O'Connell and starring Graeme Hawley. cloud:burst begins previews on Tuesday, May 23 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 11. The press opening is Tuesday, May 30 at 9:00 PM.

"Leading British playwright Chris O'Connell (Frantic Assembly, Paines Plough, RSC) comes to New York with his own award winning theatrecompany, Theatre Absolute, and his new play cloud:burst. Dominic (Hawley) is an ordinary man who is consumed by the glare of the media after his daughter is murdered. When the press attention moves elsewhere, he is left to pick up the pieces," according to press notes. cloud:burst originated at the Linbury Studio Theatre, the smaller hall at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

O'Connell's plays for Theatre Absolute include: Car, Raw, and Kid. Both Car and Raw won Fringe First Awards for Outstanding New Work and Innovation at the Edinburgh Fringe Festivals 1999 and 2001, respectively. Car also won a Time Out Live Award for Best New Play on the London Fringe, 1999 and the three were performed together for the first time, as Street Trilogy, touring throughout the UK, in Spring 2005. His work has been both read and produced in Estonia, Italy, Australia and America.

Hawley has worked with Theatre Absolute on Raw, Street Trilogy and most recently cloud:burst for the Firsts Festival at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. He is a founding member of Homegrown Theatre Company. His work with them includes Traffic, Weather and Hidden Markings, for which he won the M.E.N Most Promising Newcomer award in 2000. Other theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet (Eye), Measure for Measure, Schweyk, Howie the Rookie (Library Theatre), and Little Malcolm (Octagon Theatre). He has also been featured on numerous TV and radio programs.

The performance schedule is Tuesday -Friday at 9 PM; Saturday at 4 PM and 9 PM; Sunday at 2:30 PM and 7:30 PM. Single tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 members) and are available by calling Ticket Central at 212-279-4200 or online at www.ticketcentral.com. For more information visit www.britsoffbroadway.com.